“No cinema in Toronto comes even close to the Revue”: Three Toronto directors on the city’s ascendant film scene

Matt Johnson

Nominated for BlackBerry (Best Motion Picture)

Dream job as a kid: “I wanted to be Robin Hood. Then I wanted to be Robin Williams. Then, when I realized that movies were made by someone, I knew I wanted to star in movies made by me.” Celebrity doppelgänger: “Recently, people have been saying that I look like Pete Holmes’s Canadian younger brother.” If you could walk around Toronto dressed as any movie character, which would you choose? “Casey Jones, the vigilante, played by Montreal’s Elias Koteas, from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I would deliver street justice.” Title of your biopic: “I’m not sure what the title would be, but I can imagine the poster. It would depict Christopher Columbus planting a flag, with the tagline, ‘I didn’t steal your idea—I discovered it.’" Favourite food from craft services: “I try to avoid eating craft services because my production team—my friends, really—are so stingy. But I really love peanut butter RXBars.” Most productive time of the day: “When I have only five minutes to write something down. I write every day, so I’ve doomed myself to a life of adult homework. It’s awful.” How you unwind after a 16-hour shoot: “Going out with my friends and letting them viciously insult me.” David Cronenberg or Atom Egoyan: “When I was younger, it was Cronenberg 100 times out of 100. But Atom is really fun to hang out with. So I would keep Atom as a friend.” The Paradise Theatre or the Revue Cinema: “The Revue—by far, by far, by far. It’s not that the Paradise isn’t great. But they do candlelight concerts. Get real. The Revue has a great crowd and exquisite programming. It’s a champion of outsider, indie cinema. No other cinema comes even close. It’s the closest thing we have to the Alamo Drafthouse.” Best way to get butts in seats: “Knowing your audience is 90 per cent of the job. Canadian filmmakers almost never make movies for audiences and, therefore, make movies for nobody. People should make films that can be explained in a one-sentence pitch.” Streaming services—yea or nay?: “Yea, very much so. I’m completely Catholic when it comes to how movies are presented. I love seeing movies in theatres, but I’m not so snobby that I would tell people not to watch on their phones. I can’t twist reality to my own liking.” Favourite CSA-nominated film that isn’t yours: “The cinematography in Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person is unbelievable. Some of these movies are by my friends, like Brandon Cronenberg and Andrew Cividino, so it’s too tacky to praise them.” First thing you’d do after winning best motion picture: “I’d go out with my friends and let them viciously insult me.”

Related: “Canadians suffer from this absolute refusal to see myth and romance in ourselves”—A Q&A with BlackBerry star Jay Baruchel

Brandon Cronenberg

Nominated for Infinity Pool (Best Motion Picture)

Dream job as a kid: “A Toronto Life writer. Please let me know.” Celebrity doppelgänger: “Margot Robbie.” If you could walk around Toronto dressed as any movie character, which would you choose? “Jones, the cat from Alien. He’s agile.” Favourite thing to eat from craft services: “Andrew Cividino.” Inspiration comes when… “You give it permission.” Most productive time of the day: “That’s a loaded question.” Describe the Toronto film scene in three words: “Deeply fragrant. Fragrant.” How you unwind after a 16-hour shoot: "Animal Crossing cosplay.” The Paradise Theatre or the Revue Cinema: “I have more history with the Revue, but the Paradise is also terrific.” Best way to get butts in seats: “I’m more focused on getting seats in butts.” Streaming services—yea or nay? “I use them, but I prefer Blu-rays. Their quality is substantially higher, and they’re important from an archival standpoint.” The future of film in one word: “Palisade.” Favourite CSA-nominated film that isn’t yours: “I haven’t seen them all yet, so I’ll just say the one about the phone.” First thing you’d do after winning best motion picture: “Uncomfortable introspection.”

Related: “It’s always there—the dark feeling in my stomach that the world’s going to hell”—A Q&A with director Caitlin Cronenberg

Andrew Cividino

Nominated for Essex County (Best Drama Series)

Dream job as a kid: “I grew up on those late-’80s movies with mad inventors, so the dad from Gremlins.” Celebrity doppelgänger: “Brandon Cronenberg.” If you could walk around Toronto dressed as any movie character, which would you choose? “There are a few that would be a lot of fun, but I think I’m going to go with Mr. Bean.” Title of your biopic: “I don’t know. You should have asked Matt. Pass.” Favourite food from craft services: “Peanut M&Ms. But my favourite overall move when the day is getting too long is to create a Fuck-It Bucket: all of the candies in one vessel.” Most productive time of the day: “The morning, for writing, with a coffee. Ten is probably when I’m starting to reach my stride.” How you unwind after a 16-hour shoot: “I’ll listen to music or play music—guitar or piano. Melatonin is also a good friend.” David Cronenberg or Atom Egoyan: “That’s such a tough one. Both inspired me to get into movies, and both are wonderful people. It’s a horrible choice to make. Egoyan’s The Sweet Hereafter and Cronenberg’s The Fly are both touchstones. But at the end of the day I’m a Cronenberger—‘Egoyanite’ doesn’t quite slip off the tongue.” Describe the Toronto film scene in three words: “On the cusp.” The Paradise Theatre or the Revue Cinema: “I’m going to go with the Revue. There’s something about its grimy nostalgia and offbeat programming. And it’s weathered the storm.” Best way to get butts in seats: “Make something great. Word of mouth has never been so crucial. It’s more important than reviews or anything.” Streaming services—yea or nay?: “This is a hard question as both a filmmaker and consumer. It’s yea and nay. For example, it’s easier to watch movies from the ’60s than it was in the ’60s—streaming gives art a chance to be seen. On the flip side, streaming has become like Blockbuster, where you’re faced with this giant onslaught of content, much of it lacking creativity.” Favourite CSA-nominated film that isn’t yours: “It’s a tie between BlackBerry and Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person.” First thing you’d do after winning best drama series: “The CSAs are on my birthday this year. I’m probably going to go out with Matt and Brandon and other pals to celebrate both.”