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Matt and Mara film image; man and woman stand close on city street

Matt and Mara

Showcase

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Kazik Radwanski’s follow-up to Anne at 13,000 Feet explores the fraught, ambiguous relationship between two writers. Matt (Matt Johnson) is a celebrated author of short fiction and Mara (Deragh Campbell) works in the realms of both poetry and prose. The two reconnect in Toronto, where Mara lives, and what follows are some tricky negotiations: between camaraderie and artistic difference, friendship and personality clash, romantic attraction and visceral unease.

Matt and Mara is directed with an attentive naturalism—an alertness to the nuances of behaviour that shape how we perceive each other, and that many filmmakers are unable to capture. Radwanski’s greatest asset is his ability to hone in on small details without sacrificing rhythm and momentum: from the opening scene to the wonderfully poetic conclusion, his film maintains a propulsive urgency. Campbell and Johnson give deeply committed performances: her Mara radiates a keen intelligence and a defensive toughness, while his Matt exudes awkwardness and vitality in equal measure. Together with Radwanski, they’ve created indelible moments within a work of deep integrity.

 

Sept 28 & 29: Q&A with director Kazik Radwanski

 

Perceptive, abrasive and frequently acerbically funny.

Wendy Ide, Screen Daily

Director
Cast

Deragh Campbell, Matt Johnson, Mounir Al Shami, Emma Healey, Avery Nayman, Marlowe Granados

Credits
Country of Origin

Canada

Year

2024

Language

English

Film Contact
Links
18+
80 min
Comedy Drama Q&As at VIFF Romance
Medium Density Fibreboard Films (MDFF)

Book Tickets

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Credits & Director

Executive Producer

Neil Mathieson, Matthew Miller, Matt Johnson, Kazik Radwanski, Dan Montgomery

Producer

Dan Montgomery, Candice Napoleone

Screenwriter

Kazik Radwanski

Cinematography

Nikolay Michaylov

Editor

Ajla Odobašić

Kazik Radwanski headshot, Matt and Mara director

Kazik Radwanski

Kazik Radwanski is a filmmaker and co-founder of Toronto-based production company MDFF. His previous film, Anne at 13,000 Ft (2019), premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and was awarded the Rogers Best Canadian Film Award from the Toronto Film Critics Association. His other features include Tower (2012), which had its world premiere at the Locarno International Film Festival, and How Heavy This Hammer (2015) which had its international premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival. He also teaches as a full-time professor at Humber’s Film and Television Production program.

Filmography: Tower (2012); How Heavy This Hammer (2015); Anne at 13,000 Ft (2019)

Photo by MDFF

 

 

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