The Bitter Ash

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Dave D Larry Kent's debut feature, released at the University of British Columbia in October 1963. The Bitter Ash shocked audiences with its rejection of post-war Canadian life. A coincidental meeting between a working class man (Des) and young married woman (Laurie) leads both to an all-nite "rent" party in a rundown waterfront section of Vancouver. Over the long evening, loyalties are frayed and tested, culminating in a brief sexual encounter. Shot in an verite style (with a non-sync Bolex camera), the film fits into a very small grouping of films that comprise authentic Beat cinema. BC Censors sought to ban the film, but it was allowed to play on campus at the University. A word-of-mouth tour across a number of Canadian universities followed in 1963/64. The lead actor, Alan Scarfe, went on to have a decent theatre and film career. The director would follow his debut with two more features in Vancouver before he re-located to Montreal in 1966. In Canadian cinema circles, the film is held in very high regard as one of the pioneering films of the generation of the 1960s Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/27/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The Bitter Ash

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