Genre: Comedy
Stay the Night
Driven by amazing chemistry between the two leads, Stay the Night is a quiet and touching adventure that showcases both the beauty and the loneliness of Canada’s biggest city.
“A modern-day Before Sunrise” – Chris Knight, The National Post
Director
Renuka Jeyapalan
Writer
Renuka Jeyapalan
Cast
Andrea Bang, Joe Scarpellino
Producers
Brian Robertson, Glenn Cockburn
Genres
Comedy, Drama, Romance
Interests
Asian Filmmaker, Female Filmmaker
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
Photon Films
Drinkwater
Drinkwater is a fun coming of age comedy that will have you laughing and rooting for the likable cast of quirky misfits.
“…quite possibly the most Canadian film ever made.” – Chris Knight, The National Post
Director
Stephen Campanelli
Campanelli got his start as a camera operator on many of Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood’s features, including Million Dollar Baby, Mystic River, Gran Torino, and others. He has over 100 credits as a camera operator, and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of Camera Operators for his work. His directing credits include Momentum, Indian Horse (which won the People’s Choice Award at VIFF), Grand Isle, and Drinkwater.
Writers
Edward McDonald, Luke Fraser
Cast
Eric McCormack, Daniel Doheny, Louriza Tronco
Producers
Graham Fraser, Dennis Swartman
Genre
Comedy
Interest
Family Relationships
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
levelFILM
- Own Voice
Rosie
Fréderique (Bray), a struggling artist living in 1980s Montreal, is shocked when she’s put in charge of Rosie (Hill), the young daughter of her foster sister who recently passed away. With an impending eviction from her apartment, and no desire to be a mother, she must rely on her chosen family – two aspiring drag stars Flo and Mo – to take care of the spirited youngster and keep Rosie out of the foster care system that Fréderique herself hated.
The first feature from director Gail Maurice, ROSIE is a touching and warm comedy that is sure to charm audiences the world over.
Director
Gail Maurice (Cree/Métis)
Maurice is a fluent Cree/Michif speaking actor and an award-winning filmmaker who founded her own company, Assini Productions, to tell stories that highlight strong Indigenous female leads. She has directed several shorts, including Smudge and Assini, as well as the feature film ROSIE, which she also wrote and produced. Her acting credits include Falls Around Her, Night Raiders, Bones of Crows, Aberdeen, and many other films and television series.
Writer
Gail Maurice (Cree/Métis)
Cast
Alex Trahan, Melanie Bray, Keris Hope Hill (Mohawk), Constant Bernard
Producers
Jamie Manning, Gail Maurice (Cree/Métis)
Genres
Comedy, Drama
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, Indigenous Filmmaker, LGBTQ2S+, Social Justice & Politics, Strong Female Leads
Original Languages
English, French, Other Language
Canadian Distributor
TVA Films
Peace By Chocolate
Tareq (Abou Ammar), a Syrian refugee in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, is torn between his dream to become a doctor and his family’s chocolate-making legacy. When his family joins him in Canada, his father’s new chocolate business becomes an unexpected success, leading to new, unforeseen challenges. Tareq must make a choice between being there to support the family that needs him or pursuing the life in Canada that he always envisioned for himself.
Inspired by the true story of the formation of the artisanal chocolate company of the same name, Peace By Chocolate is an inspiring and quintessentially Canadian story.
“Peace By Chocolate is a bona fide crowd pleaser, and a true story to boot.” - Chris Knight, The National Post
Director
Jonathan Keijser
Keijser is a film and theatre director, screenwriter and musician, who ran a not-for-profit theatre company for emerging artists before beginning his filmmaking career. His short film credits include Alive to Possibility, Still and the Spot, The Boomer Rebellion, and Salastina, among others. He directed the documentary feature What Would Beethoven Do? and the narrative feature Peace By Chocolate, which has won 13 awards at film festivals around the world.
Writers
Abdul Malik, Jonathan Keijser
Cast
Yara Sabri, Ayham Abou Ammar, Hatem Ali
Producers
Martin Paul-Hus, Jonathan Keijser, Catherine Léger
Genres
Comedy, Drama
Interests
BIPOC Stories, ESL, Family Relationships, Global Experiences, Newcomer Stories
Original Languages
English, Other Language
Canadian Distributor
Vortex Media
French Exit
A bankrupt New York socialite (Michelle Pfeiffer) relocates herself and her son (Lucas Hedges) to Paris, in the hopes of clinging to her illusion of success. Based on the critically-acclaimed novel of the same name by Patrick DeWitt.
Director
Azazel Jacobs
Writers
Michelle Pfeiffer, Patrick DeWitt
Cast
Valerie Mahaffey, Lucas Hedges, Tracy Letts
Producers
Christina Piovesan, Katie Holly, Olivier Glaas, Trish Dolman
Genres
Comedy, Drama
Interests
Family Relationships, Literary Adaptation, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
Elevation Pictures
The Right Kind of Wrong
Newly divorced Leo meets the girl of his dreams on her wedding day and tries to convince the newlywed that he is her true soul mate. Starring Sara Canning and Ryan Kwanten. Based on the novel Sex and Sunsets by Tim Sandlin.
Director
Jeremiah Chechik
Writers
Megan Martin, Tim Sandlin
Cast
Ryan Kwanten, Sara Canning, Kristen Hager
Producers
Chad Oakes, Robert Lantos, Ari Lantos, Stephen Alix
Genre
Comedy
Interest
Literary Adaptation
Original Languages
English, Other Language
Canadian Distributor
eOne
One Magic Christmas
Director
Phillip Borsos
Borsos was a four-time Canadian Film Award and Genie Award winner, and an Oscar nominee for his short film Nails. His feature directorial debut, The Grey Fox, won 12 awards, including seven Genies, and was nominated for a Golden Globe. He also directed The Mean Season, One Magic Christmas, Bethune: The Making of a Hero, and Far From Home: The Adventures of Yellow Dog, before his tragic death from leukemia in 1995.
Writers
Barry Healey, Phillip Borsos, Thomas Meehan
Cast
Harry Dean Stanton, Mary Steenburgen
Producer
Peter O'Brian
Genres
Comedy, Family
Interests
Arts and Culture, Family Relationships
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
Telefilm Canada
Luck
This charming and fast-paced romantic comedy is a certified crowd-pleaser, winning the award for Best Narrative Feature at South By Southwest.
Director
Peter Wellington
Writer
Peter Wellington
Cast
Sarah Polley, Luke Kirby, Jed Rees
Producers
Simone Urdl, Jennifer Weiss
Genres
Comedy, Romance
Interests
History, Sports
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
Cineplex Odeon Films
Horloge Biologique (Dodging the Clock)
Three men’s experiences give a funny and touching glimpse at the deep ambivalence men often feel toward parenthood.
Director
Ricardo Trogi
Writer and director Trogi’s first film, Québec-Montréal, earned him a Jutra Award for Best Direction and Best Screenplay. His credits also include Horloge biologique, Le Mirage, and the coming-of-age trilogy 1981, 1987, and 1991. He recently co-wrote two seasons of La Maison-Bleue and directed the feature Le Guide de la famille parfaite.
Writers
Patrice Robitaille, Jean-Phillipe Pearson, Ricardo Trogi
Cast
Patrice Robitaille, Pierre-François Legendre, Jean-Phillipe Pearson
Producer
Nicole Robert
Genre
Comedy
Interest
Family Relationships
Original Language
French
Canadian Distributor
Go Films
- Own Voice
Love, Sex and Eating the Bones
Falling for the girl of his dreams and unable to perform, Michael must contend with the limits of fantasy or risk losing Jasmine. As the pair navigate the complex world of modern love, they must come to savour all that life brings – to “eat the bones” – in this raunchy yet crowd-pleasing romantic comedy.
Love, Sex and Eating the Bones was named Best Canadian First Feature at the 2003 Toronto International Film Festival.
Director
Sudz Sutherland
Writers
Sudz Sutherland, Jennifer Holness
Cast
Marlyne Barrett, Hill Harper, Mark Taylor, Meriaka Weathered
Producer
Jennifer Holness
Genres
Comedy, Drama, Romance
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Black Filmmaker
Original Language
English
The Wrong Guy
Outraged at being passed over for a promotion, corporate drone Nelson Hibbert (Dave Foley) threatens to kill his boss. When the boss turns up dead, Hibbert assumes he’ll be a suspect and goes on the run to Mexico, where the real killer is coincidentally also headed. Also starring Colm Feore and Jennifer Tilly.
Director
David Steinberg
Writers
Dave Foley, David Anthony Higgins, Jay Kogen
Cast
Dave Foley, Jennifer Tilly
Producer
Jon Slan
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
Lions Gate Films
Phil the Alien
Director
Rob Stefaniuk
Writer
Rob Stefaniuk
Cast
Rob Stefaniuk, Nicole de Boer, Graham Greene (Oneida)
Producer
Craig Fleming
Genres
Comedy, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Interest
Cult & Offbeat Cinema
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
Decade Distribution
Perfectly Normal
A shady entrepreneur (Robbie Coltrane) convinces a shy brewery worker (Michael Riley) to open an opera-themed restaurant in their sleepy town.
Director
Yves Simoneau
Writers
Eugene Lipinski, Paul Quarrington
Cast
Robbie Coltrane, Michael Riley
Producer
Michael Burns
Genre
Comedy
Interest
Arts and Culture
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
eOne
Monkey Warfare
Director
Reginald Harkema
Writer
Reginald Harkema
Cast
Don McKellar, Tracy Wright, Nadia Litz
Producers
Leonard Farlinger, Jennifer Jonas, Kris King
Genre
Comedy
Interest
Arts and Culture
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
Cineplex Odeon Films
La moitié gauche du frigo (The Left-Hand Side of the Fridge)
After deciding to let his filmmaker roommate Stéphane (Demers) document his job search, unemployed engineer Christophe (Ahmarani) almost immediately regrets it. Not content to stay behind the camera, Stéphane quickly starts to ruin his friend’s prospects by railing against the monotonous bureaucracy – even during Christophe’s interviews!
A hilarious sendup of corporate culture, this clever mockumentary launched director Phillippe Falardeau’s career, winning Best Canadian First Feature at TIFF, and the Best First Feature Award at the Genies.
Director
Philippe Falardeau
Quebecois director and screenwriter Falardeau has won more than 32 international awards for his films, which include Monsieur Lazhar, La moitié gauche du frigo, C’est pas moi, je le jure!, The Good Lie, Guibord s’en va-t-en guerre, and My Salinger Year. He also directed the TV shows Le temps des framboises, and Lac-Mégantic - ceci n’est pas un accident.
Writer
Philippe Falardeau
Cast
Paul Ahmarani, Stéphane Demers
Producers
Luc Déry, Josée Roberge
Genre
Comedy
Interest
Arts and Culture
Original Language
French
Canadian Distributor
Film Tonic
- Own Voice
Masala
Following the death of his family in a tragic plane crash, a young Indo-Canadian man finds humour and frustration in his cross-cultural identity.
Director
Srinivas Krishna
Writer
Srinivas Krishna
Cast
Sakina Jaffrey, Srinivas Krishna, Zohra Sehgal
Producer
Camelia Frieberg
Genre
Comedy
Interests
Asian Filmmaker, BIPOC Stories, Family Relationships
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
Telefilm Canada
Kitchen Party
With his parents out for the evening, Scott (Scott Speedman) hosts a get-together with friends in defiance of his mother’s strict prohibitions. He’s sure he can get away with it — as long as no one puts even a toe outside the kitchen.
Director
Gary Burns
Gary Burns is a filmmaker, writer, and producer who rose to prominence as a unique comedic voice in the Canadian film industry. He wrote and directed the features The Suburbanators, Kitchen Party, Man Running, and Waydowntown, which won Best Canadian Feature Film at TIFF and Best Canadian Film from the Toronto Film Critics Association. He co-directed The Future is Now! and Radiant City, which won the Genie for Best Documentary.
Writer
Gary Burns
Cast
Scott Speedman
Producers
John Hazlett, Christine Haebler
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Language Version
None
Canadian Distributor
eOne
The Delicate Art of Parking
Director
Trent Carlson
Writers
Ross Ferguson, Blake Corbet, Bridget Hill
Cast
Andrew McNee
Genre
Comedy
Interest
Cult & Offbeat Cinema
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
Anagram Pictures
Heartaches
Director
Donald Shebib
Writer
Terence Heffernan
Cast
Annie Potts, Margot Kidder, Robert Carradine
Genres
Comedy, Drama
Interest
Family Relationships
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
Canadian Film Development Corporation (CFDC)
Un crabe dans le tête (Soft Shell Man)
An underwater photographer returns home after a diving mishap and must face the complex and intricate web of his relationships. Starring David La Haye and Isabelle Blais.
Director
André Turpin
Writer
André Turpin
Cast
David La Haye, Isabelle Blais
Producers
Luc Déry, Joseph Hillel
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
French
Canadian Distributor
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)