Grade: Grade 12
Barney’s Version
Based on Mordecai Richler’s Giller Prize–winning bestseller of the same name, this rich and hilarious film won seven Genie Awards and was nominated for an Oscar.
“The impeccably cast confessional, with a pitch-perfect Paul Giamatti leading the way, nimbly traverses the four decades in its lead character’s eventual life with considerable exuberance, visual flair and, ultimately, grace." — Michael Rechtshaffen, Hollywood Reporter
Director
Richard J. Lewis
Lewis’s television credits include episodes of Due South, Power Play, Beggars and Choosers, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Person of Interest and many others. His critically acclaimed debut feature, Whale Music, won four Genie Awards. Recently, he has been directing for television, including episodes of Westworld and Penny Dreadful, and is currently producing the series Trigger Me.
Writer
Michael Konyves
Cast
Paul Giamatti, Rosamund Pike, Scott Speedman, Dustin Hoffman, Minnie Driver
Producer
Robert Lantos
Genres
Comedy, Drama
Interests
Family Relationships, Literary Adaptation
Original Language
English
One Week
A classic road trip movie featuring lots of Canadian icons (like Gord Downie of The Tragically Hip), One Week follows Ben’s journey from Toronto to Tofino. Along the way, Ben makes new friends and re-evaluates his life, his job and his upcoming marriage. As his fiancée and family back home struggle to understand his decision, Ben rediscovers himself, reawakens his old passion for writing and ultimately learns to appreciate life.
Director
Michael McGowan
McGowan made his film debut as a writer, director and producer with My Dog Vincent, and directed Saint Ralph, One Week, Score: A Hockey Musical and Still Mine, which was named by TIFF as one of Canada’s Top 10 films in 2012. He recently directed TV shows Reign and Between and wrote the film The Etruscan Smile. His most recent film, All My Puny Sorrows, premiered at TIFF 2021.
Writer
Michael McGowan
Cast
Joshua Jackson, Liane Balaban, Campbell Scott, Fiona Reid
Producers
Nicholas de Pencier, Jane Tattersall, Michael McGowan
Genre
Drama
Interests
ESL, Family Relationships
Original Language
English
Little Italy
A decade-long feud between neighbouring pizza shops heats up when the children of the rival owners, Nikki (Emma Roberts) and Leo (Hayden Christensen) enter into an unexpected romance. With their love soaring higher than a spinning pizza pie, the feud between their parents also reaches new hilarious heights and they are forced to choose sides and compete against each other in the neighbourhood’s legendary pizza bake-off.
Set in Toronto’s Little Italy neighbourhood, and as tempting and saucy as a margherita pizza, this fun-filled romantic comedy with a lot of heart is sure to leave audiences feeling satisfied.
Director
Donald Petrie
Petrie has directed many iconic box office hits, including How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Miss Congeniality and Mystic Pizza. His television credits include episodes of Chicago P.D., The Kominsky Method, Chicago Justice, and many others. He is currently developing several feature films, including Your Perfect Angel, Million Dollar Mustang and Jack vs. Future Jack.
Writers
Steve Galluccio, Vinay Virmani
Cast
Hayden Christensen, Emma Roberts, Danny Aiello, Andrea Martin
Producers
Vinay Virmani, Pauline Dhillon, Ajay Virmani
Genre
Comedy
Interests
ESL, Family Relationships
Original Language
English
Such a Long Journey
His son would rather become an artist than attend engineering school, his daughter has malaria and his wife (Razdan) spends an increasing amount of time with a neighbour that he fears is a witch. On top of all this, the local government threatens to tear down the wall surrounding his housing complex. Ingeniously, Gustad asks an artist (Chowdhry) to paint a multi-faith mural on the wall so believers of all religions will be compelled to save it. A rich and thoughtful portrayal of the power of spirituality and how to overcome even the most daunting of circumstances.
Director
Sturla Gunnarsson
Born in Iceland and raised in Vancouver, Gunnarsson earned an Oscar nomination for his debut feature doc, After the Axe. His films include Beowulf and Grendel, Force of Nature: The David Suzuki Movie and Monsoon, and he has directed hit TV shows such as Motive, Degrassi: The Next Generation, The Art of More, and most recently Schitt’s Creek and Ransom.
Writer
Sooni Taraporevala
Cast
Roshan Seth, Soni Razdan, Ranjit Chowdhry, Om Puri, Kurush Deboo
Producers
Paul Stephens, Simon MacCorkindale
Genre
Drama
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Global Experiences, History, Literary Adaptation, Social Justice & Politics
Original Language
English
Edwin Boyd: Citizen Gangster
Eddie gets his start by recruiting a gang of small-time crooks and slowly turns them into a crack team of professional thieves. He launches a series of spectacular bank robberies, gaining notoriety and quickly becoming both a beloved national celebrity and public enemy number one. Part action-packed crime caper, part romance, this vibrant film brings an incredible true story to life.
Director
Nathan Morlando
Morlando’s first film, Edwin Boyd: Citizen Gangster, won Best Canadian First Feature at TIFF. He also directed Mean Dreams, which debuted in the Directors’ Fortnight section of the Cannes Film Festival. He recently produced Giant Little Ones and directed episodes of the show Cardinal.
Writer
Nathan Morlando
Cast
Scott Speedman, Kelly Reilly, Kevin Durand, Brian Cox, Charlotte Sullivan
Producer
Allison Black
Genres
Action/Adventure, Drama, Thriller
Interests
Biography, History
Original Language
English
De père en flic (Father and Guns)
The pair infiltrates an outdoor camp for fathers and sons to snag Charles Bérubé (Girard), the biker gang's lawyer. As Jacques and Marc try to locate their missing colleague, they find the camp's bonding activities are having an emotional and hilarious impact on their own relationship.
De père en flic is the highest-grossing French-language film in Canadian history.
"A can't-miss buddy comedy about a pair of dysfunctional father-son cops who are forced to go undercover at a touchy-feely bonding retreat...a genuinely amusing hybrid." — Michael Rechtshaffen, Hollywood Reporter
Director
Émile Gaudreault
Gaudreault co-wrote Louis 19, le roi des ondes, which Ron Howard adapted into EDtv. Gaudreault both co-wrote and directed De pere en flic (the highest-grossing French-language film in Canadian history), Le vrai du faux, Le sens de l'humour and Mambo Italiano, which earned six Canadian Comedy Award nominations. He also wrote and directed De père en flic 2, and most recently, the comedy Menteur. He also co-wrote the upcoming Lignes de fuite, and is producing the English-language remake of De père en flic, Fathers and Guns.
Writers
Émile Gaudreault, Ian Lauzon
Cast
Michel Côté, Louis-José Houde, Rémy Girard, Patrick Drolet, Caroline Dhavernas
Producers
Denise Robert, Daniel Louise
Genres
Action/Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Interest
Family Relationships
Original Language
French
Boasting an infectious reggae score by Jimmy Cliff, the film was developed as part of the National Film Board’s Alternative Drama program, which placed non-professional actors in realistic situations. Issues including racism, poverty and teenage pregnancy are highlighted in what is also a very warm and pleasing film.
Sitting in Limbo achieved Honourable Mention for “its freshness and vitality” at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Director
John N. Smith
Smith’s credits include award-winning TV docudramas such as The Boys of St. Vincent, Dieppe and Prairie Giant: The Tommy Douglas Story, as well as numerous feature films, including Dangerous Minds, A Cool Dry Place, Geraldine’s Fortune and Love & Savagery among others. Sitting in Limbo won the Best Canadian Feature Film award at TIFF 1986.
Writers
David Wilson, John N. Smith
Cast
Pat Dillon, Fabian Gibbs, Sylvie Clarke
Producers
John N. Smith, David Wilson
Genre
Drama
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Classics, Discrimination, Global Experiences, Social Justice & Politics, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
English
Saints-Martyrs-des-Damnés (Saint Martyrs of the Damned)
The town’s inhabitants are a strange group — a mayor who rules with an iron fist, the creepy twins running the motel, the woman who serenades cows, a masked mechanic, and many others. But Flavien can’t get anyone to help him, as they’re all suspicious and even downright aggressive toward him. With an arresting visual style and quirky sense of humour, the film pushes the boundaries of the conventional thriller, tackling questions about identity, responsibility and mortality in a refreshing way.
Director
Robin Aubert
Saints-Martyrs-des-Damnés premiered at TIFF 2005. Aubert also directed the feature films À quelle heure le train pour nulle part, À l’origine d’un cri, and Tuktuq, and starred in De père en flic, the critical hit Guibord s’en va-t-en guerre, Jeune Juliette, and Mon cirque à moi. His latest film, Les Affamés won Best Canadian Feature at TIFF 2017 and ten Prix Iris. He is currently completing his next film, Tu ne sauras jamais.
Writer
Robin Aubert
Cast
François Chénier, Isabelle Blais, Sylvie Boucher
Producers
Luc Vandal, Roger Frappier
Genres
Drama, Horror
Interest
Family Relationships
Original Language
French
45 R.P.M.
This heartfelt and often funny coming-of-age drama takes a turn when a strange weather condition suddenly allows Parry to receive a radio broadcast from New York City, and he starts to believe that a contest the station is running might just be his ticket out of town.
Director
David Schultz
Winnipeg-born writer and director Schultz has worked in TV, shorts and feature films. He wrote and directed the features Jet Boy, Rufus, and Considering Love and Other Magic and wrote screen adaptations of Joy Fielding’s novels Don’t Cry Now, and The Other Woman, as well as the screenplay for The Humanity Bureau, starring Nicolas Cage. He’s currently writing the feature The Side of the Road.
Writer
David Schultz
Cast
Jordan Gavaris, Michael Madsen, Kim Coates, Justine Banszky, MacKenzie Porter
Producers
Anand Ramayya, Michael Frislev, Chad Oakes
Genre
Drama
Interests
Arts and Culture, Family Relationships, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
English
Citizen Duane
Duane's favourite teacher (Fox), his girlfriend and even his mom try to dissuade him from his goal, but Duane's irrepressible desire to challenge the powers that be is too strong. With the help of his misfit uncle (Logue), he just might stand a chance of becoming a credible candidate!
“Napoleon Dynamite — Canuck style!” — Jim Slotek, Sun Media
Director
Michael Mabbott
Writer/director Mabbott made his debut with 2005’s Life and Hard Times of Guy Terrifico, winning Best Canadian First Feature Film at the Toronto International Film Festival. He followed with Citizen Duane and television shows like Baxter and The Yard. His short documentary Music Lessons premiered at Hot Docs 2015. Most recently he wrote episodes of Ten Days in the Valley.
Writers
Robert DeLeskie, Jonathan Sobol
Cast
Douglas Smith, Devon Bostic, Vivica A. Fox, Donal Logue
Producers
Susan Cavan, Carolynne Bell
Genres
Comedy, Drama
Interest
Social Justice & Politics
Original Language
English