Inspiring

In a dimly lit pub, a group of people are gathered, some sitting and some standing. The focus is on a person playing a banjo in the center, surrounded by onlookers who are attentively listening or waiting their turn to perform. The mood is casual and communal, typical of an informal music session. The image is monochromatic, which adds a timeless and candid feel to the scene.

North Circular

Those in power write the history. Those who struggle write the songs. North Circular is a documentary musical that travels the length of Dublin’s North Circular Road, from the Phoenix Park to Dublin Port, exploring the history, music and streetscapes of a street that links some of the country’s most beloved and infamous places.

An image of a person wearing a top hat, glasses, and black and white scarf. To their left is a red tickle trunk with flowers painted onto it. The trunk is full of colourful clothes spilling over the edge. The person has on a fantastical black top, making it seem like they have six arms with white gloves covering the hands. In the background are shelves full of stuffed animals and other toys.

Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make Believe

Based on the life and career of legendary Canadian children’s entertainer Ernie Coombs—or, as he is more commonly known by millions of fans, Mr. Dressup, this documentary celebrates the origins and history of one of Canada’s most beloved CBC children shows, which enriched the lives of five generations. This film celebrates the expansiveness of gender, and has special connections to the Nogojiwanong community.

Guest in attendance, Q&A with Greg Floyd.

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 person's hand is gently touching the cheek of a large, unfinished sculpted head and shoulders. The sculpture is highly detailed, with lifelike facial features, and it is mounted on a stand. In the background, there is an assortment of artistic materials and another bust sculpture, indicating that the setting is likely an artist's studio.

Alive in Bronze

Sculptor Dana King’s hands and activist Fredrika Newton’s memories come together to build a new monument—a bust of Black Panther Party leader Huey P. Newton for the Oakland community that he loved and shaped. As the sculpture takes form, more than just a face is revealed.

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 person with shoulder-length bright red hair stands in the foreground, smiling slightly, with a blurred city skyline in the background. They are wearing a black top, and the overcast sky suggests a muted daylight setting. Below the skyline, there's a glimpse of a highway with moving vehicles, bordered by greenery. The focus on the individual with the cityscape backdrop creates a juxtaposition between the person and the urban environment.

Winn

After miscarrying her baby in prison due to shackling, Pamela Winn becomes an activist, leading thousands to support – and pass – the 2019 Georgia Dignity Act, which outlawed shackling of pregnant and postpartum inmates. Winn follows Pamela’s journey from prison to the halls of the state Capitol, from incarcerated person to outspoken law-changer, from powerless to empowered.

A figure with an avant-garde appearance is positioned in the foreground, dressed in what appears to be a white costume with structural, organic shapes enveloping the body and an elaborate headpiece resembling a stylized, textured wig or headdress. The figure's face is painted white, with darkened eyes and lips, and exhibits a neutral expression. The background shows an interior space with curved architecture and multiple people in motion, possibly a subway station or a public concourse, with a softly blurred focus that suggests movement and life happening around the still, striking figure in the foreground.

Queendom

Gena, a Queer artist from a small town in Russia, dresses in otherworldly costumes made from junk and tape, and protests the government on the streets of Moscow. She stages radical performances in public that become a new form of art and activism. The performances—often dark, strange, evocative, and Queer at their core — are a manifestation of Gena’s subconscious. But they come at a price.

A person stands at the center of a vast, cracked desert landscape under a bright sky with the sun directly behind, casting a long shadow forward. They wear a mid-length dress with a floral pattern and appear barefoot. The horizon is lined with mountains, and the lighting suggests either dawn or dusk due to the warm tones and long shadows. The ground is parched and textured, highlighting the dry environment.

Boil Alert

In Boil Alert, an Indigenous woman goes on a journey through First Nations reservations to shine a light on the devastating struggle for clean water and discovers herself in the process. This poignant exploration illuminates the human dimension of the water crisis in Indigenous communities, as well as the impact it is having upon Native identity.

Guest in attendance, Q&A with Layla Staats and Joshua Neuman

This film is featured during Opening Night.
Please note: opening night tickets are sold separately, and are not included in the purchase of a Festival Pass.

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