THE CANADIAN PRESS

TORONTO 害羞草研究所� 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 害羞草研究所� who is the subject of 害羞草研究所淭he River of My Dreams,害羞草研究所� opening at the Ted Rogers Hot Docs Cinema in Toronto on Friday 害羞草研究所� 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 害羞草研究所渢ouch and go害羞草研究所� 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害羞草研究所檚 of an explosion at a function for Canadian actors.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e pretty well come through it all,害羞草研究所� Pinsent said in a recent phone interview, noting he now works with a personal trainer to improve his balance.

害羞草研究所淚 know it害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所�. So I害羞草研究所檓 not getting the full advantage of a complete career and I害羞草研究所檓 still waiting for certain things that I害羞草研究所檇 like to do. I害羞草研究所檓 pretty sure I害羞草研究所檓 happy from the standpoint of coming through all of that, but I害羞草研究所檓 still hungry for certain kinds of work.害羞草研究所�

As 害羞草研究所淭he River of My Dreams害羞草研究所� by Oscar winner Brigitte Berman shows, the ever-affable star of 害羞草研究所淎way From Her害羞草研究所� 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 害羞草研究所� from 害羞草研究所淒ue South害羞草研究所� to 害羞草研究所淭he Red Green Show害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淭he Shipping News.害羞草研究所�

Pinsent has also written fiction, poetry and screenplays.

He害羞草研究所檚 putting pen to paper again, this time documenting what he imagined during his delirium. He害羞草研究所檚 written about 40 pages although he害羞草研究所檚 not sure what will come of it.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e been writing for a long, long time and I害羞草研究所檝e got boxes and boxes filled with stuff that I害羞草研究所檓 pretty sure will never be produced,害羞草研究所� said Pinsent, who did voice work for the recent film 害羞草研究所淭wo Lovers and a Bear害羞草研究所� and received a Stratford Festival Legacy Award in September.

害羞草研究所淪o something tells me that when it害羞草研究所檚 all over for me, somebody might just pick it up and start reading through.害羞草研究所�

One of his recent screenplays was picked up: the short film 害羞草研究所淢artin害羞草研究所檚 Hagge,害羞草研究所� about a middle-aged writer (Paul Braunstein) who害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所檚 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.

害羞草研究所淏asically what I need now, I think, would be one marvellous turning-point character,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淪omething that will take me down another road and continue to show the versatility that I think I have.害羞草研究所�

Perhaps fellow Canadian star Christopher Plummer 害羞草研究所� who presented Pinsent with his recent Stratford honour 害羞草研究所� will have a part in that.

害羞草研究所淚 said to him, 害羞草研究所楥hris, we害羞草研究所檝e got to do a series,害羞草研究所澓π卟菅芯克鶛 Pinsent recalled of their recent chat at the Stratford event.

害羞草研究所淚 said, 害羞草研究所業 just thought of a joke害羞草研究所�. Two octogenarians walk into a bar害羞草研究所�. That害羞草研究所檚 got to be the title,害羞草研究所� said Pinsent, howling.

Pinsent said he害羞草研究所檚 been able to maintain such humour thanks to his psychotherapist, who is teaching him mantras to 害羞草研究所渇eel good about life and not fallen down害羞草研究所� despite his condition.

害羞草研究所淚 take that with me and I practise it at home,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淚 practise it with myself and say, 害羞草研究所楬ey, that other thing is just a thing, what I害羞草研究所檝e been through. And I feel stronger knowing that I害羞草研究所檝e earned the right to be front and centre, knowing how to deal with it 害羞草研究所� and I will finally defeat it.害羞草研究所澓π卟菅芯克鶛

害羞草研究所淭he River of My Dreams: A Portrait of Gordon Pinsent害羞草研究所� will open in more cities including Calgary, Halifax, Ottawa and Vancouver on Feb. 17 and in St. John害羞草研究所檚 on March 30.

It will also screen at Ottawa害羞草研究所檚 National Arts Centre for Canada害羞草研究所檚 150th birthday celebrations on Feb. 15.