The Top of His Head is a 1989 Canadian comedy-drama film written and directed by Peter Mettler.Peter Goddard, "Story gets lost in Metro's shadows". Toronto Star, November 24, 1989. It stars Stephen Ouimette, Christie MacFadyen and Gary Reineke, and tells the story of a satellite-dish salesman whose ordered life is disrupted after he meets a performance artist. The film won the Silver Plate Award at the Figueira da Foz Festival and received three Genie Award nominations.
Synopsis
The film follows Gus Victor, a satellite-dish salesman whose routine is unsettled by his encounter with Lucy, a radical performance artist.John Griffin, "There's beauty buzzing around The Top of His Head". Montreal Gazette, April 20, 1990. After Lucy leaves him a cryptic note, Gus sets out to find her, and the search changes his understanding of himself.
Cast The cast includes:
Production The film was shot in Toronto, Ontario, in the fall of 1987.Greg Quill, "Dream of a movie a nightmare to make". Toronto Star, November 22, 1987. The film's soundtrack, The Top of His Head, was written and composed by Fred Frith. Jane Siberry also contributed a song, "This Old Earth".Noel Taylor, "Jesus film leads Genies". Ottawa Citizen, February 13, 1990.
Festival screenings The film premiered in the Perspective Canada program at the 1989 Festival of Festivals."Egoyan film opens series". The Globe and Mail, July 27, 1989. It later screened at the 51st Festival dei Popoli in Florence in 2010.
Reception Critical response Filmdienst described the film as an ambitious comedy with existential elements. The review noted the film’s stylized audiovisual approach, particularly its use of television imagery and atmospheric music.
Awards and nominations In 1989, the film won the Silver Plate Award at the Figueira da Foz Festival and was runner-up for Most Popular Film at the Vancouver International Film Festival. In addition to Jane Siberry's Best Original Song nomination, the film also received Genie Award nominations for Best Actor for Stephen Ouimette and Best Original Screenplay for Peter Mettler.
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