it such a relief to see a film that both set in toronto and feature toronto a one of it principal star . this hasn not really happen since 1970 when don shebib landmark canadian film go down the road fill u with an extraordinary sense of pride in our canadian culture . that the first good thing about a winter tale . the next good thing about this film be that telefilm canada and our federal cultural agency whose business be the development and promotion of the canadian film industry and have the good sense to provide fund support to this small indie production . telefilm decision maker could not have know and more than three year ago when the film be struggle to overcome all the barrier that make it so hard for independent canadian film to see the light of day and that this little film would have the phenomenal success it have achieve across canada and in great britain and europe and the united state and the caribbean . the third good thing about a winter tale be the film itself . the fact that it look and with empathy and thoughtfulness and at the violence and pain that have invade culturally diverse neighborhood in city all over the world . and that it do so without the noisy and gory shoot em up theatrics of hollywood brightest and best . the fact that it explore ( as much a any 100 minute film can ) the inner life of the men and woman who be trap within their day to day sorrow and joy . no matter what they do and they remain isolated by barrier of racism and poverty from the benefit and reward that western society continue to promise their ever hopeful immigrant . it be because of these feature that audience in country all over the world believe that this little canadian film and set in a downtown toronto community and speak directly to them and to their concern and interest . the last and but by no mean the least and good thing about this film be director france anne solomon idea to use it a a tool for community engagement . at a many screening a possible and solomon and some of her cast have invite the audience to stay around and talk it out . audience and young and old and of every color and class and caste and creed and in canada and elsewhere and have take up this invitation eagerly and add their own real life story to the poignancy of the movie experience . thus and a winter tale have fulfil much more and i be sure and that anybody ever expect . at one of the first screening that i attend about a year ago and solomon thank diane boehm for chum tv provide the original funding to get this project go nearly eight year ago . it always give me hope to know that there be still canadian executive who and like diane boehm and be prepared to take a chance on canadian talent that be relatively unknown in our so call mainstream and simply because it be canadian .