Heroines and Heroes

The first repetitive notes of piano announce a call to remember; a drawn out saxophone note responds. We are off for the 44 minute improv voyage that makes up Duets for Abdelrazik. If it seems like an unlikely name for […]

In August of 2012, Vandana Sood-Giddings, journalist, visited Montreal. Montreal Serai decided to interview her about her current project – a crowd sourced web documentary called The Taxi Takes on the World. To keep in the spirit of the project […]

“My Way” comes up in the Karaoke machine and Evelyn Calugay rushes to grab her microphone. “Regrets, I’ve had a few, but then again, too few to mention,” she belts out, reading the cue line. “I did what I had […]

The Artist as Mystic: Conversations with Yahia Lababidi, by Alex Stein, Onesuch Press, 2012. Conceived by Alex Stein, U.S. writer, illustrator, and author of Made Up Interviews with Imaginary Artists (Ugly Duckling Press, 2009), and Egyptian-American writer Yahia Lababidi, whose […]

The photograph, of the wall of a tunnel that takes pedestrians under the railway on Lucien L’Allier near the Bell Centre, inspired the poem. The pair of them together turned out to be pleasing to all members of the writing […]

Dans le secret moite de ma poche de paletot, mon index lèche sans répit la courbe de la languette. Avec un mouvement régulier, j’effleure le petit tracé sinueux en lissant sa tige ondulante. Même en prenant soin de la toucher […]

Malinchista, derived from La Malinche, is a Mexican slur denoting a person who betrays the fatherland. La Malinche was an Aztec noblewoman who is considered to be the mother of all Mexicans by having given birth to the first officially […]

(For sure, this is no chronicle of Heroes and Heroines, be it action heroes, rescue heroes, firemen heroes, conquering heroes, rebel heroes or David Bowie’s best ever cut — Heroes.) On a recent trip through the extraordinarily gorgeous region […]

(a song inspired by my anti-Hero of folk) Sometimes I feel like a nut In the last couple of days two separate people have asked me “What is your favourite band? What is your favourite song?” Both times I was […]

The 41st Montreal’s Festival du Nouveau Cinema (10-21 October) follows in the heels of the 8th International Montreal Black Film Festival  held in Montreal Serai’s hometown and reviewed by us.  Montreal is a very festive and highly cultural city. Faced […]

Heroes and heroines. These are words that graze the archaic. Words that suggest people with extraordinary super powers. Words that arouse forgotten childhoods. Words that provoke legends. Words that rouse jealousy. Words that arouse admiration. Words that stimulate our senses. […]

Artist statement: Je privilégie la peinture abstraite pour les voyages qu’elle propose, pour l’imaginaire qu’elle interpelle, pour ce qu’elle éveille dans le coeur de l’observateur. Je ne peins pas pour plaire. Je peins pour toucher. These works by Dyane Lessard […]

Heroes turn up in the most unlikely of places. Take the Wildberry Inn in Newfoundland. The Wildberry  isn’t up to much really. It may have seen better days but I wasn’t convinced. The Inn is a sprawling motel-like structure set […]

TIME AND AGAIN Out of the curse of his exile, there sprang ogres and elves and evil phantoms and the giants too who strove with god time and again until he gives them their reward. Beowulf Did they […]

A hero can do no wrong, and this idea is difficult to refute, especially if you are talking to a youngster who has placed an individual in that pantheon. I was just such a young fellow. But with greater knowledge, […]

Bio: SHAM is an independent Montreal Hip-Hop/Rap Artist with strong influences from 90′s hip-hop. He was born February 20, 1986 in Nigeria Jos Plateau State. Shortly after his birth SHAM left Nigeria and moved to Montreal, Quebec. Releases: SHAM […]

There goes Rudy!  Now that is a tuff dude— what’s up carnal! Everybody greets him. As the homies pay their respects, and senoras show their fear towards him and his two pit bulls, they also give their kids coscorrones for […]

In the National Gallery of Canada, gazing at Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh’s paintings, some still in their original, massive carved wood frames,  gave the sensation of being in nineteenth century Paris, at the famous gallery Goupil & Co, managed […]

Sexual Inequality Walking home from the metro she sees shadows on the wall of a building to her right. The youths’ shadows are bigger even though she’s in front. Theirs loom larger, covering hers. From their voices they […]

The Creators, South Africa, 2011. UPDATE: Awarded Honourable Mention for BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE Maya Khankhoje [This is the last film reviewed by Montreal Serai for the 8th International Montreal Black Film Festival which closed on September 30. Montreal Serai thanks […]