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THE VIEW #1 – DISNEYLAND HANDCRAFTED
Photo courtesy Walt Disney Studios Canada
THE VIEW #2 – LILLY
Photo courtesy Lillyfilm.com
THE VIEW #3 – PIKE RIVER
Photo courtesy Vortex Media
Spotlight on 3 Films Based on Inspiring True Stories
Published 12:16 PST, Mon January 26, 2026
Our City Tonight
THE VIEW #1 – DISNEYLAND HANDCRAFTED
Our main takeaway after viewing the fascinating, new documentary, Disneyland Handcrafted, was learning how truly committed Walt Disney was to his vision for what would become the most famous theme park in history. Though he was already a cinematic legend by 1955, and a pioneer in animation with many timeless films to his credit, many around Disney called the building of this park the greatest gamble of his life. This “latest and greatest dream of his”, as Disney called it, would only end, many critics said, in financial ruin and a reputation in tatters. How wrong the critics were. Which leads us to this film. Academy and Emmy nominated filmmaker, Leslie Iwerks, gathered together hours of rare archival footage and recordings to show how Disneyland was built, including footage from the camera crew Disney hired to document the progress. The viewer gets an amazing behind the scenes peak at all aspects that went into building Disneyland, with hundreds of craftspeople, artists, and labourers all coming together to follow Disney and his dream. To see it go from a corn field to the “Magic Kingdom” over 70 years ago is nothing short of incredible. Disneyland Handcrafted is a wonderful documentary that pays tribute to a one man’s vision and his determination to see it through. It’s now available on Disney+ www.disneyplus.com
THE VIEW #2 – LILLY
The film, Lilly, pays tribute to another pioneer, Lilly Ledbetter, an Alabama factory worker who fought for equal pay after working in a Goodyear factory for 20 years. Gifted actress, Patricia Clarkson, portrays Ledbetter, who would go all the way to the Supreme Court to have her case heard, a case built on the fact that she was paid half what her male coworkers were paid simply because she was a woman. First time film director (but a veteran TV director), Rachel Feldman, has delivered a powerful film about one woman’s fight to have her voice heard and respected – something then new President, Barack Obama did when he first took office in 2009. Lilly – which was selected “Best of the Fest” at the 2025 Palm Springs International Film Festival, and “Best Social Justice Drama” at the 2025 Santa Barbara International Film Festival - is made even more powerful by the supporting cast, including John Benjamin Hickey and Thomas Sadoski. Lilly is available for home viewing. www.lillymovie.com
THE VIEW #3 – PIKE RIVER
Another film recommendation that involves real life heroes comes to us from New Zealand. It’s called Pike River, and it tells the story of the 2010 Pike River Mine disaster that killed 29 miners. Through the years long battle to get justice for the family members, two grief-stricken women emerged, Anna Osborne and Sonya Rockhouse, who, along with the rest of the community, were determined to hold the mining company, and the New Zealand government accountable. Like the film Lilly (and other films before it like Norma Rae and Erin Brockovich) Pike River is another example of ordinary people doing extraordinary things, sometimes hesitant at first, but finding strength to fight on against an often much stronger foe. Multiple Emmy nominee, Melanie Lynskey (Yellow Jackets, The Last of Us), and New Zealand’s Robyn Malcolm (After the Party, Outrageous Fortune) both deliver powerful performances in the leads. Pike River is available for home viewing. www.vortexpix.com
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