Captioned in English

The interior of a vehicle with three individuals, captured seemingly from a dashboard camera. The face of the person in the front passenger seat is pixelated for privacy. In the back seat, one individual is leaning forward, looking at a map spread out over the center armrest, while another person in the back appears to be looking down, partially obscured from view. The individual examining the map has a beard and wears a dark jacket. The setting seems to be during the day, as daylight is visible through the car windows.

Manufacturing The Threat

Manufacturing the Threat is a thrilling and emotional film, which examines a deeply disturbing episode in Canadian history when an impoverished couple was coerced by undercover law enforcement agents into carrying out a terrorist bombing. Further, viewers learn that this case is far from unique in the context of Canadian intelligence.

Guests in attendance, Q&A with Amy Miller

A jellyfish is floating in the water, its dome-shaped bell and trailing tentacles visible. The water around it is speckled with numerous small particles, suggesting plankton or organic debris. The jellyfish is a reddish-brown color, providing a contrast against the deep blue of the ocean. The scene captures the serene, yet alien beauty of marine life in its natural habitat.

Deep Rising

This exquisite fly-on-the-wall environmental doc is a gripping and up-to-the-minute tale of geopolitical, scientific, and corporate intrigue. It exposes the destructive machinations of an organization empowered to extract massive amounts of metals from the deep seafloor.

A close-up of a woman's back in a sauna, with water droplets cascading down their skin in a spray of light against a dark background. Sunlight filters through a window, highlighting the water's motion and creating a contrast with the shadows in the room. The focus on the water droplets gives the scene a dynamic and intimate quality.

Smoke Sauna Sisterhood

In the darkness of smoke sauna, women share their innermost secrets and intimate experiences. Through a sense of communion, women wash off the shame trapped in their bodies and regain their strength.

A dense crowd of people gathered at night on a city street, viewed from an elevated perspective. The black and white image captures the scene's high contrast, with streetlights illuminating the scene and a canopy tent visible in the distance. Buildings line the street and a spire looms in the background. The crowd's attention seems directed towards a point not visible in the image, possibly a stage or event out of frame.

Poisoned Well

On October 12, 2022 a terrorist attack in Bratislava results in the death of innocent LGBTQ+ people. There is no political response. Through intimate interviews, Poisoned Well explores the emotional toll of fear and self-defense in the face of widespread homophobia.

A black and white photograph of two individuals at a dining table, one of whom is in focus. The person in focus is seated and looking contemplatively to the side, not directly engaging with the other person, who appears to be gesturing with their hand to their head. Above the table hangs a pendant lamp, casting a soft light on the scene. The table has a few items on it, including a clear pitcher, a martini glass, and some drinking glasses, suggesting a social or dining setting. The mood is reflective, with attention drawn to the expressions and body language that suggest a serious or intimate conversation.

Halves & Doubles

Despite the close bond between Adam and her sibling Khadija, there is trauma unspoken between them. In this short documentary, the two hold a conversation where they attempt to find mutual understanding through the winding road of expressing emotions.

The image is a composite with a layered visual effect. In the foreground, there is a semi-transparent overlay of a person's head and upper torso. The person has short hair, wears glasses, and is looking slightly to the right. The background is a dramatic scene with a fiery explosion near the bottom and lightning in the upper right corner against a dark, stormy sky. Overlaid text at the bottom of the image reads: "There are brilliant flashes of red, yellow and azure blue in the reaches of my grey matter." The overall effect is surreal, suggesting a dynamic and possibly tumultuous inner state.

Winding Our Way Home

Winding Our Way Home explores a journey of creating short films with women who live with Brain Injuries. It is about their experiences of living with invisible disabilities, their sense of belonging and identity.

Guests in attendance, Q&A with Melissa Addison-Webster

The image depicts an illustrated character wearing a traditional Anishinaabe headdress with a single feather extending upwards. The character has a solemn expression and has bright blue tears streaming down their face. Their left hand is placed over their chest, which is also glowing in blue light. They are set against a starry night sky, adding a serene or contemplative mood to the image. The character’s attire includes decorative elements and vibrant colours, suggesting a cultural or ceremonial significance.

Heart Like a Pow Wow

Heart Like A Pow Wow explores the depths of grief from an Anishinaabe perspective of love and family. Viewers are called to witness Spirit as they shift to physical form while embodying the love that precedes grief and inevitably foreshadows it.

A collage with a silhouette of a person with their head in their hands, suggesting despair or anxiety. Their body is filled with various images against a pixelated, digital background. The silhouette's head contains an image of a melting glacier, and in their eye glasses, a forest fire rages. The torso contains a turbulent tornado. The legs of the silhouette are filled with an image of a landfill showing scattered debris and a piece of machinery. The overall composition has a surreal or abstract quality, blending human form with environmental imagery.

Feeling the Apocalypse

From the disappearing wildlife in his hometown of Owen Sound to the news stories about the melting of Greenland, psychotherapist Anderson Todd tells us how fragmenting ecosystems around the world have affected his psyche and his relationships. Do the realities of collapse necessarily spell paralyzing despair, or is there something positive we can take from this?

Guest in attendance, Q&A with Chen Sing Yap

A person is seated on a curb in a parking lot, wearing a tie-dye dress and sandals, with a small blue handbag next to them. They have a tattoo on their arm and are wearing a name tag sticker. The person looks off to the side with a thoughtful expression. Behind them, there is a car parked and trees that suggest the area could be near an office or a public building. The setting appears to be during the day with overcast weather.

Is There Anybody Out There?

While navigating daily discrimination, a filmmaker who inhabits and loves her unusual body searches the world for another person like her, and explores what it takes to love oneself fiercely despite the pervasiveness of ableism.

A close-up of someone's hands over a sheet of paper with handwritten notes, likely lyrics or music notes, as suggested by the presence of a guitar in the background. The person has several rings on their fingers and is holding a pen, possibly in the process of writing or editing the notes. The setting appears to be a wooden table, with another sheet of paper and a mug partially visible in the background, creating a casual and creative atmosphere.

The Legacy Song Project: Atlantic Chapter

Featuring the profound stories of 8 Atlantic Canadians, and the work of musician Sarah McInnis, The Legacy Song Project: Atlantic Chapter explores death, dying, grief, loss, and love, through the transformational lenses of documentary film and songwriting.

A live performance with Sarah McInnis accompanies this screening.

A group of soccer players are huddled together, celebrating near the edge of the field. They are surrounded by vibrant flares and smoke, mostly in red, adding to the dramatic atmosphere. In the background, the crowd is animated, with some fans waving flags energetically. The scene is at night, under artificial lighting, and captures the energy and excitement typical of a soccer match.

Allihopa: The Dalkurd Story

The inspirational story of The Dalkurd Football Club, a scrappy group of Kurdish refugees in Sweden who defy all odds to climb the ranks of Sweden’s soccer leagues in hopes of becoming champions, and bringing glory and attention to the plight of their stateless people.

A person wearing glasses and a baseball cap is standing outside, arms crossed, with a slight smile on their face. They are looking off to the side, possibly at something out of the frame. The setting seems to be residential, as they are standing in front of a house with siding and a window reflecting the sky. It appears to be dusk, as the light is soft and a lamp next to the house is illuminated.

Kirby’s House

For twenty years now, Kirby, who has an intellectual disability, has been living on his own and is thriving in his quaint little house on a colourful small-town street. He is surrounded by helpful neighbours and a unique support network that understands the power of community and belonging.

Guest in attendance, Q&A with Rob Viscardis

Two turtles are basking in the sun on a log that extends across a tranquil body of water. The larger turtle is in the foreground with a distinct, patterned shell, and the smaller turtle is directly behind it. The surrounding water reflects the log, turtles, and the dense green foliage above, speckled with sunlight filtering through the leaves. Floating aquatic plants are scattered on the water's surface around the log.

Turtle Crossing

“Now when I close my eyes, I see endless possibilities.”
Taylor recounts his deep reconnection to his Grandma Bernice during a very challenging time in his life. Through his family, Taylor regains a sense of self and community. Taylor’s story demonstrates the importance of connection and ancestry.

PANEL: Wshkiigmong Dibaajmownan/Curve Lake Storytelling

A black and white image of a snowy park setting, an individual is seated alone on a picnic table, dressed warmly in a heavy coat with a fur-lined hood, gloves, and a winter hat. The background features leafless trees, indicating it's a cold season, and buildings that suggest an urban environment. The person's posture and the empty park convey a sense of solitude or reflection.

Last Respects

Montreal priest Father Claude Paradis believes that all lives are worthy of respect. So in 2014, he created an annual ceremony to celebrate the lives of the “unclaimed.” Thanks to Father Paradis’ compassionate gesture, these people are granted a final moment of dignity.

Guests in attendance, Q&A with Megan Durnford

A sunset over a desert cityscape with the sun low in the sky, casting a warm glow and creating a silhouette of the mountains in the background. There are outlines of buildings and palm trees against the light, and the foreground shows arid terrain with sparse vegetation typical of a desert. In the lower left corner, there's text that reads "HOW TO POWER A CITY," suggesting the image may be related to a documentary or educational content focusing on urban energy topics. The sky above is clear with minimal clouds, allowing the sunlight to dominate the scene.

How To Power A City

How to Power A City provides a front-row seat to communities battling fossil fuel dependence by bringing solar and wind projects to their hometowns. Filmed in six locations, the stories reveal how a diverse cast prevailed against myriad obstacles such as indifferent politicians, technical impasses, public ignorance, cost, and natural and manmade disasters. It is a solutions-focused climate story.

Guest in attendance, Q&A with Melanie La Rosa

A close-up image of a goose with its beak open, revealing the unique structure of its mouth and tongue. The serrated edges inside the beak are visible. The goose's black head with white markings is distinctive, and the texture of its feathers can be seen in detail. The background is blurred.

Modern Goose

Able to navigate by reading the Earth’s magnetic field, at home on land, air and water, geese straddle the territory between ancient instincts and the contemporary world. Combining beauty, humour and profound empathy, director Karsten Wall’s exquisitely observed film essay follows the daily life of these iconic animals to reveal a deeper message of continuity and connection.

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