Awards Ceremony
Rewatch the ceremony at
facebook live www.facebook.com/hamiltonfilmfestival
THE NOMINEES &
Winners in BOLD
JURY CHOICE
ALINA
SCREENPLAY
Alina - Nora Mariana
The Blue Bed - Alireza Kazemipour
Miracle Baby - Steven Fechter
FEATURE
The Badger
Bone Cage
Marlene
SHORT
Alina
Consent Agreement
Miracle Baby
DOCUMENTARY
Dave Not Coming Back
Running Home
SpiderMable - A Real Life Superhero Story
STUDENT
My Other Suit Is Human
The Tent
Your Mother And I
ACTRESS
Marlene - Kristen Booth
Miracle Baby - Nancy Nagrant
Bone Cage - Amy Groening
ACTOR
Bone Cage - Taylor Olsen
Marlene - Greg Bryk
Miracle Baby - Stephen Kunken
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Marlene - Charles Hamilton
Robert The Robot - Aaron Reid
SpiderMable - A Real Life Superhero Story - Kelly Wolfert
EDITING
Bone Cage - Shawn Beckwith
Mousie - Duncan Moir
SpiderMable - A Real Life Superhero Story
Krystal Moss / Michael McIntosh / Johnathan Mathew
SOUND
Alina - Mark Camperell
Hypernova - Fanny Riguidel
Through The Wall - Philippe Lavigne, Bernard Gariépy Strobl, Olivier Calvert
MUSIC
Cosmic Fling - Jordan Seigel
Four Days at the National Preservation Centre - Anthony Wallace
One Last Monster - Lulu Chen / Cai-Jhen Jhu
SFX
Cosmic Fling - Gen Kadie / Tim Hendrix
Green Grass - Garus Booth
Robert The Robot - Johnathan Irwin
SPARQUIE THE SQUIRREL
The Beacons of Gondor
The Flowers
Kitty Mammas
The Sparquie the Squirrel goes to the most electrifying film in the festival. Many years ago, a squirrel knocked out a transformer, and our power, during our opening gala. Our power came back on, Sparquie's did not :( The rodent lives on in this award.
SCREENPLAYS
TOP 9 FINALISTS
Faith & Infinite Resignation by Kyle Bordo
Gray by Daniel Talbott - 1st Place
Heritage by Sina Sultani and Courtenay Crane
Leadeth by Edward Balli
Moonracer by Jessi Thind - 2nd Place
Reasonable Time by Wyatt Lamoureux
Riding Shotgun by Nafi Ayvaci
Study In Blue by Patrick Clement
Violet by Sarah Deakins - 3rd Place
TOP 3 Announced on November 29th
Gray by Daniel Talbott - 1st Place
Heritage by Sina Sultani and Courtenay Crane
Leadeth by Edward Balli
Moonracer by Jessi Thind - 2nd Place
Reasonable Time by Wyatt Lamoureux
Riding Shotgun by Nafi Ayvaci
Study In Blue by Patrick Clement
Violet by Sarah Deakins - 3rd Place
TOP 3 Announced on November 29th
Truly Independent Award 2020
Erin Shields & Marty Fleet
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The TRULY INDEPENDENT award is given to a champion of the Hamilton Film Festival. Without these recipients, the festival would not be where it is today! Erin Shields and Marty Fleet join the Truly Independent family with Cher Obediah, Steve Parton, Sharon Borbill, The Staircase (A.K.A. Colette Kendall, Hugh McLeod and Kathy Garneau),, Eves Raja, Craig F. Watkins, Ken Turner, Robert Ezergailis, and Katie and Joanne Uhlmann. This award is announced prior to the start of the festival so if you see one of the recipients at the event, say thanks!
NOVEMBER 7th - 15th, 2020
The Westdale, Playhouse Cinema, Starlite Drive-In, Cable 14 and Online
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HAMILTON'S BIGGEST FILM EVENT!
MOVIES | EDUCATION | PRODUCTION
We earn the "Hamilton" in our title!
#SupportLocal
We have a festival, an online film school AND are casting a series!
If this year was a movie genre, it would be a wide variety of them!
Fitting that our theme is Variety, and we are bringing you a wide selection of 100 movies, in multiple ways. Theatrical, the Drive-In, Broadcast and Online!
Get out your megaphone and shout it out that the 15th Annual Hamilton Film Festival is almost here! Stay Safe. Stay Creative!
We know that many of these films will be enjoyed from home, so why not make a night at home special by ordering in some local! Order coffee, popcorn and a meal from our official partners! #SupportLocal
RELAY COFFEE
relaycoffee.com
The official fuel of the Hamilton Film Festival
COMEBACK SNACKS
comebacksnacks.com/shop
Amazing popcorn with a great back story!
PHO LAC VIEN
pholacvien.ca
A favourite of our festival director, this is a hidden gem in Hamilton. Order your take-out (905)522-3525. Also on Uber Eats. P.S. Nathan's go-to is P14, curry chicken pho!
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 7th
OPENING NIGHT
KITTY MAMMAS
+ Live Music by the Michael Scott Trio
$20
(doors at 7pm)
7:30pm - 10pm
Westdale Theatre, 1014 King St. W
Limited Capacity (25 pairs only) No single seats.
COVID PROTOCOLS IN PLACE
Mask required when entering, exiting and moving throughout the theatre.
KITTY MAMMAS
(Comedy / Sci Fi, 90m, Dennis Alexander Nicholson, Canada)
We're kicking off, well...pawing off, opening night with a Canadian feature from first-time director Dennis Alexander Nicholson! Meeeoowww!!
A “documentary film crew” captures history unfolding, as a disgraced, but kind-hearted fertility specialist, Dr. William Han (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee) , tries to restart his career, embarking on a breakthrough medical trial in which four women will give birth to kittens!!!
Joan is in it for the money, trying desperately to pay law-school tuition, while her hippie-artist mother begs Joan to surrender to the arts. Sylvia, a working mom, can’t wait to surprise her kids by bringing home a furry pet that her husband isn’t allergic to. Maria and her fiancé, Jennifer, want to start a non-traditional family and put the money towards their wedding. And Rose…. Well, she just loves cats sooo damn much!
The cat-pregnancies must remain under-wraps for the duration of the medical trial, no easy feat considering the four kitty-mammas must hide their symptoms from their families and the world. But when William teams up with a savvy veterinarian from his past, Dr. Theresa Mackenzie, keeping the trial discrete becomes all but impossible. Her jealous ex-husband, Darryl, starts stalking the clinic, hell-bent on exposing the trial and ruining Dr. Han’s life… again.
Now, William must open up about his past, come clean about his feelings for Theresa and enlist the help of the four kitty-mammas if he wants to bring the world’s first truly hypo-allergenic cats into the word.
Tickets will be sold through our platform at FILM FREEWAY
https://filmfreeway.com/HamiltonFilmFestival/tickets/126213
Before the show, enjoy the instrumental funk / jazz sounds of the Michael Scott Trio. Michael is one of Hamilton's best drummers and he has assembled an incredible trio for the evening!
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 8th
KIDS CAN FILM
FREE
1pm
ONLINE
Movies made by the kids during the Strike Camps and the online Summer Camps!
The Narf (stop motion)
Giant (perspective)
Substitute (live action)
Revenge of the Pandemic (zoom live action)
Voice Thief (live Action)
Velcro (live Action)
After the movies, we will have a Q&A with the filmmakers live on Facebook!
Photo taken in February, 2020, during the "strike camps".
SUBTITLED FILMS
Sunday November 8th, 3pm
$5 - Online
All the films in this program are subtitled so that we may include audiences that are deaf or hard of hearing.
These films are not rated and some contain content that may be disturbing.
The Tent (Drama, 8m, Cailleah Scott-Grimes, Canada - English)
A young woman grapples with family values and discovers a new way of listening in a unique celebration with her Deaf aunt.
Tears Teacher (Drama, 10m, Noemie Nakai, Japan - Japanese)
Yoshida is a self-proclaimed 'tears teacher'. A firm believer that regular crying promotes healthier living, he’s made it his mission to make more people weep.
His Cannibal Granny (Drama, 16m, Dessislava Nikolova-Besedin, Bulgaria)
Radostin is the new boy at school. His peculiar charm and kindness attract everybody’s attention and the school bullies start to feel jealous. In order to diminish his popularity, they spread a rumor about the cannibalistic past of Radostin’s grandmother.
Cayenne (Drama, 11m, Simon Gionet, Canada - French)
During her night shift at the remote gas station, a female clerk agrees to help a man whose car broke down. While they both attempt to repair the vehicle, the driver’s intentions leave the young woman uncertain. In the middle of the deserted parking lot, an air of apprehension fills the night as the events of the evening unfold.
ANNA (Drama, 15, Dekel Berenson, UK - Ukrainian)
Living in war-torn Eastern Ukraine, Anna is an aging single mother who is desperate for a change. Lured by a radio advertisement, she goes to party with a group of American men who are touring the country, searching for love.
The Blue Bed (Drama, 14, Alireza Kazemipour, Canada / Iran - Persian)
Zahra is a middle-aged woman who visits a temporary marriage agency and signs up to have a young working girl. She picks her up to take her home but the girl (Negar) who has never had a female client before, becomes suspicious of Zahra’s intent and sexual orientation.
Superhero (Drama, 13m, Émile V. Schlesser, Luxembourg - German)
A young man with Down syndrome, stakes on a superhero identity to muster the courage to profess his love to a childhood friend.
Movies start on time and will only be available for 2 hours after the official start time.
A link will be emailed to you one week before the show.
These films are not rated and some contain content that may be disturbing.
The Tent (Drama, 8m, Cailleah Scott-Grimes, Canada - English)
A young woman grapples with family values and discovers a new way of listening in a unique celebration with her Deaf aunt.
Tears Teacher (Drama, 10m, Noemie Nakai, Japan - Japanese)
Yoshida is a self-proclaimed 'tears teacher'. A firm believer that regular crying promotes healthier living, he’s made it his mission to make more people weep.
His Cannibal Granny (Drama, 16m, Dessislava Nikolova-Besedin, Bulgaria)
Radostin is the new boy at school. His peculiar charm and kindness attract everybody’s attention and the school bullies start to feel jealous. In order to diminish his popularity, they spread a rumor about the cannibalistic past of Radostin’s grandmother.
Cayenne (Drama, 11m, Simon Gionet, Canada - French)
During her night shift at the remote gas station, a female clerk agrees to help a man whose car broke down. While they both attempt to repair the vehicle, the driver’s intentions leave the young woman uncertain. In the middle of the deserted parking lot, an air of apprehension fills the night as the events of the evening unfold.
ANNA (Drama, 15, Dekel Berenson, UK - Ukrainian)
Living in war-torn Eastern Ukraine, Anna is an aging single mother who is desperate for a change. Lured by a radio advertisement, she goes to party with a group of American men who are touring the country, searching for love.
The Blue Bed (Drama, 14, Alireza Kazemipour, Canada / Iran - Persian)
Zahra is a middle-aged woman who visits a temporary marriage agency and signs up to have a young working girl. She picks her up to take her home but the girl (Negar) who has never had a female client before, becomes suspicious of Zahra’s intent and sexual orientation.
Superhero (Drama, 13m, Émile V. Schlesser, Luxembourg - German)
A young man with Down syndrome, stakes on a superhero identity to muster the courage to profess his love to a childhood friend.
Movies start on time and will only be available for 2 hours after the official start time.
A link will be emailed to you one week before the show.
DOUBLE BILL
Sunday November 8th, Starlite Drive-In
One ticket / two movies
MOVIE 1
CUP OF CHEER 7:30pm
Comedy / 90m / Jake Horowitz / Canada
59 Green Mountain Road East, Stoney Creek, Ontario
not for kids
In a comedic shakeup of every cheesy Christmas film, a big city journalist goes to a small town for the holidays and finds herself in an unlikely romance with the owner of a struggling hot cocoa shop.
Director Jake Horowitz is an HFF alumni and won for Best Screenplay in 2019 for the film All About Who You Know. It was also nominated for Best Feature and Best Actress.
MOVIE 2
HOW TO IMPEACH A PRESIDENT
Comedy / 77m / Olivia Fasullo / Hamilton
Sunday November 8th, Starlite Drive-In
Diane Preston is the most qualified President in the history of the United States, with one small problem: appalling approval ratings. After being advised to smile more, her attempts are mistaken for constipation. Her efforts to plug up the scandal only lead her further up shit's creek.
Olivia Fasullo is a writer and director based in Hamilton, Ontario. In 2016, while working on her degree in Political Science and History at McMaster University, she founded Referendum Productions, a female-led production company which focuses on equality in story telling and pushing new boundaries. After writing and directing in theater with "...dialogue quick witted and littered with clever cultural references..."(Fringe Review) and finishing her degree, she transitioned to film. "How to Impeach a President" is her directorial debut in film.
Olivia Fasullo is a writer and director based in Hamilton, Ontario. In 2016, while working on her degree in Political Science and History at McMaster University, she founded Referendum Productions, a female-led production company which focuses on equality in story telling and pushing new boundaries. After writing and directing in theater with "...dialogue quick witted and littered with clever cultural references..."(Fringe Review) and finishing her degree, she transitioned to film. "How to Impeach a President" is her directorial debut in film.
MONDAY NOVEMBER 9th
THE LONG RIDE HOME
Documentary / 61m / Steve Haining / Canada
ON DEMAND
Steve will join us on a panel Sun Nov 14th, 4pm.
Online live via facebook and YouTube
The over representation of First Nations children in child-care, stems from decades of suffering and intergenerational trauma. The infliction of these deeply stressing and disturbing experiences has led to dangerous coping methods, incarceration and often death amongst Indigenous populations.
A brave group of Natives leave on a nomadic horseback journey 600 kms through the Canadian praries. They come from different many cultures but are connected by their stories. With strengthening spirit and traditions, they attempt to spark change, bring awareness to large and growing numbers of missing Indigenous women, '60s scoop survivors and, bring their children home.
Steve Haining
After 10 years as an internationally award winning commercial photographer and creative director Haining seemed to flawlessly mesh into the realm of DOP. His experience in setting the mood and look for short films pushed his passion further as he began directing commercials and short films. In 2019 he took on his first feature length director roll with the controversial documentary "The Long Ride Home"
BONE CAGE
Hamilton Premiere
Drama / 80m / Taylor Olson / Canada
Monday November 9th, 7pm
ONLINE - $5
Q&A with Taylor Olson and Melani Wood after the show on Hamilton Film Festival's facebook live.
Movies start on time and will only be accessible for 2 hours.
After purchasing a ticket, viewing link will be emailed one week before the screening.
Jamie works operating a wood processor, clear-cutting for pulp. At the end of each shift, he walks through the destruction he has created looking for injured animals, and rescues those he can. Jamie's desire to break free from this world is thwarted by the very environment and circumstance he's trying to escape.
Taylor is an actor, writer, and filmmaker based in K’Jipuktuk, Halifax. His feature film directorial debut “Bone Cage,” based on the Governor-General award-winning play by Catherine Banks, premiered at the 2020 FIN Atlantic International Film Festival and won four awards, including Best Atlantic Feature, Director, Screenwriting, and Cinematography. His short films have screened nationally and internationally. As an actor, Taylor has been nominated for seven ACTRA awards for performances and won the David Renton Award for Outstanding Performance at AIFF 2018.
Taylor is an actor, writer, and filmmaker based in K’Jipuktuk, Halifax. His feature film directorial debut “Bone Cage,” based on the Governor-General award-winning play by Catherine Banks, premiered at the 2020 FIN Atlantic International Film Festival and won four awards, including Best Atlantic Feature, Director, Screenwriting, and Cinematography. His short films have screened nationally and internationally. As an actor, Taylor has been nominated for seven ACTRA awards for performances and won the David Renton Award for Outstanding Performance at AIFF 2018.
FALL BACK DOWN
Hamilton Premiere
Comedy / Thriller / 105m / Sara Beth Edwards / Canada
MONDAY NOVEMBER 9th, 9pm
ONLINE - $5
Q&A following the film on facebook live!
Movies start on time and will only be accessible for 2 hours.
After purchasing a ticket, viewing link will be emailed one week before the screening.
A depressed ex-activist takes a job in a sweatshop where he and his coworker make a grim discovery.
Based in Vancouver and Los Angeles, Sara Beth (SB) is a dual New Zealand / Canadian citizen and speaks fluent French. With a background in the Fine Arts, she has spent the last decade creating scripted content for the disenfranchised and working in the Art Department of various films and television series.
SB is the Writer / Director / Producer of punk Romantic Comedy FALL BACK DOWN (2020) funded through Telefilm Canada’s “Talent to Watch” program. Her sophomore feature THE ESTATE is a serious Lesbian Horror set in Ireland, also supported by Telefilm.
Previously SB wrote on the Netflix original series Travelers and was a development writer on The Reckoner, a supernatural teen series produced by Buffalo Gal Pictures and Animiki See Digital for the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN). She recently completed her short film SALTY, which screened in the Cannes Short Film Corner.
SB is a past participant in the WGC Bell Media Diverse Screenwriters Program, Reykjavik Talent Lab, Geena Davis Fellowship and in 2017 won the ‘High Scribe’ award at Sun Valley Film Festival. The judge was Producer Chris Moore (Manchester by the Sea, Good Will Hunting) who is an Executive Producer on Fall Back Down.
Pronouns: She / Xir / Them
Based in Vancouver and Los Angeles, Sara Beth (SB) is a dual New Zealand / Canadian citizen and speaks fluent French. With a background in the Fine Arts, she has spent the last decade creating scripted content for the disenfranchised and working in the Art Department of various films and television series.
SB is the Writer / Director / Producer of punk Romantic Comedy FALL BACK DOWN (2020) funded through Telefilm Canada’s “Talent to Watch” program. Her sophomore feature THE ESTATE is a serious Lesbian Horror set in Ireland, also supported by Telefilm.
Previously SB wrote on the Netflix original series Travelers and was a development writer on The Reckoner, a supernatural teen series produced by Buffalo Gal Pictures and Animiki See Digital for the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN). She recently completed her short film SALTY, which screened in the Cannes Short Film Corner.
SB is a past participant in the WGC Bell Media Diverse Screenwriters Program, Reykjavik Talent Lab, Geena Davis Fellowship and in 2017 won the ‘High Scribe’ award at Sun Valley Film Festival. The judge was Producer Chris Moore (Manchester by the Sea, Good Will Hunting) who is an Executive Producer on Fall Back Down.
Pronouns: She / Xir / Them
HEALING THE NATION
Documentary / 44m / Jack Major, Ernest W. Matton (Elder Little Brown Bear, Athehsa Niohkwá:rita:a) / Canada
Monday November 9th, 11pm
Cable 14 - Broadcast
Free
Healing the Nation follows community members of the Toronto-based Aboriginal Healing Program as they rediscover their culture to heal from unresolved trauma. This empowering documentary dares us to think beyond mainstream medicine and embrace traditional ways for overcoming mental health and addiction issues.
ack is an LGBTQ+ documentary filmmaker and writer. He graduated from Sheridan College's Media Arts Program in 2012 and gained early experience working as a music video director in Toronto, as well as a freelance cinematographer and editor for creative agencies across Canada. He currently co-runs Mission + Theory Co., a purpose-driven video production company that reinvests its profits into creating documentaries with a social impact. Jack's first short documentary 'The Venus Project' won Best Social Impact Film at the Grenada Afterglow Film Festival, as well as Best Micro Short at the Oregon Documentary Film Festival.
Ernest W. Matton is an artist, mental health and addictions counselor, and an Elder in his community. He takes his years of experience in the field and in life to make wellness practices and spirituality accessible to others. He is a graduate of Canadore College and Brock University, and is a certified member of the Canadian Addiction Counsellors Certification Federation (CACCF), as well as the Ontario Association of Consultants, Counsellors, Psychometrists and Psychotherapists (OACCPP).
ack is an LGBTQ+ documentary filmmaker and writer. He graduated from Sheridan College's Media Arts Program in 2012 and gained early experience working as a music video director in Toronto, as well as a freelance cinematographer and editor for creative agencies across Canada. He currently co-runs Mission + Theory Co., a purpose-driven video production company that reinvests its profits into creating documentaries with a social impact. Jack's first short documentary 'The Venus Project' won Best Social Impact Film at the Grenada Afterglow Film Festival, as well as Best Micro Short at the Oregon Documentary Film Festival.
Ernest W. Matton is an artist, mental health and addictions counselor, and an Elder in his community. He takes his years of experience in the field and in life to make wellness practices and spirituality accessible to others. He is a graduate of Canadore College and Brock University, and is a certified member of the Canadian Addiction Counsellors Certification Federation (CACCF), as well as the Ontario Association of Consultants, Counsellors, Psychometrists and Psychotherapists (OACCPP).
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 10th
SpiderMable - a real life superhero story
Documentary / 106m / Kelly Wolfhert / Canada
Tuesday November 10th, 7pm
Online - $5
Movies start on time and will only be accessible for 2 hours.
After purchasing a ticket, viewing link will be emailed one week before the screening.
In the typical comic book superhero story arc, tragedy strikes, a superpower is revealed, and the hero must come to terms with their new abilities all while not losing track of who they are. But how often is that lived out in real-life ... especially by a child?
Mable Tooke was diagnosed with cancer at age 4. As she endured chemotherapy, unique traits in her character started to develop ... characteristics that most people don’t recognize until they are adults. Mable’s empathy for others and her desire to control her destiny led to the creation of an alter ego and she soon saw her “wish” granted to fight crime with Spider-Man, save the city, and begin an adventure no one could have predicted ... as SpiderMable.
Mable’s wish started the day as a charming local media story, turned to the topic to be discussed across Canada, and travelled across the globe making headlines in country tens of thousands of kilometres away. But that wasn’t the most amazing part.
Mable’s journey, followed for 5 years by a documentary crew, shows not only her battle against her biggest villain, cancer, but her potential for self-awareness, heroism, leadership, and inspiration from the most unsuspecting of people ... a small child.
With a start behind the lens and 25 years as a cinematographer, Kelly Wolfert transitioned from that award-winning role to add writing and directing to his skillset. As an emerging filmmaker, Kelly soon realized he had to tackle the role of producer as well to complete some of his story ambitions. Years later, Kelly has now rounded out his storytelling skills to have written, directed, shot, and produced his first documentary feature film, “SpiderMable – a real life superhero story”, utilizing what he has been lucky to absorb from many colleagues over his career to complete a charming, northern Canadian-look at true heroism and leadership in a 6-year-old cancer patient’s journey to give back to those that have helped her. Internationally experienced as a storyteller with projects filmed in Japan, China, Russia, Chile, Peru, and Sweden, to name a few, his passion for sharing character-driven stories has taught him to look around and just listen. That’s where he finds creative, socially relevant, inspiring ideas about the people that surround us every day. Kelly has learned that people will be honest and vulnerable if they are being engaged and heard, and that is when human truths are revealed, making for compelling storytelling.
Mable Tooke was diagnosed with cancer at age 4. As she endured chemotherapy, unique traits in her character started to develop ... characteristics that most people don’t recognize until they are adults. Mable’s empathy for others and her desire to control her destiny led to the creation of an alter ego and she soon saw her “wish” granted to fight crime with Spider-Man, save the city, and begin an adventure no one could have predicted ... as SpiderMable.
Mable’s wish started the day as a charming local media story, turned to the topic to be discussed across Canada, and travelled across the globe making headlines in country tens of thousands of kilometres away. But that wasn’t the most amazing part.
Mable’s journey, followed for 5 years by a documentary crew, shows not only her battle against her biggest villain, cancer, but her potential for self-awareness, heroism, leadership, and inspiration from the most unsuspecting of people ... a small child.
With a start behind the lens and 25 years as a cinematographer, Kelly Wolfert transitioned from that award-winning role to add writing and directing to his skillset. As an emerging filmmaker, Kelly soon realized he had to tackle the role of producer as well to complete some of his story ambitions. Years later, Kelly has now rounded out his storytelling skills to have written, directed, shot, and produced his first documentary feature film, “SpiderMable – a real life superhero story”, utilizing what he has been lucky to absorb from many colleagues over his career to complete a charming, northern Canadian-look at true heroism and leadership in a 6-year-old cancer patient’s journey to give back to those that have helped her. Internationally experienced as a storyteller with projects filmed in Japan, China, Russia, Chile, Peru, and Sweden, to name a few, his passion for sharing character-driven stories has taught him to look around and just listen. That’s where he finds creative, socially relevant, inspiring ideas about the people that surround us every day. Kelly has learned that people will be honest and vulnerable if they are being engaged and heard, and that is when human truths are revealed, making for compelling storytelling.
MARLENE
Drama / True Crime / 110m / Wendy Hill-Tout / Canada
Tuesday November 10th, 9pm
ONLINE - $5
Movies start on time and will only be accessible for 2 hours.
After purchasing a ticket, viewing link will be emailed one week before the screening.
Marlene Truscott is Canada’s Erin Brockovich, an ordinary housewife who fought for justice and for her husband, Steven Truscott to be exonerated from a crime he did not commit. The Truscott story is one of Canada’s most famous stories, and became an international story when it created an uproar when a 14 year old schoolboy was sentenced to hang for killing and raping a 12 year schoolmate. Marlene became involved in the fight for justice at a young age, and when Steven was released on parole after 10 years, she met him and eventually fell in love with him. But the couple had to live a life of hiding as their children grew up, and Marlene couldn’t let the story die, determined that the truth would some day come out. Steven’s case was largely responsible for the abolition of capital punishment in Canada. Steven’s case was truly a miscarriage of justice, as the police fingered Steven and ignored any evidence that pointed anywhere else, a story repeated to this day, as many innocents languish in jail. A very female story about an extraordinary woman, written and directed by women, Marlene finally takes a place in history with this untold story.
Wendy Hill-Tout started as a literary writer and journalist, and then directed a number of award winning documentaries for the National film Board. She wrote and directed her first feature in 1991, and then spent a number of years producing, from the Canadian co-producer on "Into the West" nominated for 16 Emmys and a Golden Globe for best mini-series executive produced by Steven Spielberg to “The Northlander”, Metis director Benjamin Ross Hayden’s first feature and “Parallel Minds”. This year she also cowrote with her daughter Lowell, a collaboration Bloodthirsty, featured in Frontieres Cannes and premiering at Fantastic Festival, directed by Amelia Moses.
With “Marlene” Ms. Hill-Tout has gone back to her roots in directing. “It’s funny to finally come into your own power. Young directors are the thing, but what’s cool is I’m celebrating female power at an older age. And the message is, it’s never too late to come into your own. And it’s possible.” “Marlene and I in this way, shared a similar path as she waited for her kids to be grown up before she embarked on the journey to free her husband from his past. I think we need to celebrate more housewives, more women who dared to believe, and who acted."
Wendy Hill-Tout started as a literary writer and journalist, and then directed a number of award winning documentaries for the National film Board. She wrote and directed her first feature in 1991, and then spent a number of years producing, from the Canadian co-producer on "Into the West" nominated for 16 Emmys and a Golden Globe for best mini-series executive produced by Steven Spielberg to “The Northlander”, Metis director Benjamin Ross Hayden’s first feature and “Parallel Minds”. This year she also cowrote with her daughter Lowell, a collaboration Bloodthirsty, featured in Frontieres Cannes and premiering at Fantastic Festival, directed by Amelia Moses.
With “Marlene” Ms. Hill-Tout has gone back to her roots in directing. “It’s funny to finally come into your own power. Young directors are the thing, but what’s cool is I’m celebrating female power at an older age. And the message is, it’s never too late to come into your own. And it’s possible.” “Marlene and I in this way, shared a similar path as she waited for her kids to be grown up before she embarked on the journey to free her husband from his past. I think we need to celebrate more housewives, more women who dared to believe, and who acted."
AFTER FACT
Documentary / 54m / Lindsay Fitzgerald / Canada
Tuesday November 10th, 11pm
Cable 14 - Broadcast
Free
After Fact (2020) is an unvarnished portrait of real-life news work. A CBC investigator switches between covering an unsolved celebrity-murder story and probing a policy chasm that costs schoolchildren’s lives. A small-city reporter watches colleagues’ desks empty as she fights to believe her job still matters. A tough young City Hall reporter puts a human face to decayed housing. Canada’s first crowdfunded independent journalist covers city council with no other reporters in sight. Filmed over the course of three years during a cataclysmic shift in the business of news, After Fact (2020) documents how the crisis in news is affecting reporters on the ground, and what we all stand to lose in the face of journalism’s decline.
Lindsay Fitzgerald is an emerging director and producer in Toronto. She has spent the last six years working in the media industry for major publications including the TVOntario, CBC’s Fifth Estate, The Toronto Star and the Hamilton Spectator. In 2017, Lindsay was chosen as one of eight high-potential producers in Canada for the Doc Institute’s Breakthrough Program. Her first short film, About Employment (2016), won the TVO Short Doc Contest, and has screened at festivals worldwide. Lindsay has also worked as an associate producer, cinematographer and writer for veteran documentary filmmakers Michele Hozer and Maureen Judge, and worked under the prolific documentary editor Manfred Becker for her thesis film "What Appears to be the Problem?" (Premiere, Victoria Film Festival 2017). She holds an MFA in Documentary Media and a Bachelor of Journalism from Ryerson University, and is currently a production manager for the feature-length film Betrayal (2021), licensed by CBC’s Documentary Channel. After Fact (2020) is Lindsay’s directorial debut for a feature-length production.
Lindsay Fitzgerald is an emerging director and producer in Toronto. She has spent the last six years working in the media industry for major publications including the TVOntario, CBC’s Fifth Estate, The Toronto Star and the Hamilton Spectator. In 2017, Lindsay was chosen as one of eight high-potential producers in Canada for the Doc Institute’s Breakthrough Program. Her first short film, About Employment (2016), won the TVO Short Doc Contest, and has screened at festivals worldwide. Lindsay has also worked as an associate producer, cinematographer and writer for veteran documentary filmmakers Michele Hozer and Maureen Judge, and worked under the prolific documentary editor Manfred Becker for her thesis film "What Appears to be the Problem?" (Premiere, Victoria Film Festival 2017). She holds an MFA in Documentary Media and a Bachelor of Journalism from Ryerson University, and is currently a production manager for the feature-length film Betrayal (2021), licensed by CBC’s Documentary Channel. After Fact (2020) is Lindsay’s directorial debut for a feature-length production.
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 11th
SHORT FILMS - WAR THEMES
Wednesday November 11th, 7pm
Online - $5
Veterans use code VET2020
Movies start on time and will only be accessible for 2 hours.
After purchasing a ticket, viewing link will be emailed one week before the screening.
Augustus
The Mirror Drama / 21m / Joel Kohn / USA
When a young girl discovers a mysterious antique mirror in the basement of her ailing grandmother’s house, she accidentally opens a window between time that allows her to cross over into war-torn Nazi-occupied Poland.
Dispatches from The Vietnam War Doc / animated / 4m / Keith Lane / UK
'Dispatches from the Vietnam War: Beer, Bunkers and Typewriters' follows the surreal and existential journey of a young soldier entering war for the first time.
Argyll Urban Ops Documentary / 16m / Micael Wannacott. / Canada
In 2015 the Argylls did an exercise at the Resolute Paper Mill in Thorold, Ontario. This video demonstrates the general scope of their training from receiving classroom instruction to a confirmation exercise in the field. This video was made with the cooperation of Mr Max Putintsev who provided his expertise with the camera as well as a lot of the equipment. All music used came from royalty-free sources.
When Mom Is Gone documentary / 29m / Zeynep Gulru Kececiler / Turkey
Filmed in 35 days, the documentary demonstrates the micro-scale reflections of the devastation caused by the war in Afghanistan that has been going on for a decade.
Augustus Drama / 16m / Jon Alston / USA
Augustus, a literate, escaped slave masquerading as a free man in Massachusetts just prior to the Civil War, experiences nightmares of his son's death and a future America that resembles the struggles of his own time. Augustus soon realizes the horrors of slavery and racial inequality will only continue if he remains complicit. He’s left with one choice; speak out or risk his freedom.
Maunga (Mountain) Drama / 15m / David J Strong, Wanda Lepionka / New Zealand
On Christmas Eve in 1944, Ania, a Polish orphan refugee and Sarah, a farm girl, discover their friend Tamati, a local Māori boy, broken and weeping at an ancestral cave in the thick forest at the base of the epic volcano, Mount Taranaki in New Zealand.
When a young girl discovers a mysterious antique mirror in the basement of her ailing grandmother’s house, she accidentally opens a window between time that allows her to cross over into war-torn Nazi-occupied Poland.
Dispatches from The Vietnam War Doc / animated / 4m / Keith Lane / UK
'Dispatches from the Vietnam War: Beer, Bunkers and Typewriters' follows the surreal and existential journey of a young soldier entering war for the first time.
Argyll Urban Ops Documentary / 16m / Micael Wannacott. / Canada
In 2015 the Argylls did an exercise at the Resolute Paper Mill in Thorold, Ontario. This video demonstrates the general scope of their training from receiving classroom instruction to a confirmation exercise in the field. This video was made with the cooperation of Mr Max Putintsev who provided his expertise with the camera as well as a lot of the equipment. All music used came from royalty-free sources.
When Mom Is Gone documentary / 29m / Zeynep Gulru Kececiler / Turkey
Filmed in 35 days, the documentary demonstrates the micro-scale reflections of the devastation caused by the war in Afghanistan that has been going on for a decade.
Augustus Drama / 16m / Jon Alston / USA
Augustus, a literate, escaped slave masquerading as a free man in Massachusetts just prior to the Civil War, experiences nightmares of his son's death and a future America that resembles the struggles of his own time. Augustus soon realizes the horrors of slavery and racial inequality will only continue if he remains complicit. He’s left with one choice; speak out or risk his freedom.
Maunga (Mountain) Drama / 15m / David J Strong, Wanda Lepionka / New Zealand
On Christmas Eve in 1944, Ania, a Polish orphan refugee and Sarah, a farm girl, discover their friend Tamati, a local Māori boy, broken and weeping at an ancestral cave in the thick forest at the base of the epic volcano, Mount Taranaki in New Zealand.
THE BADGER
Drama / 94m / Kazem Mollaie / Iran
Wednesday November 11th, 9pm
ONLINE - $5
This movie is presented with Subtitles
Movies start on time and will only be accessible for 2 hours.
After purchasing a ticket, viewing link will be emailed one week before the screening.
Right before Soodeh Sharifzadegan’s second marriage, her 11-year-old son, “Matiar” is kidnapped. After considerable effort, Soodeh is forced to ask for the ransom money from her ex-husband, “Peyman”.
HFF Alumni award winner (Kupal)
Kazem Mollaie started filmmaking with a short film named "FROM GAME TO..." (1999). Mollaie holds a B.A. in Cinema Directing from "Soore University of Tehran" in 2005. He has been the member of several organizations such as "Iranian Young Cinema Society" (IYCS), the "Iranian Alliance of Motion Picture Guilds" (Khaneh Cinema) and member of Board of Directors of "Iranian Short Film Association" (ISFA). He is known for his first feature movie named KUPAL (2017) and short films like DELETE (2011) and MINUS (2009). His latest film is THE BADGER (2020).
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 12th
SHORT DOCUMENTARIES (103m)
Thursday November 12th, 7pm
PLAYHOUSE CINEMA
177 Sherman Ave N., Hamilton
SOLD OUT
(Limited Seating 25 Pairs Only)
Covid Protocols in effect at the theatre.
A selection of short documentaries from Hamilton, and area, filmmakers.
The Man In The Dress (Brandon Nicoletti / 5m)
A short documentary that explores themes of identity, self-image, and masculinity through the eyes of a drag queen in downtown Toronto.
Man With A Movie Projector ( Derrek Glen / 4m)
A film. About film. Shot on film. An homage to Dziga Vertov's 1929 film Man With A Movie Camera.
My Waking Nightmare (Erik Bajzert / 5m)
My Waking Nightmare is a horror-inspired miniature documentary about Becca Serena: a young person whose life has been irreversibly altered by chronic insomnia. Blending documentary realism with terrifying surrealism, the film visualizes Becca's struggles against sleepless nights, terrible nightmares and mental health crises in vivid detail; only to prove their strength in overcoming these issues as the film progresses. The short documentary chronicles Becca's personal journey through terror and triumph, whilst drawing attention to the severity of insomnia as a whole.
RNA (Brenden Bartolozzi / 7m)
Julian, a makeup artist in Toronto shares his story, exploring what it means to live with HIV in the current era of the pandemic. RNA is a documentary created by passionate students at Sheridan College, who are working together to create an impactful look at HIV today.
RNA follows Julian Morello’s perspective as he explores what living with HIV means in the current era the epidemic. Being Queer and HIV+ he still faces stigma, even from within the LGBT+ community. His journey shows how he “Is not a person living with HIV, HIV lives with him."
Animal Calling (Candice Dixon / 6m)
The short documentary Animal Calling, is an intimate portrait following a recently-graduated, young veterinarian, enjoying a rare and relaxing morning in her blissful country home. While she quietly prepares for her day, we’re intermittently transported to her place of work as she reflects on the mental health crisis currently impacting the field of animal care—revealing the emotional and psychological challenges faced by those dedicating their lives to veterinary medicine.
Legacy Voices (Akil McKenzie / 15m)
Elderly members of the Halton community share their experiences as some of the first Black people to live in Ontario’s Halton Region.
The Protected Place (Cher Obediah / 5m)
The Protected Place is an area of land located in Caledonia Ontario where the scene of a land reclamation took place in 2006 between Six Nations and the Federal Government. The community of Calidonia was caught in the middle and became the backdrop for violence and national attention. The perspective in the Protected Place is through a Haudenosaunee lens offering understandings not widely shared in the mainstream media at the time.
541: A Place For The Community (Amanda Wright / 6m)
Chef Leah Janzen, program chef at Kitchen 541 Eatery and Exchange in the downtown core of Hamilton, Ontario has made it a life mission to provide a place for anyone in need of food, shelter or warmth within the poverty-stricken community. She sets out to accomplish this by serving first-class food made with love and quality ingredients in the hopes to change the way people view what it means to sit at the table and feel like you belong.
Four Days at the National Preservation Centre (Lindsay Fitzgerald, Sean Stiller, Andrew Bateman / 15m)
This short documentary is an immersive experience into the Library and Archives of Canada’s National Preservation Centre in Gatineau, Quebec. The film presents a symphony of relationships between human and object, story and materiality. The Preservation Centre is a space that embodies the past and predicaments for the future, as particular technologies required to access the archives are becoming ever more obsolete. Four Days at the National Preservation Centre (2020) uses a textural, meditative aesthetic in an effort to represent our obsession with tactility as evidence, and technology as an extension of human life itself.
Apple Pie & Other Lessons (Emily Ryder / 6m)
Apple Pie & Other Lessons is a short doc about family, food, and the complexity of mother-daughter relationships that intersect with mental illness. Sisters, Edna and Sheila, prepare an apple pie based on their late mother’s recipe, as they reflect on how her struggles with mental health impacted their relationship with her & coloured their views of motherhood.
Running Home (Michelle-Andrea Girouard / 30m)
When Inma learns her biological mother was Sahrawi, she runs a marathon in the Sahrawi refugee camps in Algeria where she must confront a painful history she had long ignored.
A short documentary that explores themes of identity, self-image, and masculinity through the eyes of a drag queen in downtown Toronto.
Man With A Movie Projector ( Derrek Glen / 4m)
A film. About film. Shot on film. An homage to Dziga Vertov's 1929 film Man With A Movie Camera.
My Waking Nightmare (Erik Bajzert / 5m)
My Waking Nightmare is a horror-inspired miniature documentary about Becca Serena: a young person whose life has been irreversibly altered by chronic insomnia. Blending documentary realism with terrifying surrealism, the film visualizes Becca's struggles against sleepless nights, terrible nightmares and mental health crises in vivid detail; only to prove their strength in overcoming these issues as the film progresses. The short documentary chronicles Becca's personal journey through terror and triumph, whilst drawing attention to the severity of insomnia as a whole.
RNA (Brenden Bartolozzi / 7m)
Julian, a makeup artist in Toronto shares his story, exploring what it means to live with HIV in the current era of the pandemic. RNA is a documentary created by passionate students at Sheridan College, who are working together to create an impactful look at HIV today.
RNA follows Julian Morello’s perspective as he explores what living with HIV means in the current era the epidemic. Being Queer and HIV+ he still faces stigma, even from within the LGBT+ community. His journey shows how he “Is not a person living with HIV, HIV lives with him."
Animal Calling (Candice Dixon / 6m)
The short documentary Animal Calling, is an intimate portrait following a recently-graduated, young veterinarian, enjoying a rare and relaxing morning in her blissful country home. While she quietly prepares for her day, we’re intermittently transported to her place of work as she reflects on the mental health crisis currently impacting the field of animal care—revealing the emotional and psychological challenges faced by those dedicating their lives to veterinary medicine.
Legacy Voices (Akil McKenzie / 15m)
Elderly members of the Halton community share their experiences as some of the first Black people to live in Ontario’s Halton Region.
The Protected Place (Cher Obediah / 5m)
The Protected Place is an area of land located in Caledonia Ontario where the scene of a land reclamation took place in 2006 between Six Nations and the Federal Government. The community of Calidonia was caught in the middle and became the backdrop for violence and national attention. The perspective in the Protected Place is through a Haudenosaunee lens offering understandings not widely shared in the mainstream media at the time.
541: A Place For The Community (Amanda Wright / 6m)
Chef Leah Janzen, program chef at Kitchen 541 Eatery and Exchange in the downtown core of Hamilton, Ontario has made it a life mission to provide a place for anyone in need of food, shelter or warmth within the poverty-stricken community. She sets out to accomplish this by serving first-class food made with love and quality ingredients in the hopes to change the way people view what it means to sit at the table and feel like you belong.
Four Days at the National Preservation Centre (Lindsay Fitzgerald, Sean Stiller, Andrew Bateman / 15m)
This short documentary is an immersive experience into the Library and Archives of Canada’s National Preservation Centre in Gatineau, Quebec. The film presents a symphony of relationships between human and object, story and materiality. The Preservation Centre is a space that embodies the past and predicaments for the future, as particular technologies required to access the archives are becoming ever more obsolete. Four Days at the National Preservation Centre (2020) uses a textural, meditative aesthetic in an effort to represent our obsession with tactility as evidence, and technology as an extension of human life itself.
Apple Pie & Other Lessons (Emily Ryder / 6m)
Apple Pie & Other Lessons is a short doc about family, food, and the complexity of mother-daughter relationships that intersect with mental illness. Sisters, Edna and Sheila, prepare an apple pie based on their late mother’s recipe, as they reflect on how her struggles with mental health impacted their relationship with her & coloured their views of motherhood.
Running Home (Michelle-Andrea Girouard / 30m)
When Inma learns her biological mother was Sahrawi, she runs a marathon in the Sahrawi refugee camps in Algeria where she must confront a painful history she had long ignored.
DAVE NOT COMING BACK
(Documentary / 92m / John Malak / Canada
Thursday November 12, 9pm
ONLINE - $5
Movies start on time and will only be accessible for 2 hours.
After purchasing a ticket, viewing link will be emailed one week before the screening.
Two friends, Don and Dave, were diving in the cave of Boesmansgat: 283 meters. Right before surfacing up, Dave – who’d just broken a word record – finds a body. They decide to dive back and retrieve it.
Jonah Malak is a documentary filmmaker. He has directed and produced his documentaries with the Montreal-based production company Nemesis Films.
Two friends, Don and Dave, were diving in the cave of Boesmansgat: 283 meters. Right before surfacing up, Dave – who’d just broken a word record – finds a body. They decide to dive back and retrieve it.
Jonah Malak is a documentary filmmaker. He has directed and produced his documentaries with the Montreal-based production company Nemesis Films.
REINVENTING THE WHEEL
Documentary / 59m / Chelsea McEvoy / Canada
Thursday November 12th, 11pm
Cable 14 - Broadcast
A unique community of wheelchair users guide a newly injured paraplegic through his first year on wheels.
Chelsea McEvoy and Ryan Tebbutt (Director & Producer) met while working in the feature film industry nearly a decade ago. After making their first short documentary, they quickly gelled into an story & heart driven creative duo. Years later, they have successfully directed and produced several award winning films. Their unique and complimentary working process has created a collaborative relationship like no other. Chelsea and Ryan continue to focus on telling stories that have social importance and impact.
Chelsea McEvoy and Ryan Tebbutt (Director & Producer) met while working in the feature film industry nearly a decade ago. After making their first short documentary, they quickly gelled into an story & heart driven creative duo. Years later, they have successfully directed and produced several award winning films. Their unique and complimentary working process has created a collaborative relationship like no other. Chelsea and Ryan continue to focus on telling stories that have social importance and impact.
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 13th
DRIVE-IN TRIPLE BILL
Short Comedy | Short Thriller | SciFi
Films are not rated
Friday November 13th
$26 Carload
59 Green Mountain Road East, Stoney Creek, Ontario
7pm - Local Comedy Shorts (100m)
Digging Up Dorothy (Aharon Jinjihashvilli / LGBTQ / 8m)
It's Desmond (Daniela Di Salvo / Travel / 6m)
Sweet Tofu ( Li Xiaolong , Brennan Martin / 14m)
Cheat Meal ( Jacqueline Godbout / 10m)
Girl Scout Cookies (Alex Dashwood / Action / 11m / USA)
Your Mother And I (Andy Reid / 13m)
Beacons of Gondor (Scott Paterson / Fantasy / 6m)
Close to Nowhere (Eric Toth / SciFi / Drama 8m)
Respect (Aaron Rothermund / Drama / 11m)
Around The Hole (Stefan Kuchar / Fetish / Kink / 7m)
Verbicide (Santiago Fernandez-Concha / 6m)
9pm - Local Genre Shorts - SciFi, Thriller and Horror / 103m
Parallel (Zachary Viola / SciFi / 12m)
Banks is on a mission to bring his family together after hidden in a different dimension by parallel corp but Banks is more tied up than he might think.
Purgamentum ( Julie Bruns, Steven Kammerer, Shawn Major / 5m)
A dark tale of retali-ocean.
Blind text ( Katalina Kovecses / 11m)
A hopeless romantic lets her guard down when she has a serendipitous encounter with a wrong numbered texter.
Slit ( Oak Anderson / Horror / 8m)
At night when families gather ‘round, they should be mindful to draw the curtains tight. For a slit is all he needs. A slit is all he sees. A slit is all that bleeds.
Don’t Shoot The Messenger (Oscar Karam / Thriller / 12m)
As Charlie rests at a diner on her way to the cottage late at night, a stranger leaves her a disturbing message: "Don't leave the diner, you'll die".
Build-A-Baby (Chelsea Laufer / 9m / USA / from Hamilton)
In the near future, where parents can genetically "design" their children, a couple wrestles with the cost of having the perfect baby.
Dagwood’s Brig (Alec J. Macri / Adventure / 13m)
Locked in a brig, a selfish pirate dishonestly offers brotherhood to a mistreated cook in exchange for helping in his escape, only to learn the true meaning of his offer as their plan goes awry.
Hypernova (Tate Young / SciFi / 13m)
A businesswoman struggles to navigate her increasingly alienating world, disconnected from her work, colleagues, and husband. Lost in grief, can she find connection amidst the chaos? A spellbinding, visually surprising drama of modern inner life, told using the expansive metaphors of outer space.
Terra Beach (Mike Gallant / SciFi / Gangster / 20m)
A college freshman in 2069 returns home and kindles a romance with a Hispanic girl only to realize they have gained the space colony's attention.
11pm - Parallel Minds
(Benjamin Ross Hayden / Sci Fi / 86m / Canada)
In the near future, technology firm Red-Eye is on the verge of developing a revolutionary contact lens that records human sight to replicate memories. The device uses an artificially engineered intelligence known as U.R.M.
When the company’s lead researcher is strangely murdered at the time of the technology’s release, Thomas Elliot (Greg Bryk), an old-fashioned police detective investigates with intrepid researcher Margo Elson (Tommie Amber Pirie) who are drawn into searching deeper to apprehend the illusive digital shapeshifter.
Both soon are terrifyingly threatened by memories of their past the deeper they continue to seek in uncovering what this dangerous artificial intelligence is trying to consume.
Benjamin Ross Hayden is an Indigenous (Metis) film director from Western Canada. The youngest filmmaker in Canada accepted to the Telefilm Canada micro program in the roles of director, writer, and producer whose films have premiered at over 60 international film festivals worldwide.
WEEKENDER
Documentary / 58m / Travis Hayden-Rowe / Canada
Friday November 13th, 11pm
Cable 14 - Broadcast
Sitting in a jail cell in Penetanguishene on a cold evening in January 2017, recovered alcoholic Scott Grandy begins to wonder if his part-time sentence might just be - for him - a death sentence...
Weekender tells the story of Scott Grandy and his recovery from addiction as he tries to rebuild his life and clean up the wreckage of his past actions. With generous funding provided by the Canada Council for the Arts, Weekender takes an intimate and in-depth look at both addiction and the Canadian Criminal Justice System, as Scott serves out his sentence and faces the realities awaiting any addict inside a Canadian correctional facility. Featuring interviews from legal and medical experts, law enforcement officers, friends and from Scott himself, Weekender attempts to tackle the question of whether or not Canada is setting addicts up to fail in the name of the law.
Weekender tells the story of Scott Grandy and his recovery from addiction as he tries to rebuild his life and clean up the wreckage of his past actions. With generous funding provided by the Canada Council for the Arts, Weekender takes an intimate and in-depth look at both addiction and the Canadian Criminal Justice System, as Scott serves out his sentence and faces the realities awaiting any addict inside a Canadian correctional facility. Featuring interviews from legal and medical experts, law enforcement officers, friends and from Scott himself, Weekender attempts to tackle the question of whether or not Canada is setting addicts up to fail in the name of the law.
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 14th
INDUSTRY DAY PANEL DISCUSSIONS
Saturday November 14th, Afternoon
Filmmaking from the Hamilton perspective.
Presented by the City of Hamilton
Free
Live Online via Facebook
1pm - PRE PRODUCTION
Alysha Main is a Music Supervisor, DJ, and Podcaster who has been working in the entertainment industry for 20 years. She studied Music Supervision and the Language of Film & TV at Berklee College of Music. Her most recent film credit is the horror comedy “Vicious Fun” (Breakthrough Entertainment). She is also an in demand event DJ, and host of “Put A Record On” on 93.3 CFMU. She is currently working on film projects, and hosts the Hamilton Film podcast.
Cher Obediah is Mohawk Ojibwe, Turtle Clan from Six Nations, Ontario with roots in Alderville First Nation. She began in theatre at a young age and pursued that though college. She shifted her focus to enjoy a lengthy career in journalism followed by years of honing her craft at a Brantford production house. Cher currently operates her own production company and dedicates to youth driven projects, social change and educating on Indigenous issues. Her current projects include tackling Homelessness, traditional healing practices, the life of Pocahontas and a National Film Board collaboration on Inuit Throat singing. Cher's film The Protected Place, is screening on Thursday November 12th at the Playhouse Cinema in the Short Doc's program.
Cher Obediah is Mohawk Ojibwe, Turtle Clan from Six Nations, Ontario with roots in Alderville First Nation. She began in theatre at a young age and pursued that though college. She shifted her focus to enjoy a lengthy career in journalism followed by years of honing her craft at a Brantford production house. Cher currently operates her own production company and dedicates to youth driven projects, social change and educating on Indigenous issues. Her current projects include tackling Homelessness, traditional healing practices, the life of Pocahontas and a National Film Board collaboration on Inuit Throat singing. Cher's film The Protected Place, is screening on Thursday November 12th at the Playhouse Cinema in the Short Doc's program.
2:30pm - PRODUCTION
Natalie Lisinska is a Canadian actor with 16 years in the business. She is most recognized for her performance in Orphan Black (BBC America), for which she won a Canadian Screen Award. Television credits include Insecurity (series lead - CBC, CSA nomination), The Expanse (Amazon Prime/SyFy), Mary Kills People (Lifetime), The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu), Northern Rescue (Netflix/CBC), Ride (Nickalodeon) and At The Hotel (CBC). Select film credits include Young People Fucking (Martin Gero, Canadian Comedy Award Nomination), Chloe (Atom Egoyan), and Total Recall (Len Wiseman). Coming up, Natalie reprises her role in Odd Squad: Mobile Unit (PBS) as the notorious villain “Lady Bread”, and stars in the television movie A Perfect Match (Hallmark). Natalie lives in Hamilton with her husband, Matthew MacFadzean, and their son, JJ. They are super, duper happy.
Lisa Crawford (Creator/Producer/Director/Actress) was recently featured in an article on CBC Hamilton which detailed her journey as a transgender film producer. Her short films, What If and Death Game, have appeared at film festivals across the globe. Other projects she has produced include RU Curious and Digging Up Dorothy. Most recently, Lisa produced the short drama, Stroke of Fate, starring award-winning Canadian actress Sheila McCarthy. Lisa is also the author of Becoming Lisa: A Transgender Journey. She was nominated for Best Actress in her film What If at the Las Vegas Global Film Convention. The tv series she created, Pink Is In, was green lit by Bell Fibe TV1. The four episodes are expected to air in Jan 2021.
Lisa Crawford (Creator/Producer/Director/Actress) was recently featured in an article on CBC Hamilton which detailed her journey as a transgender film producer. Her short films, What If and Death Game, have appeared at film festivals across the globe. Other projects she has produced include RU Curious and Digging Up Dorothy. Most recently, Lisa produced the short drama, Stroke of Fate, starring award-winning Canadian actress Sheila McCarthy. Lisa is also the author of Becoming Lisa: A Transgender Journey. She was nominated for Best Actress in her film What If at the Las Vegas Global Film Convention. The tv series she created, Pink Is In, was green lit by Bell Fibe TV1. The four episodes are expected to air in Jan 2021.
4pm - POST PRODUCTION / RELEASE
Steve Haining After 10 years as an internationally award winning commercial photographer and creative director Haining seemed to flawlessly mesh into the realm of DOP. His experience in setting the mood and look for short films pushed his passion further as he began directing commercials and short films. In 2019 he took on his first feature length director roll with the controversial documentary "The Long Ride Home" which is an official selection of the 15th Annual Hamilton Film Festival.
Warren P. Sonoda BAFTA-winning and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Warren P. Sonoda is known for directing his features Coopers’ Camera, Swearnet: The Movie, Ham & Cheese, the iconic TV shows Trailer Park Boys, This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Murdoch Mysteries, Odd Squad and over 160 music videos, 70 episodes of TV and 11 feature films. Japanese-Canadian Sonoda is also the first person of colour to be elected as the National Directors Division Chair for the DGC, and also knocked Scorsese out of the Guinness Book of World Records, has a medal from the Queen, failed Ryerson film school twice, and recently directed 2 episodes of the 1-hr sci-fi hip-hop TV show Utopia Falls on CBC Gem/Hulu and Lockdown for YouTube Originals, which was filmed entirely remotely during quarantine. He is thrilled to unveil his new genre-bending passion-project crime/cello/caper movie Things I Do For Money shot entirely in Hamilton (playing itself) in 2020.
Warren P. Sonoda BAFTA-winning and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Warren P. Sonoda is known for directing his features Coopers’ Camera, Swearnet: The Movie, Ham & Cheese, the iconic TV shows Trailer Park Boys, This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Murdoch Mysteries, Odd Squad and over 160 music videos, 70 episodes of TV and 11 feature films. Japanese-Canadian Sonoda is also the first person of colour to be elected as the National Directors Division Chair for the DGC, and also knocked Scorsese out of the Guinness Book of World Records, has a medal from the Queen, failed Ryerson film school twice, and recently directed 2 episodes of the 1-hr sci-fi hip-hop TV show Utopia Falls on CBC Gem/Hulu and Lockdown for YouTube Originals, which was filmed entirely remotely during quarantine. He is thrilled to unveil his new genre-bending passion-project crime/cello/caper movie Things I Do For Money shot entirely in Hamilton (playing itself) in 2020.
Moderator
Nathan Fleet (he/him) Festival runner and volume controller of the local film megaphone. Fleet is the CEO of HFF, founder and chair of Lights Camera Hamilton and is a filmmaker and musician. When he isn't running film things, he's scarfing down popcorn at the Westdale, Playhouse or Starlite. In 2004, his selfish motivation for doing the festival was to NOT travel to Toronto to experience films and industry, and here we are.
COMEDY SHORTS
Funny stuff from Canada and around the World!
Saturday November 14th, 7pm
$5 - ONLINE
Movies start on time and will only be accessible for 2 hours.
After purchasing a ticket, viewing link will be emailed one week before the screening.
Cheat Meal ( Jacqueline Godbout / 10m)
Incurable (9m / Michelle Bossy / USA)
Trina wants to tell the man she loves about the invisible illness
she hides, but when her imagination gets the best of her, it leads her on a rollercoaster ride of rejection and the worst possible outcomes. Will she give into her fears or will she face them, and at what cost? A story of Love, Rejection, and an Overactive Imagination
The Show (9m / Richard Rowden / UK)
A couple head out into the wilderness for a weekend away, only for their relationship to come to a head when Sam admits that he can't carry on anymore.
Bitter Sweet (15m / Max Mir / UK)
A hopeless baker's attempt at taking his own life is interrupted by a persistent child in need of a birthday cake.
Age of Bryce (10m / David Feagan / Brian Elliot / USA)
Smothered by an adoring, over-protective mom, 12-year-old Bryce Yancy Paul (Bip) is pushed to the brink of pubescent revolution. It’s time to ripen. Bloom. Break the shackles of parental paranoia. It’s the Age of Bryce. Sometimes a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do.
Peng! (6m / Jan Maroske / Germany)
Jens inherits an old Nazi Pistole from his mother. His flatmate Murat wants to borrow it but a shot goes off and Murat dies. Do-gooder Henrike brings home refugee Said and the police is on its way. A snapshot of society.
Everything Is Going To Be Fine (16m / Mitchell Tolliday / UK)
A rock band wakes up in the woods to discover they have narrowly survived a car crash. Rather than calling for help their petty rivalries get the better of them and they learn creative differences can be killer.
Pretty Young Thing (6m / Brittany Benjamin / USA
Two girls walk into a bar
Revenge of the Supermom (12m / Sara Page / Canada)
A disenchanted daughter must decide if she will embrace her destiny when her neglectful superhero mom discovers a villain in their garbage.
Consent Agreement (10m / Ravi Steve Khajuria / Canada)
A couple struggle with connectivity issues while using a sexual consent app to hook-up. A modern romantic comedy that explores sexual consent and technology’s impact on shaping modern relationships.
Incurable (9m / Michelle Bossy / USA)
Trina wants to tell the man she loves about the invisible illness
she hides, but when her imagination gets the best of her, it leads her on a rollercoaster ride of rejection and the worst possible outcomes. Will she give into her fears or will she face them, and at what cost? A story of Love, Rejection, and an Overactive Imagination
The Show (9m / Richard Rowden / UK)
A couple head out into the wilderness for a weekend away, only for their relationship to come to a head when Sam admits that he can't carry on anymore.
Bitter Sweet (15m / Max Mir / UK)
A hopeless baker's attempt at taking his own life is interrupted by a persistent child in need of a birthday cake.
Age of Bryce (10m / David Feagan / Brian Elliot / USA)
Smothered by an adoring, over-protective mom, 12-year-old Bryce Yancy Paul (Bip) is pushed to the brink of pubescent revolution. It’s time to ripen. Bloom. Break the shackles of parental paranoia. It’s the Age of Bryce. Sometimes a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do.
Peng! (6m / Jan Maroske / Germany)
Jens inherits an old Nazi Pistole from his mother. His flatmate Murat wants to borrow it but a shot goes off and Murat dies. Do-gooder Henrike brings home refugee Said and the police is on its way. A snapshot of society.
Everything Is Going To Be Fine (16m / Mitchell Tolliday / UK)
A rock band wakes up in the woods to discover they have narrowly survived a car crash. Rather than calling for help their petty rivalries get the better of them and they learn creative differences can be killer.
Pretty Young Thing (6m / Brittany Benjamin / USA
Two girls walk into a bar
Revenge of the Supermom (12m / Sara Page / Canada)
A disenchanted daughter must decide if she will embrace her destiny when her neglectful superhero mom discovers a villain in their garbage.
Consent Agreement (10m / Ravi Steve Khajuria / Canada)
A couple struggle with connectivity issues while using a sexual consent app to hook-up. A modern romantic comedy that explores sexual consent and technology’s impact on shaping modern relationships.
DRAMA SHORTS
Saturday November 14th, 9pm
$5 - Online
Movies start on time and will only be accessible for 2 hours.
After purchasing a ticket, viewing link will be emailed one week before the screening.
Red Balloon (11m / Avi Federgreen / Canada)
A devoted father overcome with despair over his young son’s illness learns that true freedom comes from love and letting go.
My Other Suit is Human (17m / Andrew Paul Montague / UK)
Zoe, grieving for her deceased son, has become distant from her emotionally unavailable husband, who buries himself in work. Forced to deal with her grief alone, she seeks refuge in the form of a homemade robot suit. Slowly she starts to rediscover herself and her marriage.
Miracle Baby (18m / Michelle Bossy / USA)
Miracle Baby is a psychological thriller about a congressman’s wife who discovers that her husband has been cheating on her. The film follows her glorious and chilling revenge as she reveals herself as the true power-partner. By night’s end, the only question left is whether she’s lost more than she gained.
Alina (25m / Rami Kodeih / USA)
As Nazis separate children from their parents in the Warsaw Ghetto, a gang of women risks everything to smuggle their friend's three-month-old baby to safety. Inspired by true events. Starring Alia Shawkat (ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, SEARCH PARTY), Edin Gali (MAD MEN), Rebeca Robles (BETTER THINGS), Erika Soto (VIDA), and Mark McCullough (LOGAN LUCKY).
Mousie (17m / David Bartlett / UK)
Berlin 1936. Hitler will soon host the Olympics, and the streets are being “cleansed” of Jews and Romani “Gypsies”. A seven-year-old Roma child hides in a decaying old Weimar Club, concealed by dancer Katharina who plans to escape Nazism and take Hélène to America – where, she says, everyone is welcome, no matter the colour of their skin. But Hélène won’t rest... Sneaking about the club, the little mouse sees everything. Including the arrival of awkward SS Hauptführer Otto, recently conscripted into the army. Clumsily making a pass at Katharina, the junior officer is inches away from discovering the little mouse… Life and death decisions have to be made, and fast. Only the child’s ingenuity will save her now...
Through The Wall (20 / Larissa Corriveau / Canada)
Edmond, the only child of Jacques and Marie, lives in a world without words, a situation which slowly creates a breach in the heart of the family home. Diving into the depths of her despair, Marie discovers the surprising universe hidden in her son's silence.
A devoted father overcome with despair over his young son’s illness learns that true freedom comes from love and letting go.
My Other Suit is Human (17m / Andrew Paul Montague / UK)
Zoe, grieving for her deceased son, has become distant from her emotionally unavailable husband, who buries himself in work. Forced to deal with her grief alone, she seeks refuge in the form of a homemade robot suit. Slowly she starts to rediscover herself and her marriage.
Miracle Baby (18m / Michelle Bossy / USA)
Miracle Baby is a psychological thriller about a congressman’s wife who discovers that her husband has been cheating on her. The film follows her glorious and chilling revenge as she reveals herself as the true power-partner. By night’s end, the only question left is whether she’s lost more than she gained.
Alina (25m / Rami Kodeih / USA)
As Nazis separate children from their parents in the Warsaw Ghetto, a gang of women risks everything to smuggle their friend's three-month-old baby to safety. Inspired by true events. Starring Alia Shawkat (ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, SEARCH PARTY), Edin Gali (MAD MEN), Rebeca Robles (BETTER THINGS), Erika Soto (VIDA), and Mark McCullough (LOGAN LUCKY).
Mousie (17m / David Bartlett / UK)
Berlin 1936. Hitler will soon host the Olympics, and the streets are being “cleansed” of Jews and Romani “Gypsies”. A seven-year-old Roma child hides in a decaying old Weimar Club, concealed by dancer Katharina who plans to escape Nazism and take Hélène to America – where, she says, everyone is welcome, no matter the colour of their skin. But Hélène won’t rest... Sneaking about the club, the little mouse sees everything. Including the arrival of awkward SS Hauptführer Otto, recently conscripted into the army. Clumsily making a pass at Katharina, the junior officer is inches away from discovering the little mouse… Life and death decisions have to be made, and fast. Only the child’s ingenuity will save her now...
Through The Wall (20 / Larissa Corriveau / Canada)
Edmond, the only child of Jacques and Marie, lives in a world without words, a situation which slowly creates a breach in the heart of the family home. Diving into the depths of her despair, Marie discovers the surprising universe hidden in her son's silence.
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 15th
BELIEVING A MAN CAN FLY:
Memories of a Life in Special Effects and Film
Join us for this special chat with
Academy Award® winner Colin Chilvers & Co-author Aaron Lam
Sunday November 15th, 1pm - 2:30pm
Online - Free to view
Live via Facebook
Get your advanced copy before the chat
Autographed Book
colinchilvers.com
Paper / Hardcover
Indigo/Chapters
Amazon
From Tommy, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Superman to Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal video, Colin Chilvers has had an incredible career in the entertainment industry. Join co-author Aaron Lam as he and Colin discuss this amazing career.
Colin Chilvers
Born in London, England, Colin trained for his chosen career through Hornsey college of Art.
Working first as a trainee animation director, then a very short time on “2001” in the Art department, he moved on to special effects as a junior in the special effects department of the movie "The Battle of Britain". He worked on many movies as an assistant until given a chance to supervise an MGM movie "Inspector Clouseau" starring Alan Arkin". Supervising effects on "Tommy", "Lisztomania" and "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" among many others, he was then asked to direct the special effects for "SUPERMAN THE MOVIE", "SUPERMAN" II and III. He was honoured by both the British and American academy with the Special achievement award, OSCAR, for Special Effects on "SUPERMAN THE MOVIE."
At the beginning of 1986 Colin joined Michael Jackson to direct his next promotional video "SMOOTH CRIMINAL". Colin and Michael worked together for two years on what became the movie "MOONWALKER". The video "SMOOTH CRIMINAL" received many awards, including, "Best video of the year" from the British music awards.
www.colinchilvers.com
Aaron Lam
Aaron Lam is an author and filmmaker who lives in Oakville. When he isn't typing away furiously on his laptop, he can usually be found with his nose in a good, meaty tome about paleontology or the history of cinema.
His first non-fiction book is Believing a Man Can Fly: Memories of a Life in Special Effects and Film, which he co-authored with Oscar-winning special-effects artist and director Colin Chilvers. The book explores Colin's illustrious career behind the camera, from his experience helping Christopher Reeve fly in Superman to making Michael Jackson defy gravity in Moonwalker.
Aaron's novel for young readers, The Fake-Chicken Kung Fu Fighting Blues, was released in 2018. It follows the adventures of a Chinese-Canadian boy who leaves the comfort of Toronto's Chinatown and struggles to find his place in the world.
In addition to fiction and non-fiction books, Aaron has also written for numerous magazines, including Business $ense, ENGINUITY, Business Link and HWS (Health, Wellness & Safety Magazine).
His filmmaking credits include The Shaw Festival: Behind the Curtain, which he co-directed with Jeremy Major for PBS, and An Artist of the Grand: Journey Through Festival Country, which he directed for TVOntario.
To read about what Aaron is up to, please visit www.aaronlamauthor.com.
Aaron Lam is an author and filmmaker who lives in Oakville. When he isn't typing away furiously on his laptop, he can usually be found with his nose in a good, meaty tome about paleontology or the history of cinema.
His first non-fiction book is Believing a Man Can Fly: Memories of a Life in Special Effects and Film, which he co-authored with Oscar-winning special-effects artist and director Colin Chilvers. The book explores Colin's illustrious career behind the camera, from his experience helping Christopher Reeve fly in Superman to making Michael Jackson defy gravity in Moonwalker.
Aaron's novel for young readers, The Fake-Chicken Kung Fu Fighting Blues, was released in 2018. It follows the adventures of a Chinese-Canadian boy who leaves the comfort of Toronto's Chinatown and struggles to find his place in the world.
In addition to fiction and non-fiction books, Aaron has also written for numerous magazines, including Business $ense, ENGINUITY, Business Link and HWS (Health, Wellness & Safety Magazine).
His filmmaking credits include The Shaw Festival: Behind the Curtain, which he co-directed with Jeremy Major for PBS, and An Artist of the Grand: Journey Through Festival Country, which he directed for TVOntario.
To read about what Aaron is up to, please visit www.aaronlamauthor.com.
FAMILY MOVIES
Sunday November 15th, 3pm
(58m)
Movies for the whole family!
$5 - Online
Spelled (Fantasy, 10m, Emma Lichti, Canada)
In her quest for popularity, a high school student is hexed with an invisibility spell that she nor her sister can break.
Wednesday (Adventure, 10m, Lisa Delhom, Jérémy Paquet, Canada - Subtitled)
Iris and Leo are waiting for their school bus, just like any other day. This morning, however, it does not arrive. Facing no rules but their own, the two eight year-olds embark on an urban adventure, one they shall never forget, roaming the streets of Montreal.
Under The Lights (Disability / Drama, 10m, Miles Levin, USA)
Sam is a boy with epilepsy so desperate to feel like a normal kid, he goes to prom knowing that the lights will make him have a seizure. Starring Peace Joza and Alyssa Jirrels, of Disney Channel fame.
The Last of Ian Campbell (Drama, 18m, Coutney Deelen, Canada)
After losing their grandfather, two kid siblings help an elderly neighbour realize his long-lost dream for adventure.
Cosmic Fling (SciFi, 10m, Jonathan Langager, USA)
Cosmic Fling is the tale of Stan, an intergalactic garbage man who lives alone on an asteroid. To feed himself, he harpoons space debris and converts it into nourishment. To feed his soul, he dreams only of love. One day, he spots Beatrice, a fellow astronaut stranded on a passing comet. He falls instantly in love...but must wait for her comet to return. In order to be with her, he will need to resort to extreme measures.
In her quest for popularity, a high school student is hexed with an invisibility spell that she nor her sister can break.
Wednesday (Adventure, 10m, Lisa Delhom, Jérémy Paquet, Canada - Subtitled)
Iris and Leo are waiting for their school bus, just like any other day. This morning, however, it does not arrive. Facing no rules but their own, the two eight year-olds embark on an urban adventure, one they shall never forget, roaming the streets of Montreal.
Under The Lights (Disability / Drama, 10m, Miles Levin, USA)
Sam is a boy with epilepsy so desperate to feel like a normal kid, he goes to prom knowing that the lights will make him have a seizure. Starring Peace Joza and Alyssa Jirrels, of Disney Channel fame.
The Last of Ian Campbell (Drama, 18m, Coutney Deelen, Canada)
After losing their grandfather, two kid siblings help an elderly neighbour realize his long-lost dream for adventure.
Cosmic Fling (SciFi, 10m, Jonathan Langager, USA)
Cosmic Fling is the tale of Stan, an intergalactic garbage man who lives alone on an asteroid. To feed himself, he harpoons space debris and converts it into nourishment. To feed his soul, he dreams only of love. One day, he spots Beatrice, a fellow astronaut stranded on a passing comet. He falls instantly in love...but must wait for her comet to return. In order to be with her, he will need to resort to extreme measures.
ANIMATED SHORTS
Closing Night (70m)
8:30pm
$5 - Online
Movies start on time and will only be accessible for 2 hours.
After purchasing a ticket, viewing link will be emailed one week before the screening.
Sleepless (2m / Kirsten Johnson / Canada)
A Covid story. It's dawn-ish. Sometime in May 2020. Why is sleep so hard during a plague? Part of the Ugly Butterfly series.
Even The Rats (6m / Mike Hay / UK)
A skull-like artifact is discovered by an alien civilization in another time, in the outer reaches of space. Is it a weapon or is it something else…?
Waters of March (4m / Elizabeth Lewis / Canada)
Waters of March is the classic written by Tom Jobim and performed by jazz singer Stacey Kent. The delicately rendered animated drawings move at a rollicking pace transitioning back and forth from real to abstract images telling the everchanging story of loss and hope.
The Story of the I'm Alone (7m / Allison Wolvers / Canada)
“The Story of the I’m Alone” is an animated short created on Prince Edward Island. The short retells the story of the I’m Alone, a Canadian schooner built in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, in the 1920s and used in the illicit trade of contraband (rum-running) during Prohibition. The animated short plays to the song “The Story of the I’m Alone” by iconic Canadian folksinger Wade Hemsworth, who created some of the most classic Canadian folk songs such as “The Blackfly Song” and “The Log Driver’s Waltz.”
Robert The Robot (4m / Jonathan Irwin / UK)
In the near future, the problem of domestic chores will be solved by artificially intelligent cleaning droids. Every home will have at least one. This short tells the story of an old cleaning droid - a ROB 9000 domestic model - as he passes a boring Tuesday alone in an empty house, waiting for his owners to return. By focusing on the robot’s self-awareness, loneliness and dog-like love of his owners, we have created a beautiful tone poem that makes people feel sympathy for a humble hunk of metal.
ED (2m / Alaa Elbarbary / Canada)
This film depicts a older man living his everyday life after the death of his wife. The idea for this film is to create something ordinary and common though simple camera movements that can connect people and ignite a feeling in the viewer. I wanted to showcase the quite loneliness and dull ache that one experiences with losing a partner .
Green Grass (8m / Michael Greco / Canada)
Poignant, powerful, and told without dialogue, Green Grass is a thought-provoking allegory that follows two hopeful migrants who make the arduous journey to what they believe must be a better life only to discover their destination may no longer be the place they thought it was.
What the Hell was Wrong with You, Susanna A. Kox? (4m / Kirsten Johnson / Canada)
Being a teenage insect is hard. Memories rise up. Emotional processing is also hard but must be done. Part of the Ugly Butterfly series.
CNUT (3m / Courtney Westbrook / Australia)
CNUT is a 3-minute stop motion animation exploring the conflict between nature and man's technology. CNUT is inspired by the story of King Canute (or Cnut) who demonstrates to his subjects that even the most powerful human cannot control the impending tide or nature. We follow our well-dressed protagonist as he tirelessly battles with his environment and task of taking a good selfie. Will he succeed?
Marriage (2m / Ross Belot / Canada)
Poem from the book Moving to Climate Change Hours published in 2020 by Wolsak and Wynn
The Flowers (9m / Pete Malicki / Australia)
Sam is a death magnet. From a young age, everyone around him dies: his parents, foster parents, pets, priests, neighbours.
One Last Monster (19m / Gene Kim / USA
Empress Eura, ruler of the distant world of Adin, faces her greatest challenge when she is forced to face her prejudices and choose between trusting or killing a monster who arrives on Adin with a warning that could save or destroy her people.
A Covid story. It's dawn-ish. Sometime in May 2020. Why is sleep so hard during a plague? Part of the Ugly Butterfly series.
Even The Rats (6m / Mike Hay / UK)
A skull-like artifact is discovered by an alien civilization in another time, in the outer reaches of space. Is it a weapon or is it something else…?
Waters of March (4m / Elizabeth Lewis / Canada)
Waters of March is the classic written by Tom Jobim and performed by jazz singer Stacey Kent. The delicately rendered animated drawings move at a rollicking pace transitioning back and forth from real to abstract images telling the everchanging story of loss and hope.
The Story of the I'm Alone (7m / Allison Wolvers / Canada)
“The Story of the I’m Alone” is an animated short created on Prince Edward Island. The short retells the story of the I’m Alone, a Canadian schooner built in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, in the 1920s and used in the illicit trade of contraband (rum-running) during Prohibition. The animated short plays to the song “The Story of the I’m Alone” by iconic Canadian folksinger Wade Hemsworth, who created some of the most classic Canadian folk songs such as “The Blackfly Song” and “The Log Driver’s Waltz.”
Robert The Robot (4m / Jonathan Irwin / UK)
In the near future, the problem of domestic chores will be solved by artificially intelligent cleaning droids. Every home will have at least one. This short tells the story of an old cleaning droid - a ROB 9000 domestic model - as he passes a boring Tuesday alone in an empty house, waiting for his owners to return. By focusing on the robot’s self-awareness, loneliness and dog-like love of his owners, we have created a beautiful tone poem that makes people feel sympathy for a humble hunk of metal.
ED (2m / Alaa Elbarbary / Canada)
This film depicts a older man living his everyday life after the death of his wife. The idea for this film is to create something ordinary and common though simple camera movements that can connect people and ignite a feeling in the viewer. I wanted to showcase the quite loneliness and dull ache that one experiences with losing a partner .
Green Grass (8m / Michael Greco / Canada)
Poignant, powerful, and told without dialogue, Green Grass is a thought-provoking allegory that follows two hopeful migrants who make the arduous journey to what they believe must be a better life only to discover their destination may no longer be the place they thought it was.
What the Hell was Wrong with You, Susanna A. Kox? (4m / Kirsten Johnson / Canada)
Being a teenage insect is hard. Memories rise up. Emotional processing is also hard but must be done. Part of the Ugly Butterfly series.
CNUT (3m / Courtney Westbrook / Australia)
CNUT is a 3-minute stop motion animation exploring the conflict between nature and man's technology. CNUT is inspired by the story of King Canute (or Cnut) who demonstrates to his subjects that even the most powerful human cannot control the impending tide or nature. We follow our well-dressed protagonist as he tirelessly battles with his environment and task of taking a good selfie. Will he succeed?
Marriage (2m / Ross Belot / Canada)
Poem from the book Moving to Climate Change Hours published in 2020 by Wolsak and Wynn
The Flowers (9m / Pete Malicki / Australia)
Sam is a death magnet. From a young age, everyone around him dies: his parents, foster parents, pets, priests, neighbours.
One Last Monster (19m / Gene Kim / USA
Empress Eura, ruler of the distant world of Adin, faces her greatest challenge when she is forced to face her prejudices and choose between trusting or killing a monster who arrives on Adin with a warning that could save or destroy her people.
