Uplifting

Singing Back the Buffalo

Richly visualised and deeply uplifting, Singing Back the Buffalo is an epic reimagining of North America through the lens of buffalo consciousness and a potent dream of what is within our grasp.

Summer Qamp

Summer Qamp is a documentary following a group of LGBTQ+ youth at an idyllic lakeside camp in Alberta. The campers enjoy the traditional summer camp experience in a safe, affirming environment.

The Monarch Ultra

A cross-continental run to save monarch butterflies.

The Wild Path Home

The Wild Path Home is a Nogojiwanong / Peterborough-based initiative to raise caring, connected kids through outdoor learning and community.

Samuel Habib is a typical 21-year-old, itching to move out, start a career, and find love. But no one tells you how to be an adult, let alone an adult with a disability. Can a community of disability activists help him follow his dreams?

You can’t get what you want but you can get me

An intimate slideshow chronicling how two trans masculine artists fall madly in love.

Red Fever (Opening Night Film)

Red Fever follows Cree co-director Neil Diamond on his journey to find out why the world is so fascinated with the stereotypical imagery of Native people that is all over pop culture.

Opening Night festivities begin at 6PM with a catered pre-show reception downstairs in Showplace’s Cogeco Studio. At 7PM on the main stage ReFrame and celebrated artist Alice Olsen Williams will officially open the 2025 festival. Following the screening of Red Fever, director Catherine Bainbridge and producer Ernest Webb, co-founders of Rezolution Pictures, will join audiences for a livestreamed Q&A. The evening will end with live musical performances by Missy Knott (Singing Wild Rice Girl) and James Mixemong.

Hello Anson

Hello Anson is about Anson Ng, a chef-turned-contemporary artist in Toronto.

The Day Iceland Stood Still

When 90% of the women of Iceland walked off the job and out of their homes one fall morning in 1975 refusing to work, cook, or take care of the children, they brought their country to a standstill and catapulted Iceland to the “best place in the world to be a woman.”

The photo shows the lower half of an individual walking with the aid of a prosthetic leg. The person is wearing shorts, a single black sock, and black shoes. The flooring is a smooth, reflective surface, and there are handrails alongside, suggesting a rehabilitation facility or a space designed for physical therapy. The focus on the prosthetic leg highlights themes of mobility, recovery, and adaptive technology.

Fitting

Fitting explores the relationship between the director, an amputee, and her prosthetist during the making of a prosthetic leg. It demystifies an unfamiliar space and asks what it means to create an extension to someone else’s body, questioning prejudice widely seen within our society’s consideration of body image.

This image shows a behind-the-scenes view of a video production set. A video camera is in the foreground, focused on a person who is backlit against a large screen displaying colourful, stylized imagery resembling a landscape. The person's silhouette is also visible on the screen, indicating they might be performing or presenting. Monitors attached to the camera display the same image, allowing the crew to see what is being captured.

Janelle Niles: Inconvenient

Janelle Niles is a Black, Mi’kmaw, two-spirited woman from Sipekne’katik First Nation in Nova Scotia and a stand-up comedian. Despite a tumultuous upbringing, Janelle embraces her biracial experience and queer identity, using stand-up to usher in a new era of inclusive, Canadian comedy.

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 group of people dressed in casual attire is gathered outdoors holding a banner that reads, "Women for Life on Earth Peace March '81". The banner features symbols of peace and the Earth. The setting is a sunny day with trees and open skies in the background.

Sew to Say

Thalia is an artist, banner-maker, and one of the original marchers and founders of a women-only peace camp against nuclear weapons. In this film, Thalia shares the untold story of the longest feminist protest in British history, and reflects on how collective action changed the lives of the women of Greenham Common and inspired several generations.

A BMX rider is captured mid-air performing a stunt, with their body horizontal to the ground and legs kicked out to the side, above a yellow bicycle. The bike's reflection is visible on the wet surface below. The shot is set against an urban park backdrop with historical buildings, bare trees, and a clear blue sky. Onlookers are seen in the distance. The low angle of the photograph emphasizes the height of the jump and the skill of the rider.

The Engine Inside

The Engine Inside tells the stories of six everyday people from all over the globe who reveal the unique power of the bicycle to change lives and build a better world. Through their stories, the film uncovers the often-overlooked potential of this 200-year-old machine, exploring its impact on a wide range of global issues such as physical and mental health, socioeconomic inequality and climate change.

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

Uplifting

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