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U of T opera over the moon p. 7
BATTLE OF THE SLICES our judges weigh in p. 4-5
the newspaper
University of Toronto’s independent weekly
Vol. XXXii N0. 0
Students rally against tuition fees
the brief the campus HRH the Prince of Wales will present the change of colours to two Regiments at Varsity Stadium, Nov 5. at 5pm.
TEjAS PARASHER
the local H1N1 has reared its ugly head in the sports arena. On Nov. 3, Ontario University Athletics (OUA) announced that two upcoming women’s volleyball games (Thunder Bay vs. Ottawa) would be rescheduled due to a confirmed case of H1N1.
ALEX NURSALL
Tuition fees, funding, and equity issues continue to be some of the most contentious topics at U of T. On November 5, the UTSU is planning a ‘Day of Action’ rally to protest escalating undergraduate tuition fees. Between seven and ten thousand students are expected to participate. The rally brings together most major GTA schools. All three branches of the University of Toronto, York, Ryerson, and OCAD will converge in Queen’s Park, as part of a province-wide Day of Action. Similar protests and demonstrations will be held at campuses across Ontario. The main impetus for these demonstrations is that Ontario students continue to face both the highest and fastest-increasing tuition fees in Canada. According to Statistics Canada, tuition fees in Ontario jumped 5 per cent for the 2009-2010 academic year, in comparison to a national average of 3.6 per cent. Similarly, Ontario students paid $5,951 in annual tuition, whereas the Canadian mean was $4,917. These increases
November 5, 2009
Adam Awad, UTSU VP-University Affairs , speaks to a student about the Drop Fees protest happening Nov. 5. have come quickly on the heels of Premier Dalton McGuinty’s annulment of a provincial tuition freeze in 2005, two years before its promised termination date. Student union leaders point out that the spike in fees is due to such actions of the provincial
government, rather than the university administration. Hadia Akhtar, VP External for UTSU, says, “For a certain quality of education, there is a certain inevitable cost. U of T’s operational budget comes from three main sources: tuition, government funding, and private
donations. It is only because of the provincial government’s decision to institute cutbacks on post-secondary education that the university has been forced to compensate by hiking up undergraduate fees.” She adds that, for this reason, Continued on page 3
the world Italian Judge Oscar Magi convicted 23 Americans, 22 of them CIA agents, as well as 2 Italian agents for kidnapping. The Obama administration has expressed disappointment and the state department says an appeal is likely. the weird A US report indicates that dysfunctional driving skills may be linked to a mutant gene. The gene controls a protein which affects memory. “I’d be curious to know the genetics of people who get into car crashes,” said Dr. Steven Cramer, leader of the study. -Amina Stella
ANDREw gyoRkoS On October 16, Disability Studies scholar and educator Dr. Rod Michalko was informed by New College’s Acting Principal, Shahrzad Mojab, that his threeyear teaching contract would not be renewed. In the days following New College’s decision, significant student outcry in the form of online petitions and the Save Disability Studies at U of T campaign caused the university to reconsider.
On October 29, the university announced that Dr. Rod Michalko’s contract would be renewed, but this victory has not convinced supporters of the Disability Studies movement that the problem has been solved. “Education should reflect the needs and wants of the students,” said Isabel Lay, chair of the Equity Studies Student’s Union and leader of the Save Disability Studies campaign, in Continued on page 3
ALEX NURSALL
Save Disability Studies campaign fights back
isabel Lay, President of the Equity Studies Students’ Union, speaks to a crowd outside of Sid Smith on Tuesday during a protest against the cuts to the Equity Studies Program.
the news
2
November 5, 2009
Disability Studies
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her November 3 speech to supporters outside Sidney Smith Hall. “Disability Studies students are aware of the deliberate cuts. It’s time for the administration to react to the Disability Studies movement, time to allow the students to participate in Disability Studies streams.” Disability Studies, part of the Equity Studies program at New College, is a small fish in a big pond. Dr. Rod Michalko is the only instructor at the undergraduate level. If his contract had not been renewed, this field of study would have been rendered non-existent at U of T. The excuse that the university would have been trimming dead weight by ending Michalko’s contract does not correspond with the evidence. Michalko has experienced soaring demand for his courses; his waitlists overflow with students eager to learn from him. He has received overwhelming support from students and colleagues, and the university recognized his achievements with the Dean’s Special Merit Award. “Stabilizing the Disability Studies stream is top priority for Equity Studies and New Col-
Dr. Rod Michalko presented a Disability Studies lecture to supporters hoping to save Disability Studies at U of T. lege,” wrote June Larkin, Director of Equity Studies and VP of New College, in an email to the newspaper. “Students have made their voices heard and have strengthened our hand as we work towards a permanent Disability Studies presence of U of T.” The Save Disability Studies at U of T campaign hopes that, through their efforts, the program will achieve that permanency. The goal to create a tenured position for Disability
Studies still remains. Michalko, affably referred to as “Rod” by colleagues and students alike, has chosen not to directly address the issue of his contract. “What people want is a continued presence of Disability Studies at U of T,” he said. While he wholeheartedly encourages the Save Disability Studies at U of T campaign, he said he is hesitant to say too much lest the attention be focused squarely on his contract, and not on the
larger issue. Lay, however, is more than willing to speak on behalf of all the supporters of Disability Studies at U of T. “We want to see the University make an ongoing commitment to disability studies, not half-assed extensions year after year,” she shouted in her speech outside Sid Smith before Michalko’s scheduled lecture. “We will continue campaigning until Disability Studies has a permanent home at U of T.”
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the news
November 5, 2009
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tomasz bugajski On November 9, 1989, Germany changed radically when the Berlin Wall came crumbling down. Its dismantlement signaled the end of the Cold War. The twentieth anniversary is being celebrated in Toronto by the Goethe-Institute, German Consulate, and other organizers. The anniversary conjures up strong emotions in many people from Central and Eastern Europe. For almost half a century, they lived under communist regimes imposed on them by the Soviet Union. Their separation from the Western world was most strongly felt in Berlin, where, in 1961, a wall was built surrounding the western sector of the city. Aurel Braun, Professor of Political Science at U of T, explains that the purpose of the wall was “to prevent the East Germans from leaving. It was a symbol of the communist world: needing to build walls to keep their people in. The fall of that wall
Day of Action cont’d from page 1
the Day of Action is directed almost exclusively at the Liberal government. The intention is to procure increased provincial funding for Ontario universities, so that undergraduate tuition fees can be scaled back to what they were in 2004. “If anything, the U of T administration should be lobbying with us,” says Akhtar. “It’s in everyone’s best interest. After all, it’s not like the university is actually making a profit from high tuition fees; all the money just goes to make up for lost financial support.” Her beliefs are echoed in the Tuition Fee Schedule for Publicly-Funded Programs, a report presented in March 2009 to the Business Board of the U of T Governing Council by Cheryl Misak, the university’s Vice-President and Provost. The report clearly states that “without the $39.9 million of new revenue from the proposed tuition fee schedule [for
signaled freedom. It was a major sign that the Cold War was ending.” Braun adds that when the wall fell, “initially there was extraordinary euphoria. This was followed by a very difficult period, when tremendous expectations on both sides were not met.” Strong economic and social divisions remained between East and West Berlin after 1989, but the city was now free and united. Around 10,000 people tried to escape East Berlin between 1961 and 1989, but only about half made it across. East German authorities killed 191 people trying to escape to the Western side. The Goethe-Institute of Toronto has been commemorating the anniversary for the past month with a series of events, including book readings by German authors, film screenings, and photo exhibits. The events explore how ordinary people reacted to the changing political situation. Christian Horn, program co-
ordinator at the Goethe-Institute, explains that the events try to answer a common question: how did people manage to bring down the wall? Many of the highlights are still to come. On November 6, Markus Meckel, the GDR’s foreign minister in 1990, will be giving a talk at the GoetheInstitute on University Ave. The institute will also hold a “vintage throwback” techno night on November 7 at the Drake Hotel on Queen West. The event will feature German DJs and music from 1989. Ruth Renters, the deputy director at the Goethe-Institute, hopes that the anniversary events emphasize a less discussed, but still important, time in Germany’s history. “The events leading to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the consequences world wide [can’t] be underestimated,” she said. “The Second World War and the Holocaust should not be the only topics addressed [in German history].” The Toronto German Consulate is also hosting a photography exhibit about the Berlin Wall until the end of November. On November 16, Soundstreams, a cultural institute in Toronto, will be organizing its own photo exhibit and lectures at the Gardiner Museum. For more info and schedules, visit the websites of the German Consulate www.toronto.diplo. de; the Goethe-Institute Toronto http://www.goethe.de/ ins/ca/tor/enindex.htm; and Soundstreams www.soundstreams.ca.
2009-2010]…the planned improvements to student experience would need to be delayed.” The Liberal Party, however, defends its decisions by pointing out that Ontario cannot be compared to other provinces. It contains the highest population
as well as the most diversified economy in Canada; these factors have made recent government actions inevitable. “Ontario’s vast mix of programs, types of institutions, and student population make interprovincial comparisons challeng-
ALEX NURSALL
Toronto marks 20 years since fall of Berlin Wall
ing,” says Emily Durst, of the office of the Minister for Training, Colleges, and Universities. “The report by Statistics Canada compares tuition fees for all programs, including professional ones that are not offered in other provinces.” Durst also notes that cutbacks in funding have been accompanied by increased scholarship, bursary, and grant initiatives. She holds that any funding issues are basically administrative in nature. They will not affect those who cannot afford any more barriers to their education. “Through our Reaching Higher Plan, we have made the largest investment in post-secondary education in 40 years,” she says. “We’ve boosted student aid by investing $1.5 billion to make post-secondary education more affordable for low and middleincome families. Non-repayable access grants are available to students from families earning up to $80,000. We continue to limit students’ annual repayable OSAP debt, while increas-
ing loan maximums by 27 per cent. The Ontario Student Loan default rate declined to 8.4 per cent in 2008-2009, the lowest value since we began measuring the default rate in 1997, when it was 23.5 per cent.” UTSU is adamant that without sufficient government intervention, fees will escalate to the point that they will be seriously detrimental to U of T’s equity policies. Akhtar and other student-union leaders believe that high fees will dissuade people from lower economic groups from even considering university, regardless of how many loans are offered. They see this as contradicting U of T’s role as a central public institution in Toronto. They are hopeful that the strength and wide-reach of the Day of Action will convince the government to reinstate new policies for 2010. The U of T rally begins at 1:00 p.m. on November 5, at Sidney Smith. At 2:00 p.m., the group will move to Queen’s Park to demonstrate in front of the Ontario Legislature.
the inside
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November 5, 2009
the newspaper mows down on some pizza Cora Pizza V
Pizza Gigi
Location: 656A Spadina Phone Number: 416-922-1188 Price Lg Pep Pizza: $16.00 Overall Rating: Pepperoni Slice: ‘Sicilian’ Slice:
PEPPERONI: “Pepperoni. Chewy.” - Gord
Location: 189 Harbord Phone Number: 416-535-4444 Price Lg Pep Pizza: $16.40
2.2 / 5 1.8 / 5 2.6 / 5
Gigi Special Slice:
Pizza Gigi is apparently a bit of a Toronto pizza institution. Our former editors from the seventies tell us they used to have a secret code arranged with them for pick-up in exchange for ads. Several reviews have rated them highly. All we can say is: What happened? When we first arrived to discuss our pizza feature with them, the pizza cook was topless. The manager didn’t so much talk to us as much as he just grunted and shook his head. Oh, and their pizza was mediocre at best, and it’s also the most expensive pepperoni delivery.
Late-night wanderers who are craving pizza are often faced with a dilemma at Spadina and Harbord: Cora’s or Papa Ceo? Whether you’re walking by at 4pm or 4am, they both always have a selection of slices to choose from, and they’re right next to each other. Cora’s is in the upper range for price for a pepperoni delivery, but it is easily within walking range of the downtown campus and several regulars swear by it. Just don’t steal the condiments. They’ve already had so much trouble with drunks stealling BBQ sauce that they no longer carry it.
“Tastes like grade school pizza that’s been sitting in the teacher’s lounge for a few hours.” - Brandon SICILIAN: “The mushrooms are exploding in my mouth, in a good way. Juicy and flavourful. Crunches in the right places. The toppings are under the cheese so they stay soft.” - Miki
2.5 / 5
“Not bad, and not great. Somebody needs to step up.” - Tim “Veggies not very fresh. Decent moisture, a little dry at the edges. Tough. Meh” - Brandon
Papa Ceo Location: 654 Spadina Phone: 416-961-2222 Price Lg Pep Pizza: $14
Papa Ceo’s Deniro
Deniro Slice: 4/5 Tony at Papa Ceo’s was skeptical about our pizza tasting feature when we first approached him. However, after a brief discussion about methods for reviewing pizza he agreed to send us a nice extra large pizza for our test. And it was quite good, actually! Overall, according to our tests, Papa Ceo wins the war with Cora’s with a better tasting slice, a cheaper pepperoni delivery rate, and a manager who actually talked to us. Thanks, Tony!
“Visually pleasing and the basil gives it a really refreshing aromaticity.” - Tim “Oh man. Like music to my tongue. This cheese is a bit too glazed for my discerning tastes, but the slab of bacon is just the right amount of slabby.” - Helene “A nice, full herby flavour. Nice combination of toppings.” - Amy “Spicy!” - Gord
Cora’s Sicilian Pizzaiolo’s Capone
Planet Pizza’s Three Toppings
Planet Pizza’s Meat Lover’s
Pizzaiolo’s Sicilian
Pizza Gigi’s Gigi’s Special
Cora’s Pepperoni
the inside
November 5, 2009
5
the newspaper is well aware of the inevitability of pizza in the lives of students. Whether up partying or up studying late, pizza is quick, cheap, convenient and highly customizable. This versatility has students chowing down on it with high frequency. This week we gathered together a panel of 6 tasters to put a critical eye and tongue to the likes of 5 different pizza parlors that are all readily accessible from the St. George campus. The slices were served up blind to our tasters, and they were asked to rate each slice on a scale of 1 to 5. Here’s what we came up with:
Pizzaiolo
Planet Pizza
Location: 454 Bloor St. W. Phone Number: 416-532-7222 Price Lg Pep Pizza: $15.39 Overall Rating: Sicilian Slice: Capone Slice:
Location: 339 College St Phone Number: 416-960-3960 Price Lg Pep Pizza: $14.99
3.5 / 5 3/5 4/5
Overall Rating: Meat Lover’s Slice: Three Toppings Slice:
Pizzaiolo is a relative new-comer to the local pizza scene, but it is starting to make an impression. It is a clean and polite pizzeria located in the heart of the Annex, and is perhaps the most gourmet of the pizza shops within golfball range of Robart’s. Its tasty herbs and toppings will cost you a bit more than average if you walk in to grab a slice, but surprisingly its pepperoni delivery price is reasonable. The Capone slice was the favourite of our tasters overall.
3/5 3/5 3/5
Planet Pizza, formerly Pizza Memo, is located on the edge of Kensington Market and right around the corner from the newspaper’s offices. We found its staff to be exceptionally polite and helpful. Although they didn’t win the overall scoring competition, Planet Pizza did land one slice in our favourite slices pizza (see bottom of the page). It didn’t fail miserably like Gigi Pizza, and came closer to excelling than Cora’s. We recommend you check it out if you’re ever in the neighbourhood!
SICILIAN “I could eat this and cleanse my palate with beer all day long.” - Helene
MEAT LOVER’S “I could see Ace Ventura liking this slice. And by Ace Ventura, I mean Dan Craig.” - Helene
CAPONE “Really separates itself from the crowd.” - Tim
“Um, yeah. Vegetables always get in the way of a good, satisfying meal.” - Dan
“Schwanky toppings. Did not skimp on pesto.” - Brandon
THREE TOPPINGS “Best pepperoni.” - Gord
RIP MASSIMO’S THE NEWSPAPER JUDGES CHOSE THEIR FAVOURITE SLICES TO BRING YOU THIS PIZZA. Brandon O’Riordan Gord Brown Amy Stupavsky Helene Goderis Tim Ryan
Miki Sato Dan Craig
One pizza parlour that the newspaper would have loved to have included in our pizza feature was Massimo’s Pizza. Unfortunately, Massimo’s burnt down in an oven fire in July of this year. A long time late-night pizza institution on the College St. strip, Massimo’s was a favourite stop for many people either on their way out to the bar, or stumbling their way back home. Featuring large slices and delicious pastas, Massimo’s was featured on the Restaurant Makeover TV show on the Food Network in 2008. After being shutdown in March for health violations, the fire was seemingly the nail in the coffin for Massimo’s. But this is not the case! Less of a ‘rest in peace’, and more of a ‘good luck in the new neighbourhood’ to Massimo’s, as they will be reopening at a Queen Street West location just a few doors down from the famous Drake Hotel. The owner, Tony DeBartolo, was reported by blogto.com to say that he plans to eventually reopen a College St. location once he has got the Queen West shop up and running. Hurry back, Massimo’s!
We now present our cheesy pizza tasting awards: Best Slice: Pizzaiolo’s Capone Slice Best Rating Overall: Papa Ceo Pizza Best Complimentary Service: Planet Pizza (Thanks for the wings!) Best Topless Cook: Gigi Pizza Most Overused Judge’s Comment: “Good toppings.”
the science the science Thiru Shathasivam on why it’s not ok to blast Lil’ Wayne
I am a regular commuter, spending two hours of my day aboard red and white chromed mechanical beasts, roaming the streets and tracks of Toronto. If it weren’t for my slight narcoleptic tendencies, I would probably arrive at my destination irritated more frequently, especially after having to endure someone else’s choice of music, whether it be Lil’ Wayne or Slipknot. Portable music devices and head phones were supposed to allow for the mobilization and personalization of music, without disturbing others. So, when people choose to listen to their music at high
November 5, 2009
volumes in order to drown out their surroundings, to the extent that bystanders can hear it too, nasty looks and comments will naturally follow. But hey, at least it’s not like second-hand smoke. These individuals only make themselves candidates for irreversible hearing loss. In fact, several recent studies have found that an increasing number of adolescents and young adults are experiencing symptoms indicative of poor hearing, such as sound distortion, tinnitus (hearing a ringing or buzzing sound), or hyperacusis (sensitivity to normal environmental sounds). This increase parallels the rise in popularity of portable music
devices like MP3 players, which can produce sound pressures in excess of 115 decibels. Sound pressures exceeding 85 decibels can cause hearing loss. According to the Hearing Alliance of America, 15 per cent of college graduates now exhibit levels of hearing loss equal to or greater than their parents, largely attributed to listening to music at high volumes and for prolonged durations. The term “music-induced hearing loss” is now commonly used to describe this condition. At the biological level, imagine a seashell-shaped structure located inside your ear called the cochlea. This fluid-filled cochlea is lined with tiny sensory hair
ALEX NURSALL
6
cells, which detect vibrations and transmit the signals to the auditory nerve. Prolonged exposure to loud sounds damages these hair cells, resulting in permanent hearing loss. So do us all, and yourself, a favor, and the next time you
use your iPod or MP3 player, make sure the volume is not too high, limit your use, and convert to over-the-ear style earphones. And by the way, thank you in advance for not sharing.
the abstract
Tim Ryan answers that burning question: Why are carrots orange?!
Carrots actually come in a wide variety of warm colours including purple, white, and yellow. The reason they are primarily orange is entirely political. In the 17th Century, Dutch farmers genetically selected for orange carrots in tribute to William of Orange, who led the movement for Dutch independence. One generation later, carrots were orange. That explains why the Netherlands’ national sports teams wear orange uniforms, though their flag is red, white and blue.
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the arts
November 5, 2009
Il Mondo puts us over the moon For those who thought opera was only for the melancholy, U of T’s Faculty of Music is brightening things up. A joyous buzz sets the tone at the first full dress rehearsal at the MacMillan Theatre on November 3, as the cast and directors prepare for the November 5 opening night of Franz Joseph Haydn’s 1777 comedic opera, Il Mondo della Luna (The World on the Moon). A bright “that’s awesome!” resounds from the pit, where the enthusiastic conductor, Miah Im, gives her orchestra some last instructions before they go into the first act. Codirectors Michael Patrick Albano and Erik Thor chat vigorously with various people in the audience. The cast in full make-up, hair, and costume then warm their vocal chords with an enthused “Happy Birthday.” An innovative composer, Haydn created mainly drammi giocosi, comic operas involving situation comedy and ridiculous psychological predicaments in which the comic dialogue is interspersed with amusing, intimate ensembles
and arias. “Haydn had a great sense of humour in life,” says Im during a short break after the first act, “and it comes through in the orchestration of his music. He contrasts the dynamics very quickly.” The idea to perform Il Mondo della Luna was set forth by U of T’s pre-eminent Haydn scholar Caryl Clark, in celebration of the bicentenary of his death; 2009 is also the International Year of Astronomy, a key topic in the opera’s plot.
The story is set in 18th century Italy. An old man, Buonafede, has two beautiful daughters, Flaminia and Clarice, who he refuses to marry off. Meanwhile, he is infatuated with their handmaiden Lisetta. When Flaminia’s astrologer suitor Ecclitico decides to play a trick on the foolish, old man by convincing him that he has been transported to the moon, hilarious mal-entendres ensue. “It’s a very amusing, zany, improbable story,” says Alba-
ALEX NURSALL
CAILIN SMART
Students from the Faculty of Music warm up for the upcoming production of Haydn's Il Mondo della Luna.
no. “It’s one of those comedies where things are complicated, but you know everything is going to turn out well for the young people.” Both Albano and Im agree that the high point of the performance is the beginning of the second act, when Buonafede wakes up thinking he is on the moon. While Im is fascinated by the opening music, Albano is particularily proud of the set construction: “It was hard to figure out what the moon should look like, and I was watching a documentary on Apollo, and that’s where I got the idea to have the earth in view in the distance.” Albano also overrode the script’s original strict guidelines about location to make the action more fluid. An opera for dreamers, the performance is sure to captivate imaginations across campus. Il Mondo della Luna, starring Faculty of Music Opera students Vasil Garvanliev, Rebecca Collett, Lindsay Barrett, and Chris Enns, runs through Nov. 8th at the MacMillan Theatre, 80 Queen’s Park. Tickets are $16 students, $26 regular.
7 Richard Florida talks new book at Creative Places and Spaces miki sato Best-selling author and Professor of Business and Creativity at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management, Richard Florida, spoke on Day 1 at Creative Places and Spaces conference at The Carlu. The conference brought together the world’s leading thinkers on the art and science of collaboration. Florida discussed the theme for his new book--tentatively entitled The Great Reset-saying that “crisis is a terrible thing to waste.” He elaborated on how the economic crisis will shape our cities, and the way we work and live, by unleashing human imagination, ingenuity, and creativity as it has in periods of great innovation in the past. Calling Toronto “the next great city,” Florida gave props to Mayor David Miller who spoke earlier in the day. “David will be seen as one of the most transformational figures in the history of Toronto.”
Anti-like Antichrist Let’s talk mental illness Rendezvous with Madness Film Festival breaks the ice andrew gyorkos
miki sato In a city as diverse and outspoken as Toronto, why is it still taboo to talk about an issue that many of us live with everyday? Uneasiness surrounds this subject because, as Matthew Hogue, Programmer for the 17th annual Rendezvous With Madness (RWM) Film Festival says, “Although there are exceptions, the overwhelming popular images of mental illness involve violent, deviant or threatening behaviour.” Apart from media depictions, our experience as urban dwellers doesn’t help either, says Hogue. “These negative perceptions are reinforced when people in Toronto cross paths with people living with untreated mental illness on street corners or in the subway. The truth is that, statistically, 20 per cent of Canadians will suffer from mental illness at some point in their lives.” By clarifying misconceptions and drawing awareness, RWM hopes to de-stigmatize the issues. “What the festival tries to impress upon its audience is that people suffering from mental illness do not, for the most part, fit the popular image of ‘crazy people.’”
Panel discussions accompanying each film will feature filmmakers, mental health professionals, persons living with mental illness. Dr. David Goldbloom, Professor of Psychiatry at U of T and a CAMH Senior Medical Advisor, will take part in a discussion following the festival’s opening night film, Clara, a biopic about Clara Schumann, wife of the German composer Robert Schumann, who, after being tempted by her husband’s attractive young protégé, Johannes Brahms, struggles to stay by his side as he descends into madness. Goldbloom emphasizes the obstacles to understanding mental illness through medical science. “There are no blood tests or x-rays to make diagnoses.” During the panel, he will separate fact from myth, and discuss the relationship between creativity, genius, and mental illness. An amateur pianist and supporter of the Arts, Goldbloom acknowledges the value of cinema in expressing the often scientifically inexplicable. “Film, with its capacity to accelerate time, to provide multiple perspectives and interactions, and to both convey
meaning without words and create a complex narrative, provides a terrific window into mental illnesses.” Clara and Takeshi Kitano’s Achilles and the Tortoise, a symbolically autobiographical exploration of the artist, bookend the festival with an arts focus. R. Bruce Elder, one of the Canada’s leading avant-garde filmmakers, will talk about how mental illness shaped the experimental film movement. Academy Award-winning filmmaker Chris Landreth will talk about his latest film, The Spine, and explain how his “psychorealism” animation techniques reflect a person’s psyche. One of Hogue’s festival favourites is Prodigal Sons, a documentary about a woman who returns home to try to repair her relationship with her brother. “I can’t say too much about it without giving it away, but if you wrote a film like this, no one would believe it - you absolutely can NOT make this stuff up!” Rendezvous with Madness Film Festival runs Nov. 5-14 at Workman Theatre (1001 Queen St. W) and Workman Arts (651 Dufferin St.). For listings and to purchase tickets, visit www.rendezvous-
When Antichrist, a film by Danish director Lars von Trier, premiered at Cannes, four people fainted as a result of the graphic imagery. Such reported occurrences have plagued the film up to its debut at this year’s TIFF. The film includes multiple aggressive sexual sequences: a man having his genitals crushed by a hefty block of wood, and a woman slicing off her clitoris with a pair of rusty scissors. Despite what these scenes may lead you to believe, Antichrist is far from being as horrendous as any Saw or Hostel film. Shots depicting bloody carnage don’t linger for very long and they are few and far between. The story concerns a couple grieving after the death of their son. The two retreat to their cabin in the woods to patch
up their relationship, where the woman (Charlotte Gainsbourg) descends into madness and begins to torture her husband (Willem Dafoe). While it’s sold on scandal, Antichrist’s incendiary scenes only occur in the stirring introductory and final scenes. This leaves the audience with an hour of tedious psychobabble to connect the bits. Antichrist isn’t entirely without merit. The introduction and epilogue, filmed in monochrome and set to Handel, display Anthony Don Mantle’s excellent cinematography, while the actors’ talents occasionally make von Trier’s drab dialogue crackle. Most audiences will see Antichrist for its controversy and not for its intermittent artistic merits. With that expectation in mind, Antichrist is not worth the time. Antichrist opens in Toronto on November 13.
We’re guessing this scene happens before the rusty scissor incident.
the backpage
8
November 5, 2009
“ the campus comment ”
ANDREw gyoRkoS
the newspaper asks: if you could save on tuition, what would you do with the money?
“I wouldn’t be $40,000 in debt.” Sarah left “Pay off my credit card bills.” Sarah right Sarah and Sarah, Poli Sci, History
“Invest. I could use the money after graduation.” Jenny, Spanish
“I would go home to visit my family.” Ali, Poli Sci, History
“My tuition is three times more because I’m an international student. I would let my parents keep the money.” Usman, Mechanical Engineering
“Go shopping.” Jean, Life Sci
“Spend it on another form of education, liking vocal lessons. You have to pay for teaching.” Maxim, Engineering
Down 2. Automobile 3. System for detection 5. Popular CDN clothing retailer 6. Annual end of summer event in Toronto 7. Segal and Spielberg 8. Mixture of distinct elements 10. Gas for barbecues 11. A vessel for ashes 13. “Bona ___” 15. Evaluates 17. Oboes and clarinets 19. Monotony 20. Epilogue 21. Statler and Waldorf 23. List of participants 25. Tear 26. Brief period of employment 28. Golden delicious fruit 30. A long time 32. Sound detecting organ
MikE wiNTERS
Across 1. Frighten 4. Affable 9. Pole 10. Method 12. Fiery blaze 14. Bizarre 16. Rock bottom 18. Good omen on the sea 21. Athos, Porthos, or Aramis 22. Indian string instrument 24. Expressions, idioms, or sayings 27. Legendary fire-breathing creatures 29. Politically correct expression 31. Coconut cream or apple 33. Power 34. Phobias
Miki SATo
the crossword