Posts by Michelle Schwartz

  • Blog Series

    Oscar Movie Roundup! I, Tonya: Skating by to tell a different story

    March 1st, 2018     by Chloe MacPherson     Comments

    In the lead up to the Oscars, we will be posting reviews for some of the nominated movies. The forth review in our series is for I, Tonya, which received three nominations, including Best Actress (Margot Robbie) and Best Supporting Actress (Allison Janney). READ MORE

  • Blog Series

    Oscar Movie Roundup! The Shape of Water

    February 28th, 2018     by Courtney Edgar     Comments

    In the lead up to the Oscars, we will be posting reviews for some of the nominated movies. The third review in our series is for The Shape of Water, which received 13 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director (Guillermo del Toro), Best Original Screenplay (Guillermo del Toro, Vanessa Taylor), Best Actress (Sally Hawkins), and Best Supporting Actor (Richard Jenkins). This review contains spoilers for The Shape of Water. READ MORE

  • Blog Series

    Oscar Movie Roundup! Agnès Varda, for the love of cinema

    February 26th, 2018     by Sabrina Papas     Comments

    In the lead up to the Oscars, we will be posting reviews for some of the nominated movies. The second review in our series is for Faces Places, nominated for Best Documentary Feature. READ MORE

  • Blog Series

    Oscar Movie Roundup! Lady Bird

    February 22nd, 2018     by Samantha Nock     Comments

    In the lead up to the Oscars, we will be posting reviews for some of the nominated movies. Our first review is for Lady Bird, which garnered five nominations, for Best Picture, Best Actress (Saoirse Ronan), Best Supporting Actress (Laurie Metcalf), and Best Director and Best Original Screenplay (Greta Gerwig). READ MORE

  • In the Blog

    Non Binary World Building with M Téllez

    January 18th, 2018     by Estraven Lupino-Smith     Comments

    M is a member of the Philadelphia-based collective METROPOLARITY, a sci-fi and speculative fiction group that, in their words, uses writing to ride against empire. While I was living in Philadelphia I got into M’s writing through their zine about cyborgs navigating dystopia called All That’s Left. I loved this zine because it re-ignited the old sci-fi nerd in me while opening up new possibilities for queer, trans and non-binary worlds. Interviewing them was a great chance to reconnect and speak about science fiction, binaries, and writing your dreams. READ MORE

  • In the Blog

    Aftermathematics

    January 17th, 2018     by Anonymous     Comments

    Content Warning: This piece contains discussion of sexual assault and its aftermath, trauma, psychiatry, and includes misogynist and homophobic language. READ MORE

  • In the Blog

    “I wish work like this existed in Toronto!” - A conversation with Julia Cratchley

    January 15th, 2018     by Michelle Schwartz     Comments

    Julia Cratchley is the Artistic Director of the Transcendance Project, a contemporary dance company based in Toronto. Starting out as a dancer in a fine arts high school in Richmond Hill, Ontario, she’s gone on to dance and choreograph shows with companies across Canada. Julia is the creator, director, and choreographer for Eve of St. George, an immersive recreation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, inspired by Sleep No More, an immersive show still playing in New York. In immersive theatre, the audience wanders through the set, choosing their own path and even interacting with the performers. Each audience member’s experience of the show is unique. Eve of St. George will be taking over four levels of the Great Hall in Toronto at the end of the month. We spoke with Julia Cratchley about her artistic process and the creation of Eve of St. George. READ MORE

  • In the Blog

    Chelsea Martin’s Caca Dolce: Essays for a Shitty Era

    January 3rd, 2018     by Marta Balcewicz     Comments

    Earlier this year, a New Yorker article called “The Personal-Essay Boom Is Over” sparked a heated debate on the truth of its title’s claim. In short, the author, Jia Tolentino, argued that personal essays, the kind written mostly by women, often young women, often writers who are just starting out and who do not get paid much for the online publication of said personal essay, and whose said personal essay focuses on the deeply, often shockingly, personal (Tolentino gives the example of an essay published by Jezebel about a tampon lost inside the author’s body), are a thing of the past. READ MORE

  • In the Blog

    What it Means to be a Working Student

    December 19th, 2017     by Erin Calhoun     Comments

    There is one thing that is never simple: money. As a college or university student, things only become more daunting with tuition invoices, rent, bills, and other income-absorbing expenses. Students often hold part-time jobs to accumulate income during their studies; for low-income students this is often essential. Desperate enough, students sometimes enter into stressful and toxic work environments. READ MORE

  • In the Blog

    Rupi Rising: In Defense of (Shamelessly) Loving Instagram Poetry

    October 17th, 2017     by Tita Kyrtsakas     Comments

    After a number of conversations with colleagues, friends, and family, and reviewing online comments, I find that people either adore Kaur’s minimalist style of art or they shake with disapproval. The latter seem to express a similar attitude: this type of writing isn’t “real” poetry, or “I could write that,” or it’s already been done/said. In school, you may have learned about haiku and rhyme pattern, imagery and alliteration. These are important for understanding poetry’s structure, or for an introduction to what poetry has been in the past. But I’d like to consider: how do we define poetry? READ MORE

  • In the Blog

    Fat Positivity for the Unapologetic

    October 3rd, 2017     by NiaZamar     Comments

    Recently in the media Black women’s bodies in particular have been under high scrutiny. If you Google Beyoncé or Rihanna right now much of what shows up is focused on their bodies and the changes they are going through. It is clear that Fat is still deemed as a bad word. The internet memes implying that Quantasia Sharpton is too fat to have possibly slept with Usher reveal how much our society literally steals away desirability and humanity from fat women. All the memes implying Rihanna must be pregnant as a way of explaining her recent weight gain are a sad reminder that while the body positivity movement is in full effect we still need a more comprehensive conversation around Fat positivity, one that includes sexual health, desirability and awareness around consent. READ MORE

  • Blog Series

    Shamelessly Watching… Gossip Girl

    August 18th, 2017     by Fariha Shimu     Comments

    To accompany our new Mental Health issue, we asked writers to share the guilty pleasure TV that brings them solace when the world gets them down. This is the first instalment in our series. READ MORE

  • In the Blog

    Dream Nails: DIY Punk Witches Shaking the Scene

    July 26th, 2017     by Valentina Reetz     Comments

    From The Slits in the ‘70s to Bratmobile in the ‘90s, female-identifying individuals have been using punk music as a vessel for self-expression and social change for decades. Through punk, countless women have found their voices and made them heard. Among these fierce females are Janey, Anya, and Lucy of Dream Nails. Dream Nails is a London, UK based independent band recognized for their energy, spirit, and unapologetic politics. They released their first EP in 2016, and are in the process of crowdfunding for their next project – a compilation of recordings called, “Dare to Care,” which tackles topics of self care and perseverance. READ MORE

  • In the Blog

    Dreaming of starting your own media project? 6 lessons from 90 media activists across Canada

    June 6th, 2017     by Darya Marchenkova     Comments

    If you’ve ever mused about starting your own podcast, ‘zine, photography project, or another idea, do it now! It’s an incredibly fascinating time to get involved in media production. Right now there is an abundance of people involved in making media from the frontlines of movements and the communities hardest hit by our society’s deep injustices. READ MORE

  • In the Blog

    Why We Need to Focus On Alternatives to Women’s Incarceration

    May 16th, 2017     by Danika Kimball     Comments

    Over the past 25 years, women’s rates of incarceration have skyrocketed. In Canada, the statistics are grim, as recent reports have confirmed that Indigenous women are among the fastest growing prison populations in the country, as poverty-related crimes and nonviolent drug sentences have translated into life-sentences for many. READ MORE

  • In the Blog

    Fanfic Talks Back: A Review of Where Did You Sleep Last Night by Lynn Crosbie

    August 23rd, 2016     by Marta Balcewicz     Comments

    Anyone who’s taken a creative writing class will be familiar with short story prompts. The instructor will say something seemingly random—“Stick three strangers who absolutely hate one another in an enclosed space. Have them be stuck there for an hour”—ready, set, go! Pens start flying. READ MORE

  • MOGA: the new ethical headscarf brand empowering women and supporting education in pakistan

    June 16th, 2016     by Dani Leever     Comments

    There are currently 5.1 million Pakistani children of primary school age who are out of school, according to the organisation CARE Pakistan. Of the poorest 20% of the population, two out of three young women do not go to school – it is one of the more severe situations for women’s education in the world. READ MORE

  • In the Blog

    Inside Out Reviews Part 3

    May 26th, 2016     by Michelle Schwartz     Comments

    For more than two decades, Inside Out has brought Toronto’s LGBT community together in celebration of the best queer film from Canada and around the world. The Inside Out Film Festival runs from May 26 to June 5. Tickets for all screenings are $11 for students with ID and $10 for youth under 18. Youth under 25 can attend all weekday screenings before 6:00PM for free. Part 2 of our series on Inside Out reviews Southwest of Salem and Oriented. READ MORE

  • In the Blog

    Inside Out Reviews Part 1

    May 24th, 2016     by Abby Plener     Comments

    For more than two decades, Inside Out has brought Toronto’s LGBT community together in celebration of the best queer film from Canada and around the world. The Inside Out Film Festival runs from May 26 to June 5. Tickets for all screenings are $11 for students with ID and $10 for youth under 18. Youth under 25 can attend all weekday screenings before 6:00PM for free. Part 1 of our series on Inside Out reviews Hurricane Bianca and Kiki. READ MORE

  • In the Blog

    Hot Docs Reviews Part Two

    April 28th, 2016     by Michelle Schwartz     Comments

    Featuring documentaries from across the worldThe Hot Docs festival in Toronto runs from April 28 to May 28 2016. Check out part two of our reviews featuring the films Strike a Pose, Check It and The Legacy of Frida Kahlo. Students with valid ID have free festival admission for films screening before 5:00 p.m. READ MORE

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