Mosaic

Gon alo Tocha's first film, Balaou (VIFF 07), saw him voyaging on a small boat from the mid-Atlantic Azores to Portugal as an homage to his late mother, and getting seasick in the process. For the director, islands are like boats, isolated entities stopped in the middle of the ocean. And it doesn't get more isolated than the volcanic Portuguese island of Corvo, at four kms long the smallest island in the Azores and up until the early 20th century a self-sustaining agricultural community. Its history, however, remains mostly unwritten: it is a place of mystery, of old superstitions and fantastic natural scenery. Over three periods in 2007 and 2008, Tocha (sound man in tow) set out as Corvo's contemporary social historian, filming examples of labour, local craftsmanship (hat and cheese-making), customs and religious rituals, the glorious flora and the fauna, the caf , the parties and even the political life. He also interviewed some of its oldest residents, gleaning stories about the island's colourful past. In three hours and 14 chapters, Tocha reveals the process by which he endeared himself to the community, and constructs a mosaic of Corvo's inhabitants, which number only about 440, plus a fluctuating number of cows and pigs. He's has made just about the warmest film you'll ever see, with a love for the place, the people and, yes, the animals. The documentary earns every second of its running time, and, if anything, is too short: I'm sure he missed a couple of pigs.

The Fast Money traders discuss the biggest market movers, including Estee Lauder, Mosaic and Genworth.

PHOENIX -- Debbie Hernandez from The Home Depot showed 3TV's Scott Pasmore a new product that makes creating a mosaic pot or mirror super easy. You can find Hernandez at the Home Depot located at Arrowhead, off the Loop 101 and 59th Avenue. For more information visit www.homedepot.com.

While traveling for work in a city far from their homes, a novelist and a corporate accountant find themselves in bed together. Although she's married, and he's seeing someone, their intense attraction turns a one-night stand into an unexpected relationship and a respite from the obligations of daily life. Through a series of moments--some profound, some silly, some intensely intimate--we see a portrait of an evolving relationship that could become the most significant one of their lives. Chris Messina and Marin Ireland turn in outstanding performances. Each exhibits a vulnerability and emotional honesty that allows the audience to connect intensely with the two characters and every moment they share. 28 HOTEL ROOMS is director/screenwriter Matt Ross's first feature, and it is a candid, exquisitely constructed mosaic. The film adeptly illustrates how seemingly inconsequential moments and actions can often mean more than we suspect.