Breakaway

Director Robert Lieberman
Year 2011
Run Time 101min
Genre Comedy, Drama, Romance
Rajveer Singh (Virmani) is struggling to balance the wishes of his traditional Sikh family and his own true passion for hockey. Raj and his friends play only for fun, held back by the prejudice and mockery of other teams as their turban-clad crew steps onto the ice. Enter Coach Dan Winters (Lowe) and soon the Speedy Singhs are competing in a real tournament, while Raj is falling in love with the coach’s beautiful sister, Melissa (Belle).

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

Defendor

Director Peter Stebbings
Year 2009
Run Time 101min
Genre Action/Adventure, Comedy, Drama
By day, Arthur Poppington (Harrelson) works at a construction site; by night, he is the mighty Defendor, a costumed vigilante who keeps Hamilton safe from his arch nemesis, Captain Industry.

Outfitted in a homemade costume, Defendor may not have special powers, but he is nonetheless dedicated to protecting the streets and fighting crime. He battles a corrupt cop (Koteas), befriends the tough and streetwise Kat (Dennings) and schemes to bring down a local mob boss, all while a court-appointed psychiatrist (Oh) tries to get to the bottom of his conviction that he is, in fact, a superhero.

Turning the superhero genre on its head, Defendor is a bittersweet and emotionally affecting take on our comic book–obsessed culture.

Director

Peter Stebbings

Stebbings’ directorial debut was Defendor, and his second film, Empire of Dirt, was nominated for five CSAs. As an actor, his numerous credits include Citizen Duane, The Borgias, Bates Motel, Counting for Thunder and his newest film Percy Vs Goliath. He recently directed The Disappearance, which garnered four CSAs, and episodes of Frankie Drake Mysteries, The Sounds, and Killjoys. He is currently writing and directing the feature Running with Monsters.

Writer

Peter Stebbings

Cast

Woody Harrelson, Kat Dennings, Sandra Oh, Elias Koteas

Producer

Nicholas Tabarrok

Genres

Action/Adventure, Comedy, Drama

Interests

Arts and Culture, Cult & Offbeat Cinema

Original Language

English

Language Versions

EN CC, FR Dub

Canadian Distributor

eOne

Fido

Director Andrew Currie
Year 2006
Run Time 91min
Genre Comedy, Horror
Welcome to Willard, an idyllic town in a 1950s parallel universe where the sun shines every day, everybody knows their neighbour and zombies carry the mail.

Visually captivating, sly and clever, Fido follows the Robinson family, who have been hesitant to get a zombie of their own even though everyone on the block has one. All that changes when Mom (Moss) buys Fido (Connolly), and the loveable brute becomes young Timmy’s best friend. Fido is a funny, satirical and refreshing movie with an all-star cast and a standout performance by Billy Connolly as Fido.

“Currie’s zombie comedy is in a class by itself.”
— Lori Fireman, NOW Magazine

Director

Andrew Currie

Currie attended Simon Fraser University and the CFC. His feature films Mile Zero and Fido garnered international acclaim and awards. He recently directed The Steps and produced the feature Indian Road Trip and the short film Cloud Striker. He is currently writing and directing the feature The Invisibles.

Writers

Robert Chomiak, Andrew Currie, Dennis Heaton

Cast

Carrie-Anne Moss, Billy Connolly, Dylan Baker, Henry Czerny

Producers

Blake Corbet, Mary Anne Waterhouse

Genres

Comedy, Horror

Interests

Cult & Offbeat Cinema, Social Justice & Politics

Original Language

English

Language Version

FR Dub

Canadian Distributor

TVA Films

Goon

Director Michael Dowse
Year 2011
Run Time 92min
Genre Comedy, Drama
A misfit among his brainy family members, lovable bouncer Doug “The Thug” Glatt (Scott) has a righteous left hook. His fighting skills are so strong, in fact, that he unexpectedly lands a spot on a minor-league Canadian hockey team, where his role as “enforcer” has him dropping gloves with opposing players to put them “on ice.”

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

The Grand Seduction

Director Don McKellar
Year 2013
Run Time 113min
Genre Comedy, Drama
A funny and fresh English-language adaptation of the 2003 Quebecois comedy La grande séduction, this film tells the tale of a small fishing village in Newfoundland that must secure a new doctor in order to keep the community alive.

When city doctor Paul Lewis (Kitsch) arrives for a court-ordered trial residence, the townsfolk rally to charm and hoodwink him into staying. Under the guidance of an unemployed fisherman (Gleeson), they go to hilarious lengths to fabricate all the amenities of the big city and make it seem as though their sleepy town has everything Dr. Lewis could possibly want. Will the good doc fall for their tricks, or will he see through them to the truth about small town life?

Director

Don McKellar

McKellar is a prolific filmmaker and actor whose work has garnered numerous awards. He wrote Highway 61, The Red Violin and Thirty-Two Short Films About Glenn Gould, and wrote, directed and starred in Last Night (which won the Prix de la jeunesse at the Cannes film festival), and Childstar, and has directed several other films. He recently starred in Meditation Park, Crimes of the Future, and directed Sensitive Skin. Currently, he is writing episodes for Park Chan-wook’s The Sympathizer, which he is also executive producing.

Writers

Michael Dowse, Ken Scott

Cast

Taylor Kitsch, Brendan Gleeson, Gordon Pinsent, Liane Balaban

Producers

Barbara Doran, Roger Frappier

Genres

Comedy, Drama

Interest

ESL

Original Language

English

Language Versions

EN CC, FR Dub, FR Subtitles

Canadian Distributor

eOne

How She Move

Director Ian Iqbal Rashid
Year 2007
Run Time 94min
Genre Drama
Featuring wild choreography, booming rhythms and incredible moves by a talented cast, How She Move is an inspirational story with a solid dance core.

After the tragic death of her older sister, Raya (Wesley) must leave her private school and go back home to help her parents deal with their financial difficulties. Raya dreams of becoming a doctor, but soon finds herself drawn back into the world of dance she thought she’d left behind forever.

With her scholarship dreams on hold, Raya sets her sights on the $50,000 prize in the Stomp Monster competition. A gifted dancer but out of step with life in the old ’hood, Raya soon makes enemies with Michelle (Armstrong), the sexy leader of a rival stomp crew. Juggling school, stomp, friends and family, Raya struggles to stay on top of her game.

Director

Ian Iqbal Rashid

Rashid’s first feature, Touch of Pink, won several awards at festivals worldwide. He was the founder of Desh Pardesh, Canada’s first festival focusing on diasporic South Asian arts and culture.He has also written three award winning books of poetry. Most recently, he produced the TV show Sort Of, as well as writing two episodes of the series.

Writer

Annmarie Morais

Cast

Rutina Wesley, Dwain Murphy, Tré Armstrong, Clé Bennett

Producers

Brent Barclay, Jennifer Kawaja, Julia Sereny

Genre

Drama

Interests

Arts and Culture, Asian Filmmaker, BIPOC Stories, Family Relationships, Strong Female Leads

Original Language

English

Language Versions

EN CC, FR Dub, FR Subtitles

Canadian Distributor

Mongrel Media

Hyena Road

Director Paul Gross
Year 2015
Run Time 120min
Genre Action/Adventure, Drama, Thriller
Barren landscapes. Unseen enemies. Hyena Road depicts the recent war in Afghanistan, where peaceful peoples trying to live their lives find themselves caught in cross-fire.

Under the command of Captain Pete Mitchell (Gross), ace sniper Ryan Sanders (Sutherland) has caught wind of a dangerous insurgency. Stopping it will take the cooperation of Afghan locals and the dogged efforts of Canadian troops. Showing how forces on either side can work together to prevent senseless tragedy, Hyena Road goes down a dusty, dirty, thunderous path.

Hyena Road won three Canadian Screen Awards.

“The goal of the movie is truth-telling rather than flag-waving, but it also succeeds as impactful storytelling.”
— Peter Howell, Toronto Star

Director

Paul Gross

Gross starred in the hit TV series Due South and Slings & Arrows. He directed, wrote and starred in Men With Brooms, which won a Canadian Comedy Award, as well as Hyena Road and Passchendaele, which won a Genie for best film. Gross also starred in the mini-series Alias Grace and Caught, the series Tales of the City and Y: The Last Man, and the films Falling and The Middle Man.

Writer

Paul Gross

Cast

Allan Hawco, Rossif Sutherland, Paul Gross, Christine Horne

Producers

Paul Gross, Niv Fichman

Genres

Action/Adventure, Drama, Thriller

Interests

Global Experiences, Social Justice & Politics

Original Language

English

Language Versions

EN CC, FR Dub

Canadian Distributor

Elevation Pictures

I’ve Heard the Mermaids Singing

Director Patricia Rozema
Year 1987
Run Time 81min
Genre Drama
In Patricia Rozema’s fanciful character study, aspiring photographer Polly (McCarthy) lands a job at a Toronto art gallery run by Gabrielle (Baillargeon), who is also a painter. Polly is impressed with Gabrielle’s paintings, but as Polly gets to know her lover Mary (MacDonald) and becomes entangled in their lives, she realizes Gabrielle isn’t exactly who she appears to be.

Though timid on the outside, Polly’s inner life is rich and full of charming fantasies which Rozema brings to life in black & white sequences that punctuate the film with humour and whimsy.

The film won the award for Best First Feature at the Cannes Film Festival, and in 1993 was ranked as one of TIFF’s Top 10 Canadian Films of All Time.

Director

Patricia Rozema

Writer

Patricia Rozema

Cast

Sheila McCarthy, Paule Baillargeon, Ann-Marie MacDonald

Producers

Don Haig, Alexandra Raffe, Patricia Rozema

Genre

Drama

Interests

BIPOC Stories, Female Filmmaker, LGBTQ2S+

Original Language

English

Language Versions

EN CC, FR Dub, FR Subtitles

Canadian Distributor

eOne

  • Own Voice

Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance

Director Alanis Obomsawin (Abenaki)
Year 1993
Run Time 119min
Genre Documentary
In July of 1990, the Oka Crisis was a critical moment in contemporary Canadian history and a turning point for Indigenous affairs. That summer, as the small Quebec community was thrust into the international spotlight, master filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin spent 78 nail-biting days filming the armed stand-off between the Mohawks of Kanehsatake, Quebec, the Quebec police and the Canadian army.

This powerful documentary takes you right to the heart of the action, painting a sensitive and deeply affecting portrait of the people behind the barricades.

Winner of the Toronto International Film Festival’s Best Canadian Feature Film prize.

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)

Producers

Wolf Koenig, Colin Neale, Alanis Obomsawin (Abenaki)

Genre

Documentary

Interests

BIPOC Stories, Classics, Environment, Female Filmmaker, History, Indigenous Filmmaker, Social Justice & Politics

Original Language

English

Language Versions

EN CC, EN Subtitles, FR CC, FR Dub, FR Subtitles

Canadian Distributor

National Film Board (NFB)

Last Night

Director Don McKellar
Year 1998
Run Time 95min
Genre Comedy, Drama
As the year 2000 drew near, paranoia around “Y2K” was rampant. Don McKellar responded to the anxiety around potential computer meltdowns by coming up with this witty and dystopic film. As the film begins, the last day of 1999 has truly become the “last night.” The apocalypse is here: Humanity will die at midnight. As rioting and looting begin to take place in Toronto, disparate groups of people prepare to meet their fate. A young architect (McKellar) plans to go out solo, while his best friend (Rennie) attempts to have as many sexual conquests as possible. When the architect meets a stranded young woman (Oh) who can’t f ind her husband (Cronenberg), a strange and intense relationship quickly develops.

Last Night received 13 Genie nominations, winning Best Actress (Oh), Best Supporting Actor (Rennie) and the Claude Jutra Award for the direction of a first feature film (McKellar). The film also won the Prix de la jeunesse at the Cannes film festival.

Director

Don McKellar

McKellar is a prolific filmmaker and actor whose work has garnered numerous awards. He wrote Highway 61, The Red Violin and Thirty-Two Short Films About Glenn Gould, and wrote, directed and starred in Last Night (which won the Prix de la jeunesse at the Cannes film festival), and Childstar, and has directed several other films. He recently starred in Meditation Park, Crimes of the Future, and directed Sensitive Skin. Currently, he is writing episodes for Park Chan-wook’s The Sympathizer, which he is also executive producing.

Writer

Don McKellar

Cast

Don McKellar, Sandra Oh, David Cronenberg, Callum Keith Rennie, Sarah Polley

Producers

Caroline Benjo, Carole Scotta, Niv Fichman, Daniel Iron

Genres

Comedy, Drama

Interests

Classics, Cult & Offbeat Cinema, Strong Female Leads

Original Language

English

Language Versions

EN CC, FR Dub

Canadian Distributor

Rhombus Media

Maïna

Director Michel Poulette
Year 2013
Run Time 102min
Genre Action/Adventure, Drama
An adventure story that is both epic and intimate, Maïna is set in the Far North, in the time before the arrival of the Europeans. During a bloody battle between the Innu and Inuit tribes, an 11-year-old boy, Nipki, is captured by the Inuit. Maïna (Supernault), the daughter of the Innu Grand Chief (Greene), promises her dying friend Matsii that she will rescue the boy, embarking on a dangerous mission that will forever change the course of her life.

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

Mambo Italiano

Director Émile Gaudreault
Year 2003
Run Time 99min
Genre Comedy, Drama
A rollicking comedy that takes place in a colourful version of Montreal’s Petite Italie, Mambo Italiano is the tale of Angelo Barbarini (Kirby), the son of Italian-Canadian immigrants, who has been teased all his life for being “different.”

At nearly 30 years of age, Angelo shocks his parents — and the entire community — by brazenly defying tradition: He moves out to live his own life despite not being married. Free at last, he falls in love with his long-lost childhood chum Nino (Miller), and the two move in together. They try to keep their sexuality a secret, while their families worry, suspect and scheme to set them up with nice Italian girls. It’s not easy being Italian and gay, and when the pressures of his double life begin to overwhelm Angelo, his reactions set off an explosively funny chain of surprise revelations, comic reversals and unexpected outcomes.

Mambo Italiano was nominated for six Canadian Comedy Awards.

Director

Émile Gaudreault

Gaudreault co-wrote Louis 19, le roi des ondes, which Ron Howard adapted into EDtv. Gaudreault both co-wrote and directed De pere en flic (the highest-grossing French-language film in Canadian history), Le vrai du faux, Le sens de l'humour and Mambo Italiano, which earned six Canadian Comedy Award nominations. He also wrote and directed De père en flic 2, and most recently, the comedy Menteur. He also co-wrote the upcoming Lignes de fuite, and is producing the English-language remake of De père en flic, Fathers and Guns.

Writers

Steve Galluccio, Émile Gaudreault

Cast

Luke Kirby, Ginette Reno, Paul Sorvino, Peter Miller, Mary Walsh

Producers

Daniel Louis, Denise Robert

Genres

Comedy, Drama

Interests

Family Relationships, LGBTQ2S+

Original Language

English

Language Version

FR Dub

Men with Brooms

Director Paul Gross
Year 2002
Run Time 103min
Genre Comedy, Romance
After the success of the TV series Due South, Paul Gross went on to create this mainstream Canadian comedy hit, with romance, music (The Tragically Hip appear as a rival team) and, of course, curling.

When Chris Cutter (Gross) returns to his small hometown to bury his former curling coach, he is inspired to reunite the old team and try to win the Golden Broom. Nothing has been the same in town since Chris’s departure 10 years earlier — Chris’s old teammates and his own father (Nielsen) are disappointed in life, and the coach’s daughters Amy (Parker) and Julie (Nolden) have become, respectively, a drunk and an astronaut. Despite the odds, the rag-tag group of misfits unites to compete in the championship, with heartwarming and hilarious results.

Director

Paul Gross

Gross starred in the hit TV series Due South and Slings & Arrows. He directed, wrote and starred in Men With Brooms, which won a Canadian Comedy Award, as well as Hyena Road and Passchendaele, which won a Genie for best film. Gross also starred in the mini-series Alias Grace and Caught, the series Tales of the City and Y: The Last Man, and the films Falling and The Middle Man.

Writers

Paul Gross, John Krizanc, Paul Quarrington

Cast

Paul Gross, Leslie Nielsen, Molly Parker, Michelle Nolden, The Tragically Hip

Producer

Robert Lantos

Genres

Comedy, Romance

Interest

Sports

Original Language

English

Language Versions

EN CC, FR Dub, FR Subtitles

Canadian Distributor

eOne

New Waterford Girl

Director Allan Moyle
Year 2000
Run Time 97min
Genre Comedy, Drama
Moonie Pottie (Balaban) is a 15-year-old misfit who will do anything to get out of dreary New Waterford, Nova Scotia. Lou Benzoa (Spencer-Nairn) is a tough girl from the Bronx who couldn’t be happier to be moving to the seaside hamlet.

Lou is as extroverted and impulsive as Moonie is shy and withdrawn, and soon their unlikely friendship starts turning the town upside down. Lou wins over the local girls by punishing their two-timing boyfriends, while Moonie plans a new life in NYC. Hilarious and exuberant, New Waterford Girl paints a touching picture of coming of age in a small town.

The film was nominated for seven Genie Awards.

Director

Allan Moyle

Director, screenwriter and actor Moyle wrote the seminal Canadian films Montreal Main and The Rubber Gun, and directed the latter. His film credits also include Times Square, Pump Up the Volume, Man in the Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story and Weirdsville. He most recently directed the documentary How Sweet It Is.

Writer

Tricia Fish

Cast

Liane Balaban, Andrew McCarthy, Tara Spencer-Nairn, Nicholas Campbell, Mary Walsh

Producers

Jennifer Kawaja, Julia Sereny

Genres

Comedy, Drama

Interests

ESL, Family Relationships, Sports, Strong Female Leads

Original Language

English

Language Versions

FR Dub, FR Subtitles

  • Own Voice

Nurse.Fighter.Boy

Director Charles Officer
Year 2008
Run Time 93min
Genre Drama
Jude (LeBlanc) is a nurse and single mom struggling with health issues while trying to raise her son, Ciel (Gordon). Ciel is a dreamy 12-year-old boy who loves music, magic and, of course, his mother. Silence (Johnson) is a middle-aged boxer who lands in Jude’s hospital after an illegal fight. Down on his luck but trying to turn his life around, Silence is lost until he meets Jude.

As Jude’s illness becomes more serious, Ciel learns to trust Silence, a new source of strength in their small, tight-knit family. Beautifully acted, shot in vibrant colour, and featuring an unforgettable soundtrack, Nurse.Fighter.Boy is sure to cast its spell on you.

Nurse.Fighter.Boy is a … gem of a movie.” — Liz Braun, Sun Media

Director

Charles Officer

Actor, writer and filmmaker Officer’s first feature, Nurse.Fighter.Boy, was nominated for 10 Genies, winning one. Officer also directed the docs Mighty Jerome, The Skin We're In, Unarmed Verses, and Invisible Essence: The Little Prince, as well as the feature Akilla's Escape, which won five CSAs. He has recently directed episodes of Coroner, and executive produced and co-directed The Porter. He’s also the executive producer of the upcoming docs The Art of Dance and Emmanuel.

Writers

Charles Officer, Ingrid Veninger

Cast

Clark Johnson, Karen LeBlanc, Daniel J. Gordon

Producers

Ingrid Veninger, Justine Whyte

Genre

Drama

Interests

BIPOC Stories, Black Filmmaker, ESL, Family Relationships, Sports, Strong Female Leads

Original Language

English

Language Version

FR Dub

Canadian Distributor

Mongrel Media

One Week

Director Michael McGowan
Year 2008
Run Time 94min
Genre Drama
Ben Tyler (Jackson) is a young guy with a comfortable life, a good job as an English teacher and a sensible fiancée, Samantha (Balaban). When his doctor unexpectedly tells him he has cancer and “maybe two years, maybe one week” to live, Ben’s only chance is to start treatment immediately. Instead, he decides to buy a motorcycle and head out west.

A classic road trip movie featuring lots of Canadian icons (like Gord Downie of The Tragically Hip), One Week follows Ben’s journey from Toronto to Tofino. Along the way, Ben makes new friends and re-evaluates his life, his job and his upcoming marriage. As his fiancée and family back home struggle to understand his decision, Ben rediscovers himself, reawakens his old passion for writing and ultimately learns to appreciate life.

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

Joshua Jackson, Liane Balaban, Campbell Scott, Fiona Reid

Producers

Nicholas de Pencier, Jane Tattersall, Michael McGowan

Genre

Drama

Interests

ESL, Family Relationships

Original Language

English

Language Version

FR Dub

Canadian Distributor

Mongrel Media

Passchendaele

Director Paul Gross
Year 2008
Run Time 114min
Genre Action/Adventure, Drama, Romance
Set during the height of WWI, Passchendaele tells the moving story of an important event in Canadian history through the eyes of Sergeant Michael Dunne (Gross), a soldier who is wounded in France and returns to Calgary emotionally and physically scarred.

While recovering, Dunne meets Sarah (Dhavernas) and becomes determined to win her heart. When Sarah’s asthmatic younger brother David (Dinicol) enlists to fight in the war, Michael returns to the battlefield in order to protect him. The two men are sent to fight against impossible odds in the battle of Passchendaele.

The film won six Genies, including Best Picture and Best Actor, for Paul Gross.

Director

Paul Gross

Gross starred in the hit TV series Due South and Slings & Arrows. He directed, wrote and starred in Men With Brooms, which won a Canadian Comedy Award, as well as Hyena Road and Passchendaele, which won a Genie for best film. Gross also starred in the mini-series Alias Grace and Caught, the series Tales of the City and Y: The Last Man, and the films Falling and The Middle Man.

Writer

Paul Gross

Cast

Paul Gross, Caroline Dhavernas, Gil Bellows, Joe Dinicol

Producers

Frank Siracusa, Paul Gross, Francis Damberger, Niv Fichman

Genres

Action/Adventure, Drama, Romance

Interests

ESL, History

Original Language

English

Language Versions

EN CC, EN Subtitles, FR CC, FR Dub, FR Subtitles

Canadian Distributor

eOne

Project Grizzly

Director Peter Lynch
Year 1996
Run Time 72min
Genre Action/Adventure, Documentary
When Troy Hurtubise was attacked by a grizzly bear in 1984, he decided that he would never be a victim again and set about constructing an armoured suit that could withstand a grizzly attack. Built out of titanium, rubber and chain mail, and supported by interior air bags, the 145-pound (66-kilogram) suit (with Hurtubise often in it) is clobbered by baseball bats, thrown off cliffs and hit by a pickup truck. Seen around the world and even spoofed on The Simpsons, Project Grizzly has become a cult favourite.

The most hilarious scenes in the film feature Hurtubise as a kind of Japanese robot, willingly testing himself and his suit. The journey takes him to the Rockies…and to some scenes of self-awareness.

“One of the most provocatively entertaining and loopily Canadian documentaries of the decade.” — Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star

“It’s fantastic.” — Quentin Tarantino

Director

Peter Lynch

Lynch earned international success with his wildly popular and critically-acclaimed Project Grizzly. His features include The Herd, Cyberman, A Whale of a Tale and Dem Bones. Lynch won a Genie for his short film Arrowhead. His most recent feature film, Birdland, was released in 2018.

Cast

Troy Hurtubise

Producers

Michael Allder, Gerry Flahive, Louise Lore

Genres

Action/Adventure, Documentary

Interests

Biography, Classics, Cult & Offbeat Cinema

Original Language

English

Language Versions

FR Dub, FR Subtitles

Canadian Distributor

National Film Board (NFB)

Ballerina

Directors Éric Summer, Éric Warin
Year 2016
Run Time 89min
Genre Animation, Comedy, Family
Eleven-year-old orphan Félicie (Elle Fanning) has one dream: to go to Paris and become a dancer. Her best friend Victor (Dane DeHaan), a highly imaginative boy, has a dream of his own: to become a famous inventor. In a leap of faith, Victor and Félicie leave their orphanage in pursuit of their passions. But there’s a catch —Félicie must pretend to be the child of a wealthy family in order to get into a prestigious ballet school, where she quickly learns that talent alone is not enough to overcome the ruthless attitudes of her fellow classmates, led by Camille le Haut (Maddie Ziegler) and her wicked mother, Régine (Julie Khaner).

Determined to succeed, Félicie finds her mentor in the tough and mysterious school custodian, Odette (Carly Rae Jepsen), who, along with Victor’s encouraging friendship, helps her reach for the stars.

Directors

Éric Summer, Éric Warin

Writers

Éric Summer, Laurent Zeitoun, Carol Noble

Cast

Elle Fanning, Dane DeHaan, Carly Rae Jepsen

Producers

Valérie d'Auteuil, Nicolas Duval-Adassovsky

Genres

Animation, Comedy, Family

Interests

Arts and Culture, Strong Female Leads

Original Language

English

Language Versions

EN CC, FR Dub, FR Subtitles

Canadian Distributor

eOne

Maudie

Director Aisling Walsh
Year 2016
Run Time 115min
Genre Drama, Romance
Maudie is based on the true story of Nova Scotia painter Maud Lewis, who overcame the physical challenge of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis to become one of Canada's best known and most loved folk artists.

The fragile but determined Maudie (Sally Hawkins) yearns for independence from her over-protective family and dreams of creating art. When she answers an ad for a housekeeper placed by a reclusive fish seller (Ethan Hawke), she gains more than just the freedom she wanted, as the unlikely pair develops a relationship that is intensely intimate and just as challenging.

A touching and inspiring story about following one's dreams in spite of life's obstacles, Maudie is an absolute charmer.

"Maudie breaks your heart with its infectious positivity." - Tomris Laffly, Time Out

Director

Aisling Walsh

Walsh's previous projects include feature films The Daisy Chain and Song for a Raggy Boy, as well as directing over a dozen TV movies and shows, including Room at the Top, which won a BAFTA for Best Miniseries, and the TV movies A Poet in New York and An Inspector Calls. She most recently made the TV movie Elizabeth Is Missing. Next she will be directing Ethel's Orchestra and producing The Ballroom.

Writer

Sherry White

Cast

Sally Hawkins, Ethan Hawke

Producers

Mary Young Leckie, Sally Hawkins, Ethan Hawke

Genres

Drama, Romance

Interests

Arts and Culture, Biography, ESL, Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, History, Strong Female Leads

Original Language

English

Language Versions

EN CC, FR Dub, FR Subtitles

Canadian Distributor

Mongrel Media