Canada Vignettes: December Lights

Sunshine City SUNSHINE CITY is Albie Thom’s sprawling, protoplasmic experimental portrait of his hometown of Sydney. The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia call it “a structured diary film which investigates the process of living in Sydney, which uses a repeating light modulation to intensify experiences of light, heat, colour”.

Pippi on the Run Fed up with their strict parents, Tommy and Annika run away from home, with their friend Pippi Longstocking to look after them in their long trek.

Gluttony A TV drama “Gluttony” is part of the unfinished “Seven Deadly Sins” cycle. The main subject of this story is a dedication to one of the greatest biblical sins – gluttony itself.

Ladies House of Pleasure A lovely summer day in Paris. Roger and Martine are on their way to work. "Work" is a euphemism because Martine is a prostitute in Pigalle. She is saving money to buy the house of her dreams in the country. Her husband Roger "works" for the same goal, but in a brothel for women. There, duchesses rub elbows with businesswomen, militant members of women's lib and other female pleasure-seekers.

If... Follows the love between journalist Anna Knyazeva and Nikolai Malyshev, a surgeon at one of the city hospitals.

Four Oddballs of Saigon Four Oddballs of Saigon or The Saigon Fabulous Four is a 1973 Vietnamese 35mm eastmancolor film directed by La Thoại Tân.

He Who Loves in a Glass ... Igor has a good job as an advertising manager, a nice house, his wife Hanna, and a mistress. He has invited Christine, the mistress, over to his house while his wife is away.

They Might Be Giants After the death of his wife, retired judge Justin Playfair creates a fantasy world for himself in which he is the legendary detective Sherlock Holmes, even dressing like the character. Out of concern for Justin's money more than his health, his brother Blevins puts him under the care of psychiatrist Dr. Mildred Watson. As Dr. Watson grows fond of Justin, she begins to play along with his theories, eventually becoming an assistant in his investigations.

When Almonds Blossomed Zura, a son of a rich businessman, steals a car of his father’s friend to amuse his classmates. When informed about it, the school principal discards him from the bike tournament. Nevertheless, Zura’s father manages to persuade her to allow his son to participate and even succeeds in bribing his championship. Zura’s classmates know that he became a champion undeservedly but can’t do anything about it. Only Khatuna, his alleged girlfriend, and Lexo, Zura’s friend, dare to protest against it. Their lack of loyalty enrages Zura and in the rush of the blood he crashes his father’s car. The accident takes Laxo’s life. Zura’s father does his best to save his son from deserved punishment but the first one against his decision is Zura himself.

Sex Family A critique of the Japanese family, seen here as militaristic, absurdly incestuous and patriarchal with the father dominating his family sexually and violently. Nihilistic destruction by the young ones seems to be the only way out.