Venvi Crofton Manor presents CanFilmDay 2025

The Rocket traces the meteoric rise of hockey legend Maurice Richard (Dupuis), from his humble beginnings as a Montreal machinist during the Depression to star of the Canadiens and the greatest scorer in hockey.

But this is much more than a sports movie. Director Binamé frames the story in a cultural context: It isn’t until Richard, a man of few words, begins to speak his mind about the inequalities and prejudice directed toward French Canadians that he finds his voice.

Many feel that the riots caused by Richard’s suspension in 1955 were the spark that fuelled the Quiet Revolution in Quebec. This hockey blockbuster is chock-full of heart and history.

The Rocket was nominated for 13 Genie Awards and won nine.

As the longtime presenter of The Nature of Things, David Suzuki has inspired audiences around the world to rethink their relationship with the planet, and to combat climate change. In this captivating portrait, candid and deeply personal interviews reveal a previously unseen side to this passionate environmentalist.

Featuring stunning cinematography, a moving story, and an urgent call to action, this film perfectly captures everything that has made Suzuki such a beloved figure.

“…a crowd-pleaser for a reason: it’s grandly inspirational.” – Brian D. Johnson, Maclean’s 
 

What would you do if 6,600 people unexpectedly landed in your small town with no place to stay? For the 11,000 people of Gander, Newfoundland, this incredible event happened in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, when nearly 40 planes are rerouted and grounded there.

This documentary shows how this town in Newfoundland came together to feed, shelter and support all of the stranded airline passengers for 6 days.

With interviews from a selection of airline passengers and residents of the town, this emotional and inspirational documentary tells the incredible true story that inspired the smash-hit musical Come From Away.

From its humble origins in Waterloo, ON, in 1996, nobody expected the massive global success that the world’s first smartphone would become. Nobody, that is, except Jim Balsillie (Howerton). Taking a chance on then-struggling startup Research in Motion (RIM), he joins BlackBerry creators Mike Lazaridis (Baruchel) and Douglas Fregin (Johnson) as co-CEO. Together, they form a massive multinational tech giant, but the power and wealth soon begin to eat away at their relationship, putting everything they built into jeopardy. 

Based loosely on the true story of the extraordinary development and spectacular demise of the BlackBerry, this high-stakes comedy featuring an all-star cast is a bona fide crowd pleaser and critical darling. 

"An instant Canadian classic." – Barry Hertz, The Globe and Mail