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Wednesday, September 17th, 2003

According to online reports, The Agronomist was well-received at The Toronto International Film Festival last week. Jeffrey Wells detailed the Wednesday night screening in his column, Hollywood Elsewhere:

"Jonathan Demme's The Agronomist -- a history of repression and terrorism in Haiti as seen through the eyes of the late (i.e., assassinated) Jean Domninque, the owner for decades of an independent Haitian radio station that told the truth and bucked the murderous ruling elite -- was touchingly well-composed, althought it also made me feel embittered. A beautiful courageous man struggles to make his country free for 40 years and is murdered for his trouble, and things are nearly as bad today as they ever were. Terrific.

"Dominique's widow Michèle Montas, who took part in a Q & A at the Uptown following Wednesday night's public screening, was nearly assassinated herself in December '02. Demme was asked why shadowy U.S. interests have been supporting the bad guys in Haiti for all these decades. He said he isn't an authority, but that he's always understood that there are about 20 "enormously wealthy" Haitian families who've been funneling huge donations to Republicans for ages, and that the CIA has been in bed with the repressionist forces in that country for a long time also.

"Mark Urman's Thinkfilm will be distributing the Demme film early next year, but it'll qualify for an Oscar for an '03 Oscar nomination for a Best Documentary Feature award."

I've also added links to an article and interview with Mark Wahlberg from the time of last year's The Truth About Charlie release.

Next update: Robyn Hitchcock on Storefront Hitchcock.

I've added another Carol Littleton interview to the Editors part of the Crew section. This interview is from the time of The Truth About Charlie release. Littleton also edited Demme's Swimming to Cambodia and Beloved.

The Toronto International Film Festival has released its schedule. The Agronomist will play on Wednesday, September 10th, and Friday, September 12th. The festival's official site also includes program notes for The Agronomist.

Next update: several new The Truth About Charlie links.