Tomson Highway: kipimâtisinaw tapâhpeyahk

Director Barry Bilinsky (Métis/Cree)
Year 2022
Run Time 5min
Genre Documentary
Legendary Cree playwright Tomson Highway finds that his purpose in life always comes back to music, storytelling and laughter.
 

Director

Barry Bilinsky (Métis/Cree)

Writer

Barry Bilinsky (Métis/Cree)

Cast

Tompson Highway (Cree)

Producer

Chehala Leonard (Aseniwuche Winewak)

Genre

Documentary

Interests

Arts and Culture, Biography, BIPOC Stories, Indigenous Filmmaker

Original Language

Cree

Hebron Relocation

Director Holly Anderson (Labrador Inuit)
Year 2022
Run Time 15min
Genre Documentary
Decades after being forcibly relocated from the town of Hebron, a community of Labrador Inuit reflect on the residual trauma of losing the connection to their ancestral home.

Director

Holly Anderson (Labrador Inuit)

Writer

Holly Anderson (Labrador Inuit)

Producers

Latonia Hartery, Katherine Baulu

Genre

Documentary

Interests

Biography, BIPOC Stories, Discrimination, Female Filmmaker, History, Indigenous Filmmaker, Social Justice & Politics

Original Language

English

Billy Bishop Goes to War

Director Barbara Willis Sweete
Year 2010
Run Time 86min
Genre Comedy, Drama

This film was inspired by the life of the legendary WWI flying ace from Owen Sound. Canadian acting legend Eric Peterson and award-winning writer/composer John Gray reprise their iconic two-man stage play that has captivated audiences for over three decades. Nearing the end of his life, an aged Bishop (Peterson) recounts the triumphs and horrors of World War One, “the war to end all wars”. Through raucous stories, haunting memories, and vibrant song, Bishop traces his journey from Royal Military College troublemaker to the top flying ace of the British Empire.

A story of the human cost of war on a scale the world had never seen before, this is an intimate and powerful portrait of a man who continues to capture the imagination.

Director

Barbara Willis Sweete

Cast

John Gray, Eric Peterson

Producer

Sandra Cunningham

Genres

Comedy, Drama

Interests

Biography, Female Filmmaker, History

Original Language

English

Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story

Directors Michael Mabbott, Lucah Rosenberg-Lee
Year 2024
Run Time 98min
Genre Documentary
Jackie Shane, a jazz singer who rose to prominence in the 1960s as a Black transgender musician, had disappeared almost entirely from the public eye. Decades later, her work gets rediscovered and reassessed, giving her one last chance to be appreciated properly.

A moving portrait that shines a light on the career of a trailblazer who was ahead of her time, this incredible story won the Special Jury Prize for Best Canadian Feature at Hot Docs 2024.

“A compelling investigation of an elusive life, as well as a talent so striking you’ll be amazed it remained forgotten for so long.” – Dennis Harvey, Variety 
 

Directors

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. He also wrote, produced, and co-directed Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story, which was named to the TIFF 2024 Top Ten List.

Lucah Rosenberg-Lee

Lucah Rosenberg-Lee is an independent filmmaker, speaker and entrepreneur. He is passionate about telling the stories of marginalized voices through film and he specializes in documentary and LGBTQ+ content. He produced For Nonna Anna, which won the Best Narrative Short Award at the Atlanta Film Festival, and he co-directed the 2024 films Passing and Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story, which won the DGC Special Jury Prize at Hot Docs 2024.

Writers

Alison Duke, Lucah Rosenberg-Lee, Michael Mabbott

Cast

Rob Bowman, James Baley, Bobby Dean Blackburn

Producers

Janet Bradey, Justine Pimlott, Michael Mabbott

Genre

Documentary

Interests

Arts and Culture, Biography, BIPOC Stories, Black Filmmaker, Discrimination, History, LGBTQ2S+, Social Justice & Politics, Strong Female Leads

Original Language

English

Ice Queens

Director Damon Kwame Mason
Year 2023
Run Time 44min
Genre Documentary
When hockey legend Angela James led Canada to a gold medal in the first four Women’s World Championships in the 1990s, she inspired a generation of girls to join the sport, and later became the first Black woman inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Now, with stars like Sarah Nurse leading the game into new horizons, Black women continue to be a force to be reckoned with both on and off the ice.

A terrific showcase of the Black players and coaches that continue to make huge contributions to the sport, this documentary is an absolute must-watch for hockey fans. 
 

Director

Damon Kwame Mason

Former TV and radio host Damon Kwame Mason transitioned to filmmaker when he wrote, directed and produced Soul on Ice: Past, Present and Future, a documentary about the contributions of black athletes to the sport of ice hockey. He went on to produce The Cannons in 2022, and directed Ice Queens, which was released in 2023.

Cast

Cassie Campbell-Pascal, Angela James, Sarah Nurse

Producer

Tom Cohen

Genre

Documentary

Interests

Biography, BIPOC Stories, Black Filmmaker, Discrimination, History, Social Justice & Politics, Sports, Strong Female Leads

Original Language

English

Johanne, tout simplement (Simply Johanne)

Director Nadine Valcin
Year 2024
Run Time 75min
Genre Documentary

A touching portrait of Johanne Harelle, a Canadian model who achieved international success as one of the first Black models in North America. Winner of the award for Outstanding Feature Film at the Reelworld Film Festival in 2024.

Director

Nadine Valcin

Writer

Nadine Valcin

Cast

Hamani Harrell, Alain Cadieux, Pauline Bernatchez

Producers

Ania Jamila, Josiane Blanc

Genre

Documentary

Interests

Arts and Culture, Biography, BIPOC Stories, Black Filmmaker, Female Filmmaker, History, Strong Female Leads

Original Language

French

Artie Shaw: Time is All You’ve Got

Director Brigitte Berman
Year 1985
Run Time 114min
Genre Documentary
An Oscar-winning portrait of the legendary jazz clarinetist Artie Shaw, who left home at age 16 to pursue a music career and wound up as one of the most prolific and beloved band leaders in the world.

Director

Brigitte Berman

Writer

Brigitte Berman

Cast

Artie Shaw

Producers

Brigitte Berman, Don Haig

Genre

Documentary

Interests

Arts and Culture, Biography, History

Original Language

English

Lovable

Director Alan Zweig
Year 2007
Run Time 101min
Genre Documentary

Love: Why is it so difficult? That’s the question at the heart of Alan Zweig’s poignant and personal meditation about heartache and the inability to find ‘the one’. But rather than focusing solely on himself, he turns the camera outwards, getting a range of perspectives from single female friends that show the highs and lows of their relationships, and why they think it’s never worked out for them.


Using his distinctive style and wit, Zweig manages to make a film that anyone, no matter their relationship status, can relate to, and resonate with.

Director

Alan Zweig

Writer

Alan Zweig

Cast

Alan Zweig

Genre

Documentary

Interest

Biography

Original Language

English

Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe

Director Robert McCallum
Year 2023
Run Time 90min
Genre Documentary

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 the tv series Mr. Dressup, a universally celebrated and uniquely Canadian children’s programme, exploring 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

Rob McCallum is an award-winning filmmaker whose work focuses on subjects such as video games, heavy metal, fanboy fanatics, and more. His feature documentary credits include Nintendo Quest, Missing Mom, Power of Grayskull: The Definitive History of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, The Art of Protest, and Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make Believe, which won several awards, including the CSAs for best writing and best direction in a documentary, and the TIFF documentary People’s Choice Award.

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

BlackBerry

Director Matt Johnson
Year 2023
Run Time 120min
Genre Comedy, Drama

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

Director

Matt Johnson

Matt Johnson is a writer, actor, and director who co-created the cult web series Nirvanna the Band the Show, which he adapted for television in 2016. His first two features, The Dirties and Operation Avalanche were featured at the Slamdance and Sundance film festivals respectively. His third feature, BlackBerry, premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2023, and earned 28 awards, including 14 Canadian Screen Awards, and another 31 nominations internationally.

Writers

Matt Johnson, Matthew Miller

Cast

Jay Baruchel, Glenn Howerton, Matt Johnson, Kelly Van der Burg

Producers

Fraser Ash, Matthew Miller, Niv Fichman, Kevin Krikst

Genres

Comedy, Drama

Interests

Biography, History

Original Language

English