Original Language: English
Intersection
Chilean refugee Daniela came to Canada as a child after her mother was assassinated during Chile's dictatorship. Her father, Pepe, never wants to speak about Chile, but when her daughter Rocío starts to ask questions, Daniela decides to apply for Chilean citizenship for a first trip back. This triggers the Chilean government to piece together records never before connected in the paper days and leads them to uncover much more than Daniela expected.
Director
Cecilia Araneda
Writer
Cecilia Araneda
Cast
Carmen Aguirre
Producers
Cecilia Araneda, Joseph Novak
Genre
Drama
Interests
Female Filmmaker, Global Experiences
Original Language
English
Enter the Drag Dragon
An amateur detective Drag Queen finds herself heading off with gangsters, zombies, and other bad guys.
Director
Lee Demarbre
Writer
Mark Pollesel
Cast
Jade London
Producer
Lee Demarbre
Genres
Action/Adventure, Comedy
Interest
LGBTQ2S+
Original Language
English
Mother of All Shows
In order for Liza to cope with the impending death of her estranged mother, she retreats to a 70's variety show in her mind where the all-powerful host is her own mother, Rosa, who leads a cast of people from Liza's past and present.
Director
Melissa D'Agostino
Writers
David James Brock, Melissa D'Agostino
Cast
Wendie Malick, Melissa D'Agostino
Producers
Matt Schichter, Matthew Campagna
Genre
Drama
Interest
Female Filmmaker
Original Language
English
Mi’ma’omakw: People of the Salmon
For well over ten thousand years, the First Nations of BC’s Broughton Archipelago have lived in harmony with their environment, thriving on a diet of wild salmon and seafood which they’ve stewarded sustainably… that is, until Norwegian owned open net pen fish farms showed up and began polluting these coastal waters with their waste, parasites and diseases. Now, these nations are reclaiming their territories, leading the science-based removal of fish farms in an effort to bring back wild salmon.
Director
Damien Gillis
Genre
Documentary
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Environment
Original Language
English
The King Tide
After the mayor of an idyllic island village discovers a child with mysterious powers awash on their shores, the once peaceful community devolves into civil war, torn over the belief that the child is the next saviour.
Director
Christian Sparkes
Writers
Kevin Coughlin, Ryan Grassby, Albert Shin, William Woods
Cast
Frances Fisher
Producers
William Woods, Allison White
Genres
Drama, Thriller
Original Language
English
Autumn and the Black Jaguar
A young girl who befriended the last remaining black jaguar in the world goes on an incredible journey to fight the poachers who have depleted the jaguar population, and to prevent the extinction of the species.
Director
Gilles de Maistre
Writer
Prune de Maistre
Cast
Emily Bett Rickards, Lumi Pollack, Wayne Charles Baker, Paul Greene
Producers
Jonathan Vanger, Sylvain Proulx, Gilles de Maistre, Catherine Camborde, Marco Colombo
Genres
Comedy, Family
Interest
Strong Female Leads
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
Photon Films
I Used to be Funny
Director
Ally Pankiw
Writer
Ally Pankiw
Cast
Rachel Sennott, Olga Petsa, Jason Jones
Producers
Breann Smordin, James Weyman, Jason Aita
Genres
Comedy, Drama
Interests
Female Filmmaker, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
levelFILM
Lovable
Love: Why is it so difficult? That’s the question at the heart of Alan Zweig’s poignant and personal meditation about heartache and the inability to find ‘the one’. But rather than focusing solely on himself, he turns the camera outwards, getting a range of perspectives from single female friends that show the highs and lows of their relationships, and why they think it’s never worked out for them.
Using his distinctive style and wit, Zweig manages to make a film that anyone, no matter their relationship status, can relate to, and resonate with.
Director
Alan Zweig
Writer
Alan Zweig
Cast
Alan Zweig
Genre
Documentary
Interest
Biography
Original Language
English
Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe
For so many Canadians, Ernie Coombs and his character Mr. Dressup was an enduring childhood fixture, promoting the power of creativity, play and imagination. This heartwarming documentary traces the roots of this universally celebrated and uniquely Canadian children’s programme, its enduring legacy, and how it stayed true to its aim throughout its run of almost 30 years.
Winner of the People’s Choice Award for Best Documentary at TIFF, Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe is an absolute crowd-pleaser that is sure to bring a tear to your eye.
“The Magic of Make-Believe not only serves as a reminder of the joy Coombs brought to our young lives, but it also emphasizes the need for Mr. Dressup's patience and kindness today more than ever.” – Rachel Ho, Exclaim!
Director
Robert McCallum
Writers
Robert McCallum, Jordan Christopher Morris
Producers
Nina Keogh, Matthew Hornburg, Mark J.W. Bishop, Jordan Christopher Morris, Aeschylus Poulos
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Arts and Culture, Biography, ESL, History, Newcomer Stories
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
Amazon
- Own Voice
Hey, Viktor!
Twenty-five years after starring in the hit 90s film Smoke Signals, Cody Lightning directs and stars in this uproarious mockumentary about a fictionalized version of himself attempting to make a sequel. When a mysterious fan offers a full budget for the film, Cody jumps at the chance, promising the full participation of the original cast. The only thing standing in his way is the small fact that the entire original cast hates him.
A refreshing and occasionally raunchy comedy, this charming underdog story is a great movie about how to make a terrible one.
Director
Cody Lightning (Cree)
Writer
Cody Lightning (Cree)
Cast
Cody Lightning (Cree)
Producers
Blake McWilliam, Sara Corry, Samuel Miller, Kyle Thomas
Genre
Comedy
Interests
Arts and Culture, BIPOC Stories, Cult & Offbeat Cinema, Indigenous Filmmaker
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
levelFILM
- Own Voice
My Animal
Living with a curse that turns her into a wolf if she’s out of the house after midnight, Heather (Menuez) is kept on a tight leash by her overbearing parents. But everything changes when she falls for the new girl in town, Jonny (Stenberg). The two form an instant connection, but as their relationship develops, it causes Heather to rebel, increasing the risk that her secret could be exposed – with disastrous consequences.
A stylish and tense horror-romance, this exciting first feature from director Jacqueline Castel features amazing performances from its two emerging leads, brought together with a cast of Canadian icons.
“My Animal marks an impressive, confident feature debut for several key talents.” – Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter
Director
Jacqueline Castel
Writer
Jae Matthews
Cast
Amandla Stenberg, Bobbi Salvör Menuez
Producers
Andrew Bronfman, Michael Solomon
Genres
Drama, Horror, Romance
Interests
Cult & Offbeat Cinema, Female Filmmaker, LGBTQ2S+
Original Language
English
Seven Veils
After the death of her mentor, Jeanine (Seyfried) takes over the task of directing his production of the opera Salome, a piece they had collaborated on previously, to create his most celebrated work. But with the spectre of their complicated relationship still affecting her decisions, and mounting problems within the cast and crew as well as her personal life, Jeanine’s whole world could come crashing down at any second.
This stylish new psychological drama from Atom Egoyan, shot on location at the renowned Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, features an electric performance from Amanda Seyfried at the head of a terrific ensemble cast.
“A wildly ambitious, visually intoxicating reinterpretation of the Richard Strauss opera, Salome, that proves to possess almost as many layers as the Biblical princess’ famous dance routine.” – Michael Rechtshaffen, The Hollywood Reporter
Director
Atom Egoyan
Egoyan received the Governor General’s award in 2015 for Lifetime Artistic Achievement. He was the first-ever Canadian director to earn two Oscar nominations (for The Sweet Hereafter). His award-winning films include Exotica, Ararat and The Captive. His most recent film, Guest of Honour, premiered at TIFF 2019.
Writer
Atom Egoyan
Cast
Amanda Seyfried, Rebecca Liddiard
Producers
Niv Fichman, Fraser Ash, Atom Egoyan, Kevin Krikst, Simone Urdl
Genre
Drama
Interest
Strong Female Leads
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
Elevation Pictures
- Own Voice
The Queen of My Dreams
Azra (Kaur), a young Queer Pakistani-Canadian woman, has long felt disconnected from her mother, Mariam (Bucha). Reuniting in Pakistan for her father’s funeral in 1999, flashbacks to 30 years earlier show a young Mariam (played in a dual role by Kaur) falling in love with Azra’s father, Hassan (Haq). Jumping back and forth between these two coming-of-age stories, the connections between mother and daughter become more and more clear – but will they realise this in time to save their relationship?
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
Writer
Fawzia Mirza
Cast
Amrit Kaur
Producers
Marc Tetreault, Jason Levangie, Andria Wilson
Genres
Comedy, Drama, Romance
Interests
Asian Filmmaker, BIPOC Stories, Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, LGBTQ2S+, Newcomer Stories, Strong Female Leads
Original Languages
English, Other Language
Canadian Distributor
Cineplex Pictures
Director
Yuan Zhang
Genre
Animation
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Global Experiences
Original Languages
English, French
Language Versions
EN CC, FR CC
Hockey Night
A Canadian sports classic, Hockey Night features the on-screen debut of Yannick Bisson (Murdoch Mysteries) and memorable performances from Rick Moranis and Megan Follows (Anne of Green Gables).
Director
Paul Shapiro
Writers
Jack Blum, Paul Shapiro
Cast
Megan Follows, Rick Moranis, Gail Youngs
Producer
Martin Harbury
Genres
Drama, Family
Interests
Classics, Discrimination, Sports, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
English
Language Version
EN CC
Director
Janet Perlman
Genre
Animation
Interest
Female Filmmaker
Original Languages
English, French
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
Angakusajaujuq – The Shaman’s Apprentice
Director
Zacharias Kunuk (Inuk)
In 2015, Atanarjuat was selected as TIFF’s number one Canadian film of all time. Kunuk has directed shorts such as Exile and Home and features such as Maliglutit, which was nominated for two CSAs. He recently directed the series Hunting With My Ancestors and executive produced SGaawaay K'uuna (Edge of the Knife). His latest feature, One Day in the Life of Noah Piugattuk, premiered at TIFF 2019. Most recently, he directed the short The Shaman’s Apprentice, which won the CSA for Best Animated Short among other awards at festivals worldwide.
Writers
Jonathan Frantz, Zacharias Kunuk (Inuk)
Cast
Madeline Piujuq Ivalu (Inuk), Jacky Qrunnut, Lucy Tulugarjuk (Inuk)
Producers
Neil Christopher, Jonathan Frantz, Zacharias Kunuk (Inuk), Nadia Mike
Genre
Animation
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Indigenous Filmmaker, Strong Female Leads
Original Languages
English, Inuktitut
Director
Jamie Mason
Genre
Animation
Interest
Literary Adaptation
Original Languages
English, French
- 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