Home-grown film draws crowd to Calgary International Film Festival
Jewel Fools generates support for local film industry
Jeff Kobar
Contributor
This year’s Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF) included over 200 different films from over 40 different countries, several of them Calgarian and among them Jewel Fools, a Guy Ritchie-goes-Bollywood type of film.
With a handful of those films hailing from Canada, I was able to watch Calgary’s own independent film. Out of the documentaries, galas, comedies and action flicks, I stumbled upon this, filmed in Calgary.
The comedy Jewels Fools follows Dennis Boumedienne’s pathetic attempt to propose to his stuck-up girlfriend after finishing university. Dennis’ pothead friends, plus the ring being stolen, prevent this from happening. Acts II and III of the film bring in a jewel thief, a chubby hit-man and an epic kitchen fight with spatulas.
Each act also included a Bollywood dance-off with an outstanding score. With elements of Superbad, Harold and Kumar Go To Whitecastle, Snatch, some jabs at Calgary (“Fucking mosquitos” and “It’s September why is there snow?”), and a touch of blood, the crowd thoroughly enjoyed the film.
The Calgary-based film created an authentic connection between the viewers that could not be recreated with a mainstream film. The brother directors, Bhaveek and Jashan Makan, are hosts to their own YouTube channel — Rendering Glint Films — with over 5,000 subscribers.
The cast and crew that made the film thanked their audience at the end and you could tell the crowd was anticipating an entry for next year. Apart from the shaky cameras and at times unfocused shots, the directors are creating a loyal fan base.
As they answered in the Q and A at the end, this big screen film was first for both of them, although it would be great to see Calgary’s own make it to bigger screens.
