“An emotional roller coaster of fabulous proportions!”(NOW – Toronto) “Incredibly touching, uplifting, heartbreaking and hilarious.”(Toronto Film Scene)
*Winner of Special Jury Award (Canadian Feature) and Top Ten Audience Award at Hot Docs 2010 (May 2010). * Invited to screen at Best of Hot Docs 2010 in Ottawa (June 2010). * Globe and Mail (Canada’s National Newspaper) list of Top Ten ‘must-see’ at VIFF (out of 340 films shown at this year’s festival). * Carla Zilbersmith, the hero of LEAVE THEM LAUGHING, was nominated for the Artistic Merit Award by the Vancouver chapter of Women in Film and TV for her wonderful performance in the film and garnered a Jury Special Mention. * Winner of the National Film Board Audience Award as the most popular Canadian documentary at Vancouver International Film Festival 2010. * Winner of 2010 Mill Valley Film Festival Audience Favorite Documentary Award (out of 27 documentaries shown at this year’s festival). * Invited to screen at Bergen International Film Festival in Norway (Nov. 2010). * Invited to screen at Detroit International Film Festival (Nov. 2010) * Winner of the 2010 Canadian/ American Grand Prix Peoples’ Choice Award (Windsor International Film Festival/Detroit Film Institute annual film competition). * Winner of Best of Festival Award and Best Documentary over 30 minutes (as selected by special jury) at Picture This…International Disability Film Festival 2011 (out of 89 films). * Invited to screen at Whistler Film Festival (Dec. 2010). * Invited to screen at Gabriola Island Film Festival (Jan. 2011). * Invited to screen at Documentary Edge Film Festival in New Zealand (Feb. 2011). * Invited to screen at the Sedona International Film Festival (Feb. 2011). * Invited to screen at Vancouver Women in Film Festival (Feb. 2011). * Invited to screen at the Sonoma International Film Festival (Mar. 2011). To learn more about the background of LEAVE THEM LAUGING, take a look at an interview from the Whistler Film Festival: We are proud to announce that LEAVE THEM LAUGHING won two awards including BEST OF FESTIVAL for the upcoming 2011 International Disability “Picture this…film festival.” Leave Them Laughing wins the Can/Am Grand Prix of Cinema Peoples’ Choice Award. Another accolade to Carla! Thank you Detroit and Windsor!
It was great! I guess there were about 50 people in the audience, but the film was screened in one of the smaller theatres, so it felt quite crowded. Most people there were young, looked like students… and then a few mature women like me… and some couples. So I was a little worried that the young people would not relate to and appreciate Carla – this wild, outgoing, middle-aged, provocative, proud and sexy woman – who also had ALS… And she was so “American”, too – which is not always well received among young academic Europeans. -But they loved her, and they loved the film – as I did. People were laughing and crying. The film was not texted, and especially Carla uses an advanced English, lots of slang and ironi – and humor. She also uses references to recents events and probably things that are going on in America which is not commonly known here. But people were still laughing… (I must admit there were some expressions and references I did not get -perhaps too many years since I lived in California – or perhaps my thinking and imagination is not dirty and daring enough:)…) When the film ended, the audience clapped – which is not very common in Norway after a film screening. We are normally not that spontanious. It’s a wonderful film – you guys have done a great job! It comes so close – both emontionally and visually, and makes it impossible not to be touched. I loved how you were able to capture the relationship with her son. Almost too good to be real in the beginning, and then so hard to see how tough it became when she got sicker. This film will stay with me for a while For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit: We are absolutely delighted to inform all our Vancouver fans that Leave Them Laughing will be screening at the Vancouver International Film Festival on Oct.2 and 3. It is especially gratifying to have a film screen in our hometown festival. But Vancouver is also where Carla was born and spent the first 18 years of her extraordinary life. So thanks VIFF. Saturday, Oct 2nd 7:00pm and Sunday, Oct. 3rd at 3:45 PM. Both Screenings will take place at the Empire Grandville 7, 855 Grandville Street, Vancouver, B.C., Canada http://www.viff.org/tixSYS/2010/filmguide/Title/AZ/CADIM/filmguide/GRN We are pleased to announce that LEAVE THEM LAUGHING will be screening at the Edmonton International Film Festival on Sunday, September 26 at 10:15 AM at Empire City Centre 9 – 10200 – 102 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta 3rd Floor, Edmonton City Centre. Attend if you can or send your friends. Festival screenings in Calgary and Edmonton on the same day, how cool is that? Please help us spread the word! This is one film you won’t want to miss! |
 Once a nationally-known performer of ballads, skits and self-parody, now fated by Lou Gehrig’s Disease to perish within months, the remarkable Carla Zilbersmith was diagnosed in 2007 and given less than four years to live. She will leave a teen-aged son, a few fans and students who adore her, and this 90-minute pre-mortem retrospective of a life lived fully, but far too fast. »More about "Leave Them Laughing"
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