Educational Catalogue: ESL/ELL Films
- Own Voice
Iron Road
Soon, though, she finds herself falling in love with him, and as the physical terrain becomes more dangerous, so does the landscape of the heart. Beautifully shot and featuring screen legend Peter O’Toole in one of his last roles, Iron Road revisits an important and controversial time in Canadian history.
Originally broadcast as a CBC miniseries, REEL CANADA is proud to present the feature version of this epic tale that spans two continents.
Director
David Wu
Wu is a master editor who has worked with many legendary Hong Kong filmmakers. His directorial credits include the films The Snow Queen with Bridget Fonda, Plague City: SARS in Toronto (for which he earned the DGC Best Director nomination), See You Tomorrow, and the TV show Once a Thief. He recently edited the films You Are In My Heart and Bai du ren.
Writers
Barry Pearson, Raymond Storey
Cast
Sun Li, Luke Macfarlane, Sam Neill, Peter O’Toole
Producers
Zhao Haicheng, Anne Tait, Raymond Massey II
Genre
Drama
Interests
Asian Filmmaker, BIPOC Stories, Discrimination, ESL, History, Newcomer Stories, Social Justice & Politics, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
Other Language
Language Version
EN CC
Canadian Distributor
CCI Entertainment
New Waterford Girl
Lou is as extroverted and impulsive as Moonie is shy and withdrawn, and soon their unlikely friendship starts turning the town upside down. Lou wins over the local girls by punishing their two-timing boyfriends, while Moonie plans a new life in NYC. Hilarious and exuberant, New Waterford Girl paints a touching picture of coming of age in a small town.
The film was nominated for seven Genie Awards.
Director
Allan Moyle
Director, screenwriter and actor Moyle wrote the seminal Canadian films Montreal Main and The Rubber Gun, and directed the latter. His film credits also include Times Square, Pump Up the Volume, Man in the Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story and Weirdsville. He most recently directed the documentary How Sweet It Is.
Writer
Tricia Fish
Cast
Liane Balaban, Andrew McCarthy, Tara Spencer-Nairn, Nicholas Campbell, Mary Walsh
Producers
Jennifer Kawaja, Julia Sereny
Genres
Comedy, Drama
Interests
ESL, Family Relationships, Sports, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
English
Language Versions
FR Dub, FR Subtitles
- Own Voice
Nurse.Fighter.Boy
As Jude’s illness becomes more serious, Ciel learns to trust Silence, a new source of strength in their small, tight-knit family. Beautifully acted, shot in vibrant colour, and featuring an unforgettable soundtrack, Nurse.Fighter.Boy is sure to cast its spell on you.
“Nurse.Fighter.Boy is a … gem of a movie.” — Liz Braun, Sun Media
Director
Charles Officer
Actor, writer and filmmaker Officer’s first feature, Nurse.Fighter.Boy, was nominated for 10 Genies, winning one. Officer also directed the docs Mighty Jerome, The Skin We're In, Unarmed Verses, and Invisible Essence: The Little Prince, as well as the feature Akilla's Escape, which won five CSAs. He has recently directed episodes of Coroner, and executive produced and co-directed The Porter. He’s also the executive producer of the upcoming docs The Art of Dance and Emmanuel.
Writers
Charles Officer, Ingrid Veninger
Cast
Clark Johnson, Karen LeBlanc, Daniel J. Gordon
Producers
Ingrid Veninger, Justine Whyte
Genre
Drama
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Black Filmmaker, ESL, Family Relationships, Sports, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
English
Language Version
FR Dub
Canadian Distributor
Mongrel Media
One Week
A classic road trip movie featuring lots of Canadian icons (like Gord Downie of The Tragically Hip), One Week follows Ben’s journey from Toronto to Tofino. Along the way, Ben makes new friends and re-evaluates his life, his job and his upcoming marriage. As his fiancée and family back home struggle to understand his decision, Ben rediscovers himself, reawakens his old passion for writing and ultimately learns to appreciate life.
Director
Michael McGowan
McGowan made his film debut as a writer, director and producer with My Dog Vincent, and directed Saint Ralph, One Week, Score: A Hockey Musical and Still Mine, which was named by TIFF as one of Canada’s Top 10 films in 2012. He recently directed TV shows Reign and Between and wrote the film The Etruscan Smile. His most recent film, All My Puny Sorrows, premiered at TIFF 2021.
Writer
Michael McGowan
Cast
Joshua Jackson, Liane Balaban, Campbell Scott, Fiona Reid
Producers
Nicholas de Pencier, Jane Tattersall, Michael McGowan
Genre
Drama
Interests
ESL, Family Relationships
Original Language
English
Language Version
FR Dub
Canadian Distributor
Mongrel Media
Passchendaele
While recovering, Dunne meets Sarah (Dhavernas) and becomes determined to win her heart. When Sarah’s asthmatic younger brother David (Dinicol) enlists to fight in the war, Michael returns to the battlefield in order to protect him. The two men are sent to fight against impossible odds in the battle of Passchendaele.
The film won six Genies, including Best Picture and Best Actor, for Paul Gross.
Director
Paul Gross
Gross starred in the hit TV series Due South and Slings & Arrows. He directed, wrote and starred in Men With Brooms, which won a Canadian Comedy Award, as well as Hyena Road and Passchendaele, which won a Genie for best film. Gross also starred in the mini-series Alias Grace and Caught, the series Tales of the City and Y: The Last Man, and the films Falling and The Middle Man.
Writer
Paul Gross
Cast
Paul Gross, Caroline Dhavernas, Gil Bellows, Joe Dinicol
Producers
Frank Siracusa, Paul Gross, Francis Damberger, Niv Fichman
Genres
Action/Adventure, Drama, Romance
Interests
ESL, History
Original Language
English
Language Versions
EN CC, EN Subtitles, FR CC, FR Dub, FR Subtitles
Canadian Distributor
eOne
Remember
A riveting journey that will keep you guessing until the very end, Remember’s engrossing twists and incredible performances are simply unforgettable.
“This is one of those rare mainstream releases that gets everything right, right down to its knockout ending.”
— Scott Marks, San Diego Reader
Director
Atom Egoyan
Egoyan received the Governor General’s award in 2015 for Lifetime Artistic Achievement. He was the first-ever Canadian director to earn two Oscar nominations (for The Sweet Hereafter). His award-winning films include Exotica, Ararat and The Captive. His most recent film, Guest of Honour, premiered at TIFF 2019.
Writer
Benjamin August
Cast
Christopher Plummer, Martin Landau, Henry Czerny, Bruno Ganz
Producers
Ari Lantos, Robert Lantos
Genres
Drama, Thriller
Interests
Discrimination, ESL, Family Relationships, History
Original Language
English
Language Version
EN CC
Canadian Distributor
eOne
Director Neil Diamond takes the audience on a trip through time to explore the history of the “Hollywood Indian” and offers a refreshing, candid and personal analysis, tracing how these cinematic images have shaped and influenced the understanding of Indigenous culture and history.
“Impeccably well researched and crafted, Reel Injun neatly walks the line in balancing entertainment and education.” — Todd Brown, Twitch Film
Director
Neil Diamond (Cree)
Cree filmmaker Diamond is known for several award winning documentaries that focus on Indigenous life and issues. His debut film, Cree Spoken Here, garnered the Telefilm/APTN award for Best Aboriginal Documentary. His most recent film was Inuit Cree Reconciliation with filmmaker Zacharias Kunuk and he is currently directing the documentary Red Fever.
Writers
Catherine Bainbridge, Neil Diamond (Cree), Jeremiah Hayes
Cast
Jesse Wente
Producers
Catherine Bainbridge, Linda Ludwick, Christina Fon
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Arts and Culture, BIPOC Stories, Discrimination, ESL, Global Experiences, History, Indigenous Filmmaker, Social Justice & Politics
Original Language
English
Language Versions
EN CC, FR Subtitles
Canadian Distributor
National Film Board (NFB)
Maudie
The fragile but determined Maudie (Sally Hawkins) yearns for independence from her over-protective family and dreams of creating art. When she answers an ad for a housekeeper placed by a reclusive fish seller (Ethan Hawke), she gains more than just the freedom she wanted, as the unlikely pair develops a relationship that is intensely intimate and just as challenging.
A touching and inspiring story about following one's dreams in spite of life's obstacles, Maudie is an absolute charmer.
"Maudie breaks your heart with its infectious positivity." - Tomris Laffly, Time Out
Director
Aisling Walsh
Walsh's previous projects include feature films The Daisy Chain and Song for a Raggy Boy, as well as directing over a dozen TV movies and shows, including Room at the Top, which won a BAFTA for Best Miniseries, and the TV movies A Poet in New York and An Inspector Calls. She most recently made the TV movie Elizabeth Is Missing. Next she will be directing Ethel's Orchestra and producing The Ballroom.
Writer
Sherry White
Cast
Sally Hawkins, Ethan Hawke
Producers
Mary Young Leckie, Sally Hawkins, Ethan Hawke
Genres
Drama, Romance
Interests
Arts and Culture, Biography, ESL, Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, History, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
English
Language Versions
EN CC, FR Dub, FR Subtitles
Canadian Distributor
Mongrel Media
- Own Voice
Meditation Park
Meditation Park opens with Maria (Cheng Pei Pei), the matriarch of a Chinese-Canadian family, hosting a birthday celebration for her workaholic husband, Bing, (Tzi Ma), along with her similarly overworked daughter (Sandra Oh in a brilliant performance) and her own family.
Maria clearly reveres Bing and the sacrifices he has made for their family – so when she discovers another woman’s panties in his pocket, she's forced to confront the harsh reality that her world may not be what it seemed.
As Maria wrestles with what to do about her discovery, she befriends a group of local eccentrics and a grumpy neighbour (Don McKellar). Maria’s journey of self-discovery soon teaches her everyone’s lives are more complicated than she has been led to believe.
“Shum mines her favourite theme – immigrant experience in Canada – in what seems at first to be a gentle slice of life but eventually develops a powerful emotional force.” – Susan G. Cole, NOW MagazineDirector
Mina Shum
Vancouver-based Shum is best-known for her feature films Double Happiness and Meditation Park, both starring Sandra Oh. Her documentary Ninth Floor was on TIFF’s 2015 list of Canada’s top ten films. Other features include Long Life, Happiness and Prosperity; and Drive, She Said. Most recently, she has directed episodes of Frankie Drake Mysteries, Murdoch Mysteries and October Faction. She is currently directing the feature One (Nine).
Writer
Mina Shum
Cast
Tzi Ma, Pei-Pei Cheng, Sandra Oh
Producers
Raymond Massey II, Mina Shum, Stephen Hegyes
Genre
Drama
Interests
Asian Filmmaker, BIPOC Stories, ESL, Female Filmmaker, Newcomer Stories, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
Mongrel Media
Between 1955 and 1985, the federal and provincial governments in Canada took an estimated 20,000 Indigenous children from their homes and placed them in the child welfare system. Often referred to as the Sixties Scoop, this policy was part of the same trend of forced assimilation as residential schools.
Betty Ann was one of these children, and over several decades has worked tirelessly to track down her three siblings. As the foursome piece together their shared history, their family begins to take shape.
This film tackles grief, redemption and discovery as it chronicles the family’s emotional reunion and captures an event that remains painfully elusive for many Indigenous people.
Director
Tasha Hubbard (Cree)
Hubbard is an award-winning filmmaker and an assistant professor in the University of Saskatchewan’s Department of English. Her writing-directing project Two Worlds Colliding won a Gemini and a Golden Sheaf Award. She has also directed the short film 7 Minutes, and the feature docs Birth of a Family and nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up, which won Best Canadian Documentary at Hot Docs and at the CSAs. She is currently directing the feature doc Singing Back the Buffalo.
Writers
Betty Ann Adam (Dene), Tasha Hubbard (Cree)
Producer
Bonnie Thompson
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Biography, BIPOC Stories, Discrimination, ESL, Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, History, Indigenous Filmmaker, Social Justice & Politics, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
National Film Board (NFB)
- Own Voice
Kayak to Klemtu
When a prominent Kitasoo/Xai’Xais activist passes away, his 14-year-old niece Ella (Blaney) embarks on a kayak journey to take his ashes home to Klemtu. It’s a race against the clock as Ella tries to make it back in time to give a speech protesting a proposed pipeline that would cross Indigenous land.
Ella is joined by her aunt, cousin and grumpy uncle (Cardinal), as the four paddle with all their might through the Inside Passage and past the shores of the Great Bear Rainforest. Join this family on the adventure of a lifetime that reflects on the importance of protecting our lands for future generations.
Winner of the 2017 imagineNATIVE Audience Choice Award.
Director
Zoe Leigh Hopkins (Heiltsuk/Mohawk)
Hopkins is an alumna of the Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program, and has directed numerous shorts, including Button Blanket, Mohawk Midnight Runners, Impossible to Contain and a segment of The Embargo Project. She has directed the features Kayak to Klemtu and Run Woman Run, which won the Audience Choice award at imagineNATIVE 2021. She is currently writing and directing the series Little Bird.
Writers
Zoe Leigh Hopkins (Heiltsuk/Mohawk), Michael Sparaga
Cast
Lorne Cardinal (Cree), Ta’kaiya Blaney (Tla'amin), Evan Adams (Tla'amin)
Producer
Daniel Bekerman
Genres
Action/Adventure, Family
Interests
Environment, ESL, Female Filmmaker, Indigenous Filmmaker
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
Mongrel Media
When she receives an invitation to a poetry festival in Shiraz, Iran, Rosie embarks on a journey that unravels a personal mystery and brings her closer to her Persian roots.
Voiced by an all-star cast including Sandra Oh, Elliot Page and Don McKellar, Window Horses is a beautiful and poignant story about family, imagination, culture and finding your own voice.
"This is not just a visual treat, it's a rewarding and unexpectedly engrossing piece of female-led storytelling." - Wendy Ide, Screen International
Director
Ann Marie Fleming
Fleming is a visual artist, filmmaker and writer who has animated over 20 films, including the shorts Stories Sarah Tells, Big Trees and Heart. Her features include New Shoes, The Magical Life of Long Tack Sam and The French Guy. Fleming has won nearly 20 awards for her films, including 10 for Window Horses. Most recently, she directed the shorts A Short Film About Tegan & Sara, Question Period, and Old Dog.
Writer
Ann Marie Fleming
Cast
Elliot Page, Don McKellar, Nancy Kwan, Sandra Oh, Shohreh Aghdashloo
Producers
Sandra Oh, Ann Marie Fleming, Shirley Vercruysse, Michael Fukushima
Genres
Action/Adventure, Animation, Drama, Family
Interests
Arts and Culture, Asian Filmmaker, BIPOC Stories, ESL, Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, Global Experiences, Literary Adaptation, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
Mongrel Media