Discoveries from Canada World Cinema

A doctor is confronted with his own illness.

The coming of age journey of Samuel, a young Haitian boy whose life takes a tragic turn when his father is kidnapped, and he then decides to travel to the United States and Canada to find his mother.

David Huggins, a 72 year-old New Jersey man, claims to have had a lifetime of encounters with otherworldly beings. His experiences include an interspecies romance with an extraterrestrial woman. He’s chronicled it all in his surreal impressionist paintings, but are his experiences dreams, hallucinations, or possibly reality?

Susanna and Catharine were brought up in a large estate in England. They married soldiers and both couples headed to Canada only to be disappointed. Catharine, a lover of nature, adapted better than Susanna, a society person.

A WWII film about children evacuated from Britain and sent to Canada for their safety. The film begins in England with children seeking shelter as anti-aircraft guns roar outside. On their arrival in Canada, they are thrilled by the brightly lit cities, powerful Canadian trains, hot dogs and ice cream. They find, too, that instead of becoming Mounties or cowboys, they have to go to school. The closing sequence shows them learning to ski and skate and preparing for Christmas in their new homes.

Shattered by a family tragedy in the wake of 9/11, a young Sikh boy struggles to hold onto love, family, and identity as he grows up in a country feeling like he doesn't belong.

When the sun sets on Montreal's Halloween night, the moon unleashes a supernatural power, transforming the calm citizens into blood thirsty monsters...

I.B. Spider is a puny student at Spider Junior High whose bravery and endurance is put to the test when scaling a water spout.

In this French Canadian film, when the provincial government tries to move two young farmers from their land to make way for development, the two fight back, accidentally killing a policeman and becoming outlaws in the process.

An eccentric teacher (Marie-Chantal Perron) causes children at her elementary school to change the way they look at themselves.

Returning to boxing class after a traumatic event, Sheila has a tough time coping with a classmate's far-from-selfless efforts to express her concern.

Five former college roommates gather years later for an emotional reunion. Although their lives have taken different paths, they still feel a strong bond and each reveals a dark, personal secret.

A christmas movie.

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.

Part coming-of-age story, part art-cinema meditation on photography, souvenirs, and collections, O, Brazen Age creates a tender and haunting portrait of friendship and faith in the 21st century.

Is sand an infinite resource? Can the existing supply satisfy a gigantic demand fueled by construction booms? What are the consequences of intensive beach sand mining for the environment and the neighboring populations?

Following their triumph with Manufactured Landscapes, photographer Edward Burtynsky and filmmaker Jennifer Baichwal reunite to explore the ways in which humanity has shaped, manipulated and depleted one of its most vital and compromised resources: water.

A documentary film crew follows Bernie Rosenblum to the El Paso, Texas ranch where he worked in 1966 on what is arguably the worst movie of all time.

The residents of a tiny Newfoundland town consider voting to resettle it.

During the prosperous years of Saint-Élie-de-Caxton, Toussaint Brodeur ran his general store and profited from everything. So, the day he stood before Eternity, he realized he hadn't put any time into his safe. Toussaint was rich, but couldn't even afford to buy back a single second of his life. It was too late.

In the sanctuary of the bedroom, a husband and wife are able to honestly discuss their desires and disappointments and if they should continue their life's journey together. It is the first in a trilogy of short films called The House Series (Bedroom, Kitchen and Bathroom).

When a small-town cocktail-enthusiast decides to kill himself after being diagnosed with a terminal illness he must deal with the repercussion his choice has on his son and his community.

Louis-José takes a stand: yes, he admits, he describes himself as slow, going against the grain of his time where immediacy is valued, thus justifying his affection for this underestimated and unloved month. Captured in September 2018 at the legendary Capitol Theater in Moncton.

Paula and Nathan just want a quick lunch at a local diner, but they end up getting much more than they could possibly afford: A specialty item for a particular class of customer.

A Way Out is a documentary about breaking the cycle of poverty in Canadian's oldest and largest "ghetto," Regent Park. In addition to talking about what it is like to grow up poor in North America, it explores the reasons behind one person finding a way out of poverty and others remaining. As a former resident of a low-income community, Christene Browne went back to find out what had happened to some of her old friends. Formal and impromptu interviews are conducted and the community is revealed through footage and stills.

A young girl tries to escape her lonely Toronto apartment on a cold winter night.

Death strikes a mortal blow... to a common house plant. This plunges little Audrey into her deepest fear, that one day her mother will meet the same fate.

On the eve of a significant birthday, a woman facing an existential crisis convinces her partner that a threesome might change everything.

Marie, a Canadian editor specialized in testimonies of Genocide survivors, starts to receive anonymous large envelopes with the narrative of Ali, a young Palestinian who grew up in a refugee camp in Lebanon. Intrigued, Marie investigates the origin of these envelopes and finds out who is the anonymous writer. This is how she establishes a connection with Joseph, a Lebanese worker hired to paint the offices. A strange relation develops between these two persons who come from very different worlds. But after a while, Joseph abruptly disappears and Marie, overwhelmed by the mission fallen on her, starts a journey into the past, through a small village in Lebanon, in the heart of a bloodthirsty culture were lies the key of all the enigmas.

The sixtieth day of a contractual confinement. Two men and a woman are under continuous observation. The characters, like the images, are engulfed in a dazzling light. They lose their contour and reveal their vulnerability and turpitude.

Mumsie is a stylish documentary that explores the bitter-sweet relations between mothers and daughters. Illustrated through stories that candidly expose wry truths in a hauntingly beautiful and economical style.

Ridden with guilt after the untimely death of his wife from a rare blood disease, grief-stricken Getty turns his hobby shed into a bloody altar of worship and brutal sacrifice in his relentless search for Redemption. As he descends into madness, many will bleed.

An interracial gay couple adopting a newborn baby meets the pregnant Asian birthmother and receives a surprise that threatens their relationship.

This experimental animated short takes a critical look at consumerism in a material world. Thousands of cut-out ads are presented in increasingly fragmented, rapid succession. The film's disorienting and hectic pace seeks to interrogate the extent to which seductive advertising is a shockingly strong force in shaping our desires, needs, and lives in contemporary capitalism.

Wolves in the Snow begins with the news that Antoine has been cuckolding Lucie for years. A violent marital argument ensues resulting in Antoine's death. After lying about Antoine's whereabouts, Lucie discovers his secret life of gangsters, money laundering and violence. Followed, threatened and badgered by the gangsters, Lucie becomes trapped by her deceit. The body of Antoine disappears, other corpses appear, and the money, very quickly, becomes only the pretext of an alarming turn of events, in which Lucie learns how to lie, to live, and perhaps also to like. Wolves in the Snow is an intense drama set against the backdrop of Montreal.

Two college roommates travel around the city doing day-to-day activities while preparing for an audition for a part they both want.

Over 5 hours of full-length interviews with Nirvana, Tommy Chong, Sonic Youth, Pierre Elliot Trudeau, Ron Jeremy, and many more. Includes videos of Nardwuar's band, The Evaporators, along with all sorts of bonus material!

A documentary that explores what it means to be a young person in Quebec after the dissolution of the Quebec sovereignty movement.

Anna, a twelve-year-old Ukrainian gymnast, has fled her war-torn country and recently settled in Montreal with her mother, younger brother, and grandmother. Confronted by the past, the challenges of exile, and a deep need for belonging, she seeks to rebuild her identity and regain her balance. Through her child’s perspective, the documentary explores the reality of life after war, questioning what endures and what is missing, even when one has found refuge.

A psychologist attempts to uncover the mystery behind his teenaged patient's strange behavior and finds more than he bargained for...

A 911 dispatcher helps a lost and surprisingly upbeat woman in a compromising situation and connects with more than just the call.

A genre anthology about the dark side of dating and relationships.

Most of the goods we consume are transported by sea on ships where working conditions recall those of the galley ships of another age. Turbulent Waters tells the story of these seafarers – equivalent to 21st century galley slaves – and of the turbulent seas they inhabit in a world of corporate globalisation.

In a dark, ambiguous environment, minuscule particles drift slowly before the lens. The image focuses to reveal spruce trees and tall pines, while Innu voices tell us the story of this territory, this flooded forest. Muffled percussive sounds gradually become louder, suggesting the presence of a hydroelectric dam. The submerged trees gradually transform into firebrands as whispers bring back the stories of this forest.

A family must change their way of life when they discover their young child has an invisible medical condition that society has overlooked. 18 years ago, the Couroux Family’s youngest son, James, was diagnosed with Celiac Disease (CD), forcing them to change their way of life. His parents, Daniel and Patricia, found themselves working hard to find the best options for James. Meanwhile, James struggled to cope with the mental and psychological effects of his diagnosis, revealing the darker side of CD. With support from expert opinions, Cake-Bomb is a film that aims to explore what it is like to raise a child with CD, as well as what it is like to be that child.

A teleplay about Marie-Josephte Corriveau, a French-Canadian woman executed by the British in 1763 for the murder of her second husband, Louis Dodier.

Between 1879 and 1986, upwards of 100,000 children in Canada were forcibly removed and placed into Indian Industrial Residential Schools. Their unique culture was stripped away to be replaced with a foreign European identity. Their family ties were cut, parents were forbidden to visit their children, and the children were prevented from returning home.

A facially disfigured author's life with her guardian of a sister is disrupted when a stranger arrives at their door, claiming to be a fan.

Ally the disappearing magician learns the true meaning of Christmas magic after being trapped in Miracle, CO., just days before her Vegas big break.

A documentary about Captain Dale Black, a pilot who died in a famous airplane crash in Burbank, California which was covered by the LA Times. After coming back to life, Black shares his near death experience as the sole survivor of a non-survivable plane wreck.

A familiar lesbian love triangle, drawn in broad strokes and sensuous fantasy.

Sue is trying to get over a break-up with Dale. She goes out to get coffee in her nightgown and meets him and his new girlfriend, Sabrina, in the convenience store. Mortified she leaves and finally accepts an invitation from a lesbian friend to go to an all-girl bar that night. She's surprised to see Sabrina there dancing with women.

In an alternate timeline Arizona State alumni William “Billy” Coltran was the president of the USA. Billy seems to have lost something...

A short documentary produced for Canadian public television.

Fly along as Benjamin Jordan sets a new World Distance Record (10,000 km) as he crosses Canada by Powered Paraglider. Along the way, you will land at summer camps and inspire thousands of children, while raising funds to send less fortunate ones to summer camp next year! The 71 minute, Documentary Feature contains 15 chapters chronicling the epic successes and failures of this unprecedented journey. Each chapter focuses on a unique aspect of Canadian geography, culture and the exact mix of team-work and blind optimism required to pull off such a daring stunt. Since it's release in 2010, A Canadian Dream (formerly "DREAM") has screened in theatres world-wide and, through it's proceeds, has allowed almost 100 children, from low-income homes, the opportunity to attend summer camp.

The uneventful middle-class life of Lebanese sisters Houwayda and Joëlle spirals into turmoil after Houwayda announces that she is accompanying Pierre, her Québecker husband, on a sabbatical year in France.

Five friends go out for the best night of their lives and their last together. To hunt for love, cheap drinks and salvation.