Region: BC
- Own Voice
Double Happiness
Sandra Oh won the Best Actress Genie for her performance. The film also won prizes in Vancouver, Berlin and Turin.
Director
Mina Shum
Vancouver-based Shum is best-known for her feature films Double Happiness and Meditation Park, both starring Sandra Oh. Her documentary Ninth Floor was on TIFF’s 2015 list of Canada’s top ten films. Other features include Long Life, Happiness and Prosperity; and Drive, She Said. Most recently, she has directed episodes of Frankie Drake Mysteries, Murdoch Mysteries and October Faction. She is currently directing the feature One (Nine).
Writer
Mina Shum
Cast
Sandra Oh, Callum Keith Rennie
Producers
Stephen Hegyes, Rose Lam Waddell
Genres
Comedy, Drama
Interests
Arts and Culture, Asian Filmmaker, BIPOC Stories, ESL, Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, Newcomer Stories, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
English
Language Version
EN CC
Canadian Distributor
Mongrel Media
Edwin Boyd: Citizen Gangster
Eddie gets his start by recruiting a gang of small-time crooks and slowly turns them into a crack team of professional thieves. He launches a series of spectacular bank robberies, gaining notoriety and quickly becoming both a beloved national celebrity and public enemy number one. Part action-packed crime caper, part romance, this vibrant film brings an incredible true story to life.
Director
Nathan Morlando
Morlando’s first film, Edwin Boyd: Citizen Gangster, won Best Canadian First Feature at TIFF. He also directed Mean Dreams, which debuted in the Directors’ Fortnight section of the Cannes Film Festival. He recently produced Giant Little Ones and directed episodes of the show Cardinal.
Writer
Nathan Morlando
Cast
Scott Speedman, Kelly Reilly, Kevin Durand, Brian Cox, Charlotte Sullivan
Producer
Allison Black
Genres
Action/Adventure, Drama, Thriller
Interests
Biography, History
Original Language
English
Language Versions
EN CC, FR Subtitles
Canadian Distributor
eOne
Empire of Dirt
Powerful and inspiring, Empire of Dirt was nominated for five Canadian Screen Awards, including Best Picture.
“Empire of Dirt tells a traditional mothers-and-daughters story in a new way by making their Cree heritage and the role it has in their lives and relationships the true heart of the drama.” — Linda Barnard, Toronto Star
*Please note that this film has an Indigenous producer and screenwriter, but not an Indigenous director. imagineNATIVE defines an Indigenous-made film as one directed or co-directed by an Indigenous person.
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
Shannon Masters (Cree)
Cast
Cara Gee (Ojibwa), Shay Eyre (Cheyenne/Arapaho/Oglala Lakota/Mnicoujou Lakota), Jennifer Podemski (Anishinaabe, Leni Lenape, Métis), Luke Kirby
Producers
Jennifer Podemski (Anishinaabe, Leni Lenape, Métis), Bob Crowe, Bob Crowe, Heather K Dahlstrom, Geoff Ewart
Genre
Drama
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Family Relationships, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
English
Language Version
None
Canadian Distributor
Mongrel Media
Fido
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
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
Canadian Distributor
greenHAT Digital
Into the Forest
As with many science fiction stories, the scariest thing isn’t the loss of power, but the quick disintegration of human society. Without electricity or fuel, the threat of a lawless and terrifying existence looms near, even in the remote woods that the sisters call home. Page and Wood deliver fabulous performances, showcasing a range of emotions as the limits of their sanity, safety and family are tested.
Director
Patricia Rozema
Writer
Patricia Rozema
Cast
Elliot Page, Evan Rachel Wood, Max Minghella, Callum Keith Rennie
Producers
Niv Fichman, Aaron L. Gilbert, Elliot Page
Genre
Drama
Interest
Female Filmmaker
Original Language
English
Language Version
EN CC
Canadian Distributor
Elevation Pictures
- Own Voice
Iron Road
Soon, though, she finds herself falling in love with him, and as the physical terrain becomes more dangerous, so does the landscape of the heart. Beautifully shot and featuring screen legend Peter O’Toole in one of his last roles, Iron Road revisits an important and controversial time in Canadian history.
Originally broadcast as a CBC miniseries, REEL CANADA is proud to present the feature version of this epic tale that spans two continents.
Director
David Wu
Wu is a master editor who has worked with many legendary Hong Kong filmmakers. His directorial credits include the films The Snow Queen with Bridget Fonda, Plague City: SARS in Toronto (for which he earned the DGC Best Director nomination), See You Tomorrow, and the TV show Once a Thief. He recently edited the films You Are In My Heart and Bai du ren.
Writers
Barry Pearson, Raymond Storey
Cast
Sun Li, Luke Macfarlane, Sam Neill, Peter O’Toole
Producers
Zhao Haicheng, Anne Tait, Raymond Massey II
Genre
Drama
Interests
Asian Filmmaker, BIPOC Stories, Discrimination, ESL, History, Newcomer Stories, Social Justice & Politics, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
Other Language
Language Version
EN CC
Canadian Distributor
CCI Entertainment
- Own Voice
Mighty Jerome
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.
Writer
Charles Officer
Cast
Nykeem Provo
Producers
Tracey Friesen, Selwyn Jacob
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Biography, BIPOC Stories, Black Filmmaker, Discrimination, History, Social Justice & Politics, Sports
Original Language
English
Language Versions
EN CC, FR Subtitles
Canadian Distributor
National Film Board (NFB)
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
Canadian Distributor
Mongrel Media
A Place Called Chiapas
Filmmaker Nettie Wild notes that in Canada, the North American Free Trade Agreement, which went into effect in 1994, was a matter for lively discussion and political debate. In Chiapas, one of the poorest states in Mexico, it provoked an actual revolution.
In this remarkably clear-eyed and vivid documentary, Wild follows the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN) as they fight and evade the Mexican army. Wild takes viewers on a journey through fear and hope, telling a complex story of Indigenous rights and corporate interests in the wake of NAFTA.
The film won the Genie for Best Documentary, among several other awards.
Director
Nettie Wild
Writers
Manfred Becker, Nettie Wild
Producers
Betsy Carson, Kirk Tougas, Nettie Wild
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Environment, Female Filmmaker, Global Experiences, Social Justice & Politics
Original Language
English
Language Version
EN CC
Canadian Distributor
Zeitgeist Films
- Own Voice
Meditation Park
Meditation Park opens with Maria (Cheng Pei Pei), the matriarch of a Chinese-Canadian family, hosting a birthday celebration for her workaholic husband, Bing, (Tzi Ma), along with her similarly overworked daughter (Sandra Oh in a brilliant performance) and her own family.
Maria clearly reveres Bing and the sacrifices he has made for their family – so when she discovers another woman’s panties in his pocket, she's forced to confront the harsh reality that her world may not be what it seemed.
As Maria wrestles with what to do about her discovery, she befriends a group of local eccentrics and a grumpy neighbour (Don McKellar). Maria’s journey of self-discovery soon teaches her everyone’s lives are more complicated than she has been led to believe.
“Shum mines her favourite theme – immigrant experience in Canada – in what seems at first to be a gentle slice of life but eventually develops a powerful emotional force.” – Susan G. Cole, NOW MagazineDirector
Mina Shum
Vancouver-based Shum is best-known for her feature films Double Happiness and Meditation Park, both starring Sandra Oh. Her documentary Ninth Floor was on TIFF’s 2015 list of Canada’s top ten films. Other features include Long Life, Happiness and Prosperity; and Drive, She Said. Most recently, she has directed episodes of Frankie Drake Mysteries, Murdoch Mysteries and October Faction. She is currently directing the feature One (Nine).
Writer
Mina Shum
Cast
Tzi Ma, Pei-Pei Cheng, Sandra Oh
Producers
Raymond Massey II, Mina Shum, Stephen Hegyes
Genre
Drama
Interests
Asian Filmmaker, BIPOC Stories, ESL, Female Filmmaker, Newcomer Stories, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
Mongrel Media
- Own Voice
Better Than Chocolate
Maggie (Karyn Dwyer) is happy with her life in Vancouver. She works at an LGBTQ+ bookstore owned by Frances (Anne-Marie MacDonald) and has recently fallen head over heels with a young artist named (Christina Cox). When the couple decide to take their romance to the next level and move in together, everything seems perfect.
That is, until Maggie’s recently-divorced mom Lila (Wendy Crewson) and brother Paul turn up at her doorstep, looking to stay with her. The unlikely foursome end up sharing Maggie’s Vancouver loft, and Maggie must decide whether to keep her relationship – and her sexuality – a secret, or reveal who she really is to her well-meaning but naïve and conservative mother.
“Anne Wheeler's sexy, funny, poignant film, from a bright script by Peggy Thompson, is a real charmer, with considerable brains.” – David Noh, FilmJournal InternationalDirector
Anne Wheeler
Writer
Peggy Thompson
Cast
Wendy Crewson, Karyn Dwyer, Christina Cox, Christina Cox, Karyn Dwyer
Producer
Sharon McGowan
Genre
Comedy
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Female Filmmaker, LGBTQ2S+
Original Language
English
Language Versions
EN CC, FR Subtitles, Other Subtitles
Canadian Distributor
TVA Films
- Own Voice
Kayak to Klemtu
When a prominent Kitasoo/Xai’Xais activist passes away, his 14-year-old niece Ella (Blaney) embarks on a kayak journey to take his ashes home to Klemtu. It’s a race against the clock as Ella tries to make it back in time to give a speech protesting a proposed pipeline that would cross Indigenous land.
Ella is joined by her aunt, cousin and grumpy uncle (Cardinal), as the four paddle with all their might through the Inside Passage and past the shores of the Great Bear Rainforest. Join this family on the adventure of a lifetime that reflects on the importance of protecting our lands for future generations.
Winner of the 2017 imagineNATIVE Audience Choice Award.
Director
Zoe Leigh Hopkins (Heiltsuk/Mohawk)
Hopkins is an alumna of the Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program, and has directed numerous shorts, including Button Blanket, Mohawk Midnight Runners, Impossible to Contain and a segment of The Embargo Project. She has directed the features Kayak to Klemtu and Run Woman Run, which won the Audience Choice award at imagineNATIVE 2021. She is currently writing and directing the series Little Bird.
Writers
Zoe Leigh Hopkins (Heiltsuk/Mohawk), Michael Sparaga
Cast
Lorne Cardinal (Cree), Ta’kaiya Blaney (Tla'amin), Evan Adams (Tla'amin)
Producer
Daniel Bekerman
Genres
Action/Adventure, Family
Interests
Environment, ESL, Female Filmmaker, Indigenous Filmmaker
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
Mongrel Media
- Own Voice
The Road Forward
The film tells the tale of six generations of Indigenous activism, weaving in musical sequences that seamlessly connect past and present with blues, rock and traditional beats. A rousing tribute to those who tirelessly fight for the rights of First Nations people and a visceral and inspiring call to action!
“The Road Forward represents the bold and optimistic position where [Indigenous documentary] now stands.” – Kate Taylor, The Globe and Mail
Director
Marie Clements (Métis/Dene)
Clements works within a variety of mediums including film, television, radio, and live performance. Her work has screened at Cannes, TIFF, MOMA, VIFF, American Indian Film Festival and imagineNATIVE, and has garnered numerous awards. Her films include the musical documentary The Road Forward and Red Snow, her dramatic debut. She is currently directing the TV show Bones of Crows.
Writer
Marie Clements (Métis/Dene)
Cast
Chief Leonard George (Tsleil- Waututh), Ron Harris (Stō:lo/St’át’imc/Nlaka’pamux), Wayne Lavallee (Métis), Evan Leslie Adams (Tla’amin)
Producer
Shirley Vercruysse
Genre
Documentary
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Female Filmmaker, History, Indigenous Filmmaker, Social Justice & Politics
Original Language
English
Language Versions
EN CC, FR Subtitles
Canadian Distributor
National Film Board (NFB)
Kissed
A fellow student (Peter Outerbridge) develops feelings for Sandra, but struggles to cope with her unusual and disturbing sexual desires. Kissed is a rare film about sexual awakening that manages to be both profoundly subversive and extremely tender.
“Stopkewich has managed the unlikely feat of making a film about necrophilia that is neither a black comedy nor a horror outing. Rather, she has crafted a poetic, provocative love story about sex, romance and death that is surprisingly endearing.” – Brendan Kelly, Variety
Director
Lynne Stopkewich
Writers
Angus Fraser, Lynne Stopkewich
Cast
Molly Parker, Peter Outerbridge, Jay Brazeau
Genre
Drama
Interest
Female Filmmaker
Original Language
English
Language Versions
EN CC, FR Subtitles
Canadian Distributor
Malofilm Distribution
My American Cousin
Sandy (Margaret Langrick) is a bored 12-year-old preparing for another long and uneventful summer in rural 1950s British Columbia, when her older cousin, Butch (John Wildman), arrives unexpectedly from California in a shiny red convertible.
Of course, the impressionable Sandy is immediately dazzled by Butch’s cool, rock’n’roll swagger, whose appearance seems to promise all the excitement that Sandy has been longing for.
Based on writer-director Sandy Wilson’s own memories, My American Cousin won six Genie Awards including Best Picture, Best Director (Wilson), Best Original Screenplay, Best Actor (Wildman), Best Actress (Langrick), and Best Film Editing. It remains one of Canada’s best loved coming-of-age films.
“The film works a gentle spell around its viewer, and ends up leaving an unexpected lasting impression.” – Dustin Putman, The Film File
Director
Sandy Wilson
Writer
Sandy Wilson
Cast
Margaret Langrick, John Wildman, Richard Donat
Producers
Sandy Wilson, Peter O'Brian
Genres
Comedy, Drama
Interests
Biography, Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
Park Circus