Shane Slater
Shane Slater is a passionate cinephile whose love for cinema led him to creating his blog Film Actually in 2009. Since then, he was a Staff Writer for AwardsCircuit.com, where he primarily covered non-English and documentary films. Based in Kingston, Jamaica, he relishes the film festival experience, having covered TIFF, NYFF and PAFF-LA among others. He is a proud member of the African-American Film Critics Association.
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NewFest Film Review: ‘Minyan’ Crafts a Distinctive Coming-of-Age Tale
While many of the titles at this year’s New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival have spotlighted the modern gay dating culture as facilitated through social media and apps, it’s easy to forget a time when it wasn’t so easy to make a connection. Director Eric Steel highlights some of those challenges in his debut feature Minyan. […] More
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NewFest Film Review: Kacey Rohl Makes a Great Antihero in ‘White Lie’
Narratives surrounding cancer-afflicted characters have long been a go-to source of drama at the movies. From Meryl Streep in One True Thing to Shailene Woodley in The Fault in Our Stars, these ill-fated portrayals have broken hearts and won awards in equal measure. Now, Kacey Rohl joins that illustrious company with her uniquely impactful performance […] More
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NewFest Film Review: Faraz Shariat Showcases the Immigrant Experience with ‘No Hard Feelings’
What is the meaning of home? People often cite the age-old adage “home is where the heart is.” For immigrants, however, the definition is often more complicated. Is it your beloved homeland where you can no longer live, or the new place where you’ve settled but don’t fully fit in? In his debut feature No […] More
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NewFest Film Review: ‘Cicada’ is an Achingly Intimate New York Love Story
As Hollywood studios have pivoted towards four-quadrant movie marketing in the past few decades, one side effect has been the sanitizing of sexuality. In the current marketplace, independent films seem to be the final holdout for more frank explorations of sex on screen. One such example is Cicada, which uses an honest depiction of modern […] More
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NewFest Film Review: ‘Shiva Baby’ Stokes the Comical Growing Pains of Your Early Twenties
For many people, your early twenties are at once a hopeful and anxiety-ridden stage of your life. Particularly if you are a college student or graduate, there can be either a sense of endless possibilities or disillusionment when your big plans don’t come to fruition. That latter state of mind is primarily what Danielle (Rachel […] More
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in Interviews
Interview: Merawi Gerima Discusses the Personal Meaning of ‘Residue’
Following in the footsteps of his parents, director Merawi Gerima tells an unmistakably Black story with his debut film Residue. This artful drama turns the camera towards gentrification in Gerima’s native Washington DC, as he explores the emotional journey of an aspiring filmmaker as he tries to reconnect with his changing community. On the heels […] More
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in Emmys
Emmy Analysis: Outstanding Limited Series
Easily one of this year’s best program categories in terms of quality, the Emmy award for Outstanding Limited Series will be hotly contested. Each tapped into the zeitgeist in different ways, through an array of genres and historical settings. While the lineup features one nominations juggernaut, there’s definitely room for an upset. Here’s a closer […] More
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TIFF Film Review: COVID-19 Doc ’76 Days’ is Surprisingly Hopeful
It’s been 6 months since most of the world went into crisis mode amid the COVID-19 pandemic. For some of those countries, the outlook is bleak, with no discernible end in sight. In the case of more proactive societies like China, however, life is slowly returning to normal. But to understand how they got there, […] More
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TIFF Film Review: ‘Night of the Kings’ is a Uniquely African Prison Drama
Nestled deep in the lush forest of the Ivory Coast, there is a prison like no other. Its name is La Maca, where the inmates play by their own rules,creating a whole new world. This unique setting sets the stage for Night of the Kings, directed by Philippe Lacôte. But Lacôte’s vision extends far beyond […] More
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TIFF Review: Dawn Porter’s Stirring ‘The Way I See It’ Examines What It Means to be A Leader
Focus Features What does it mean to be presidential? In the year 2020, it’s a term that has become tarnished by scandals and lies. A quick google search, however, describes it as “having a bearing or demeanor befitting a president; dignified and confident.” But for a more in-depth understanding of the ideal characteristics of the […] More
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TIFF Preview: 10 Anticipated Films Premiering at the 2020 Festival
Film festivals have all been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, but perhaps none more so than the Toronto International Film Festival. Known for its glitzy premieres and unparalleled fan engagement, this icon of Toronto’s entertainment scene faced a tough challenge in planning its 2020 edition. After months of discussions, however, TIFF Artistic Director Cameron […] More
