Documentary ‘A Side of Rice’ Celebrates the 50-Year Career of a Screen and Stage Veteran
When you’re a storyteller, inspiration and opportunity can often come from the most unexpected of places. Writer, filmmaker, or other, it’s a lesson you get reminded of time and time again throughout the course of your career as you explore the world, meet new people, and gain unique experiences.
Case in point, when Feels Like Home director Tamir Moscovici met Nick Rice, neither side probably anticipated where things were going to go. Sure, both trained at the same martial arts school where Nick was also the instructor of Tamir’s kids, but for many years, that’s all it was. Both kept going about their jobs, and while Nick would sometimes deliver enthralling skits at club events, it took some time for Tamir to discover that these were actually excerpts from a side project – a one-man show he was taking to fringe festivals across Canada called ‘A Side of Rice’.
Lo and behold, inspiration. With the arrival of the pandemic, Tamir saw an opportunity to film the play, which in turn blossomed into a feature-length documentary about Nick’s 50 years of screen and stage experience, through the lens of him preparing for his autobiographical stage show. An insight into the life of a non-celebrity working actor, the result would be something that explored everything from Nick’s childhood to the loss of his first child, the birth of his second, and the challenges of this sort of career – a poignant and emotionally resonant story that neither side expected would be created when they first met all those years ago, but which absolutely deserved to be told.
To learn more about how this project came to life from both a creative and technical perspective, LBB’s Jordan Won Neufeldt sat down with Tamir for a chat.
LBB> Starting from the top, where did the idea for ‘A Side of Rice’ come from? What made Nick Rice’s story something you wanted to tell?
Tamir> I’ve known Nick for over 15 years. We train at the same martial arts school.
When I first met him, he was my kids’ instructor, and over time, I learned that Nick was not only an actor, but also a national treasure of screen and stage. Over the years, at various club events like the annual Christmas party, Nick would get up and perform little skits he’d written. Like everyone else, I was enthralled by him; his energy and presence made him seem 50 feet tall.
Over time, I discovered that the skits he was performing were excerpts from a project he was working on – a one-man show that he would later take to fringe festivals across Canada. The show was called ‘A Side of Rice’.
LBB> What was the pitching process like? How did you get Nick on board, and how did your ideation process expand once you did?
Tamir> Jumping forward, armed with the knowledge that Nick had completed his show and had been accepted into several fringe festivals, covid-19 hit. And in Canada, that meant an 18-month lockdown. With the festivals cancelled and film production at a standstill, I impulsively suggested over dinner one night, “Hey, we should film your play. It’d be fun.”
Nick, being the gentle soul he is, simply responded, “Great, now pass the butter.” And just like that, the seed was planted in my mind.
I was excited to capture the play, though truth be told, I had no idea what it was about or where any of this would lead. But I knew two things: I wanted to shoot, and I wanted to produce content for Feels Like Home. My gut tingled. I had the talent, I had a play as a foundation, and I had nothing to do.
LBB> From here, what was the writing process like? Were there certain things you wanted to capture, or was the goal just to follow him around and capture moments of his life?
Tamir> With theatres closed, I wanted to do something beyond just filming Nick on stage. So, I considered animating sequences, creating mini shorts, and interviewing Nick – all using the play as the spine of the film.
Step one was to capture the play so I knew what I was working with. Coming from a documentary background, I wasn’t afraid to dive in. Time passed, production picked up again, and I planned to pull this off right after wrapping a multi-day shoot for Feels Like Home. It was the perfect time to film ‘A Side of Rice’.
At this point, Marni Luftspring (executive producer at Feels Like Home) jumped in, and together we booked a studio, secured a micro crew, and set the stage. We told Nick we were going to capture his performance, although I’m still convinced he expected me to shoot it on my iPhone. Regardless, trusting me, he showed up at the address we gave him, only to walk into a fully lit white Cyc studio, two RED cameras, and a sound crew.
I turned to him and said, “Go on, run through the show from top to bottom.” He did. Then he did it again. And again. With each take, we moved in closer, and he became emboldened – a true masterclass in acting. At one point, a crew member was in tears as Nick told the story of his firstborn daughter.
I knew we had something. I also knew I had to get out of the way and let the film breathe. This was an exercise in restraint
LBB> Was this approach largely different from what you’re used to doing?
Tamir> I’ve had the privilege of shooting all kinds of creative work, from documentaries to high-end car commercials and everything in between, and I always pride myself on storytelling.
With this as my North Star, the key difference here was having the freedom and time to pivot from my initial approach and adapt to what the material was revealing. Surrendering to the film was essential in respecting Nick’s writing and performance. I didn’t feel the need to get in its way.
LBB> This film spans a wide range of themes, from grief to creative fulfilment. How did you approach balancing the emotional depth of Nick’s life story with the need to keep it visually engaging for audiences?
Tamir> I knew I wanted to create a world where we saw Nick in his space – his life, simple as it may appear, contrasted with a nameless stage where his performance could unfold. The white Cyc became the stage inside his mind. He crafted his performance, played with words, and painted a picture so vivid it needed no visual aid – just Nick, a stool, and his acting.
I had hours of interviews, but during the editing process, I realised that less was more. He poured his soul into those performances, and just a glimpse of his life outside them was enough to understand his dedication to his craft.
LBB> Building on this, how did you ensure you captured these moments authentically and honestly?
Tamir> Authenticity comes from experience. Having worked with people from all walks of life in the documentary genre, I’ve learned that trust is the key to capturing honesty from talent. Part of that trust is putting yourself out there and showing your own vulnerability. The interviewee needs to know you have a stake in the game.
Nick, Beth Anne Cole, and Neta J. Rose understood that this was a collective project, and we were all working toward the same goal.
LBB> Let’s talk more about the shoot itself! What was working with Nick actually like? How did you collaborate with him to tell a story that would leave both sides satisfied?
Tamir> Working with Nick was a dream. He’s not a hobbyist; he’s the real deal. He walked into the studio with no expectations, complete trust in me as a filmmaker, and I had the utmost respect for him as a performer.
As I pushed him in his performances or asked him to hit beats he hadn’t considered, we created moments. Honestly, it was like playing tennis – a brilliant rally where we pushed and challenged each other. I pulled performances out of him, and he pulled a film out of me.
LBB> Do you have any anecdotes from the experience?
Tamir> After completing the film, I submitted it to countless festivals. We got into many, won awards, and Nick received well-deserved recognition for his performance.
The first festival we were accepted into was the Palm Beach International Film Festival. We decided to go. Nick was set to meet my wife and I there, while Neta and friends drove down from Toronto. But, 24 hours before the screening, the theatre hosting the festival went bankrupt. Live screenings were cancelled.
Ultimately, we made the best of it, gathering Nick, Neta, their friends, and my wife for dinner at a Lebanese restaurant in a strip mall in Palm Beach, laughing at the fact that we had travelled 2,000 kilometres for a wrap dinner before heading back to Toronto.
LBB> In particular, were there any sequences that you really enjoyed bringing to life? Tell us about these!
Tamir> Outside of Nick’s performance, my favourite moment in the film is when he brings dinner from his apartment up through the building to Beth Anne’s place. Watching them dance and hold each other tenderly is one of those magical moments that just happens when the subjects trust you.
Also, the knee-high socks, shorts, and an apron? No client would ever let you get away with that wardrobe choice!
LBB> What was the editing process like? How did you ensure Nick’s voice and legacy were preserved authentically in the final cut of the film?
Tamir> Working with Cam Anderson at Outsider Editorial was a fantastic journey. As I mentioned above, we had plenty of traditional interviews, but we both recognised that relying too heavily on them meant injecting our own voice into the film – diminishing Nick’s voice and legacy. The more we cut, the more we realised it was instead about elevating his performance.
LBB> What were some of the biggest challenges you encountered while filming, and how did you overcome them?
Tamir> Budget was the biggest challenge. The film was funded by Feels Like Home and I, so we were working with a micro budget.
Beyond that, the greatest hurdle was the finishing process – not from a technical standpoint, but in navigating the legalities of delivering a film for distribution and broadcasting. Contracts, waivers, and E&O insurance are all things I don’t typically handle as a commercial director, but had to quickly master as a filmmaker.
LBB> What lessons have you learned throughout this entire process?
Tamir> The biggest takeaway? I love filmmaking – every aspect of it. From hauling gear up five flights of stairs to negotiating contracts and clearances, dropping into people’s lives to finding stories and bringing them to life. Whether it’s ‘A Side of Rice’ or any of the other long or short-form documentaries I’ve made, I never want to stop telling stories.
LBB> Finally, what do you hope audiences take away from ‘A Side of Rice’?
Tamir> I want people to understand what it’s like to be a working actor – not a celebrity, not the lead in a film. We’re not talking about Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, or George Clooney, but rather the working actor who lands ‘juror number seven’. The actor who supports the leads and celebrities, and without whom the stage and screen would be empty – void of life. Nick, along with thousands of other brilliant actors, forms the backbone of our industry – the unsung heroes who march through casting calls. I want them to have their moment in the sun too.
