Matt Finlin - Director

By Jill Tham

Nothing can be more powerful than sitting in front of the big screen: the smell of the popcorn, the dark theatre, and the anticipation of the film you are about to see. Director, Matt Finlin, was a young boy the first time he stepped into the Highland Cinemas in Kinmount, ON: the heart of cottage country. It was a memorable experience that brought him back more than 20 years later to direct The Movie Man, a documentary based on the life of Keith Strata, the owner who built the five-theatre complex in his back yard.

Finlin’s experience at the Highland Cinemas was one of many that helped shape his love of film. “The cinema itself inspired me to do what I do,” says Finlin, who unknowingly began his career filming reenactments of Star Wars with his parent’s camcorder. “When I was 13, a teacher took me to see Apocalypse Now. I learned that movies are more than just adventures in space.” Years later Finlin would have the pleasure of working with the lead of Apocalypse Now, Martin Sheen. “He was one of the first people I showed it {The Movie Man} to,” says Finlin.

Finlin aspired to be a teacher, however life would once again push him towards directing. “When I was going to teacher’s college, I made my first film. I got the bug,” says Finlin. After graduation, he travelled abroad to help pay the bills. “When I was in Taiwan, I made a film and thought I wanted to pursue it seriously.” Shortly thereafter, Finlin and his wife moved to New York City where he was employed by a production company making documentaries: a passion of his.

After five years in the United States, Finlin and his family moved back to Ontario. He began working with a colleague, Karen Barzilay, producing philanthropic endeavors. Finlin and Barzilay co-founded Door Knocker Media, a full-service production company with a client list of heavy hitters like Selena Gomez and Tom Holland. “We focus on social impact and that is where we found ourselves and, in the meantime, we make documentaries,” says Finlin.

Finlin describes his directing style as verité. “It’s a tough approach, but I like being a fly on the wall and sitting back watching things unfold,” says Finlin. “It’s about capturing real life without inserting ourselves into it and finding the beauty and the life that is happening around you.” This approach served Finlin well when directing The Movie Man Although Finlin is careful not to spoil the film, he describes his favourite verité moment in the film where Strata sits in reflection. “Keith sits down in one of his own cinemas to watch his favourite film, the original Time Machine,” says Finlin. It’s in this moment, the audience gains a better understanding of Strata’s struggle for existence. Over the years, the cost of the big screen has continued to rise. “Movie theatres were designed for a family with a few dimes to their name that could escape in the dark,” says Finlin, who hopes his documentary will shed light on the history and importance of small cinema. “If you want them to stick around you have to go to them, but if you can’t afford to go to them then they won’t stick around,” says Finlin. “Keith speaks to that in the film and part of what he has tried to do is give that experience through affordable ticket sales. He has done that for 40 years and he shows first rate movies.”

Finlin gives the audience an appreciation for what Strata has accomplished with his endless commitment to film. “Small cinema is dying. I try and take my kids to the movies, so they develop a reverence,” says Finlin. “It’s not just about the movie going experience and why we should cherish it. Time is limited and what we do with it and choose to do with it is important,” says Finlin.

Produced by Door Knocker Media and with Executive Producer, Ed Robertson of the Barenaked Ladies, The Movie Man premiered at the Santa Barabara International Film Festival and despite sharing a time slot with Martin Scorsese, the film had an excellent turn out and positive reviews. “There was a lot of laughter and tears. Which was great, that is what movies are about,” says Finlin. The film also appeared at the Kingston Canadian Film Festival and Finlin and his team are working on a theatrical release.

Finlin’s passion for film has grown immensely since he first walked into the nostalgic Highland Cinemas. “It became a love. I am very lucky to do what I do, the experiences that I’ve had and the ability to make films,” says Finlin, who encourages others to pursue their dreams. “Don’t give up on it because nothing worth doing is easy.”

Photos courtesy of Matt Finlin – Door Knocker Media.