Interest: Biography
- Own Voice
No Crying at the Dinner Table
Director
Carol Nguyen
Producers
Carol Nguyen, Aziz Zoromba
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Biography, Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker
Original Languages
English, Other Language
- Own Voice
Short Film Programme
If you’d like to show several short films together as a programme, please feel free to get in touch for advice and tips on selecting the perfect combination for your needs.
Director
Various
Genres
Action/Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Documentary, Drama, Experimental, Family, Horror, Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Thriller
Interests
Arts and Culture, Biography, BIPOC Stories, Bullying, Classics, Cult & Offbeat Cinema, Discrimination, Environment, ESL, Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, Global Experiences, History, Indigenous Filmmaker, LGBTQ2S+, Literary Adaptation, Newcomer Stories, Social Justice & Politics, Sports, Strong Female Leads
Original Languages
English, French
- Own Voice
Foster Child
At 35 years old, filmmaker Gil Cardinal makes the decision to seek out his biological family, sending him on a journey into his own roots, uncovering an ancestry he knew nothing about. As Cardinal discovers that he was forcibly taken from his Métis mother, the film shifts into addressing the ongoing systematic oppression of Indigenous peoples.
This incredibly personal documentary was a landmark in Indigenous storytelling on film, and received many accolades including the Gemini award for directing.
Director
Gil Cardinal (Métis)
Cast
Gil Cardinal (Métis), Don Cardinal (Métis)
Producer
Jerry Krepakevich
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Biography, BIPOC Stories, Classics, History, Indigenous Filmmaker, Social Justice & Politics
Original Language
English
- Own Voice
Joe
Director
Jill Haras
Genre
Animation
Interests
Biography, BIPOC Stories, Discrimination, Female Filmmaker, Global Experiences, History, Social Justice & Politics
Original Language
English
- Own Voice
Jordan Gordon’s Guide to Kuujjuaq
Director
Jordan Gordon (Inuk)
Writer
Jordan Gordon (Inuk)
Genres
Comedy, Documentary
Interests
Biography, BIPOC Stories, Environment, Indigenous Filmmaker
Original Language
English
- Own Voice
Honour to Senator Murray Sinclair
Murray Sinclair, chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, outlines what he sees as the path towards a true reconciliation.
Director
Alanis Obomsawin (Abenaki)
Legendary Abenaki filmmaker Obomsawin has made over 50 documentaries on issues affecting Indigenous peoples in Canada, including Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance, Trick or Treaty?, Is the Crown at War with Us?, Our People Will Be Healed and Jordan River Anderson, The Messenger. Her most recent film is the short documentary Honour to Senator Murray Sinclair. Next, she is set to appear in an episode of Marie Clements' Bones of Crows: The Series.
Writer
Alanis Obomsawin (Abenaki)
Cast
Murray Sinclair
Producer
Alanis Obomsawin (Abenaki)
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Biography, BIPOC Stories, Female Filmmaker, History, Indigenous Filmmaker, Social Justice & Politics
Original Language
English
Alias Grace
Adapted from Margaret Atwood’s Giller prize-winning novel of the same name, this miniseries has received universal acclaim, earning 5 Canadian Screen Awards including best limited series.
Director
Mary Harron
Harron is an award-winning Canadian filmmaker and screenwriter, and former entertainment critic. She gained recognition for her role in writing and directing several independent films, including writing I Shot Andy Warhol, and co-writing as well as directing American Psycho. Her most recent film, Daliland starring Sir Ben Kingsley, premiered at TIFF 2022.
Writer
Sarah Polley
Cast
Edward Holcroft, Rebeccah Liddiard, Sarah Gadon
Producers
Sarah Polley, D.J. Carson
Genre
Drama
Interests
Biography, Female Filmmaker, History, Literary Adaptation
Original Language
English
- Own Voice
Cree Code Talker
Director
Alexandra Lazarowich (Cree)
Producers
Alexandra Lazarowich (Cree), Cowboy Smithx (Blackfoot)
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Biography, BIPOC Stories, Female Filmmaker, History, Indigenous Filmmaker
Original Language
English
Radical
Director
Deanne Foley
Writer
Mary Walsh
Cast
Mary Walsh
Producer
Annette Clarke
Genre
Comedy
Interests
Arts and Culture, Biography, Female Filmmaker, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
English
McLaren’s Negatives
Director
Marie-Josée Saint-Pierre
Writer
Marie-Josée Saint-Pierre
Cast
Patrick Coutu
Genre
Animation
Interests
Arts and Culture, Biography, Female Filmmaker
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
National Film Board (NFB)
- Own Voice
Lost Moccasin
Bradford Bilodeau tells the story of how he reconnected with his birth family after being raised apart from them due to his forced adoption in the Sixties Scoop.
Director
Roger Boyer
Writer
Roger Boyer
Cast
Bradford Bilodeau
Producer
Darcy Waite (Cree)
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Biography, Indigenous Filmmaker
Original Language
English
- Own Voice
What Are You?
The mixed-race identity is explored through a series of interviews recounting the isolation, discrimination and self-discovery that come from being stuck between two cultures.
Director
Richard Pierre
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Biography, BIPOC Stories, Social Justice & Politics
Original Language
English
Refuge in the Rockies
Director
Kaio Kathriner
Writers
Kaio Kathriner, Tom Malenica
Producers
Matt Drake, Tony Cerciello, Kaio Kathriner
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Biography, BIPOC Stories, Discrimination, Global Experiences, Newcomer Stories, Social Justice & Politics, Sports
Original Language
English
Starlight and Other Sounds
Governor General Award-winning composer Alexina Louie shares her process for creating her engaging and often eclectic works.
Director
Josephine Anderson
Writer
Josephine Anderson
Producer
Shirley Vercruysse
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Arts and Culture, Biography, Female Filmmaker
Original Language
English
Ryan Reynolds: I’m a Laureate?
In a Canadian twist on a classic late night comedy bit, Ryan Reynolds reads out “nice tweets” while discussing his life and career.
Director
Christopher Auchter (Haida)
Cast
Ryan Reynolds
Producer
Nicholas Klassen
Genre
Documentary
Interest
Biography
Original Language
English
- Own Voice
Thunderbird
The amazing story of Steven Collins, a First Nations ski jumper who competed in the Olympics when he was only 15 years old.
Director
Erin Collins (Anishinaabe)
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Biography, BIPOC Stories, Female Filmmaker, History, Indigenous Filmmaker, Sports
Original Language
English
The Secret Path
Gord Downie began Secret Path as ten poems incited by the story of Chanie Wenjack, a twelve year-old boy who died fifty years ago on October 22, 1966, while fleeing from the Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School near Kenora, Ontario, and attempting to walk home to the family he was taken from over 400 miles away. Gord discovered the story of Chanie Wenjack (miscalled “Charlie” by his teachers) by his brother Mike, who introduced him to Ian Adams’ Maclean’s story from February 6, 1967, “The Lonely Death of Charlie Wenjack.” This project is an album, an accompanying graphic novel, and also an animated film.
Director
Gord Downie
Writers
Gord Downie, Mike Downie
Producers
Gord Downie, Jeff Lemire, Justin Stephenson
Genre
Drama
Interests
Biography, BIPOC Stories, Discrimination, History, Social Justice & Politics
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
CBC
- Own Voice
Mr. Jane and Finch
After decades of working tirelessly to advocate for the Jane and Finch community in Toronto, Winston LaRose decides to run for Toronto City Council at 81 years old. Beloved by those in his neighbourhood – who have affectionately dubbed him “Mr. Jane and Finch” – LaRose’s grassroots campaign gains traction until an unexpected and controversial change to the size of the council doubles his field of competitors and presents an insurmountable challenge.
Mr Jane and Finch is a thoughtful profile of the life and work of an inspiring Black community leader and also offers a fascinating in-depth look at an election campaign with unique challenges and issues.Director
Ngardy Conteh
Writers
Ngardy Conteh, Alison Duke
Cast
Winston LaRose
Producer
Alison Duke
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Biography, BIPOC Stories, Social Justice & Politics
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
Oya Media Group
- Own Voice
Mohawk Girls
With insight, humour and heart, director Tracey Deer (who left Kahnawake to attend school and pursue filmmaking) returns to her community to follow these Mohawk girls and tell their stories. Her deeply emotional documentary reveals the complex hope, heartache and promise of growing up Indigenous in the 21st century.
Director
Tracey Deer (Mohawk)
In 2008, Deer won a Gemini Award in Best Documentary Writing, for Club Native. Her debut doc was the award-winning Mohawk Girls, which she adapted into a TV series that ran for five seasons and was nominated for seven CSAs. Beans has won eleven awards, including Best Picture at the CSAs. Most recently, she directed episodes of the series Three Pines, and is currently working on the feature Thorpe, about Native American Olympic gold medalist Jim Thorpe.
Writer
Tracey Deer (Mohawk)
Producers
Christina Fon, Linda Ludwick, Adam Symansky, Joanne Robertson
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Biography, BIPOC Stories, Female Filmmaker, Indigenous Filmmaker
Original Language
English
Language Version
EN CC
Canadian Distributor
National Film Board (NFB)
- Own Voice
No Ordinary Man
Billy Tipton, a 20th Century jazz musician became a trans icon after his death, and his legacy continues to be carried forward by trans artists to this day. Featuring a unique documentary structure, the film uses an audition session for a proposed biopic about Tipton as a jumping off point for a group of contemporary trans artists to explore what Tipton has meant to them, and to share stories about their own lives and experiences.
Also featuring interviews with Tipton’s family, Aisling Chin-Yee and Chase Joynt’s remarkable tribute to a misunderstood artist was named one of Canada’s Top 10 in 2020.
"Approaching Tipton’s story with the free hand of an improvised jazz set, No Ordinary Man is an elegant riff on a classic progression that arrives at something transcendent." - Jude Dry, Indiewire
Directors
Aisling Chin-Yee
Chin-Yee is an award-winning producer, writer and director. She has directed the shorts Sound Asleep and Synesthesia. Her feature directorial debut, The Rest of Us, premiered at TIFF 2019 and she is currently directing the series Plan B.
Chase Joynt
Joynt is an award-winning director and writer. His first book, You Only Live Twice, was a Lambda Literary Award Finalist. He recently directed Framing Agnes, which played at Sundance and Hot Docs, and he is starring in John Greyson’s upcoming film, Door Prize.
Writers
Aisling Chin-Yee, Amos Mac
Cast
Billy Tipton Jr.
Producer
Sarah Spring
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Arts and Culture, Asian Filmmaker, Biography, Female Filmmaker, History, LGBTQ2S+, Social Justice & Politics
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
levelFILM