Interview: Unmasking Harkness

Unmasking Harkness

After years spent making music in his mom's basement, the hooded Toronto-based artist is ready to share his story on screen and on stage.

By Joe Mastromatteo

Published on April 10, 2025

HARKNESS, a new feature-length documentary directed by first-time filmmaker Maria Markina, started as a small school project, but turned into something much bigger.

Markina met Toronto indie-rocker Harkness while working at a restaurant in 2018, not long after moving to Canada from Russia. “He was one of my first friends here,” she tells RANGE. “He just happened to also be a wildly creative and fascinating person.”

After learning about his home studio, built in his mom’s basement, she asked to visit. “I was completely blown away,” she says. “It wasn’t just that the space was cool. It was the way he made it all happen with limited resources. The creativity and determination were next-level.”

The film follows Harkness as he prepares to release a self-produced psych-pop record, a project he’s been quietly working on for years. But the story also digs into his past – his early musical ambitions, a psychotic break in the ’80s, and his decision to reject ego and perform anonymously in his signature hood and visor. “I’ve always thought everything matters,” he says. “Even the drumsticks I use – I label them, like they’re museum pieces. It’s all part of the story.”

Despite his enigmatic style, Markina’s dedication opened up Harkness’ story. “I usually like to keep things mysterious,” he says. “But Maria made me feel safe. I ended up showing her everything. Even with the camera on, it always felt like she had my back.”

Markina, who went on to secure major Canadian doc funding for the film, says the time they spent together made all the difference. “So many documentaries don’t get the time they need anymore,” she says. “But building trust is everything. That’s when it becomes real, not just entertainment.”

“Building trust is everything. That’s when it becomes real, not just entertainment.”

— Maria Markina, filmmaker

She adds, “We managed to capture something that unravels in real time. That’s becoming less and less common in documentaries. It was nice to go back to the roots while making this project.”

Now that his album is finally coming out, Harkness is determined to keep pushing forward. “If this record doesn’t take off, that’s okay,” he says. “I’ve already got the next one coming.” He sees the film as just one chapter in a much longer journey. “I don’t measure my life in years,” he jokes. “I measure it in how many more songs I can write or record. That’s what it’s all about for me.”

HARKNESS will have its Toronto premiere on Sunday, April 13 at the Royal Cinema, followed by a live performance by Harkness himself at the Monarch Tavern. The documentary will be available to stream on CBC Gem on April 14.