Published11. September 2023, 07:22
Cinema: Lil Nas
An LGBT figure, the singer screened his documentary on Saturday evening. It completes this year’s music-oriented films. He joins features on Nickelback and singer Paul Simon.
American rapper Lil Nas
AFP
Lovers of cinema and music were spoiled this weekend at the largest film festival in North America, galvanized by the arrival of the phenomenon Lil Nas music industry.
Two feature films about legendary singer Paul Simon and Canadian rock band Nickelback also premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
But all eyes were on Lil Nas
Combining footage from his first tour with various previously unpublished interviews, his documentary “Lil Nas
Real name Montero Lamar Hill, the native of the state of Georgia, in the south of the United States, also talks about his decision to openly accept his homosexuality and the repercussions on those close to him and his music.
“It seemed very important to me to come out if I wanted to progress,” Lil Nas X says in the film.
On the red carpet, co-director Zac Manuel particularly focused on his societal impact as an outspoken and proud gay black man, defying stereotypes through his adoption of avant-garde fashion and his presence massive and eccentric on social networks.
“I think it’s crucial to show a different view of homosexuality, of being black, of masculinity and being comfortable with it. I think it’s something he brings to the public,” the director told AFP.
Following the screening, Lil Nas
A few hours earlier, the premiere was disrupted for around thirty minutes by a “general threat” which was however “not directed against the film or the artist”, according to the TIFF vice-president in charge of communications, Judy Lung.
Toronto police told AFP that a passerby “made a threat against security”, while emphasizing that it was not aimed at anyone in particular.
For its part, the specialized media Variety, citing an anonymous source, maintains that it was a bomb threat specifically targeting the rapper for his skin color and sexual orientation.
Lil Nas X’s agents did not immediately respond to AFP’s request for comment.
Retrospective of Paul Simon
Less than 12 hours after the Lil Nas 81 years old.
“I never wanted to be anything other than a songwriter and a singer since I was 13,” says Paul Simon in the film by Alex Gibney, the Oscar-winning director behind the “Taxi to the Dark Side” documentaries. ” and “Going Clear.”
The film compiles archival footage spanning more than six decades, ranging from his stormy collaboration with his childhood friend Art Garfunkel to his exploration of world music, with “Graceland” in particular.
He also traces the work on his latest album “Seven Psalms,” released in May, and describes how the Grammy Award winner, two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, deals with hearing loss in his left ear .
“I really sank into depression,” confides the artist, who explains how his creative approach was transformed by this health problem.
On another note, it was Nickelback fans who were doubly satisfied on Friday.
In conjunction with the premiere of the documentary “Hate to Love: Nickelback,” the Canadian rock band gave a free concert at the TIFF street festival, returning for the first time since the pandemic.
The group, best known for their 2001 number one hit “How You Remind Me”, has faced harsh criticism over the years for remaining too conventional. The film shows how this torrent of reproaches hit the private lives of its members head-on.
TIFF continues through Sunday, September 17.
(AFP)
2023-09-11 05:48:22
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