The Mavericks programme offers audience members to get to know the filmmakers up close.  Yesterday afternoon, Thom Powers had the chance to sit down with comedian, actor, filmmaker Chris Rock.   It did not take very long for Chris Rock to have us all in stitches about one thing or another.  He mentioned he had the idea of doing a documentary about the cultural significance and importance of hair in the black communities as far back as the early 90's; he just wasn't famous yet to afford to have it made.  The idea came to him in Atlanta, GA when he was doing a stand-up show and at the same hotel the Bronner Brothers Hair Competition was also taking place.  Finally, when his youngest daughter asked him why she didn't have "good hair," he decided to go ahead and make the documentary Good Hair (playing at this year's festival).

He talked a little about the making of the film.  He was able to have some famous Black women talk candidly about their experience with hair products and hair rituals.  He joked that a few glasses of wine were helpful with that.  More than that, though, the film is about talking about an topic that is so important yet no one has actually brought it up before.  Having seen the film, I must say that it's funny but underneath the humour the issues of identity and of course, profiting from the art of hair styling and from hair itself are very prominent. 

Later on, Chris Rock mentioned that Michael Moore's Roger and Me made a big impact on him twenty years ago and that he's been interested in documentary films for a long time.  Rock actually attended the premiere of Moore's film Capitalism: A Love Story on Sunday night at the Elgin theatre.  When asked about his many travels as a comedian and his trip to South Africa, Rock described as a goal he had set for himself.  "Rock stars are rock stars because the play the world... I wanted to do that," he said.

 The audience had a chance to ask a few questions... Someone asked what Rock's wife thinks of the film.  He stated that she liked it; she had a "Good Hair party... she's never had a party for any of my other movies."  A young woman just had to ask about one of the characters from the first Transformers movie... Rock, always the comedian, simply said: "How did she get into this festival? Why would you ask a question about Transformers?"  The overall interview was filled a lof of funny bits that I wish I could share with you.  But I think if you know Chris Rock, then you know his type of humour.  

As for Good Hair, it still has some showings at TIFF... Click here for more info.  The films comes out in Canada on October 16th.