Recorded in 2008, direct from the Knitting Factory stage in downtown Manhattan. This The McGarrigle Christmas Hour features Kate & Anna McGarrigle, Rufus & Martha Wainwright, Emmylou Harris, Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson among others.
Hal Willner's Harry Smith Project concerts in London, New York and Los Angeles celebrated the eccentric collector genius and his influential Anthology of American Folk Music. Instrumental in inspiring the urban folk revival of the 1960s, the Anthology's continuing impact on modern music is incalculable. Drawing on this legacy, these landmark shows brought together a remarkable roster of artists performing their own unique interpretations of these classic songs.
A short documentary about singers Kate and Anna McGarrigle made by animator Caroline Leaf.
A short illustrating Wade Hemsworth's folk song about a woman's admiration for the agility of her boyfriend, the log driver.
A girl takes a wild ride on the metro in Montreal. Travelling from station to station, she encounters an array of colourful characters in a bizarre musical journey that’s peppered with hilarious and unexpected incidents. This joyful, heartwarming animated film portrays Montreal in all its vitality, creativity and diversity, with plenty of humour and good cheer, to the tune of Kate and Anna McGarrigle’s timeless hit “Complainte pour Ste-Catherine.”
Eldest son Lance, of the Loud family profiled on PBS in 1973, became the first openly gay man on television and a gay icon for his generation. When Lance entered hospice in 2001 with a terminal HIV and hepatitis C co-infection, he asked original filmmakers Susan and Alan Raymond to film a final episode of the series. Lance reflects upon his days with Andy Warhol, his band The Mumps, a career as a writer and the experience of being the first reality TV star. It is a celebration of life and a cautionary tale.
This live performance featuring Kate and Anna McGarrigle with their family and friends, captures the unique spirit of American song from Cole Porter to the Appalachians.
One hour documentary about American singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright. Loudon's being followed on a tour, traveling from the American West-coast to the East-coast. He performs, talks about his career and meets old friends, and some of his kids. In New York, Loudon plays the piano with son Rufus Wainwright. In Montreal we meet with his ex wife Kate McGarrigle, and daughter Martha.