Original Language: English
Sinking Ship
Director
Sasha Leigh Henry
Writer
Tania Thompson
Cast
Pip Dwyer, Edsson Morales, Madeleine Claude
Genre
Romance
Interest
Female Filmmaker
Original Language
English
- 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
Two Worlds Colliding
Director
Tasha Hubbard (Cree)
Hubbard is an award-winning filmmaker and an assistant professor in the University of Saskatchewan’s Department of English. Her writing-directing project 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 and nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up, which won Best Canadian Documentary at Hot Docs and at the CSAs. She is currently directing the feature doc Singing Back the Buffalo.
Writer
Tasha Hubbard (Cree)
Cast
Andrea Menard
Producer
Bonnie Thompson
Genre
Documentary
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Discrimination, Female Filmmaker, History, Indigenous Filmmaker, Social Justice & Politics
Original Language
English
Jusqu’au déclin (The Decline)
"A first feature for director Patrice Laliberté and several of his principal collaborators, The Decline is lean, credible and well-crafted” - Dennis Harvey, Variety
Director
Patrice Laliberté
Writer
Patrice Laliberté
Cast
Guillaume Laurin, Marie-Evelyne Lessard, Réal Bossé, Guillaume Laurin, Nicolas Krief
Producer
Julie Groleau
Genre
Thriller
Original Languages
English, French
- Own Voice
Jordan River Anderson, The Messenger
Master documentarian Alanis Obomsawin interviews Jordan’s family as well as other Indigenous families across Canada who have had to fight for basic human rights for their children.
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
Ernest Anderson, Jordan River Anderson, Virginia Anderson
Genre
Documentary
Interests
BIPOC Stories, History, Indigenous Filmmaker, Social Justice & Politics
Original Language
English
- Own Voice
When Morning Comes
With a languid, poetic visual style and psychologically complex depiction of relationships, When Morning Comes is a love letter to the strength and sacrifice of immigrant mothers.
Director
Kelly Fyffe-Marshall
Writer
Kelly Fyffe-Marshall
Cast
Shaquana Wilson, Djamari Roberts
Producers
Tamar Bird, Iva Golubovic, Sasha Leigh Henry
Genre
Drama
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, Newcomer Stories
Original Language
English
- Own Voice
So Much Tenderness
Director
Lina Rodríguez
Writer
Lina Rodríguez
Cast
Noëlle Schönwald, Deragh Campbell, Natalia Aranguren
Producer
Brad Deane
Genre
Drama
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Female Filmmaker, Global Experiences
Original Languages
English, Other Language
WolfCop
Director
Lowell Dean
Writer
Lowell Dean
Cast
Leo Fafard, Amy Matysio, Sarah Lind, Corinne Conley, Jesse Moss
Producers
Lowell Dean, Bernie Hernando, Deborah Marks, Danielle Masters, Hugh Patterson
Genres
Comedy, Horror
Interest
Cult & Offbeat Cinema
Original Language
English
- Own Voice
The Book of Negroes
This CBC mini-series is based on the internationally celebrated novel by Canadian author Lawrence Hill. A compelling tale of loss, courage, love and the triumph of the human spirit, it follows the extraordinary journey of Aminata Diallo (Ellis), an indomitable African woman.
In 1750, 11-year-old Aminata is kidnapped from her village in West Africa and begins a rich journey that takes her through the harrowing ordeal of slavery, to the turmoil of the American Revolution and ultimately to freedom in the British colony of Nova Scotia. Brilliant and determined, Aminata is a remarkable heroine whose unshakeable connection to her own African heritage guides her over unimaginable obstacles in her quest for freedom and ultimately allows her to assume the mantle of leadership for which she is destined.
Deeply moving and inspiring, The Book of Negroes explores painful historical realities through the unblinking eyes of a strong female protagonist whose story will stay with you long after the telling.
Director
Clement Virgo
Virgo rose to prominence with his first feature, Rude, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and garnered two Genie nominations. He has also directed the films Poor Boy’s Game and Lie With Me, and hit TV shows such as The Wire, Regenesis and The Listener. He recently produced the show Greenleaf and directed episodes of Empire and Billions. His most recent film, Brother, premiered at TIFF 2022.
Writers
Lawrence Hill, Clement Virgo
Cast
Aunjanue Ellis, Lyriq Bent, Cuba Gooding, Jr, Ben Chaplin, Allan Hawco
Producers
Damon D'Oliveira, Clement Virgo
Genre
Drama
Interests
BIPOC Stories, History, Literary Adaptation, Social Justice & Politics
Original Language
English
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, Pontypool, and the award-winning series Twitch City, episodes of Degrassi and Heartland. His recent films include Trigger, The Husband, Hellions, Weirdos and Dreamland. He recently directed the series Creeped Out and Malory Towers and is currently working on the films Switched at Death and I Have a Bad Feeling About This.
Writer
Tony Burgess
Cast
Stephen McHattie, Lisa Houle, Georgina Reilly
Producers
Jeffrey Coghlan, Ambrose Roche
Genres
Comedy, Horror, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Interests
Cult & Offbeat Cinema, Literary Adaptation
Original Language
English
Language Version
EN CC
Barney’s Version
Based on Mordecai Richler’s Giller Prize–winning bestseller of the same name, this rich and hilarious film won seven Genie Awards and was nominated for an Oscar.
“The impeccably cast confessional, with a pitch-perfect Paul Giamatti leading the way, nimbly traverses the four decades in its lead character’s eventual life with considerable exuberance, visual flair and, ultimately, grace." — Michael Rechtshaffen, Hollywood Reporter
Director
Richard J. Lewis
Lewis’s television credits include episodes of Due South, Power Play, Beggars and Choosers, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Person of Interest and many others. His critically acclaimed debut feature, Whale Music, won four Genie Awards. Recently, he has been directing for television, including episodes of Westworld and Penny Dreadful, and is currently producing the series Trigger Me.
Writer
Michael Konyves
Cast
Paul Giamatti, Rosamund Pike, Scott Speedman, Dustin Hoffman, Minnie Driver
Producer
Robert Lantos
Genres
Comedy, Drama
Interests
Family Relationships, Literary Adaptation
Original Language
English
Language Versions
EN CC, FR Dub
Vinyl
With this film, Zweig established his voice as a documentarian who is not content to be merely a fly on the wall in the lives of his subjects. Instead, he deploys the camera as a tool for engagement, rooting around in the margins of contemporary society to explore themes of beauty, addiction, love and longing in a profound and unique way.
Director
Alan Zweig
Writer
Alan Zweig
Cast
Alan Zweig, Harvey Pekar, Alan Williams, Don McKellar
Producers
Alan Zweig, Greg Klymkiw, Bruce McDonald, David McCallum
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Arts and Culture, Cult & Offbeat Cinema
Original Language
English
One Week
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
Nobody Waved Good-bye
Peter (Kastner) is an 18-year-old growing up in 1960s suburban Toronto who is totally fed up with his parents’ middle-class lifestyle. He’s on the verge of finishing high school but the thought of a conventional life climbing the corporate ladder is unbearable.
Peter yearns to strike out on his own with his girlfriend Julie, but a life of petty crime and poor decisions looms. Told in stark black and white, this tale of teenage rebellion is timeless and relatable.
One of the National Film Board’s first narrative features, Nobody Waved Good-bye is a cinematic treasure and a true Canadian classic.
Director
Don Owen
Writer
Don Owen
Cast
Peter Kastner, Julie Biggs, Claude Rae, Charmion King
Producers
Tom Daly, Roman Kroitor, Don Owen
Genre
Drama
Interests
Classics, Family Relationships
Original Language
English
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
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
Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media
Directed by Mark Achbar, who later made The Corporation, and the late Peter Wintonick, one of our country’s leading documentarians, Manufacturing Consent is a fascinating analysis of how society and the media are driven by corporate interest, and a primer on how to be a well informed citizen in spite of it all.
Directors
Mark Achbar, Peter Wintonick
Producers
Mark Achbar, Peter Wintonick, Adam Symansky
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Arts and Culture, History, Social Justice & Politics
Original Language
English
Sisters & Brothers
With a stellar cast (all of which collaborated on the film's script) including the late Cory Monteith, Gabrielle Miller and Amanda Crew, this lovably dysfunctional story presents a funny, off-kilter vision of familial connections and their intricacies.
Director
Carl Bessai
Writer
Carl Bessai
Cast
Cory Monteith, Gabrielle Miller, Amanda Crew, Tom Scholte, Dustin Milligan
Producers
Emily Alden, Carl Bessai, James Brown
Genre
Drama
Interest
Family Relationships
Original Language
English
Prom Night
This memorable slasher film was remade in 2008, but we’ll stick to the original, thanks! This gruesome and wildly fun cult hit was a drive-in-theatre hit all over the country, and garnered Jamie Lee Curtis a Genie nomination for her performance.
Director
Paul Lynch
Writers
Robert Guza Jr., William Gray
Cast
Leslie Nielsen, Jamie Lee Curtis, Casey Stevens
Producer
Peter R. Simpson
Genre
Horror
Interest
Cult & Offbeat Cinema
Original Language
English
Hurt
Although his charity marathon in 1984 was a glorious success, his subsequent exploits — precarious jobs and petty crimes —find him in a state of financial ruin in one of Canada’s toughest neighbourhoods. The unbelievable run that became his life’s greatest achievement is now a crushing burden.
Zweig’s rare and sensitive portrait of a complex one-time hero won the inaugural Platform prize at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival.
Director
Alan Zweig
Writer
Alan Zweig
Cast
Steve Fonyo
Producers
Peter Gentile, Mikey Lalonde
Genre
Documentary
Interest
Biography
Original Language
English
Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows
In 1997, at the Summer Series in Montreal, Hart put his WWF (now WWE) title on the line against Shawn Michaels, where the two privately agreed to end the fight with a no contest conclusion.
Referred to in the wrestling community as the “Montreal Screwjob,” the agreement was believed to be a secret betrayal of Hart, who was one of the WWF’s most popular performers. In the end, Michaels won the match, and Hart lost his title.
Jay’s award-winning documentary is an honest and engaging look at a world-famous career of highs and lows.
Director
Paul Jay
Writer
Paul Jay
Producers
Silva Basmajian, Sally Blake, Paul Jay, David M. Ostriker
Genre
Documentary
Interest
Biography
Original Language
English
Language Version
EN CC