Quirky

A Home on Every Floor

A poet uses her voice to excavate the lost home of her childhood.

Toy Hospital

In Edinburgh’s Toy Hospital, a “toy doctor” brings childhood memories back to life, restoring beloved, worn-out toys with care and dedication.

A Place in The Sun

In colorful, sunkissed postcards, A Place in The Sun invites you to join the wonderful and melancholic backstage world of a classic Charter holiday.

The Backwoodsman

The tale of an Ontario folk song, and the truth it still tells.

A person stands confidently in a power stance against a vibrant red background. They are dressed in a black leather jacket over a t-shirt with the phrase "Ignorance is Your Enemy" written on it, a short brown skirt, and thigh-high tan boots. Their right hand is on their hip and they wear a black beret with a gold emblem. Beside them is a placard leaning against their leg with "POWER TO THE PEOPLE" in bold letters. The environment suggests an urban setting, possibly a staged or artistic setup given the uniform red colour and lighting.

Orlando, My Political Biography

In Orlando, My Political Biography theorist, critic, and curator Paul B. Preciado takes Virginia Woolf’s classic novel as a starting point for a bold, joyous reflection on the nature of contemporary trans life and a celebration of queerness.

A person wearing a cap, glasses, and a cross necklace is seated beside a large figure in a bear costume. The bear figure is standing on two legs, with one arm raised and the other extended forward, displaying claws. Both figures are set against a blue-tinted backdrop with silhouetted foliage, creating a surreal, nocturnal scene.

A Bear Named Jesus

At Aunty Gladys’ funeral, Archer Pechawis heard a tap on the window — it was a bear named Jesus. This film is an allegory for religious interference, with an aching yet humorous look at estrangement, and mourning for the loss of someone still living.

An individual with a beard and a receding hairline is sitting on a yellow couch, wearing a denim jacket over a yellow shirt. They are raising their right hand with an open palm towards the camera in a greeting or waving gesture. The person is smiling and looking directly at the camera. In the background, there's a bookshelf filled with books and a painting of a forest scene, suggesting a cozy, lived-in space. The lighting is bright and even, indicative of an indoor setting.

Dear Ani

For twenty-five years Keith Wasserman has made and delivered elaborate art mail packages – all in the hopes of befriending his muse. Dear Ani explores what can happen when you present your truest self, and risk total failure. It is an intimate account of psychotic mania, personal mastery, and creative triumph.

Silhouetted against a light sky with faint mountain outlines, there is a large, stylized black cutout of a bear with white accents for the bear's eyes, nose, and mouth, giving it a stark, graphic appearance. In the lower left corner, a human hand is visible, holding the bottom edge of the bear silhouette.

Shitty Little

This is a playful, poignant & very memorable live action animation, where humans take from forests whatever they desire – leaving nothing. Shitty Little is critical of a prevalent attitude in western culture that says there is no inherent value in nature, that it must be taken and shaped into a product for sale to have worth.

Two individuals are sitting close together on a high ledge, looking out over a desert-like landscape with sand dunes stretching towards the horizon. The sky is a warm, hazy orange, possibly indicating either sunrise or sunset. The companionship between the two figures is emphasized by one person's arm around the other, suggesting a moment of shared experience or reflection in a vast and tranquil environment.

Madeleine

Each week, two friends born 67 years apart share their life stories in the living room of a seniors’ residence. When Raquel finds a way to bring Madeleine with her on a road trip to the sea, the result is a journey that plays with reality and fiction and brings a reflection on life, death and the certainty that there is always something to learn along the way.

Four individuals are seated around a dining table in a dimly lit room that suggests a vintage or historical setting. The warm glow from the windows, adorned with patterned stained glass, provides natural light. The room is decorated with patterned wallpaper, and there are traditional furnishings and decorations, including a cabinet and a clock on the wall, which contribute to the room's old-fashioned ambiance. The scene has a calm and intimate feel, with the focus on the people at the table, possibly engaged in conversation over a meal.

Demon Box

After festival rejections, a director revises his intensely personal short film about trauma, suicide, and the Holocaust. He transforms the film into a painful, blunt and funny dissection of itself, and of his own life. Ten years in the making.

Guests in attendance, Q&A with Sean Wainsteim

Two puppet-like figures with painted faces and exaggerated makeup are positioned close together against a bokeh background with purple and blue hues. The figure on the left has black hair and pink makeup, while the one on the right has bright green hair and darker makeup around the eyes. The facial expressions are fixed and stylized, with a handmade quality to the crafting of their features.

Blush – An Extraordinary Voyage

For 18-year-old Finnish–Kosovan Fatu, a simple visit to the grocery store feels as nerve-racking as a lunar expedition. For the first time in his life, he’s wearing makeup in public. Luckily his best friend Rai, a young woman on the spectrum of autism, is there to ferociously support him through the voyage.

Regina – Queen of the Ring