THE CANADIAN PRESS

TORONTO 91裸聊视频� 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 91裸聊视频� who is the subject of 91裸聊视频淭he River of My Dreams,91裸聊视频� opening at the Ted Rogers Hot Docs Cinema in Toronto on Friday 91裸聊视频� 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 91裸聊视频渢ouch and go91裸聊视频� 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. John91裸聊视频檚 of an explosion at a function for Canadian actors.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檝e pretty well come through it all,91裸聊视频� Pinsent said in a recent phone interview, noting he now works with a personal trainer to improve his balance.

91裸聊视频淚 know it91裸聊视频檚 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 career91裸聊视频�. So I91裸聊视频檓 not getting the full advantage of a complete career and I91裸聊视频檓 still waiting for certain things that I91裸聊视频檇 like to do. I91裸聊视频檓 pretty sure I91裸聊视频檓 happy from the standpoint of coming through all of that, but I91裸聊视频檓 still hungry for certain kinds of work.91裸聊视频�

As 91裸聊视频淭he River of My Dreams91裸聊视频� by Oscar winner Brigitte Berman shows, the ever-affable star of 91裸聊视频淎way From Her91裸聊视频� 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 91裸聊视频� from 91裸聊视频淒ue South91裸聊视频� to 91裸聊视频淭he Red Green Show91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频淭he Shipping News.91裸聊视频�

Pinsent has also written fiction, poetry and screenplays.

He91裸聊视频檚 putting pen to paper again, this time documenting what he imagined during his delirium. He91裸聊视频檚 written about 40 pages although he91裸聊视频檚 not sure what will come of it.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檝e been writing for a long, long time and I91裸聊视频檝e got boxes and boxes filled with stuff that I91裸聊视频檓 pretty sure will never be produced,91裸聊视频� said Pinsent, who did voice work for the recent film 91裸聊视频淭wo Lovers and a Bear91裸聊视频� and received a Stratford Festival Legacy Award in September.

91裸聊视频淪o something tells me that when it91裸聊视频檚 all over for me, somebody might just pick it up and start reading through.91裸聊视频�

One of his recent screenplays was picked up: the short film 91裸聊视频淢artin91裸聊视频檚 Hagge,91裸聊视频� about a middle-aged writer (Paul Braunstein) who91裸聊视频檚 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 he91裸聊视频檚 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.

91裸聊视频淏asically what I need now, I think, would be one marvellous turning-point character,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淪omething that will take me down another road and continue to show the versatility that I think I have.91裸聊视频�

Perhaps fellow Canadian star Christopher Plummer 91裸聊视频� who presented Pinsent with his recent Stratford honour 91裸聊视频� will have a part in that.

91裸聊视频淚 said to him, 91裸聊视频楥hris, we91裸聊视频檝e got to do a series,91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� Pinsent recalled of their recent chat at the Stratford event.

91裸聊视频淚 said, 91裸聊视频業 just thought of a joke91裸聊视频�. Two octogenarians walk into a bar91裸聊视频�. That91裸聊视频檚 got to be the title,91裸聊视频� said Pinsent, howling.

Pinsent said he91裸聊视频檚 been able to maintain such humour thanks to his psychotherapist, who is teaching him mantras to 91裸聊视频渇eel good about life and not fallen down91裸聊视频� despite his condition.

91裸聊视频淚 take that with me and I practise it at home,91裸聊视频� he said.

91裸聊视频淚 practise it with myself and say, 91裸聊视频楬ey, that other thing is just a thing, what I91裸聊视频檝e been through. And I feel stronger knowing that I91裸聊视频檝e earned the right to be front and centre, knowing how to deal with it 91裸聊视频� and I will finally defeat it.91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淭he River of My Dreams: A Portrait of Gordon Pinsent91裸聊视频� will open in more cities including Calgary, Halifax, Ottawa and Vancouver on Feb. 17 and in St. John91裸聊视频檚 on March 30.

It will also screen at Ottawa91裸聊视频檚 National Arts Centre for Canada91裸聊视频檚 150th birthday celebrations on Feb. 15.