White Night is set during Nuit Blanche in Toronto.
In late September, from dusk until predawn, hundreds walk the streets of Toronto, taking in the works of contemporary artists at annual cultural fest Nuit Blanche.
Inspired by the spontaneous creativity on display, five young directors decided to shoot – in one night – the stories of seven people whose lives intersect as they criss-cross the city. It's an intriguing premise, and we meet seven young people, all in their 20s, who are stuck in that age-old quandary of trying to figure out what to do with the rest of their lives.
The indie folk band Birds of Bellwoods provides a folksy backdrop to meet the crew, which includes a struggling artist, two high-school friends who might be more than "friends," a recently fired lawyer-turned-crime stopper, a woman who runs a homeless shelter, a Québécois newcomer to Toronto and a photographer communing with art on mushrooms (played with exuberance by Darrell Faria, a scene stealer). There are hilarious moments (particularly when lawyer/superhero El Goldino shows up), but the film doesn't quite pull off the challenge of fusing the visions of five filmmakers into one cohesive whole.