Fri, May 12 / 7 pm
Directed by William D. MacGillivray
1990, Canada, 80 mins
Introduced by Bill MacGillivray.
Two academics try to keep their affair a secret, as difficult a task in St. John’s, Newfoundland, as it is to find a place to make love. On one level Understanding Bliss is an intimate drama of misalliance, but MacGillivray refuses to play a safe hand. Shot originally on video to facilitate long takes – a dazzling example takes viewers across the street and down sidewalks to a building interior where a theatre class is in session – the technique also supports the film’s intimate scenes, romantic and familial. The film also offers a marvellous sketch of St. John’s topography and a stunning performance of a Mummers Play, a traditional Newfoundland folk practice adapted from the Old World.
Plays With:
Linda Joy / Directed by William D. MacGillivray & Linda Busby, 1985, Canada, 20 min / In a stark testimonial of radiant courage, a young woman, Linda Joy Busby, addresses the viewer directly about her terminal illness.“One of the most moving films he has ever made. A perfect film.”
-Peter Harcourt, Point of View
