Interest: Sports
- Own Voice
Legend of a Warrior
Director
Corey Lee
Writer
Corey Lee
Cast
Billy Chow, Corey Lee, Frank Pang Lee
Producers
Susan Bristow, Bonnie Thompson, Corey Lee
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Family Relationships, Newcomer Stories, Sports
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
National Film Board (NFB)
Hello Destroyer
Director
Kevan Funk
Writer
Kevan Funk
Cast
Jared Abrahamson
Producers
Daniel Domachowski, Haydn Wazelle
Genre
Drama
Interest
Sports
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
Type One
Derby Crazy Love
Directors
Justine Pimlott, Maya Gallus
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Female Filmmaker, Sports, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
Red Queen Productions
- Own Voice
China Heavyweight
Director
Yung Chang
Cast
Zongli He, Yunfei Miao, Moxiang Qi
Producers
Bob Moore, Qi Zhao, Yi Chan, Peter Wintonick
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Global Experiences, Sports
Original Language
Other Language
Canadian Distributor
Eye Steel Film
1:54
Tim (Antoine Olivier Pilon) is a smart and athletic 16-year old dealing with personal tragedy and a school bully in this honest coming-of-age sports movie from actor-turned filmmaker England. Also starring Sophie Nélisse.
Director
Yan England
Writer
Yan England
Cast
Sophie Nélisse, Antoine Olivier Pilon, Lou-Pascal Tremblay
Producers
Denise Robert, Diane England
Genre
Drama
Interest
Sports
Original Language
French
Canadian Distributor
Telefilm Canada
Nadia, Butterfly
Director
Pascal Plante
Writer
Pascal Plante
Cast
Ariane Mainville, Katerine Savard, Pierre-Yves Cardinal, Hilary Caldwell
Producer
Dominique Dussault
Genre
Drama
Interests
Sports, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
French
Language Version
EN Subtitles
Canadian Distributor
Nemesis Films Productions
Ski Bums
Director
John Zaritsky
Producer
Silva Basmajian
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Arts and Culture, Sports
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
National Film Board (NFB)
Mystic Ball
Director
Greg Hamilton
Genre
Documentary
Interest
Sports
Original Languages
English, Other Language
Canadian Distributor
Black Rice Productions
Maurice Richard (The Rocket)
But this is much more than a sports movie. Director Binamé frames the story in a cultural context: It isn’t until Richard, a man of few words, begins to speak his mind about the inequalities and prejudice directed toward French Canadians that he finds his voice.
Many feel that the riots caused by Richard’s suspension in 1955 were the spark that fuelled the Quiet Revolution in Quebec. This hockey blockbuster is chock-full of heart and history.
The Rocket was nominated for 13 Genie Awards and won nine.
Director
Charles Binamé
Binamé’s Eldorado screened at the prestigious Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes in 1995. He also directs for hit TV shows such as Reign, Flashpoint, Rookie Blue and Republic of Doyle. His latest film, Elephant Song, won a Canadian Screen Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Writer
Ken Scott
Cast
Roy Dupuis, Julie Le Breton, Stephen McHattie, Patrice Robitaille
Producers
Daniel Louis, Denise Robert
Genre
Drama
Interests
Biography, Discrimination, History, Social Justice & Politics, Sports
Original Languages
English, French
Language Versions
EN Subtitles, FR CC
Junior Majeur (Major Junior)
Five years after the events of Les Pee-Wee: L’hiver qui a changé ma vie best friends Janeau (Pilon) and Joey (Goulet) have made it to Quebec’s semiprofessional hockey league. Both athletes have their sights set on the NHL and scouts have begun to take an interest. Then, in a sudden twist of fate, the two are caught in a devastating car accident that threatens both of their careers. The road to recovery is full of complex challenges and emotions that may end up doing irreparable damage to their previously strong friendship.
A more mature exploration of friendship and the competitive world of junior hockey, this is a coming of age drama with a whole lot of heart.
Director
Éric Tessier
Tessier’s first film was the award-winning short Viens dehors! His feature films include Sur le seuil, Vendus, 5150 rue des Ormes, Junior Majeur, and Les Pee-Wee: L’hiver qui a changé ma vie, which won the Best Feature Film award at TIFF Kids. He recently directed the films Tu te souviendras de moi and When Love Blooms, and episodes of Hôtel and Transplant. He is currently directing The Amityville Curse.
Writers
Martin Bouchard, Emmanuel Joly
Cast
Antoine Olivier Pilon, Rémi Goulet, Alice Morel-Michaud, Normand Daneau
Producer
Christian Larouche
Genre
Drama
Interest
Sports
Original Language
French
Language Versions
EN Subtitles, FR CC
Canadian Distributor
eOne
Il était une fois les boys (When We Were Boys)
In this original, fun and hilarious prequel set in 1965, we find Les Boys as they originally were: hardy teenagers. Dreaming of victory in the Holiday tournament, the team is on Christmas vacation, but it’s anything but a restful experience: they have goals to make and trophies to win.
Full of wonderful highs and lows that evoke the rollercoaster experience of adolescence, When We Were Boys is a rare thing in cinema: a terrific and successful prequel.
Director
Richard Goudreau
Writer
Richard Goudreau
Cast
Simon Pigeon, Derek Poissant, Maxime Desjardins-Tremblay, Samuel Gauthier
Producers
Michel Gauthier, Richard Goudreau, André Rouleau
Genre
Comedy
Interest
Sports
Original Language
French
Language Version
EN Subtitles
Canadian Distributor
eOne
Les Pee-Wee (The Pee-Wee: The Winter that Changed My Life)
In this uplifting story, 12-year-old Janeau (Pilon) and his father have moved to a new town after the tragic death of his mother. As they struggle to adjust, Janeau is befriended by Julie (Morel-Michaud), a goalie for the local pee-wee hockey team, The Lynx, who are preparing for a province-wide championship.
Julie immediately sniffs out Janeau’s hockey talent, and eventually convinces her coach to let Janeau join the team, much to the dismay of the team’s current star, Joey (Goulet), and his overbearing father.
This stirring hockey comedy will have audiences cheering for The Lynx as they race to settle their differences — both on and off the ice — before the championship.
Director
Éric Tessier
Tessier’s first film was the award-winning short Viens dehors! His feature films include Sur le seuil, Vendus, 5150 rue des Ormes, Junior Majeur, and Les Pee-Wee: L’hiver qui a changé ma vie, which won the Best Feature Film award at TIFF Kids. He recently directed the films Tu te souviendras de moi and When Love Blooms, and episodes of Hôtel and Transplant. He is currently directing The Amityville Curse.
Writers
Martin Bouchard, Emmanuel Joly, Jean-Sébastien Poirier
Cast
Alice Morel-Michaud, Rémi Goulet, Antoine Olivier Pilon
Producer
Christian Larouche
Genres
Comedy, Drama, Family
Interest
Sports
Original Language
French
Language Versions
EN Subtitles, FR CC
Canadian Distributor
eOne
Score: A Hockey Musical
He’s led a sheltered life, home-schooled by parents (Olivia Newton-John and Marc Jordan) whose idea of extra-curricular activities are trips to an art gallery or an ashram.
His only real friend is Eve (Allie MacDonald), the girl who’s lived next door nearly his entire life. Much to the dismay of his parents, Farley loves to play shinny with the local rink rats (Dave Bidini and Hawksley Workman, among others). When the coach of a local hockey team (Stephen McHattie) spots him, Farley is drawn into the seductive hockey arena – while trying to stay true to his non-violent principles and juggling an ever-changing relationship with Eve.
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
John McDermott, Noah Reid, Hawksley Workman
Producers
Michael McGowan, Avi Federgreen
Genres
Comedy, Family
Interests
Arts and Culture, Sports
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
Mongrel Media
- Own Voice
Across The Line
Director
Director X
Director X (Julien Christian Lutz) is one of the most prolific music video directors of all time and has worked on videos for artists like Drake, Usher, Rihanna, DJ Khaled, Sean Paul, and many more. He received acclaim for his feature directorial debut Across the Line and went on to direct the remake of SuperFly and episodes of the TV series Backstage. He is currently writing, directing and executive producing the series Robyn Hood.
Writer
Floyd Kane
Cast
Stephan James, Sarah Jeffery, Steven Love
Producers
Amos Adetuyi, Floyd Kane, Michael Donovan, Mark Gosine, Elizabeth Guildford
Genre
Drama
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Black Filmmaker, Discrimination, Family Relationships, Sports
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
Vortex Media
Anything Is Possible: The Serge Ibaka Story
Serge Ibaka, a newly crowned NBA Champion with the Toronto Raptors, journeys home to the Republic of Congo, with the NBA Championship trophy to inspire his community. He has an emotional homecoming in Brazzaville, where he grew up poor and sometimes homeless, having been left by himself after his mother’s death when he was 7 and his father’s imprisonment shortly thereafter. Despite these overwhelming obstacles, he achieved his dream of becoming an NBA Champion and becoming the first person to bring the trophy back to the Congo.
While his NBA journey is an inspiring story that led to the fulfillment of his lifelong dream, Ibaka is not just celebrating his own achievement in this documentary but aims to share the message that through hard work and determination, anything is possible.Director
Travis Wood
Wood is a director and editor, as well as Head of Content for the award-winning international creative agency Craft. Anything is Possible is his directorial debut. The film was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award for Best Sports Program.
Writer
Christian J. Cote
Cast
Serge Ibaka
Producers
Vinay Virmani, Scott Moore
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Biography, BIPOC Stories, Global Experiences, Sports
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
Bell Media
The Grizzlies
Based on an inspiring true story, The Grizzlies is a powerful film about the determination and resilience of a group of Inuit youth struggling with the legacy of colonization.
When Russ Sheppard (Schnetzer) moves to Kugluktuk, NU, to be a teacher, he is shocked by the challenges facing the community, most especially the ongoing epidemic of teen suicide. Russ introduces a lacrosse programme and gradually wins the trust of his students. Together, the youth find a sense of pride and purpose in themselves and their community.
The Grizzlies was called “transcendently moving” by The Hollywood Reporter and has won multiple awards and been screened to acclaim at film festivals around the world. Cast members Paul Nutarariaq and Anna Lambe earned Canadian Screen Award nominations for their performances.
* Please note that this film has Indigenous producers, but not an Indigenous director. imagineNATIVE defines an Indigenous-made film as one directed or co-directed by an Indigenous person.
Director
Miranda de Pencier
De Pencier is a director and producer whose first short film Throat Song won four awards including a CSA for Best Live Action Short. The Grizzlies won the DGC’s Outstanding Directorial Achievement Feature Film Award. She has produced several films, including Cake, Beginners and Thanks for Sharing and episodes of Anne With an E. She is currently producing the film The Chocolate Money.
Writers
Graham Yost, Moira Walley-Beckett
Cast
Emerald MacDonald (Inuk), Paul Nutarariaq (Inuk), Anna Lambe (Inuk), Ben Schnetzer, Ricky Martin-Pahtaykan (Plains Cree/Stoney Nakoda)
Producers
Stacey Aglok MacDonald (Inuk), Alethea Arnaquq-Baril (Inuk), Damon D'Oliveira, Miranda de Pencier, Zanne Devine
Genre
Drama
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Bullying, Discrimination, ESL, Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, Social Justice & Politics, Sports
Original Language
English
Language Version
EN CC
Canadian Distributor
Mongrel Media
Breakaway
A cross-cultural story of self-discovery, Breakaway is a heartwarming, action-filled comedy, bringing a dash of Bollywood to Canada’s favourite sport. With a hilarious supporting cast including comedian Russell Peters, and a special appearance from Drake, Breakaway will have you cheering for its unlikely heroes.
Director
Robert Lieberman
Lieberman’s directing credits include the feature films D3: The Mighty Ducks, Fire in the Sky and Table for Five. He has won 29 Clio Awards for his work in advertising and has directed such hit TV shows as Lost Girl, Republic of Doyle, Houdini & Doyle, Haven, The Expanse, Rogue, and Criminal Minds. Most recently, he directed the features Christmas in Tahoe, Love Stories in Sunflower Valley and Love on the Road.
Writers
Noel S. Baker, Jeffrey Alan Schechter, Matt Simmons, Vinay Virmani
Cast
Vinay Virmani, Russell Peters, Rob Lowe, Camilla Belle
Producers
Ajay Virmani, Don Carmody, Frank Siracusa
Genres
Comedy, Drama, Romance
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Bullying, Discrimination, ESL, Family Relationships, Newcomer Stories, Sports
Original Language
English
Language Versions
EN CC, FR Dub, FR Subtitles
Canadian Distributor
eOne
- 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
Noah Bernett, Tom Cavanagh, Ben Shenkman
Producer
Paul Brown
Genre
Comedy
Interests
Family Relationships, LGBTQ2S+, Literary Adaptation, Sports
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
Mongrel Media
Goon
Michael Dowse’s brilliant comedy is big on character and bigger on heart, sure to appeal to both die-hard hockey fans and sports-phobic audiences alike.
Director
Michael Dowse
Dowse’s credits include the cult classics Fubar, Fubar II and It’s All Gone Pete Tong. His film Goon was a huge critical and box-office success. The F Word won the CSA for Best Adapted Screenplay. Dowse also directed episodes of Man Seeking Woman, starring Jay Baruchel, the feature film Stuber, 8 Bit Christmas, and Coffee and Kareem. He is currently set to direct the film adaptation of the video game Just Cause and is developing a series about the late Toronto mayor Rob Ford.
Writers
Jay Baruchel, Evan Goldberg, Doug Smith, Adam Frattasio
Cast
Seann William Scott, Jay Baruchel, Alison Pill, Marc-André Grondin, Kim Coates
Producers
Jay Baruchel, Don Carmody, André Rouleau, Ian Dimerman, David Gross
Genres
Comedy, Drama
Interest
Sports
Original Language
English
Language Versions
EN CC, EN Subtitles, FR CC, FR Dub, FR Subtitles
Canadian Distributor
eOne
Louis Cyr: l’homme le plus fort du monde (Louis Cyr)
The top-grossing film of the year in Quebec, Louis Cyr won two Canadian Screen Awards and nine Jutra Awards, including Best Film.
Director
Daniel Roby
Roby’s feature film debut, La peau blanche, premiered at TIFF and went on to win the Canadian Screen Award for Best First Feature. He followed that with Funkytown, Louis Cyr (which swept the awards season) and Dans la brume. His most recent films are A Breath Away and Most Wanted.
Writer
Sylvain Guy
Cast
Antoine Bertrand, Guillaume Cyr, Rose-Maïté Erkoreka
Producers
Caroline Héroux, Christian Larouche
Genre
Drama
Interests
Biography, History, Sports
Original Language
French
Language Versions
EN Subtitles, FR CC
Canadian Distributor
eOne