The latest version of The Toronto International Film Festival has officially ended, with the Oprah-produced Precious: Based on The Novel Push by Sapphire winning the prestigious People’s Choice Award, making it the only film to win the audience awards at both TIFF and Sundance. Last year’s TIFF winner Slumdog Millionaire, went on to capture best picture at the Oscars, so needless to say, Precious’s prospects look good. Although Precious took home the top prize, there were some other deserving films that premiered at TIFF, including the thumping documentary The White Stripes Under Great Northern Lights, an inside look at the reclusive band’s landmark 2007 Canadian tour, that saw them play shows in all of Canada’s provinces and territories.
Director Emmett Malloy does a fine job of capturing the softer moments between the obviously close Jack and Meg White as well as the raw, frenetic energy of their live shows. We get to follow the duo–who play brother and sister throughout–as they travel through Canada’s outskirts and experience the true north strong and free that very few know. By playing intimate, impromptu shows in unexpected locales like transit buses, fishing boats, classrooms, and public parks, The White Stripes completely subvert their reputation as arena rockers, though there’s plenty of that here too.
But it is the tender moments that separate this doc from your standard concert film. Through interviews we learn that Jack White does actually care what people think about his band, and that Meg White doesn’t speak much, and when she does, we need subtitles to discern what she’s saying. As they tour remote cities like Whitehorse and Charlottetown, we get the sense that Jack and Meg take comfort in the authenticity of where they are. Malloy does a superb job photographing the often haunting landscapes, and the brooding nature of his two subjects often feels tailor-made for the surroundings. The concert footage can sometimes feel monotonous, and the film could have used more moments like this: Jack and Meg visit the Inuit elders of Iqaluit, the capitol of the native-run territory of Nunavut. Immersed by people unaware of their cultural status, the two rock stars seem humbled by their hosts, and after they share songs, they seem happy. Genuinely happy. The second such moment is the film’s finale and it is tender, unexpected, and flat out moving. Worth the price of admission alone.
Check out the trailer for the documentary below:
-Daniel Barna
