THE CANADIAN PRESS

TORONTO 香蕉视频直播� As he reflects on his past with a new documentary, Canadian acting treasure Gordon Pinsent is also firmly focused on the future, trying to make up for time he feels he lost due to health issues.

The 86-year-old Grand Falls, N.L., native 香蕉视频直播� who is the subject of 香蕉视频直播淭he River of My Dreams,香蕉视频直播� opening at the Ted Rogers Hot Docs Cinema in Toronto on Friday 香蕉视频直播� has spent the past three years recovering from two surgeries for the chronic pain condition trigeminal neuralgia.

He was in hospital for about eight months in total, had a shunt put into his brain, went through physiotherapy, and suffered from scary periods of delirium.

It was 香蕉视频直播渢ouch and go香蕉视频直播� at times, admitted the stage and screen star, noting he imagined terrifying scenarios in his delirium: of himself covered in blood of himself dead, bent over the railing of a ship in the harbour of St. John香蕉视频直播檚 of an explosion at a function for Canadian actors.

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檝e pretty well come through it all,香蕉视频直播� Pinsent said in a recent phone interview, noting he now works with a personal trainer to improve his balance.

香蕉视频直播淚 know it香蕉视频直播檚 not as perfect as it had been, which is too bad. I say too bad because I would have gone on and on and on in my career香蕉视频直播�. So I香蕉视频直播檓 not getting the full advantage of a complete career and I香蕉视频直播檓 still waiting for certain things that I香蕉视频直播檇 like to do. I香蕉视频直播檓 pretty sure I香蕉视频直播檓 happy from the standpoint of coming through all of that, but I香蕉视频直播檓 still hungry for certain kinds of work.香蕉视频直播�

As 香蕉视频直播淭he River of My Dreams香蕉视频直播� by Oscar winner Brigitte Berman shows, the ever-affable star of 香蕉视频直播淎way From Her香蕉视频直播� has always had a remarkable ability to create career opportunities for himself.

The youngest of six children, Pinsent charmed his way into many odd jobs before embarking on a storied acting career in dozens of film and TV projects 香蕉视频直播� from 香蕉视频直播淒ue South香蕉视频直播� to 香蕉视频直播淭he Red Green Show香蕉视频直播� and 香蕉视频直播淭he Shipping News.香蕉视频直播�

Pinsent has also written fiction, poetry and screenplays.

He香蕉视频直播檚 putting pen to paper again, this time documenting what he imagined during his delirium. He香蕉视频直播檚 written about 40 pages although he香蕉视频直播檚 not sure what will come of it.

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檝e been writing for a long, long time and I香蕉视频直播檝e got boxes and boxes filled with stuff that I香蕉视频直播檓 pretty sure will never be produced,香蕉视频直播� said Pinsent, who did voice work for the recent film 香蕉视频直播淭wo Lovers and a Bear香蕉视频直播� and received a Stratford Festival Legacy Award in September.

香蕉视频直播淪o something tells me that when it香蕉视频直播檚 all over for me, somebody might just pick it up and start reading through.香蕉视频直播�

One of his recent screenplays was picked up: the short film 香蕉视频直播淢artin香蕉视频直播檚 Hagge,香蕉视频直播� about a middle-aged writer (Paul Braunstein) who香蕉视频直播檚 haunted by the personification of his anxiety and depression, played by Sheila McCarthy. Pinsent said he and the director, Penny Eizenga, are now considering turning it into a feature film.

Pinsent said he香蕉视频直播檚 also painting and is interested in acting again, but it has to be a special role that has little to do with age. He might even write it himself.

香蕉视频直播淏asically what I need now, I think, would be one marvellous turning-point character,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淪omething that will take me down another road and continue to show the versatility that I think I have.香蕉视频直播�

Perhaps fellow Canadian star Christopher Plummer 香蕉视频直播� who presented Pinsent with his recent Stratford honour 香蕉视频直播� will have a part in that.

香蕉视频直播淚 said to him, 香蕉视频直播楥hris, we香蕉视频直播檝e got to do a series,香蕉视频直播澫憬妒悠抵辈�� Pinsent recalled of their recent chat at the Stratford event.

香蕉视频直播淚 said, 香蕉视频直播業 just thought of a joke香蕉视频直播�. Two octogenarians walk into a bar香蕉视频直播�. That香蕉视频直播檚 got to be the title,香蕉视频直播� said Pinsent, howling.

Pinsent said he香蕉视频直播檚 been able to maintain such humour thanks to his psychotherapist, who is teaching him mantras to 香蕉视频直播渇eel good about life and not fallen down香蕉视频直播� despite his condition.

香蕉视频直播淚 take that with me and I practise it at home,香蕉视频直播� he said.

香蕉视频直播淚 practise it with myself and say, 香蕉视频直播楬ey, that other thing is just a thing, what I香蕉视频直播檝e been through. And I feel stronger knowing that I香蕉视频直播檝e earned the right to be front and centre, knowing how to deal with it 香蕉视频直播� and I will finally defeat it.香蕉视频直播澫憬妒悠抵辈��

香蕉视频直播淭he River of My Dreams: A Portrait of Gordon Pinsent香蕉视频直播� will open in more cities including Calgary, Halifax, Ottawa and Vancouver on Feb. 17 and in St. John香蕉视频直播檚 on March 30.

It will also screen at Ottawa香蕉视频直播檚 National Arts Centre for Canada香蕉视频直播檚 150th birthday celebrations on Feb. 15.