This week, at Toronto’s Royal Cinema, sees an exclusive engagement of the acclaimed documentary “The Bastard Sings the Sweetest Song” begin, starting Jan18. The documentary, filmed in Georgetown, Guyana, introduces us to Muscle and his mother Mary. The pair are both struggling to break free off their circumstances, which manages to bring them constantly into conflict with each other. Mary (74), when she leaves their house, wanders on the road begging for money to get drunk from passing cars and neighbors and sometimes falls down and hurts herself. Unable to convince Mary that she is only harming herself and her family, her son Muscle (43) decides that the only way to prevent her drunken excursions is to keep her locked up in her small, dark room.

The Bastard Sings the Sweetest Song

Directed by Christy Garland

Muscle ekes out a living raising fighting cocks and songbirds, but yearns and longs for a better house and situation for his family. Mary drinks to forget though Read the rest of this page »