Every movie tells a story. But sometimes, the story behind the movie is much more intriguing. And that is where the Hudson Film Festival shows its chops. It showcases the movies and the stories behind them – all at one time and all in one place, close to home.
And this year, the story behind one movie is better than most.
The movie is Artie Shaw: Time is all You’ve Got. It is a documentary about the life and music of one of the biggest names in the 1930s and ’40s big band era in the U.S. The movie, by Canadian film-maker Brigitte Berman, won an Oscar in 1986 for Best Feature Documentary, but it never became the toast of Hollywood.
In fact, it barely was seen by anyone until last year, when its newly restored version had its world premier in September at the Toronto International Film Festival – about 38 years after it was completed, celebrated and sued.
The restored film had its New York premier earlier this year, attracting the eye of The New York Times film reviewer, who wrote: “An all-star roster of interviewees, including the luminaries Mel Tormé and Buddy Rich, contributes to an unfailingly entertaining saga,” which is the life and times of Shaw, who was married eight times and in addition to his popularity at the time was also hailed as a civil rights pioneer, hiring Black singers like Billie Holiday to perform with him in a period in U.S. history where that was not seen.
For Berman, though, the film became a yardstick by which she measured the highest highs and lowest lows of her life. She will be at the Hudson Film Fest when her film is screened on the evening of Friday, April 19, at the Hudson Village Theatre to share her story.
Berman’s traumatic tale involving her film started shortly after she won the biggest prize in the movie industry – the Academy Award.
“It was one of the most momentous moments in my life,” Berman said in an interview with The 1019 Report from Toronto.
It was shortly after that gala evening that Shaw wanted a stake in the film.
As Berman retells the events, Shaw made his interests clear: “He said: ‘The film is now a commodity. It’s going to make money and I want a share.’ ”
Berman offered him a share, “but it wasn’t big enough for him,” she explained. “He really wanted to own the film.”
Unwilling to simply give her award-winning film away, Shaw sued Berman, launching a 15-year court battle that began in Ontario. Shaw lost the case, but appealed the initial decision to the
Supreme Court of Ontario, where he lost again. Undaunted, he sued Berman again, this time in the U.S., filing another suit in Los Angeles. She finally won a judgment in her favour in 2003. The following year, Shaw died at that age of 94, leaving Berman picking up the pieces of her film-making career.
“I am very glad I did not give in,” she explained, looking back at the ordeal. But it took a toll.
“I could not watch the film,” she said, explaining how the film sat unseen for decades as the lawsuits made their way through the courts. “I was so deeply traumatized by the whole thing.”
In September 2023, having raised the money to restore the film, giving it, as she describes, “all the bells and whistles” required for the digital formatting movies today require, including upgrading its sound quality, the restored version began to be screened again.
“I won’t be a commercial success – not at all,” Berman admitted. “But it will be seen. It’s no longer hiding in the closet.”
She looks forward to sharing her film and its long and tragic trajectory with film-goers at the Hudson Film Festival.
“It was a huge learning experience that cost me dearly,” Berman said. “But I came out of it stronger.”
As for Shaw, she said: “I think that he is a very tragic figure – a man who was never pleased with anything, a man who could be very vindictive, very self-centred. I could see that when making the film, but I didn’t want to see it.”
The Hudson Film Festival runs from April 16-24, showcasing a lineup of 14 Canadian movies, including Past Lives by Korean-Canadian director Celine Song, which was nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture earlier this year. It will be screened on Thursday, April 18, at 7:30 p.m. at Hudson Village Theatre. For tickets and passes, and a full rundown of all movies that will be presented, go to www.hudsonfilmsociety.ca