Discoveries from Canada World Cinema

A landmark WWII docudrama, told through the eyes of three young Canadians, chronicling the events of the Allied invasion of Juno Beach on June 6, 1944 - otherwise known as D-Day.

The Blakes have a rancher in the burbs, 2 kids, a mid-sized American car, a gas barbecue and lawn furniture. Dad works in an office, Mom does something vague and equally meaningless. They are exactly like all the people you see on the freeway every morning. Something happens - their young son gets sick.

A scholarly king and his three companions swear off the society of women for three years, only to have a diplomatic visit from a French princess and her three ladies-in-waiting thwart their intentions.

This feature documentary is a portrait of Peter Watkins, an Oscar®-winning British filmmaker who, for the past 4 decades, has proved that films can be made without compromise. With the proliferation of TV channels, documentaries are enjoying an unprecedented boom fuelled by audiences seeking an alternative to infotainment. But now documentary filmmaking, too, finds itself constrained by the imperatives of television. However, there is a rebel resisting this uniformity of the spirit. Pre-eminent among today's documentary filmmakers concerned about this mind-numbing standardization, Peter Watkins has never strayed from either his principles or the cause.

In this short comedy drama, a trans South Asian person visits their family for Rakhi, a Hindu religious ceremony that symbolizes the bond between brothers and sisters. Celebrating a ceremony that is so centered around gender, this non-binary character must reconcile their gender identity with their deeply rooted family values.

A portrait of a Vietnamese-Canadian family opening up a restaurant and cocktail bar in Calgary's Chinatown, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

A psychological experiment between two friends spirals out of control. How bad could it be?

Sébastien owns a book shop and has literary ambitions of his own. He befriends Joseph, an established novelist whose work he admires. But when Joseph is killed on his doorstep, Sébastien discovers a mysterious manuscript left behind. Sasha, Sébastien’s only child, witnesses Joseph’s death, and the effects run deep. She finds herself drawn to the author’s son Sidney, and starts a relationship with him. As the two grow closer, she discovers that her father is hiding something. Sidney, feeling betrayed by Sasha, threatens to expose Sébastien to get justice for his father’s memory. But his relentless pursuit for the truth leads him to uncover a tragic family secret from which he was protected… until now.

Alberta (Canada) rural farm-boy Sheldon Kennedy feels abused by dad when punished for poor performances compared to big brother Troy. being recruited for professional ice-hockey at age 14 seems an ideal way out, straight to a party animal's good life. Yet after a Vegas marriage with Jana and hearing she's pregnant, Sheldon breaks down and tells her what's eating at him for years: coach Graham James, whoa arranged for him to be transferred each time James was, sexually abused Sheldon, who fears to be laughed away as a queer and loose his only career avenue if he goes public

Three childhood girlfriends reunite to celebrate Demie’s 30th birthday. Unbeknownst to them, Demie’s boyfriend organized a special evening. A night featuring mystery guests, enigmas and maybe a murder.

Four wedding professionals kicked off an intricate crime spree after one seeks revenge on an ex. It becomes a way out of their troubled lives for a drug-addicted emcee, a gambling chef, a meek decorator, and a gifted photographer.

In need of a job, 20 year old Marco Torres (Chris Gosine) wants to become a mailman. Only problem is, he needs a driver's license to apply for the actual postal service. Against the advice of his sister (Marina Yap), he decides to be one on his own terms.

A filmmaker explores his family's 30-year hidden secret through home videos, despite risks to everyone's safety. Based on Mike Lobel's investigation into what his parents kept from him and his siblings.

It is an ocean of plenty, a vast aquatic pasture teeming with many species of fish and other marine life. Most sought is the salmon, but sometimes they do not "run." This film shows extensive studies of the ocean to determine how temperatures, winds, currents, and plankton affect the sea harvest.

THEY HEARD VOICES is a documentary film exploring the Hearing Voices Movement, chronic psychosis, and the schizophrenia label. The film is a series of wide-ranging interviews with voice hearers, medical historians, anthropologists and psychiatrists from Britain and America, presenting different people’s views. Is schizophrenia hard science or an arbitrary, catch-all term with no real meaning? What does it mean for those experiencing psychosis?

This film establishes a parallel between the 1970 electoral campaign in Québec and the 1936 campaign dominated by Maurice Duplessis. It shows the hope but also the uncertainty that existed in 1970. Had the Quiet Revolution really changed things in Québec? Was it possible that a new leader would emerge on the political scene? (NFB.ca)

Dr. Mason Miller is a world-renowned expert in memory erasure, a man who helps others forget what they can't live with. But when he begins experiencing surreal disruptions inside the sterile environment of a luxury resort, it becomes clear that nothing is as it seems. As he reconnects with a long-lost lover, relives ethically questionable cases, and unearths a buried trauma, Mason realizes he's not treating a patient, he is the patient.

Jean is the provider and (over)protector of her two teen children, Tamika and Tristin, and begrudgingly lives with her mother in a crowded Lawrence Heights apartment complex. Despite the kids learning to become more self-sufficient, Jean’s vision is too clouded by the past to see that they're growing. She is haunted by violence in both their past and their present, and must help her children cope. Expertly using sound and flashbacks to construct a layered and full portrait of this woman's life, Chapman reveals the trials and tribulations that women in Jean’s family carry with them.

A documentary portrait of Chinese pianist Yundi Li that captures the poetic intensity of this young virtuoso as he works with the great Maestro Seiji Ozawa to prepare for his debut with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. This is interwoven with Yundi on tour in his home country, where we meet his family, gain insight into his upbringing and are exposed to the massive scale of piano culture in China.

The stage musical star, also known for her appearances in the popular TV show, 'Glee', captured live in performance in Toronto with the backing of the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony. Menzel performed a number of songs from stage musicals and popular classical pieces in Koerner Hall, part of Toronto's Royal Conservatory of Music, with the support of conductor Marvin Hamlisch, pianist Rob Mounsey and the 52-piece symphony.

Buck and Jessica's merry little Christmas together takes a dangerous turn when their journey through the wild turns into a battle for survival.

A recently-deposed Central American dictator re-locates to a small town in Northern Manitoba and starts a new repressive regime.

An inside look at the ABC sitcom which turned Robin Williams into a star in 1978.

Leonardo da Vinci finds it difficult to pursue his own dreams while serving as the Duke's court artist, but young Roberto takes risks to convince the Master not to give up on his dreams. In this moving story of friendship, the Renaissance genius invents a flying machine and helps Roberto reach new heights.

Determined to stop drinking, Joseph moves into a friend's house and convinces his ex-wife Emma to join him. In the troubled times of Quebec independence referendum, this is the account of their stormy reunion.

By retracing the mixed heritage of First Nations peoples and Quebecers, painting a modern portrait, and sketching a human geography, this film helps us (re)discover the beauty and strength of our common territory: the Americas.

Atikamekw elder Cézar Néwashish continues to recount the history of the community of Manawan that first began in The History of Manawan: Part One. As Christianity and European customs take deeper root in the community – abetted by residential schools and aggressive assimilationist government policies – seemingly irreversible changes to significant customs begin to unfold. Despite these struggles, the people carry on. This short is part of the Manawan series directed by Alanis Obomsawin.

Clive, Eddie, Sammy, Tracey, Gomer and Adrian , a close-knit group of "headbanging" friends all have an equal passion for Heavy Metal music, partying and experimenting with the occult and supernatural. When the mutilated body of murdered 12 year-old Mikey Gay (brother of the Hellrats' feared, trouble-making gang-leader Vinny) surfaces in Sammy's "Satanic Enshrined" bedroom, all six become prime suspects in the murder. Did one of the six teenagers take their interests in Black Magic a little too far? Or was Mikey murdered at the hands of someone else? This coming of age tale represents a different side of the 80's that has never been chronicled until now...

An investigative documentary that examines the systemic abuse of elderly people in Las Vegas, Nevada revealing a cautionary tale where some of our society's most vulnerable citizens are robbed of their life savings, healthcare and freedom.

Marcel, recently released from prison, attempt to rebuild his relationship with his girlfriend Julie (now a prostitute) and especially his father Albert (who thinks he's been away on a long trip abroad), while being pursued by two corrupt cops (one of whom bears a longstanding grudge against him) for drug money he's alleged to possess.

After a freak accident at WizCorp transforms an overlooked Dragoon worker into a mighty dragon, he uncovers an impossible truth: his kind were once legendary rulers of the skies, until the wizard-CEO Hex shrank them, erased their memories, and stole their power to build his empire. Now, with his best friend at his side, the fiery heroes must find the courage to rise, awaken their kind, and prove that even the smallest spark can light up the sky.

Set against the majestic landscape of Canada’s Bay of Fundy and the highest tides in the world, Black Swan is a dark comedy that weaves the innocent world of childhood, against the adult world of love, betrayal and murder.

Montreal, 1991. Delphis, 11 years old, grows up in a disadvantaged neighborhood and an unstable family environment. One evening, he decides to take control of his life and becomes The Hurricane. Armed with a lightning bolt on his headband and his middle finger held high, he flees a world that has no place for him. With the police and the Youth Protection Services on his trail, he leaves a mother in distress and has significant encounters in the street. Conquering himself, his adventure is like a road trip, from Hochelag' to Berri, from one family to another. Under the impetus of a hasty adolescence, his freedom thumbs his nose at the indifference towards the marginalized. Social etiquettes burst forth in an assertive tone and sustained rhythm. Between punk music and Marjo, The Hurricane hits us in the face, without waiting to die!

A Canadian therapist has one last chance to keep his own personal life afloat by avoiding a job transfer to Gimli and working to help three patients suffering from extreme post-traumatic stress disorder.

It was supposed to be a fun weekend. A trip away for a close-knit friend group to celebrate the end of high school. But when their estranged former best friend shows up, unannounced, with her douche boyfriend in tow… plans change. Tensions rise, friendships are tested, and the whole weekend seems hopeless. As a last-ditch attempt to save the trip, the group revisits a game from their childhood, a game inspired by a local ghost story. What started out as a fun activity turns deadly as real life begins to mirror the actions of the game, leading the friends to question each other and their own judgement. After all, no one really believes in ghosts… right?

After losing his title belt, a fallen star in the boxing world seeks advice from an Amish technician to get his career back up.

A woman and her new boyfriend are struggling to maintain their relationship. However, when a runaway reindeer threatens the annual Christmas play, the couple must work together to save Christmas for the town and each other.

The life and work of Robert Frank—as a photographer and a filmmaker—are so intertwined that they're one in the same, and the vast amount of territory he's covered, from The Americans in 1958 up to the present, is intimately registered in his now-formidable body of artistic gestures. From the early '90s on, Frank has been making his films and videos with the brilliant editor Laura Israel, who has helped him to keep things homemade and preserve the illuminating spark of first contact between camera and people/places. Don't Blink is Israel's like-minded portrait of her friend and collaborator, a lively rummage sale of images and sounds and recollected passages and unfathomable losses and friendships that leaves us a fast and fleeting imprint of the life of the Swiss-born man who reinvented himself the American way, and is still standing on ground of his own making at the age of 90.

Childhood friends turned step-sisters, Jane and Jocelyn have been drifting apart despite longing for the intimacy they once shared. In this comedic, character-driven chamber piece, Jocelyn’s attempt to reach out to her isolating step-sister sours when Jane learns she has not been invited to the upcoming family vacation.

A hypochondriac business manager becomes attached to a pretty receptionist who will help him fiercely oppose the shady maneuvers of an executive with excessive ambition.

Trevor is a true believer in the holiday spirit, so his skeptical best friend, Veronica, challenges him to show the world actual proof that Santa is real! Trevor and his friends embark on the adventure of a lifetime to catch Santa in action and reveal the true magic of Christmas. But they've got to find Santa before LeFreeze - a dim-witted monster who's carrying a serious 100-year-old grudge - and his snowman minions put Christmas on ice forever!

In the wake of their father’s death, two children gradually come to realize the perverse nature of their upbringing.

Toronto filmmaker Charles Officer profiles the young people of Villaways Park, a housing project on brink of historic change.

Badly scarred in a childhood accident, Violet boards a bus in North Carolina on a pilgrimage to Oklahoma to visit a TV preacher, the one that heals. On the bus, she meets two soldiers on their way to Fort Smith. The film won the Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film in 1982.

Ten-year-old Sébastiana recounts the history and legends and explains the local customs of Andahuaylillas, Peru, a small village located high in the Andes. Their simpler way of life has persisted for over three centuries, undisturbed by modern society's technology and materialism.

Joanne Kilbourn, ex-detective turned university lecturer, is still haunted by the unsolved murder of her politician husband,

Céline Dion has not been on stage since March 2020. Interrupted by the pandemic, then postponed due to the star's affliction with stiff-person syndrome, the Courage tour has been shelved. Céline is on pause. Can we hope for her return, or should we leave it to the doctors?

In the early 1930s, Orson Welles ascends to unprecedented stardom while President Franklin Delano Roosevelt navigates a nation in crisis. As WWII begins, an American boy visits abroad, and an American soldier enlists in the army.

Ballet teacher Olivia gets more than she bargained for when she casts the talented Lily as the lead in the Christmas recital of The Nutcracker, and finds herself falling for Lily’s handsome firefighter father Michael. When a video of Michael practicing ballet with his daughter goes viral, Olivia sees how much dance really means to the community.

When his criminal father is diagnosed with dementia, a young thief plans a series of reckless heists in order to battle the disease and pay off a dangerous gambling debt.

Rosaire and Alex would do anything to seduce girls, but they are broke. In an attempt to escape their problem, they become willing to do anything to make some money.

On a quest for emotional healing and spiritual awakening, a naturopathic doctor and an accountant join others in the Peruvian Amazon to drink a psychedelic brew called ayahuasca.

When gambling addict Michele moves in with her childhood friend Janine, their teenaged daughter’s burgeoning friendship produces both humorous and heartbreaking results.

Filmed in IMAX, a young Mayan boy who lives close to the ruins becomes acquainted with an archaeologist (Guerra) and asks her to tell him about his ancestors. The crew travelled to over 15 locations in Mexico and Guatemala, including Tulum and Chichén Itzá.

A troubled man with personality issues tries to make sense of his relationships with the women in his life. His growing sense of despair will slowly push him to committing the irreversible.

When William Shatner gets a Lifetime Achievement Award from Canada's Governor General, he shows appreciation as only Shatner can. In this short film, the most famous space cadet in showbiz takes helm of our heritage and treats us to a memorable rendition of Canada's national anthem.

Reflections of a man who as a young boy spent his summers in a small Canadian town.

Mistaken for a dangerous Islamist, Saadi - a regular guy who happens to be an illegal Arab immigrant - sets out on the most dangerous day of his life. A satirical and thrilling comedy where a wrongly accused suspect gets mixed up in a worldwide terrorist plot.

A seasoned crisis manager navigates a dysfunctional family and their faltering whiskey company through a PR disaster involving triple homicide, Arctic ice mummies, and intergalactic moonshine.

Mathilde returns home after eight years to say goodbye to her terminally ill mother.