Interest: Global Experiences
Can I Get a Witness?
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, A Short Film About Tegan & Sara, Question Period, and Old Dog. Her features include New Shoes, The Magical Life of Long Tack Sam, The French Guy, and Can I Get a Witness, which premiered at TIFF 2024. Fleming has won nearly 20 awards and nominations for her films, including 15 for Window Horses.
Writer
Ann Marie Fleming
Cast
Joel Oulette (Cree/Métis), Sandra Oh, Keira Jang
Producer
Ann Marie Fleming
Genre
Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Interests
Arts and Culture, Asian Filmmaker, BIPOC Stories, Environment, Female Filmmaker, Global Experiences, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
English
Language Versions
EN CC, FR CC, FR Dub
Canadian Distributor
Mongrel Media
Doors of War
Directors
Taras Lesiuk, Annick Sheedy McLellan
Writers
Annick Sheedy McLellan, Taras Lesiuk
Producers
Annick Sheedy McLellan, Taras Lesiuk
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Arts and Culture, Female Filmmaker, Global Experiences, History, Social Justice & Politics
Original Languages
English, Other Language
Language Version
Other Subtitles
Dounia et la princesse d’Alep (Dounia and the Princess of Aleppo)
Directors
André Kadi, Marya Zarif
Writer
Marya Zarif
Cast
Elza Mardirossian, Rahaf Ataya
Producer
Judith Beauregard
Genres
Animation, Family
Interests
Female Filmmaker, Global Experiences, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
French
Language Versions
EN Dub, EN Subtitles, FR CC
Canadian Distributor
Maison 4:3
- Own Voice
Red Fever
Directors
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
Neil Diamond (Cree), Catherine Bainbridge
Producers
Rebecca Lessard, Lisa M. Roth
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Arts and Culture, BIPOC Stories, Discrimination, Female Filmmaker, Global Experiences, History, Indigenous Filmmaker, Social Justice & Politics
Original Language
English
Language Version
EN CC
Canadian Distributor
Les Films du 3 Mars
Bergers (Shepherds)
Tired of city life, a Québecois man leaves everything behind to pursue his dream of becoming a shepherd in rural France, where he must work illegally at a craft he knows almost nothing about. While the work proves more difficult than he’d imagined, everything changes when he wins over the like-minded Élise with his dreams of a pastoral life together. The two commit to a summer-long journey together in the mountains – with 800 sheep, and all the challenges that come with them.
Featuring breathtaking cinematography and a deeply human story, this beautiful romantic drama won the award for Best Canadian Feature at TIFF 2024.
Director
Sophie Deraspe
Deraspe has made several feature films, including Les loups (The Wolves), the critically acclaimed Les signes vitaux (Vital Signs), and Antigone,which won six Canadian Screen Awards. Her documentary work includes A Gay Girl in Damascus: The Amina Profile, and the series La Vie nous arrive (Life Happens to Us). She has also directed episodes of Bête noire (Black Beast), and Motel Paradis. Bergers (Shepherds), premiered and won Best Canadian Feature at TIFF 2024.
Writer
Sophie Deraspe
Cast
Michel Benizri, David Ayala, Félix-Antoine Duval, Solène Rigot
Producers
Luc Déry, Élaine Hébert, Kim McCraw
Genre
Drama
Interests
Female Filmmaker, Global Experiences
Original Language
French
Language Version
EN Subtitles
Canadian Distributor
Maison 4:3
- Own Voice
Boat People
Directors
Kjell Boersma, Thao Lam
Writer
Kjell Boersma
Producers
Jelena Popovic, Justine Pimlott
Genre
Animation
Interests
Asian Filmmaker, BIPOC Stories, Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, Global Experiences, Newcomer Stories
Original Language
English
Language Versions
EN CC, FR Subtitles
Canadian Distributor
National Film Board (NFB)
- Own Voice
Comme un fleuve (Flowing Home)
Over the course of 20 years, two sisters try to remain connected through a series of letters after their family is pulled apart by the Vietnam War.
Content note: Depictions of war and violence (in animation)
Director
Sandra Desmazières
Writer
Sandra Desmazières
Cast
Linh Dan Pham, Sara Martins
Producers
Julie Roy, Dora Benousilio
Genre
Animation
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, Global Experiences, Newcomer Stories
Original Language
French
Language Versions
EN Subtitles, FR CC
Canadian Distributor
National Film Board (NFB)
Ru
Brilliantly adapted from Kim Thúy’s Governor General Award-winning novel of the same name, this compassionate story of resilience in the face of adversity is uplifting and deeply moving.
“An exceptional and beautiful film.” – Isobel Grieve, Montréal Guardian
Director
Charles-Olivier Michaud
Charles-Olivier Michaud is a director, writer, and producer from Saint-Romuald, Quebec. His directing credits include 4 Minute Mile, On the Beat, and Snow & Ashes, which have won awards from the Slamdance Film Festival and the Washington DC Independent Film Festival. Ru had its world premiere at TIFF 2023 and was nominated for nine Canadian Screen Awards.
Writers
Kim Thúy, Charles-Olivier Michaud, Jacques Davidts
Cast
Chloé Djandji, Jean Bui, Chantal Thuy
Producers
André Dupuy, Marie-Alexandra Forget
Genre
Drama
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Family Relationships, Global Experiences, Literary Adaptation, Newcomer Stories
Original Languages
French, Other Language
Language Versions
EN Subtitles, FR CC
Canadian Distributor
Immina Films
- Own Voice
The Queen of My Dreams
Sumptuously capturing the feel of a Bollywood film while telling a relatable cross-continental story, Fawzia Mirza’s impressive debut feature is an instant classic.
“Mirza has created a film bursting with creative energy and distinctive aesthetic sensibilities.” – Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter
Director
Fawzia Mirza
Mirza is a writer, producer, actor and director whose work focuses on the Queer and Muslim experience in Canada, particularly on the intersection between the two. Her short films include The First Session, I Know Her, The Syed Family Xmas Eve Game Night and The Queen of My Dreams, which she adapted into her critically acclaimed debut feature of the same name.
Writer
Fawzia Mirza
Cast
Amrit Kaur, Nimra Bucha, Hamza Haq
Producers
Marc Tetreault, Jason Levangie, Andria Wilson
Genres
Comedy, Drama, Romance
Interests
Asian Filmmaker, BIPOC Stories, Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, Global Experiences, LGBTQ2S+, Newcomer Stories, Strong Female Leads
Original Languages
English, Other Language
Canadian Distributor
Cineplex
- Own Voice
Roses Sing on New Snow
Director
Yuan Zhang
Genre
Animation
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Global Experiences
Original Languages
English, French
Language Versions
EN CC, FR CC
- 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
Shorts Programme
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
Joe
Director
Jill Haras
Genre
Animation
Interests
Biography, BIPOC Stories, Discrimination, Female Filmmaker, Global Experiences, History, Social Justice & Politics
Original Language
English
- Own Voice
From Far Away
Directors
Shira Avni Serene, El-haj Daoud
Genre
Animation
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Female Filmmaker, Global Experiences
Original Languages
English, French
5:1
Filmmaker Ben-Saud takes us into her family home, where she was confined with her parents and adult brother and sister during the early months of the lockdown, to experience the sometimes funny and sometimes challenging realities of pandemic coexistence.
Director
Sara Ben-Saud
Writer
Sara Ben-Saud
Producer
Sara Ben-Saud
Genres
Documentary, Family
Interests
Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, Global Experiences
Original Language
French
I’ve Got Blisters on My Fingers
Director
Ryan Steel
Writer
Ryan Steel
Cast
Jesse Lawrence
Producer
Sharon Corder
Genres
Comedy, Drama
Interests
Global Experiences, Social Justice & Politics
Original Language
English
- Own Voice
Al Ghorba
Director
Alia Hijaab
Writer
Alia Hijaab
Producer
Alia Hijaab
Genres
Animation, Drama
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, Global Experiences, Newcomer Stories, Social Justice & Politics
Original Languages
English, Other Language
- Own Voice
Air Show
Director
Maya Bastian
Writer
Maya Bastian
Producer
Maya Bastian
Genre
Drama
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Female Filmmaker, Global Experiences
Original Language
English
Emma
Director
Martin Edralin
Writer
Martin Edralin
Cast
Hailey Kittle
Producers
Martin Edralin, Lauren Corber
Genre
Drama
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Global Experiences
Original Language
English
- Own Voice
7 Minutes
Content Note: Depictions of trauma
Director
Tasha Hubbard (Cree)
Hubbard is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and an associate professor in the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Native Studies. Her NFB documentary 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, nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up, which won 14 awards, including the CSA for best documentary and Best Canadian Documentary at Hot Docs 2019. She is a founding director of the International Buffalo Relations Institute. Her documentary Singing Back the Buffalo won three awards and was nominated for four others.
Writer
Tasha Hubbard (Cree)
Cast
Darian Lonechild (Cree/Saulteaux)
Producer
Marilyn Poitras (Métis)
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Female Filmmaker, Global Experiences, Indigenous Filmmaker
Original Language
English
- Own Voice
De Face Ou De Profil (Face or Profile)
Director
Sharon Fontaine (Innu)
Writer
Sharon Fontaine (Innu)
Genre
Documentary
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Global Experiences, Indigenous Filmmaker
Original Language
French
Language Version
EN Subtitles