Original Language: French
Le givre de Bobby-Yves
Directors
Bogdan Anifrani, Ranee Inez
Writers
Bogdan Anifrani, Ranee Inez
Producer
Sharon Corder
Genre
Drama
Interests
Arts and Culture, Environment, Female Filmmaker
Original Language
French
Mon Cirque à Moi (My Very Own Circus)
While some children may want to run away and join the circus, Laura (Jasmine Lemée), a young girl in rural Quebec, has grown up in a travelling circus and desperately wants a normal life. Her father (Patrick Huard) is a clown in the circus and can't understand the need for a conventional life, believing that learning happens on the road. As their differences become more apparent, he must accept the fact that his daughter may not want to follow in his footsteps, and let her live the life that she wants.
Miryam Bouchard's debut feature Mon cirque à moi is a heartwarming and hilarious crowd-pleaser that celebrates the power of family in all of its forms.
Director
Miryam Bouchard
Bouchard is an award-winning writer and director. She started her career by directing music videos, and has directed many shorts and TV series, including M’entends-tu?, L'Échappée, Mon ex à moi, Les Chroniques d'une mère indigne, Yin Yang, and La guerre des sexes. Mon Cirque à Moi was her debut feature. She has also directed Lignes de fruite and 23 Décembre.
Writers
Miryam Bouchard, Martin Forget
Cast
Patrick Huard, Jasmine Lemée, Sophie Lorain, Robin Aubert
Producer
Antonello Cozzolino
Genre
Comedy
Interests
Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
French
Language Version
EN Subtitles
Canadian Distributor
eOne
The Ghosts in Our Machine
In a film that explores the rights of non-human animals through the compassionate lens of international photographer Jo-Anne McArthur, we meet individual animals living within — and rescued from — the machine of our modern world.
Director
Liz Marshall
Writer
Liz Marshall
Producers
Nina Beveridge, Liz Marshall
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Environment, Female Filmmaker, Social Justice & Politics
Original Languages
English, French, Other Language
Canadian Distributor
INDIECAN ENTERTAINMENT INC
Fight Like Soldiers, Die Like Children
In 1994, then-General Roméo Dallaire was on the ground in Rwanda as a genocide unfolded. He returned to Canada haunted by these memories, and has found a new mission: to end the recruitment of child soldiers around the world.
In this important and affecting documentary based on his book They Fight Like Soldiers, They Die Like Children, Dallaire travels across Africa and North America speaking with child soldiers, self-defence groups, militia leaders and those trying to help these children. As he searches for solutions to this horrific practice, animated sequences are interspersed to add the first-person voice of Michel Chikwanine, a former child soldier, who recounts a chilling story that makes it clear why this work is so crucial.
“The cause couldn’t be more urgent… The face of the cause couldn’t be more eloquent.” – Rick Groen, The Globe and Mail
Director
Patrick Reed
Cast
Roméo Dallaire
Producer
Peter Raymont
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Global Experiences, Social Justice & Politics
Original Languages
English, French, Other Language
Canadian Distributor
White Pine Pictures
The Life and Hard times of Guy Terrifico
Director
Michael Mabbott
Writer/director Mabbott made his debut with 2005’s Life and Hard Times of Guy Terrifico, winning Best Canadian First Feature Film at the Toronto International Film Festival. He followed with Citizen Duane and television shows like Baxter and The Yard. His short documentary Music Lessons premiered at Hot Docs 2015. Most recently he wrote episodes of Ten Days in the Valley.
Writer
Michael Mabbott
Cast
Kris Kristofferson, Matt Murphy, Colin Linden
Genres
Comedy, Documentary
Interest
Arts and Culture
Original Languages
English, French
Canadian Distributor
eOne
Rock & Rule
A malevolent rock star kidnaps a singer to force her to participate in the summoning of a demon, and her band must help her stop his evil plan. Canada’s first English-language animated feature, with songs by Iggy Pop and Lou Reed.
Director
Clive A. Smith
Writers
Patrick Loubert, John Halfpenny, Anna Bourque, Greg Duffell
Cast
Don Francks, Gregory Salata, Susan Roman
Producers
Patrick Loubert, Michael Hirsh
Genre
Animation
Interest
Arts and Culture
Original Languages
English, French
Canadian Distributor
Orion Pictures
Adoration
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
Rachel Blanchard, Devon Bostick, Louca Tassone
Producers
Simone Urdl, Jennifer Weiss
Genre
Drama
Interest
Family Relationships
Original Languages
English, French
Canadian Distributor
eOne
Café de Flore
Director
Jean-Marc Vallée
Vallée garnered nine Genie nominations for his first feature, Liste noire. C.R.A.Z.Y. was a box office hit and was honoured at film festivals worldwide. He directed the Oscar-nominated films Dallas Buyers Club and Wild, as well as Demolition starring Jake Gyllenhaal and the hit TV series Big Little Lies and Sharp Objects. He tragically passed away in December 2021.
Writer
Jean-Marc Vallée
Cast
Vanessa Paradis, Vanessa Paradis, Kevin Parent, Hélène Florent, Evelyne Brochu
Producers
Pierre Even, Marie-Claude Poulin
Genres
Drama, Romance
Interests
Arts and Culture, Family Relationships, LGBTQ2S+
Original Language
French
Canadian Distributor
eOne
- Own Voice
J’ai tué ma mère (I Killed My Mother)
The first feature from internationally acclaimed director Xavier Dolan, J'ai tué ma mère explores the fraught relationship between 16-year-old Hubert (Dolan) and his mother (Dorval). With lingering tensions from his father leaving them, they live in a seemingly constant argument, and he does everything within his power to distance himself from her on a quest that strikes a perfect balance between heartbreaking and hilarious.
This semi-autobiographical coming-of-age story launched Dolan’s career, winning three prizes at Cannes before going on to international acclaim.
“A coming-of-age tale as ferociously raw as its teller” – Rick Groen, The Globe and Mail
Director
Xavier Dolan
Writer
Xavier Dolan
Cast
Xavier Dolan, Anne Dorval, François Arnaud
Genre
Drama
Interests
Family Relationships, LGBTQ2S+
Original Language
French
Canadian Distributor
K Films Amerique
Splice
Elsa (Sarah Polley) and Clive (Adrien Brody) are married scientists who defy legal and ethical boundaries by splicing together human and animal DNA to create a new organism.
Director
Vincenzo Natali
Writers
Vincenzo Natali, Antoinette Terry Bryant, Doug Taylor
Cast
Adrien Brody, Sarah Polley, Delphine Chanéac
Producer
Steven Hoban
Genres
Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Original Languages
English, French
Canadian Distributor
Les Films Seville
C’est pas moi, je le jure! (It’s Not Me, I Swear!)
Director
Philippe Falardeau
Quebecois director and screenwriter Falardeau has won more than 32 international awards for his films, which include Monsieur Lazhar, La moitié gauche du frigo, C'est pas moi, je le jure!, The Good Lie, the political satire Guibord s'en va-t-en guerre, and the recent My Salinger Year as well as the TV show Le temps des framboises.
Writer
Philippe Falardeau
Cast
Antoine L'Écuyer, Gabriel Maillé, Catherine Faucher, Suzanne Clément, Daniel Brière
Producers
Luc Déry, Kim McCraw
Genre
Comedy
Interests
History, Literary Adaptation
Original Language
French
Canadian Distributor
Christal Films
Saints-Martyrs-des-Damnés (Saint Martyrs of the Damned)
The town’s inhabitants are a strange group — a mayor who rules with an iron fist, the creepy twins running the motel, the woman who serenades cows, a masked mechanic, and many others. But Flavien can’t get anyone to help him, as they’re all suspicious and even downright aggressive toward him. With an arresting visual style and quirky sense of humour, the film pushes the boundaries of the conventional thriller, tackling questions about identity, responsibility and mortality in a refreshing way.
Director
Robin Aubert
Saints-Martyrs-des-Damnés premiered at TIFF 2005. Aubert also directed the feature films À quelle heure le train pour nulle part, À l’origine d’un cri, and Tuktuq, and starred in De père en flic, the critical hit Guibord s’en va-t-en guerre, Jeune Juliette, and Mon cirque à moi. His latest film, Les Affamés won Best Canadian Feature at TIFF 2017 and ten Prix Iris. He is currently completing his next film, Tu ne sauras jamais.
Writer
Robin Aubert
Cast
François Chénier, Isabelle Blais, Sylvie Boucher
Producers
Luc Vandal, Roger Frappier
Genres
Drama, Horror
Interest
Family Relationships
Original Language
French
Language Version
EN Subtitles
Canadian Distributor
Christal Films
- Own Voice
Ste. Anne
Four years after leaving her daughter (d’Eschambault) to be raised by her brother (Theis) and his wife (Marion), Renée (Vermette) returns to find an entirely different life from the one she left behind. The tensions caused by her arrival simmer under the surface as Renée clumsily adjusts back into a maternal role despite her young daughter having no memory of her.
Featuring members of Vermette’s own family and community, this lovingly made personal project went on to win Best Canadian Feature at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2021.
“More experiment than straight-ahead narrative, Ste. Anne rewards patient, careful attention. The rewards are great.” - Barry Hertz, The Globe and Mail
Director
Rhayne Vermette (Métis)
Writer
Rhayne Vermette (Métis)
Cast
Isabelle d’Eschambault, Valerie Marion, Dolorès Gosselin (Métis)
Producer
Rhayne Vermette (Métis)
Genres
Drama, Experimental
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Female Filmmaker, Indigenous Filmmaker
Original Language
French
Language Version
EN Subtitles
- Own Voice
Je m’appelle humain (Call Me Human)
After spending most of her life working as an Innu language translator and transcriber, Joséphine Bacon rose to fame late in life in her second career as an award-winning poet. This moving profile frames her life and work in a new context, offering a deeply personal look at an important literary figure in Canada.
Je m'appele humain premiered at the Quebec City Film Festival to great acclaim, and went on to receive four Prix Iris nominations, including Best Documentary.
Director
Kim O'Bomsawin (Abenaki)
Writers
Kim O'Bomsawin (Abenaki), Nathalie Gressin
Cast
Joséphine Bacon (Innu)
Producer
Andrée-Anne Frenette
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Arts and Culture, Biography, BIPOC Stories, Female Filmmaker, Indigenous Filmmaker
Original Languages
French, Other Language
Language Versions
EN CC, EN Subtitles, FR CC, FR Subtitles
- Own Voice
Bootlegger
Driven by a desire to spark change in her community, young activist Mani (Jacobs) returns to her reserve from the big city to promote the ending of alcohol prohibition on her reserve. When she runs into opposition from the local convenience store owner Nadine (Poupart), the two square off, forcing the divisive issue into the spotlight leading to unexpected consequences.
This critically acclaimed first feature from Caroline Monnet is a thought-provoking and timely look at an ongoing debate that rarely gets the media attention it deserves.
Director
Caroline Monnet (Algonquin)
Writers
Caroline Monnet (Algonquin), Daniel Watchorn
Cast
Pascale Bussières, Kawennáhere Devery Jacobs (Mohawk), Joséphine Bacon (Innu), Joshua Odjick (Algonquin/Anishinaabe), Samian (Algonquin)
Producer
Catherine Chagnon
Genre
Drama
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Female Filmmaker, Indigenous Filmmaker, Social Justice & Politics
Original Languages
French, Other Language
Language Version
EN Subtitles
Un sac de billes (A Bag of Marbles)
“Makes such a barbaric and bewildering chapter in human history comprehensible for young audiences.” – Matt Fagerholm, RogerEbert.com
Director
Christian Duguay
Christian Duguay launched his directorial career with Memoirs in 1984 before going on to direct some of the most notable thrillers of the 90s and early 2000s, including Scanners II: The New Order, Scanners III: The Takeover, Live Wire, The Art of War with Wesley Snipes, and Human Trafficking with Donald Sutherland. Most recently he directed the series Medici and the feature film Ride Above.
Writers
Jonathan Allouche, Alexandra Geismar, Joseph Joffo, Christian Duguay
Cast
Batyste Fleurial, Dorian Le Clech, Patrick Bruel, Elsa Zylberstein
Producers
Nicolas Duval-Adassovsky, Laurent Zeitoun, Yann Zenou, Joe Iacono
Genre
Drama
Interests
Discrimination, Family Relationships, Global Experiences, History, Literary Adaptation, Social Justice & Politics
Original Language
French
Language Versions
EN Subtitles, FR CC
Canadian Distributor
Gaumont Film Company
- Own Voice
Tia and Piujuq
Tia (Bshara) is a 10-year-old refugee from Syria, living in Montreal and struggling to make friends and feel comfortable in her new environment. While her parents are preoccupied with her mother’s pregnancy and the challenges of everyday life in a new place, Tia is left mostly to her own devices.
Everything changes when she discovers a magical portal that transports her to Igloolik, a community in the Arctic Circle. There she meets Piujuq (Tulugarjuk), an Inuk girl who she quickly forms a deep bond with in spite of their cultural differences. Through their friendship, the stories of Piujuq’s grandmother, and their wanderings across the striking northern landscape, the girls are immersed in Inuit myth and magic.
A heartwarming magical-realist fable about friendship and discovery, Tia and Piujuq is a delightful adventure for all ages.
Director
Lucy Tulugarjuk (Inuk)
Writers
Lucy Tulugarjuk (Inuk), Marie-Hélène Cousineau, Samuel Cohn-Cousineau
Cast
Tia Bshara, Nuvvija Tulugarjuk (Inuk), Madeline Piujuq Ivalu (Inuk)
Genres
Drama, Family, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Female Filmmaker, Global Experiences, Indigenous Filmmaker, Newcomer Stories, Strong Female Leads
Original Languages
English, French, Inuktitut, Other Language
Language Versions
EN CC, FR Subtitles, Other Subtitles
Canadian Distributor
Vtape
Fabuleuses
Laurie (O’Farrell) desperately wants to become a social media influencer, much to the chagrin of her roommate Elizabeth (Zazham). When she befriends her idol, Clara (Gosselin), a prolific content creator who seems to have a perfect life, Laurie starts to gain a following herself, and finally gets a taste of the life she wants. But as their friendship continues, and the façade that Clara constructed starts to fall away, Laurie comes to see the dark side of internet celebrity, and that she may already be in too deep.
An insightful look at contemporary young female relationships, Mélanie Charbonneau’s debut feature Fabuleuses was nominated for 5 Prix Iris, including best film and best actress.
Director
Mélanie Charbonneau
Quebec-based director Charbonneau started her career with directing commercials. Her first short film, Seule played several international festivals including Cannes. Her short film Lunar-Orbit Rendezvous collected over 30 prizes at festivals internationally. Fabuleuses was her first feature. Most recently she directed episodes of Je ne suis pas un robot.
Writers
Mélanie Charbonneau, Geneviève Pettersen
Cast
Noémie O'Farrell, Alexandre Nachi, Juliette Gosselin, Genevieve Boivin Roussy, Mounia Zahzam
Producer
Nicole Robert
Genres
Comedy, Drama
Interests
Arts and Culture, Female Filmmaker
Original Language
French
Language Version
None
Canadian Distributor
Téléfiction Distribution
La Chute de l’empire americain (The Fall of the American Empire)
Director
Denys Arcand
Writer
Denys Arcand
Cast
Alexandre Landry, Maripier Morin, Rémy Girard
Producer
Denise Robert
Genre
Drama
Interest
Social Justice & Politics
Original Language
French
Canadian Distributor
eOne
Les Boys (The “Boys”)
Stan (Girard), the very likeable tavern owner and hockey coach, allows himself to run up a huge gambling debt to Meo (Lebeau), the local Mob boss.
Meo offers Stan a deal: If his pub's team, Les Boys, can defeat Meo's band of thugs at a game of hockey, the tavern remains his. If not, the Mob will take over Chez Stan. Naturally, Les Boys, an out-of-shape group of hockey enthusiasts, are highly motivated to win the game. How they go about doing so, however, is a slapshot of laughs.
Director
Louis Saïa
Montreal director/actor/writer Saïa is known for his trilogy Les Boys I, II and III, each of which won the Golden Reel Award for biggest box-office gross in Canada. Saïa’s TV directing credits include the French-language Vice caché, Max Inc. and the Les Boys television adaptation, as well as the feature Dangerous People.
Writers
Louis Saïa, Christian Fournier
Cast
Marc Messier, Rémy Girard, Patrick Huard
Producers
Richard Goudreau, Jeffrey Tinnell
Genres
Comedy, Drama
Interests
Classics, Sports
Original Language
French
Language Versions
EN Dub, EN Subtitles
Canadian Distributor
eOne