Love Shines (2010)

An atmospheric quest film, Love Shines follows Canadian songwriter Ron Sexsmith as he embarks on a last ditch effort to achieve a 'hit'. The curtain pulls back for a rare glimpse inside the... See full summary »

Writer:

Douglas Arrowsmith

Stars:

Rob Bowman, Elvis Costello, Steve Earle

2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Credited cast:
Rob Bowman	...	Himself
Elvis Costello	...	Himself
Steve Earle	...	Himself
Leslie Feist	...	Herself
Tony Ferguson	...	Himself
Dorothy Grodesky	...	Herself
Colleen Hixenbaugh	...	Herself
Daniel Lanois	...	Himself
Bob Rock	...	Himself
Christopher Sexsmith	...	Himself
Ron Sexsmith	...	Himself
Kiefer Sutherland	...	Himself

Storyline

An atmospheric quest film, Love Shines follows Canadian songwriter Ron Sexsmith as he embarks on a last ditch effort to achieve a 'hit'. The curtain pulls back for a rare glimpse inside the process as Sexsmith works with legendary producer Bob Rock (Metallica, Motley Crue). But will this be enough? Sexsmith must emerge with a song that achieves commercial radio play, but the journey with Rock also turns introspective. Through a series of flashbacks, Sexsmith confronts the meaning of success, weighing the lure of stardom against the humble beginnings that sparked the 'birth' of his songs. Punctuated by Super 8 footage chronicling the early years, and a stellar cast, Love Shines is a journey to the heart and soul of what songwriting is truly about.

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Plot Keywords:

love | songwriting | songwriter | hit | success | 

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Genres:

Documentary | Biography | Music

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Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 October 2010 (Canada)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paperny Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Color:

Black and White Color

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

"Secret Heart"
Written by Ronald Eldon Sexsmith (SOCAN)
Courtesy of Universal Music Publishing Canada (SOCAN)
Performed by Feist
Use by permission of Universal Music Canada and Linus Entertainment

User Reviews

A film that inspires the artist within

I recently saw Daniel Lanois' film "Here Is What Is." In it, there is a quiet scene; an exchange between Lanois and Brian Eno in which Lanois asks Eno where art/music comes from. Eno explains that, while most people would think that a composer like Mozart merely sat down and wrote his symphonies in one go, the creative process is more of a piecing together of elements over time, a slow build if you will; it's rare that those elements simply fall together at the start of the process. Eno's words are inspiring to anyone yearning to tap into their inner artist and gain the confidence to "build" their creative works.

Love Shines provides a peek behind the artistic process. The film illuminates the unlikely pairing of legendary music producer Bob Rock and balladeer Ron Sexsmith as they record Ron's latest album. Throughout the movie, Ron lays bare his feelings and frustrations surrounding his often elusive success, bringing us a genuine sense of his humanity. Shot over the period of 8 or 9 years, the film ultimately must be described as a feel-good piece, as underdog Sexsmith gains the audience's hearts and support as we witness his own slow build. It should be noted that the score, most of which features the songs from his latest album, doesn't disappoint either.

Nice work.