Livewire

October Baby,a film about a woman who learns she is,as the movie puts it,a “survivor of a failed abortion,“ tells the story of 19-year-old Hannah,a home-schooled Baptist who is informed by a doctor that her ailments—asthma,seizures,are the result of being born prematurely after an abortion attempt. She sets out to find her birth mother,a quest that ends in tears and,ultimately,a lesson in forgiveness delivered by a Catholic priest. It was inspired by the story of Gianna Jessen,who says she was delivered alive at a California clinic after a late-term saline-injection abortion,and,as a paid speaker at anti-abortion events tells of her struggles and medical conditions.

Mario Van Peebles got his first break acting opposite Clint Eastwood in the 1986 film Heartbreak Ridge and parlayed that success into a prolific career. His latest acting and directing project,We The Party,is a multi-cultural comedy about a group of teenagers coming of age during America’s first black presidency. The film is a real family affair and co-stars Van Peebles,several of his children,his father,director Melvin Van Peebles. Van Peebles said the film was inspired by his teenage kids. “My son said he wanted to hit some special teenage clubs with his brothers and sisters. I also went along with them. It was amazing inside. They’re tweeting,texting,slow-dancing—all simultaneously. It got me thinking and I started taking notes,” he said.

Marley,directed by Kevin Macdonald is a biographical film about Bob Marley,the reggae superstar,who died of cancer in 1981. Of all the friends,lovers and relatives that Macdonald wrangled into his documentary,one of his favourite finds was Dudley Sibley,a onetime recording artist and the janitor at the Jamaican recording studio where Marley cut his musical teeth. “He lived with Bob for 18 months in the back of Studio 1,” Macdonald said. Making this film has always been problematic,plagued by a shortage of archival footage and disagreements over music publishing.