Two fascinating docs
at the Segal Centre

Shalom, Bollywood revives Cummings Centre Talkumentary series

By Byron Toben

The Cummings Centre film documentary series, Talkumentary, featuring audience talk back, is back again this autumn with two fascinating films, both to be seen at the Segal Centre.

Both will be moderated by local film maker Irene Angelico, who introduced the three-part series at the Jewish Public Library last year, Momedy Comedy, about famous female Jewish comics over the years.

Sulochana (Ruby Myers)

The first, on September 10, is Shalom, Bollywood. It chronicles how Jewish women were instrumental in developing the Bollywood films in India, which has now the largest film industry of any country in the world.

In its earlier days, it was forbidden for either Hindu or Muslim women to sing and dance in films. Jewish women from the 2000-year-old Jewish community in India filled the gap.

Shalom, Bollywood…. chronicles how Jewish women were instrumental in developing the Bollywood films in India, which has now the largest film industry of any country in the world.

Stars like Sulochana, Miss Rose, Pramila and Nadira were born Ruby Myers, Rose Ezra, Esther Abraham and Farhat Ezekiel. Ms. Abraham went on to become the country’s first Miss India!

Yayoi Kusama – Image: Wikimedia Commons

The second film, on November 12, Kusama: Infinity, examines the life and works of now 90-year-old Japanese artist, Kusama, the most famous living female artist. Influenced by American Georgia O’Keefe, her works have sold for $100,000,000.

These two rare selections will be shown in the 75-seat film studio theatre at the Segal Centre from 7 pm to 9 pm.

For tickets, call 514 343-3510 or visit cummingscentre.org

Readers can view my three-part reviews of Ms. Angelico’s Momedy Comedy:

Momedy Comedy at the Cummings Centre

Momedy Comedy Part Two keeps up the pace

Momedy Comedy Part Three brings us up to date

Feature image: Yayoi Kusama signing her art by Vagner Carvalheiro [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Read more articles from Byron Toben

Byron Toben, a past president of The Montreal Press Club, has been WestmountMag.ca’s theatre reviewer since July 2015. Previously, he wrote for since terminated web sites Rover Arts and Charlebois Post, print weekly The Downtowner and print monthly The Senior Times. He also is an expert consultant on U.S. work permits for Canadians.