Ché on Ché...

(Click pic for juicy view...)
("Rebel Hearts", Barcelona/Halifax/Paris, 2006/2007)

Fridge kiddies...

Ezra Spiderman?

"My spell-check doesn't recognize your last name Soiferman and wants to always change it to Spiderman. I though that was cool."

-Ez Sez Reader, Winnipeg, July, 2007

[Ez Sez: Try it out for yourself in Microsoft Word!]

Back to the Ez Sez home page. 

Socalled movie coming...

(Photo courtesy Beitel/Lazar Prods.)

There's an NFB feature film coming out about my buddy Josh 'Socalled' Dolgin.

Directed by Garry Beitel and Produced by Barry Lazar, it's sure to be a winner. Garry and Barry made the tasty Chez Schwartz doc from early 2007.

The Socalled film will be ready in the new year. More news to be announced here at Ez Sez.

Here's the new trailer, just released on YouTube today!

Enjoy!

Ez

From the forest to the blog...

(10/8/07, St-Adolphe, QC)

Aujourd'wheeeeeee!

TODAY, TODAY
(10/20/07, MTL, by Ez)

If today we do what we won't tomorrow
And yesterday was filled with sorrow
Embrace today like nothing else
One true day to be your self
Here today, alive and well
Do it now and live to tell
Today, today, it rings a bell
Think back now...

Today was swell.

A nice ring to it...

(10/8/07, St-Adolphe, QC)

See Manteca live!

My friend and Posthumous Pickle Party co-producer Matt Zimbel will be playing with his legendary Quebec jazz band Manteca this Friday, October 12th at 8pm at La Tulipe (4530 Papineau) in Montreal.

Come on down to check them out!

Visit the Manteca MySpace page HERE.

Ez

New Socalled video takes top YouTube spot again...

(Josh Dolgin as Socalled as a robot)

Have you seen the incredible new Socalled video for "You Are Never Alone" (AKA "Jewish Cowboy")?

Film Pop played this at the Film Pop/Montreal Film Group opening party last week. The crowd loved it. Mouths were agape. Jaws were at the floor. Eyes were popping.

Ben Steiger-Levine directed this music video and soon after being put on YouTube last week it was featured as one of the vaunted 'Featured Videos' on the YouTube homepage. Over 300,000 views so far! This was the second time a Socalled video was given this honour. The first time was for the Socalled Promo I made with Mika Goodfriend.

Enjoy the new one. It's brilliant...

Click HERE to watch the video.

Ez

Film Pop thanks you!

Thanks to all who attended Film Pop 2007!

What an experience it was to share all those films with you.

Ezra

Hemp recipes hit the mainstream...

(Tasty dehulled hemp seeds)

A sign o' the times?

The Toronto Star today published a recipe for Cranberry Hemp Quinoa Salad.

Looks like a tasty meal to me!

Bon apple-tea.

Ez

Film Pop is here!

[This post is intended for all Ez Sezzers in the Montreal area. For all of you fine folks outside this region, please scroll down to other recent posts featuring Schwarzenegger's private parts, various bon mots and lots of juicy EzraPix. And now... Pop!]


Hello again Ez Sez Readers,

As many of you may know, I've been working at a homey little film fest called Film Pop, part of the Pop Montreal International Music Festival.

Last year my doc Posthumous Pickle Party, about Simcha's grocery on The Main, premiered at Film Pop to a sold out audience. I'm back at the fest this year as one of the event's co-producers...

So, now the time has come to let you know that the 4th annual Film Pop is right around the corner and the Film Pop team and I will be presenting over 43 features and shorts and music videos beginning this Wednesday, October 3rd until Sunday, October 7th.

We received close to 300 submissions and the films we ultimately selected are from countries including Canada, the USA, Japan, Norway, Mexico and Australia. There are also many made right here in Montreal, some too by filmmakers who are part of the Montreal Film Group, the 1300+ member film & TV industry networking group I am a co-founder and co-director of.

To make things easy for you, Film Pop has created a lovely little program book with short blurbs and photos about all the films playing as of this Wednesday. You can download it at this here link here.

A few Film Pop highlights include:

-The big Film Pop opening party on Wed. Oct. 3rd at 10:30PM. Free entry. Co-presented by the Montreal Film Group. This event will feature the astounding brand new "Jewish Cowboy" video by Socalled (Josh Dolgin) and lots of other new Montreal music videos on the big screen. Come party!

Tableland, by Craig Noble

-"Tableland", the world premiere of the new road-trip documentary that takes you and your appetite to some of North America's finest organic and artisanale restaurants, farms, bakeries and wineries. Featuring a live Q&A by Vancouver filmmaker Craig Noble and FREE organic vegetarian hors d'oeuvres by Montreal caterers Crudessence.

Dr. Emmanuel Bronner in Sara Lamm's first feature film

-See the award-winning NY documentary "Dr. Bronner's Magic Soapboox" and meet Ralph Bronner, 71, in person. Ralph is the son of the late eccentric soap maker Emmanuel Bronner whose multi-million dollar soap empire gives away up to 75% of its profits to charity. Ralph will be at the screening to do a Q&A and to sing and play guitar. Ever seen a famous Dr. Bronner's soap bottle labels at a health food or camping store? Oy! Check one out here. It'll give you a sense of how wild this film is. "ALL-ONE!" as Bronner used to scream. Sponsored in part by Co-op La Maison Verte in NDG. Sunday, October 7th at 4pm.

Bigfoot's Reflection by Evan Beloff

-"Bigfoot's Reflection" directed by Evan Beloff. World film festival premiere of the portrait of some of B.C.'s foremost sasquatch researchers. Spooky, kooky and expertly photographed. Not to be missed! Sat. Oct. 6th at 4pm. With a Q&A by the film's director.

-The National Film Board and Pop Montreal team up again for another bout of "music movies". Making Music challenged 5 emerging filmmaking/musical teams from Montreal join creative forces and explore the relationship between cinema and music. Check it out on Sunday Oct 7th at 7pm at the Portuguese Association, 4170 St-Urbain at Rachel. $5 students/seniors, $7 general.

A Balancing Act by Marc Israel

-"A Balancing Act" Way too hard to describe. This film is nuts. For all you fans of strange folks, kombucha tea and unforgettable endings to films. That's all I'll say. Saturday, Oct. 6th at 2pm. Director Marc Israel will be present to help make sense of it all.

-Freshly popped organic pop corn will be available at all screenings! Generously provided to Film Pop by EcollegeY on Wilson and Somerled in NDG.

-Tasty nuts made by Prana will be available. Though< i'm allergic to nuts, these organic nuts look utterly amazing!

-Hemp seeds, butters and oils will be available for you to finally try if you're not already a fan as I am. Generously provided by Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods & Oils.

-Film Pop feature film screenings take place at the Portuguese Association, 4170 St-Urbain (just South of Rachel). (All films listed above are at the Portuguese Assn.)

-Film Pop short films (many!) and zippy music videos take place at the Film Pop Screening Room at the Puces Pop Arts & Crafts Fair at the Armoury at 4171 Esplanade (just South of Rachel). 12pm-5pm, Saturday and Sunday only. See Man Of Grease editor Mika Goodfriend's brand new short "Mika's Brain" at Puces Pop along with many others.

-Read the John Griffin article on Film Pop in the Montreal Gazette (9/29/07).

-All screening are $5 for students and seniors, $7 general. Puces Pop screenings are free.

-Buy a Film Pop 5-day film pass for the incredible price of $20 ($15 for students/seniors)!

There are many other superb films at Film Pop, which is brought to you in part by Cineflix Productions, Muse Entertainment, Video Service and other gracious sponsors, so go ahead and download the Film Pop program here.

Ez Sez: See you at Film Pop 2007!

Dr. Bronner's sez: ALL-ONE!

Ez

Arnold's mighty pen... (has vetoed the California hemp bill)

(Photo source unknown)

Will California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger sign the California Industrial Hemp Farming Act and become the Hemp Hero or will he veto it and become the Hemp Terminator, blocking California farmers from growing hemp which is legal to grow in Canada and nearly all other industrialized nations but illegal in the USA since 1937.

The bill, if ratified, by Schwarzenegger would revise the definition of marijuana, making industrial hemp a legitimate crop in California. This would trigger pilot crops in four California counties.

Find out more by clicking here.

Stay tuned for updates at EzSez.com as soon as he signs...

Ez

UPDATE: On October 11th, Gov. Schwarzenegger vetoed the bill. See article HERE.

Also: In GQ's October issue, Arnold said "That (marijuana) is not a drug. It's a leaf." Ironic.

Back to the popular Ez Sez Blog homepage

Education in the dumps?

(Click pic quick for juicy view)

("Pupitres", 9/07, MTL, by Ez)

A few old class desks in a dumpster. I drove by this sight one sunny morning. Couldn't let it go without reversing and grabbing a pic.

Write on,

Ez

Fall soon...

("Old Snowy Porsche", 2007, by Ezra)

Fall officially starts this Sunday. I thought I'd put things into perspective by sharing this photo I took last winter.

Stay warm. Prep those snowshoes...

Ez

Speed

SPEED
(A poem by Ez, 9/15/07, MTL)

Traffic and truth
You can't rush either
Love and pain
You can't put those off

Life flies at you
In streams unending
And now you look back
And you are right here

Speed is just you
And gently you rise
Take it all slow
For there is no prize

Life is the gift
For there is no prize
Bring it to me
And look in my eyes

Speed is the rush
The river is shy
Bring it to me
And look in my eyes

The Ez of my eye...

(Click pic quick for juicy view)

("Self Portrait in Alexandra's Eye", 9/07, St-Adolphe, QC)

Here's a cool pic I took in the reflection of my girlfriend Alexandra's eye!

No fancy trick photography, just some cropping to get in close into that detail of the photo.

Have a great weekend!

Ez

A fresh drawing...

(Click pic quick for juicy view)

Lonesome Pine

(c. 2002, St. Adolphe, Ezra)

Sometimes a lonesome pine is a good friend.

Ez

NFB CITIZENShift Blog

I've just been informed that I've been featured on the NFB's CITIZENShift Blog.

You can visit the page here.

Have a great weekend wherever you are and whenever you are too, ye timeless Ez Sezzer.

Ez

Think ahead...

(Click notepad page for juicy view)

Statue Montage

(Click pic for juicy view)
("Statue Montage", Barcelona/Chicago, 2006/2004)

A fresh pix-series for you.

Ezra

Radio Centre-Ville Interview

I was featured this past Saturday in a 25 minute interview on Radio Centre-Ville (102.3FM) in Montreal. The interview was conducted by Leslie Lutsky for his show Jewish Digest.

The interview is about my documentary films and my most recent one, Posthumous Pickle Party about Simcha's Grocery on St-Laurent.

Download the full interview as a podcast here.

Stay tuned for a Posthumous Pickle Party TV date and the official DVD release announcement...

Ez

Bike On

("Red Bike", 1999, MTL, Ezra S.)

I hope everyone's summer is zipping along.

Much love to all,

Ez

Condiments

(Click image for juicy view.)
("All Dressed and Nowhere To Go", 5/06, Toronto)

Ez Sez loves to salute the less celebrated things in life. Today, we pay tribute to condiments.

Hug a ketchup bottle today.

Do laundry tomorrow.

Ez

New Josh Ritter Pre-Release Single!

This was WAY too good to keep to myself.

Courtesy of the discerning ears here at Ez Sez, enjoy a free streaming sample of a brand new track from the soon-to-be-released and soon-to-be-raved-about CD by Josh Ritter called The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter (Sony/BMG, coming Aug. 21st).

Click here to hear the exhilarating new classic he whipped up called "To The Dogs Or Whoever".

Read Amazon's glowing review of the upcoming CD here. Serious raves for Josh to whom I bring hot Montreal bagels to backstage every time he plays in Montreal. Hopefully he'll be back in town soon... there's a fresh batch ready on St-Viateur according to my sources.

Bon weekend! Bon 2-post-EzSez-kinda-day too! (See the EzQuote below for today's earlier post).

OK, go enjoy the Josh Ritter song already... No sense putting this off any longer...

Ez

UPDATE: Here's a live music video for the song!

Kim Beggs - A Taste of Yukon in Montreal

(Kim Beggs "Singing With Dog", by Karen Loeb)

The sweet-voiced wonder named Kim Beggs pulled in to Shaika Café in NDG last night to play a country-folk set that pretty much melted my heart with northern twang and near-arctic soul.

Kim's from Whitehorse, Yukon, and I first heard her on Michael Enright's The Sunday Edition CBC radio show. He raved about her and then played a song called "Lips Stained Red With Wine" (listen) that captivated me something fierce. So, when the song ended I wrote the Quebec-born, Toronto-raised, Yukon-fortified Beggs an email and told her how great her song was. Later in the day she wrote back thanking me and telling me she'd love to someday play Montreal...

So I hooked her up with a gig at Shaika (thanks to booker and friend Jenny M.) and the day arrived yesterday.

(Kim and Ez, by Alexandra Yanofsky, 8/1/07)

Thanks to all who attended the show! Thanks to Kim who thanked me on stage for hooking her up with Shaika Café. Glad you were able to spend time with us here in Montreal, Kim. A total treat.

Ez

Listen to Kim's 1st CD here.
Listen to her 2nd CD here.
Visit her official web site here.

Ez Sez: If you're gonna sell out... at least be hempy about it!

(Ezra holding Hemp Bliss hempmilk at Pete's Frootique in Halifax, 7/2007, Photo by Alexandra Yanofsky)

Bob Dylan said if he ever advertised for anything it would be for 'ladies undergarments'. 39 years later his music was used for a Victoria's Secret TV ad in which he even appeared personally. People blamed him for selling out. At least he kept his word.

Good news, Ez Sez friends...

I am now sponsored by Manitoba Harvest Hemp Seeds & Oils to be an official spokesperson for their company and products.

Yes, like Bobby, Ez has now sold out too.

(The way I see it... better to do so for a company you love, which makes products you love made from a plant you love than to do so for just any company.)


I'd been eating Manitoba Harvest's tasty hemp food products for years and then one day I noticed a link on their web site featuring a number of "Hemp-Fuelled Athletes", athletes eating hemp foods for their health. On a whim, I contacted the company and asked them if they'd ever entertain the idea of a "Hemp-Fuelled Filmmaker". They loved the idea and signed me up!

As the company's first Hemp-Fuelled Filmmaker (and likely the world's first too), I'll be eating lots of hemp, talking it up (as I've always done) to friends and family and even making the odd appearance at company events here and there.

(Hemp growing to 15-20 feet tall in a Canadian field)

The reason I'm such a fan of hemp (I eat it every day, wear almost exclusively hemp clothes, use many hemp oil based beauty products and have my business cards printed on hemp paper) is because hemp is simply the most versatile naturally-grown material you're ever likely to find. Thank you Mother Nature for this.


Hemp, the non-psychoactive version of marijuana, has been used by mankind for thousands of years, is grown pesticide-free (compare that to cotton crops which use between 25-50% of all pesticides used in the USA), its fibres are longer and stronger than any other naturally-grown fibre and it can be used from everything from food to fuel to paper to plastic (yes, hemp plastic now exists) to car parts to fabric to beauty products and on and on.


The U.S. government, which banned it during the reefer madness scare in the 1930s, even ran a Hemp For Victory campaign during the Second World War and used massive amounts of hemp fabric and ropes for uniforms and ships.

The three founders of Manitoba Harvest (a company co-owned by the farmers who grow the seeds for the company's products) were actually the spearheaders of the push to get the Government of Canada to reinstate hemp as a legal crop in 1998. Hemp is now perfectly legal to grow, eat and use in Canada even though our friends in the States still cannot grow it legally to this day.

I'm extremely proud to now be representing these delicious and nutritious products from a company I really believe in.

Look for them at your local health food store and at other fine stores in your neighbourhood or order them online at the Manitoba Harvest web site.

All my best to you all. In health and hempiness!

Ez

P.S. In case you were wondering... Ez Eats: Hempmilk in his breakfast cereal, hemp seeds on salads and sandwiches, a tablespoon of hemp oil in his OJ and yes, hemp seed butter on his toasted bagels. He loves the high protein it offers (higher by mass than beef, fish or eggs), the smooth skin it gives him and the omega essential fatty acid he and every other human needs to survive. He loves the fresh, nutty taste too!

Read about Ez in the latest Manitoba Harvest Newsletter
Read Ez's Hemp Facts
Read about Ezra's Hemp For The Homeless project
Take a tour of a real hemp field!

(Hemp cookies with Manitoba Harvest hemp seeds distributed to homeless shelters and homeless individuals as part of the Hemp For The Homeless initiative in 2007)