Screen Dreams: ‘The Moviegoer’ (2022)

❉ Canadian filmmaker Ross Munro displays a nimble directorial hand, writes Nick Clement.

“this happy-go-lucky quickie… shines a light on what makes us happy, and what drives us forward, and how love is the most important bond that humans share together.”

At the very end of the heartfelt and endearing 20-minute comedy-drama-biography, The Moviegoer, filmmaker Ross Munro includes this on-screen note: “Dedicated to the joy and inspiration of going to the movies and the importance of continuing to dream together as one in the dark.” And if nothing else, this happy-go-lucky quickie definitely espouses the notion that movies will always remain a vital and important part of people’s lives, but that through the artistic process, some people are able to make connections in the real world that transcend anything viewed on-screen. Personal projects such as this one have a tendency of being too oblique, but with The Moviegoer, Munro shines a light on what makes us happy, and what drives us forward, and how love is the most important bond that humans share together.

Munro, a Canadian short-film specialist (Princess Lamp, European Tour ’73) who has also ventured into feature waters (A Legacy of Whining), displays a nimble directorial hand with The Moviegoer, which traces one nine-year-old boy’s falling-in-love-affair with Venezuelan actress named Carlotta Vivas in 1972, who was given the nickname of the “South American Brigitte Bardot.” It’s about how the power of cinematic imagery can grab a hold of people and unleash something inside of them that they never thought possible, and the way in which Munro quickly swerves between fantasy and reality in this piece is lots of unexpected fun, as a twist is doled out towards the finale, which puts everything in perspective. If you get the chance to find this peppy little flick, get ready to have a smile etched on your face for a bit.


❉ ‘The Moviegoer’ (2022) comes to festivals worldwide later this year. Written, directed and narrated by Ross Munro. Cast: Julie Bruns (Agnetha), Momona Komagata (Anni-Frid), Cayetana Molla (Carlota Vivas), Amanda Huxtable (Bad Bertha), Michael Palmer (TV Announcer), Kyle Snyder (VO Trailer). Cinematography: Ron Heaps. Edited: Julia Hostetler. Sound Design/Mix: Gregorio Gomez. Animation: Dylan Moore. Producer: Maria Munro.

❉ Nick Clement is a freelance writer, having contributed to Variety Magazine, Hollywood- Elsewhere, Awards Daily, Back to the Movies, and Taste of Cinema and is a regular contributor to We Are Cult.. He’s currently writing a book about the works of filmmaker Tony Scott.

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1 Comment

  1. Thanks so much Nick for the wonderful words about our film The Moviegoer- really appreciate it! Our film- like all films- was a labour of love dedicated to all our highly missed moviegoing communities everywhere- cheers!

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