Garry Beitel
2021
Chez Schwartz
Garry Beitel
Chez Schwartz takes us inside a year in the life of Schwartz's Deli - the unique 75-year-old landmark on Montreal's historic Main. Filmed through changing seasons, from the quiet of early morning preparation to the frenetic bustle of packed lunch times and never ending line-ups, to the more relaxed ambiance late at night - Chez Schwartz is an evocative, cinematic portrait of a small spunky deli known worldwide equally for its atmosphere and smoked meat.
Chez Schwartz
The 'Socalled' Movie
Garry Beitel
Josh Dolgin
Socalled, aka Josh Dolgin, is the most supreme klezmer hip-hop funk artist in the world. A pianist, singer, rapper, accordion player, and magician, he's a demented Renaissance man and a multi-cultural mixmaster. THE SOCALLED MOVIE is a kaleidoscopic portrait which compiles 18 short films that display his electrifying craft and deep-rooted sense of history. Combining traditional Yiddish songs with funk, rap and everything in between, his tunes are densely layered tapestries of dizzying complexity. His encounters with legendary trombonist Fred Wesley (a key member of James Brown's bands) and klezmer hero David Krakauer are revelatory meetings of the mind, while his re-discovery of pianist Irving Fields turns the elder statesman into a YouTube phenomenon. With offbeat wit, intimacy and virtuoso performances, THE SOCALLED MOVIE is an enthralling documentary that shows how music can break down the boundaries that divide our world.
The 'Socalled' Movie
In Pursuit of Peace
Garry Beitel
In Pursuit of Peace follows four Canadians on the front lines of international peace initiatives - in South Sudan, Turkey, Congo and Iraq. We experience the challenges of their work, exploring how their peace building strategies are put to the test in this new 21st century paradigm of conflict resolution.
In Pursuit of Peace
Giota's Journey
Garry Beitel
An intimate portrait of a 48-year-old Montreal woman, born with cerebral palsy. Warm, good humored, acutely sensitive and keenly intelligent, the protagonist is wheelchair bound and unable to speak. She has learned to communicate through an intriguing system that uses subtle eye movements and slight facial gestures. Supported by a loving Greek family, she spends her days at an educational program for adults with similar disabilities. The film explores her unique relationships with family and caregivers, her dreams of love and travel, the poetry of her eyes and words.
Giota's Journey
