Movie spotlight
Change
Based on the drama by Wolfgang Bauer. Fery Kaltenböck is a painter of the Viennese avant-garde in the post-1968 milieu. His lack of success plunges him into depression. Out of frustration, he builds the Pölten painter Blasius Okopenko into a star, only to subsequently destroy him and gain fame through the scandal. But his plans fail because he underestimated Okopenko. When Kaltenböck realizes that he is becoming the manipulated man, depression and conscience drive him to suicide, and he hangs himself.
Insights
Plot Summary
In this gritty drama, a young Black man grapples with the harsh realities of poverty and racism in Canada. He navigates the challenges of finding employment and maintaining his dignity in a society that often marginalizes him. The film explores his struggles with desperation, the temptation of crime, and his eventual quest for self-respect and a better future.
Critical Reception
Change was a groundbreaking film for its time, offering a rare and unflinching look at the Black experience in Canada. While not widely distributed, it has been recognized for its powerful social commentary and authentic portrayal of systemic issues. Critical reception has often highlighted its raw honesty and the compelling performance of its lead.
What Reviewers Say
Praised for its authentic and raw depiction of socio-economic struggles.
Noted for its significant social commentary on racism in Canada.
Acknowledged as an important, albeit lesser-known, piece of Canadian cinema.
Google audience: Information regarding specific Google user reviews for 'Change (1975)' is not readily available.
Fun Fact
Al Waxman, the director of 'Change', later went on to have a prolific career in television, most notably as Lieutenant Harry Dunne in the popular Canadian police drama 'Cagney & Lacey'.
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