Press Office
Stephen Lan
Lan.Stephen@sympatico.ca
Cell. North America: +1-416-923-6327
Cell Europe: +49-172-2006686

synopsis
Bill is a struggling poet who pours his last few dollars into starting a healthy food stand, and is helped by a rag-tag group of friends and clients. “I realized that the story of Bill and the food stand was very similar to what we’d just been through in trying to make [Motorcycle]. Bill wants to serve quality food at a reasonable price; I want to serve quality films at a reasonable price. Friends jumped in and helped make the film happen, much like Bill’s new friends in the film jump in and help with the stand.” [Paul Gordon]

The main character of The Happy Poet settles in a park with his health food stand. He waits for customers. Isn’t this similar to what Paul Gordon, director and main actor, does in his movie? He seems to believe that “if we create something good, people will come on their own”. He does not try to seduce his public, yet he eventually does. It’s fresh and straightforward in the vein of pictures such as Before Sunrise by Richard Linklater. There is, however, an ironic twist: Is it possible to create an anti-systemic system? I’m impressed by the manner in which Paul Gordon tries to beat this paradox. (Tadeusz Sobolewski)