Interest: Arts and Culture
Black Life: Untold Stories – Northern Beats
A musical look at the rise of hip hop in Canada, as told by some of its earliest pioneers, culminating in the worldwide success of artists like Drake and The Weeknd.
Director
Will Prosper
Writers
Leslie Norville, Margot Daley
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Arts and Culture, BIPOC Stories, Black Filmmaker, History
Original Language
English
A Canadian Tarantella With Claudio Santaluce
If you grew up in the Toronto-area and attended family weddings or community fundraisers, you would have witnessed the rise of this young star. Despite his notable presence, there has never been a biopic on his life and artistic pursuits, until now. In this special documentary, viewers will learn about this old world master musician and what drives his passion for traditional music-making.
Directors
Genre
Documentary
Interest
Arts and Culture
Original Language
Other Language
Hey, Viktor!
Twenty-five years after starring in the hit 90s film Smoke Signals, Cody Lightning directs and stars in this uproarious mockumentary about a fictionalized version of himself attempting to make a sequel. When a mysterious fan offers a full budget for the film, Cody jumps at the chance, promising the full participation of the original cast. The only thing standing in his way is the small fact that the entire original cast hates him.
A refreshing and occasionally raunchy comedy, this charming underdog story is a great movie about how to make a terrible one.
Director
Cody Lightning (Cree)
Writer
Cody Lightning (Cree)
Cast
Cody Lightning (Cree)
Producers
Blake McWilliam, Sara Corry, Samuel Miller, Kyle Thomas
Genre
Comedy
Interests
Arts and Culture, BIPOC Stories, Cult & Offbeat Cinema, Indigenous Filmmaker
Original Language
English
Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe
For so many Canadians, Ernie Coombs and his character Mr. Dressup was an enduring childhood fixture, promoting the power of creativity, play and imagination. This heartwarming documentary traces the roots of this universally celebrated and uniquely Canadian children’s programme, its enduring legacy, and how it stayed true to its aim throughout its run of almost 30 years.
Winner of the People’s Choice Award for Best Documentary at TIFF, Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe is an absolute crowd-pleaser that is sure to bring a tear to your eye.
“The Magic of Make-Believe not only serves as a reminder of the joy Coombs brought to our young lives, but it also emphasizes the need for Mr. Dressup's patience and kindness today more than ever.” – Rachel Ho, Exclaim!
Director
Robert McCallum
Writers
Robert McCallum, Jordan Christopher Morris
Producers
Nina Keogh, Matthew Hornburg, Mark J.W. Bishop, Jordan Christopher Morris, Aeschylus Poulos
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Arts and Culture, Biography, ESL, History, Newcomer Stories
Original Language
English
Testament
Archivist Jean-Michel (Girard) doesn’t recognize the world he’s living in anymore. Feeling like society has moved on from him, he’s dismayed when the seemingly safe confines of his retirement home become the site for a protest centred on a culture clash of generational values. As it grows into a full-blown media sensation, he decides to involve himself in the conflict – with hilarious results.
Partly a reflection on life and legacy, partly a playful skewering of contemporary society, the latest from Canadian icon Denys Arcand is a touching comedy with a lot of heart.
“Arcand’s genius is in every frame of this movie.” – Ralph Lucas, Northernstars.ca
Director
Denys Arcand
Writer
Denys Arcand
Cast
Rémy Girard, Sophie Lorain
Producer
Denise Robert
Genre
Drama
Interest
Arts and Culture
Original Language
French
Patty vs Patty
Director
Chris Strikes
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Arts and Culture, BIPOC Stories, Black Filmmaker
Original Language
English
Paul à Québec
Director
François Bouvier
Film and TV director Bouvier was nominated for the Best Director Genie in 1990 for his film Les matins infidèles. Since then, he has directed numerous television shows and films, including Histoires d'hiver and Maman Last Call, starring Patrick Huard. He recently directed the TV series Ruptures and the film La Bolduc. Currently he is completing work on the film La Cordonnière.
Writers
François Bouvier, Michel Rabagliati
Cast
François Létourneau, Julie LeBreton, Gilbert Sicotte, Louise Portal
Producers
Nathalie Brigitte Bustos, Valérie d'Auteuil, André Rouleau, Karine Vanasse
Genres
Comedy, Drama
Interests
Arts and Culture, Family Relationships, Literary Adaptation
Original Language
French
Vinyl
With this film, Zweig established his voice as a documentarian who is not content to be merely a fly on the wall in the lives of his subjects. Instead, he deploys the camera as a tool for engagement, rooting around in the margins of contemporary society to explore themes of beauty, addiction, love and longing in a profound and unique way.
Director
Alan Zweig
Writer
Alan Zweig
Cast
Alan Zweig, Harvey Pekar, Alan Williams, Don McKellar
Producers
Alan Zweig, Greg Klymkiw, Bruce McDonald, David McCallum
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Arts and Culture, Cult & Offbeat Cinema
Original Language
English
Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media
Directed by Mark Achbar, who later made The Corporation, and the late Peter Wintonick, one of our country’s leading documentarians, Manufacturing Consent is a fascinating analysis of how society and the media are driven by corporate interest, and a primer on how to be a well informed citizen in spite of it all.
Directors
Mark Achbar, Peter Wintonick
Producers
Mark Achbar, Peter Wintonick, Adam Symansky
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Arts and Culture, History, Social Justice & Politics
Original Language
English
The film centres on Girl Talk, a mash-up musician who tops the charts with his sample- based creations, provoking debate about ownership, copyright, piracy and what it means to be an artist in the 21st century.
Musicians, authors and pop culture critics all weigh in on the issues in this wildly innovative and experimental doc.
A great mix of compelling analysis and difficult questions, RiP! addresses issues of sampling, sharing, intellectual property and creative freedom with flair and style.
Director
Brett Gaylor
Writer
Brett Gaylor
Producers
Mila Aung-Thwin, Kat Baulu, Germaine Ying Gee Wong
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Arts and Culture, History
Original Language
English