Interest: Literary Adaptation
- Own Voice
Breakfast with Scot
When gay couple Eric (Cavanagh) and Sam (Shenkman) become the sudden guardians of Scot, a precocious and effeminate young boy, the two professionals must rise to the call of fatherhood and confront the compromises they’ve made in their own lives as gay men working in the world of sports.
Adapted from the novel by Michael Downing, Breakfast with Scot is a heart-warmingly hilarious meditation on the true meaning of family. Scot’s zany antics and disarming self-confidence will inspire audiences young and old to embrace their own — and others’ — unique quirks and differences. This family comedy is a refreshing combination of wry humour and genuine sweetness.
Winner of the Directors Guild of Canada’s Family Feature Film award.
Director
Laurie Lynd
Writer
Sean Reycraft
Cast
Ben Shenkman, Tom Cavanagh, Noah Bernett
Producer
Paul Brown
Genre
Comedy
Interests
Family Relationships, LGBTQ2S+, Literary Adaptation, Sports
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
Mongrel Media
Funny Boy
Based on the celebrated novel by Shyam Selvadurai, Funny Boy was nominated for nine Canadian Screen Awards, winning for directing, screenplay and score.
“An attractive journey, gilded in summery light throughout by Douglas Koch’s camera.” – Guy Lodge, Variety
Director
Deepa Mehta
An Officer of the Order of Canada, Mehta gained acclaim for her trilogy, Fire, Earth and the Oscar-nominated Water. Her adaptation of Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children was nominated for eight CSAs. She has also directed Bollywood/Hollywood, Beeba Boys, Anatomy of Violence, and many other films. Her film Funny Boy also won multiple awards, including the CSA for best direction. Her television credits include episodes of Leila, Yellowjackets, and Little America. She has numerous projects in development as a writer, director and producer.
Writers
Deepa Mehta, Shyam Selvadurai
Cast
Brandon Ingram, Arush Nand, Nimmi Harasgama, Agam Darshi, Ali Kazmi
Producers
Hussaini Amarshi, Lodi Butler, Gopi Darmaratnam, David Hamilton, Neil Mathieson
Genres
Drama, Romance
Interests
Asian Filmmaker, BIPOC Stories, Bullying, Discrimination, Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, Global Experiences, LGBTQ2S+, Literary Adaptation
Original Languages
English, Other Language
Language Version
EN CC
Canadian Distributor
Mongrel Media
Dead Ringers
Two bodies. Two minds. One soul. In one of David Cronenberg’s best and most disturbing films, the lives of identical twin gynecologists (each played by Jeremy Irons) are disrupted when a beautiful woman (Bujold) enters their lives, throwing their relationship out of balance.
Kinky, bloody, and allaround gruesome, Dead Ringers is a complex relationship story, an intense psychological drama and a masterpiece of body-horror that puts a deadly spin on hopeless love and loss.
“A stylistic tour de force.” — Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Director
David Cronenberg
A Companion of the Order of Canada, Cronenberg is a legendary filmmaker and pioneer of the body horror genre. His directing credits include iconic films such as Scanners, Dead Ringers, Videodrome, and Crash, for which he won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. He also directed eXistenZ, Crimes of the Future, The Shrouds, and others. He has won over 80 awards, including the Golden Coach at Cannes, and lifetime achievement awards from TIFF and the DGC.
Writers
David Cronenberg, Norman Snider, Bari Wood, Jack Geasland
Cast
Jeremy Irons, Geneviève Bujold, Heidi von Palleske
Producer
Marc Boyman
Genres
Drama, Horror, Thriller
Interests
Cult & Offbeat Cinema, Literary Adaptation
Original Language
English
Language Versions
EN CC, FR Subtitles
Canadian Distributor
TVA Films
- Own Voice
Inside Hana’s Suitcase
When Fumiko Ishioka, a teacher in Japan, requests artifacts from a Holocaust museum to illustrate the history of WWII to her students, one item she receives is a suitcase labelled “Hana Brady.” As she and her students unravel Hana’s story, the film seamlessly transports audiences through 70 years of history, back and forth across three continents.
“Larry Weinstein’s deft, unique balance of documentary and narrative techniques helps…convey the combination of deep personal trauma and epic atrocity at the heart of Inside Hana’s Suitcase…a lovely, accessible and moving work.” — Kieran Grant, EYE Weekly
Director
Larry Weinstein
Weinstein has received three Gemini awards for his work, including Best Direction for Beethoven’s Hair. Weinstein also directed the docs Mulroney: The Opera, The Devil’s Horn, Leslie Caron: The Reluctant Star, and Dreaming of a Jewish Christmas, and co-directed Our Man In Tehran. His latest, Propaganda: The Art of Selling Lies, premiered at Hot Docs 2019.
Writer
Thomas Wallner
Cast
Daniel Hajek, Jindriska Hanusová, Linda Drexlerova, Karim Tarakji
Producers
Rudolf Biermann, Jessica Daniel, Larry Weinstein
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Biography, Discrimination, ESL, Global Experiences, History, Literary Adaptation
Original Language
English
Language Version
EN CC
Canadian Distributor
eOne
Maïna
Venturing north into enemy territory, Maïna is herself captured by Natak, the Inuit clan’s leader, and must navigate the perilous journey with him, to the “Land of Ice.”
Based on the novel by award-winning author Dominique Demers, this gripping and visually stunning film was nominated for six Canadian Screen Awards, including Best Picture.
Director
Michel Poulette
Montreal writer/director Poulette’s film Louis 19, le roi des ondes earned the Canadian Screen Award for Best First Feature as well as the Golden Reel Award. His feature Maïna was nominated for six Canadian Screen Awards and three Jutras. He directed Agent of Influence starring Oscar winner Christopher Plummer, several recent TV movies and the series Real Detective.
Writer
Pierre Billon
Cast
Uapeshkuss Thernish, Tantoo Cardinal (Cree/Métis), Graham Greene (Oneida), Roseanne Supernault (Cree/Métis)
Producers
Yves Fortin, Karine Martin
Genres
Action/Adventure, Drama
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Literary Adaptation
Original Languages
English, Inuktitut
Language Versions
EN CC, FR Dub, FR Subtitles
Canadian Distributor
Equinoxe Films
Margaret’s Museum
As she mourns her losses, Margaret meets and falls in love with Neil (Russell), a bagpipe player who is just as disdainful of the local industry as she is. While Neil vows to find work outside of the mines, it proves tragically difficult for the couple to escape the realities of living in a mining community.
This critically acclaimed adaptation — featuring Genie Award–winning performances by Helena Bonham Carter, Kate Nelligan and Kenneth Welsh — is emotionally intense and deeply affecting.
Director
Mort Ransen
Ransen was a film and television director, editor and screenwriter with a career spanning several decades. He directed many shorts such as The Circle and You Are on Indian Land, and features, including Christopher’s Movie Matinee, Bayo, Falling Over Backwards, Margaret’s Museum (which won a Genie for best screenplay), Touched, and Bastards. He passed away in 2021.
Writers
Sheldon Currie, Gerald Wexler, Mort Ransen
Cast
Helena Bonham Carter, Kate Nelligan, Clive Russell, Kenneth Welsh
Producers
Steve Clark-Hall, Mort Ransen, Christopher Zimmer, Claudio Luca
Genre
Drama
Interest
Literary Adaptation
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
eOne
- Own Voice
Midnight’s Children
Two children are born at the stroke of midnight on August 15, 1947, the very moment that India claimed its independence from Great Britain — a coincidence that has profound consequences on their lives. Switched at birth in the hospital, the boys — one from a wealthy family, the other belonging to a poor single father — must live out each other’s intended fates, their lives strangely intertwined and linked to their country’s journey through the tumultuous 20th century.
“Boiling over with passion every step of the way.”
— Peter Debruge, Variety
Director
Deepa Mehta
A member of the Order of Canada, Mehta is an award-winning filmmaker who gained acclaim for her trilogy, Fire, Earth and the Oscar-nominated Water. Her adaptation of Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children was nominated for eight CSAs. She has also directed Bollywood/Hollywood, Beeba Boys, Anatomy of Violence, and many other films. Her film Funny Boy won multiple awards, including the CSAs for best direction and best screenplay. Her television credits include episodes of Leila, Yellowjackets, and Little America.
Writer
Deepa Mehta
Cast
Seema Biswas, Rajat Kapoor, Shahana Goswami, Satya Bhabha
Producer
David Hamilton
Genre
Drama
Interests
Asian Filmmaker, BIPOC Stories, Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, Global Experiences, History, Literary Adaptation, Social Justice & Politics
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
Mongrel Media
Our Man in Tehran
These events were fictionalized in the Hollywood film Argo, but this fascinating doc sets the record straight through archival footage and the words of those who experienced it, all culminating in the fantastical plan devised to smuggle the fugitives out.
“Sometimes, the truth can be more entertaining than fiction. If Argo was a high-stakes political thriller…it was also a simplistic and escapist escape movie about the power of Hollywood to defeat evil. So now…we Canadians respond with a documentary to reclaim our true story.” — Simon Houpt, The Globe and Mail
Directors
Larry Weinstein
Weinstein has received three Gemini awards for his work, including Best Direction for Beethoven’s Hair. Weinstein also directed the docs Mulroney: The Opera, The Devil’s Horn, Leslie Caron: The Reluctant Star, and Dreaming of a Jewish Christmas, and co-directed Our Man In Tehran. His latest, Propaganda: The Art of Selling Lies, premiered at Hot Docs 2019.
Drew Taylor
Our Man in Tehran was Taylor’s first film after careers in baseball and bio-engineering. He has also directed Lost and Found.
Writers
Drew Taylor, Robert Wright
Producers
Niv Fichman, Larry Weinstein, Drew Taylor
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Biography, Global Experiences, History, Literary Adaptation, Social Justice & Politics
Original Language
English
Language Version
EN CC
Canadian Distributor
eOne
Les Plouffe (The Plouffe Family)
This is kitchen-sink drama at its most satirical, dramatizing an entire era in the quirks of this memorable clan. The lovable characters and unforgettable moments make Les Plouffe a simultaneously sad, funny and loving account of life in WWII-era Quebec.
This French Canadian classic won seven Genie Awards, including Best Achievement in Direction, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role (Filiatrault).
Director
Gilles Carle
An important figure in the development of Québec cinema, Carle was a prolific filmmaker whose work includes shorts and feature films, documentaries, and television. He made several films with the NFB, including the classic La vie heureuse de Léopold Z. His credits also include Les Plouffe, La Vraie nature de Bernadette and Maria Chapdelaine. An Officer of the Order of Canada, a Grand Officer of the Ordre National du Québec and a Knight in France’s Légion d'honneur, he has received numerous international prizes, Genies, Canadian Film Awards and a Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement.
Writers
Gilles Carle, Roger Lemelin, Jacques Vigoureux
Cast
Gabriel Arcand, Pierre Curzi, Émile Genest, Juliette Huot, Denise Filiatraul
Producers
Denis Héroux, Justine Héroux, John Kemeny
Genre
Drama
Interests
Family Relationships, History, Literary Adaptation
Original Language
French
Language Version
FR Subtitles
Canadian Distributor
eOne
Pontypool
Nothing ever happens in Pontypool, so when Mazzy arrives at the station to start his show one wintry morning, he and his team are surprised by strange reports from town.
The station’s tiny crew find themselves holed up in their church basement studio, trying to piece together what’s happening outside as disturbing details pour in. Callers are making very little sense, and it seems like the English language itself is infected with a strange virus.
“McDonald knows it’s the things you don’t see, but only imagine, that best chill the blood.”
— Peter Howell, Toronto Star
Director
Bruce McDonald
McDonald directed the cult hits Highway 61, Roadkill, Hard Core Logo, The Tracey Fragments, starring Elliot Page and Pontypool, the award-winning series Twitch City, and episodes of Degrassi and Heartland. He has also directed the features Trigger, The Husband, Hellions, Weirdos, and Dreamland, and episodes of Creeped Out and Malory Towers.
Writer
Tony Burgess
Cast
Georgina Reilly, Lisa Houle, Stephen McHattie
Producers
Ambrose Roche, Jeffrey Coghlan
Genres
Comedy, Horror, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Interests
Cult & Offbeat Cinema, Literary Adaptation
Original Language
English
Language Version
EN CC
Canadian Distributor
eOne
Indian Horse
The young protagonist of Wagamese’s saga – brought to the screen by a team that includes director Stephen Campanelli, screenwriter Dennis Foon and executive producer Clint Eastwood — Saul comes to know the worst of the system’s abuses after a series of family tragedies leave him in the care of authorities in Manitoba of the late 1950s.
When one of the priests – played by Michiel Huisman of Game of Thrones – recognizes Saul’s hockey talents, a potential pathway opens up before the youngster but like so many survivors of the schools, he remains haunted by the traumas of the past.
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.
Writer
Dennis Foon
Cast
Michael Huisman, Ajuawak Kapashesit (Ojibway/Cree), Forrest Goodluck (Diné/Mandan/Hidatsa/Tsimshian), Sladen Peltier (Ojibway)
Producers
Paula Devonshire (Mohawk), Trish Dolman
Genre
Drama
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Discrimination, History, Literary Adaptation, Social Justice & Politics, Sports
Original Language
English
Language Versions
EN CC, FR Subtitles
Canadian Distributor
Elevation Pictures
La mystérieuse mademoiselle C. (The Mysterious Miss C.)
Based on the popular children’s book series, The Mysterious Miss C. is a fun and heartwarming story that encourages kids to be positive, to use their imagination and to discover the joy of reading.
Director
Richard Ciupka
Ciupka is a cinematographer and filmmaker who has directed episodes of Emily of New Moon and The Hunger, and films such as Curtains, Atlantic City, La mystérieuse mademoiselle C. (The Mysterious Miss C.), and Nouvelle adresse (New Address), and Duo. He also directed 14 Heritage Minutes for Historica Canada. As a cinematographer, his work on the series Nouvelle adresse earned him a Gémeaux Award for Best Cinematography.
Writer
Dominique Demers
Cast
Marie-Chantal Perron, Gildor Roy, Eve Lemieux, Benoît Brière
Producers
Jacques Bonin, Claude Veillet
Genres
Comedy, Drama, Family, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Interest
Literary Adaptation
Original Language
French
Canadian Distributor
Christal Films
Paul à Québec
Director
François Bouvier
Film and TV director Bouvier was nominated for the Best Director Genie in 1990 for his film Les matins infidèles. Since then, he has directed numerous television shows and films, including Histoires d'hiver and Maman Last Call, starring Patrick Huard. He recently directed the TV series Ruptures and the film La Bolduc. Currently he is completing work on the film La Cordonnière.
Writers
Michel Rabagliati, François Bouvier
Cast
Louise Portal, Gilbert Sicotte, Julie LeBreton, François Létourneau
Producers
Karine Vanasse, André Rouleau, Valérie d'Auteuil, Nathalie Brigitte Bustos
Genres
Comedy, Drama
Interests
Arts and Culture, Family Relationships, Literary Adaptation
Original Language
French
Language Versions
EN Subtitles, FR CC
Window Horses
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, 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
Shohreh Aghdashloo, Sandra Oh, Nancy Kwan, Don McKellar, Elliot Page
Producers
Michael Fukushima, Shirley Vercruysse, Ann Marie Fleming, Sandra Oh
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
Who Has Seen the Wind
Director
Allan King
Writer
Patricia Watson
Cast
Brian Painchaud, Douglas Junor, Patricia Hamilton, Gordon Pinsent, Chapelle Jaffe
Producer
Pierre Lamy
Genre
Drama
Interests
Arts and Culture, History, Literary Adaptation
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
Allan King Films
Brooklyn
Brooklyn tells the profoundly moving story of Eilis Lacey (Saoirse Ronan), a young Irish immigrant navigating her way through 1950s Brooklyn. Lured by the promise of America, Eilis departs Ireland and the comfort of her mother's home for the shores of New York City. The initial shackles of homesickness quickly diminish as a fresh romance sweeps Eilis into the intoxicating charm of love. But soon, her new life is disrupted by her past, and Eilis must choose between two countries and two paths in life.
Director
John Crowley
Writers
Nick Hornby, Colm Tóibín
Cast
Saoirse Ronan, Hugh Gormley, Brid Brennan
Producers
Finola Dwyer, Pierre Even, Susan Mullen, Amanda Posey, Marie-Claude Poulin
Genres
Drama, Romance
Interests
Arts and Culture, Literary Adaptation, Newcomer Stories, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
English
Language Version
FR Subtitles
Canadian Distributor
Mongrel Media
The Stone Angel
Director
Kari Skogland
Writer
Kari Skogland
Cast
Ellen Burstyn, Dylan Baker, Sheila McCarthy, Judy Marshak
Producers
Kari Skogland, Liz Jarvis
Genre
Drama
Interests
Female Filmmaker, History, Literary Adaptation
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
eOne
The Breadwinner
With courage and imagination, Parvana draws strength from the fantastical stories she invents, as she embarks on a quest to find her father and reunite her family. The Breadwinner is an inspiring and beautifully animated tale about the power of stories to sustain hope and carry us through dark times.
The Breadwinner has been nominated for 38 international awards, including six Canadian Screen Awards and the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
Director
Nora Twomey
Twomey is an animator whose credits include directing the Oscar-nominated The Secret Of Kells, as well as producing the Oscar-nominated film Wolfwalkers . She also created the popular and long-running children’s show Puffin Rock. She most recently directed the animated features My Father’s Dragon and The Brilliant World of Tom Gates.
Writers
Deborah Ellis, Anita Doron
Cast
Saara Chaudry, Noorin Gulamgaus, Soma Chhaya
Genres
Animation, Drama, Family
Interests
Arts and Culture, BIPOC Stories, Discrimination, Female Filmmaker, Global Experiences, History, Literary Adaptation, Social Justice & Politics, Strong Female Leads
Original Languages
English, French
Language Versions
EN CC, FR CC
Canadian Distributor
Elevation Pictures