Filmmaker’s ode to artists, Toronto debuts in Halifax

Reza Dahya, a Toronto-based filmmaker, is bringing his latest movie, which focuses on artists, to Halifax for its world premiere at the Atlantic International Film Festival this weekend.

Dahya is the director and editor of “Boxcutter,” a film that follows an aspiring Toronto rapper as he seeks to recover his music ahead of a meeting with a major producer.

“The movie is really about what he learns along the way and his relationship with his best friend and their ideas about art,” Dahya said. “It’s kind of like this cool hybrid of a movie where it’s like a quest and an adventure, but it’s also a walk-and-talk and, like, a relationship film about these two artists in Toronto.”

Dahya said the movie touches on several themes, but at its core it’s about the fear of failure.

“It’s about how artists often struggle with sharing and being vulnerable,” he said. “A lot of that comes from when you really love the art form and…it’s really hard to be a part of it because you don’t want to disappoint.

“There’s a million things to figure out, but at the core of the story is that feeling, that first feeling of fear and how to take that first step.”

“Boxcutter” will play at Cineplex Cinemas Park Lane at 5 p.m. on Sunday.

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