Interest: Newcomer Stories
Refuge in the Rockies
Director
Kaio Kathriner
Writers
Kaio Kathriner, Tom Malenica
Producers
Matt Drake, Tony Cerciello, Kaio Kathriner
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Biography, BIPOC Stories, Discrimination, Global Experiences, Newcomer Stories, Social Justice & Politics, Sports
Original Language
English
Released to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the Winnipeg General Strike that forever changed the labour movement in Canada, Stand! shows that while we’re now living in a different time, the power of joining together to fight for your rights hasn’t changed.
“A film that is actually about something, made by people who are expert storytellers.” – Neil Weisensel, The Globe and Mail
Director
Robert Adetuyi
Adetuyi is a screenwriter and director who has made numerous dance and action films. His writing credits include Stomp the Yard, Code Name: The Cleaner, Honey: Rise Up and Dance, and Trouble Sleeping. He wrote and directed Turn It Up, You Got Served: Beat the World, and directed Bring It On: Worldwide #Cheersmack, Trouble Sleeping and Stand!, which won two ACTRA Awards.
Writers
Rick Chafe, Danny Schur
Cast
Laura Wiggins, Gregg Henry, Hayley Sales
Genres
Drama, Romance
Interests
History, Newcomer Stories, Social Justice & Politics
Original Language
English
Brooklyn
Brooklyn tells the profoundly moving story of Eilis Lacey (Saoirse Ronan), a young Irish immigrant navigating her way through 1950s Brooklyn. Lured by the promise of America, Eilis departs Ireland and the comfort of her mother's home for the shores of New York City. The initial shackles of homesickness quickly diminish as a fresh romance sweeps Eilis into the intoxicating charm of love. But soon, her new life is disrupted by her past, and Eilis must choose between two countries and two paths in life.
Director
John Crowley
Writers
Nick Hornby, Colm Tóibín
Cast
Saoirse Ronan, Hugh Gormley, Brid Brennan
Producers
Finola Dwyer, Pierre Even, Susan Mullen, Amanda Posey, Marie-Claude Poulin
Genres
Drama, Romance
Interests
Arts and Culture, Literary Adaptation, Newcomer Stories, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
English
Double Happiness
Sandra Oh won the Best Actress Genie for her performance. The film also won prizes in Vancouver, Berlin and Turin.
Director
Mina Shum
Vancouver-based Shum is best known for her feature films Double Happiness and Meditation Park, both starring Sandra Oh. Her documentary Ninth Floor was on TIFF’s 2015 list of Canada’s top ten films. Other features include Long Life; Happiness and Prosperity; Drive She Said; and One (Nine). She has also directed episodes of Frankie Drake Mysteries, Murdoch Mysteries, The Good Doctor, and October Faction.
Writer
Mina Shum
Cast
Sandra Oh, Callum Keith Rennie
Producers
Stephen Hegyes, Rose Lam Waddell
Genres
Comedy, Drama
Interests
Arts and Culture, Asian Filmmaker, BIPOC Stories, ESL, Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, Newcomer Stories, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
English
The Cuban
The Cuban is a touching story about friendship, love and of course, beautiful music. Mina (Golga), an Afghani-Canadian pre-med student in her first placement at a long-term care home, meets Luis (Gossett Jr.) an elderly musician whose dementia has deprived him of many of the memories of his youth in Cuba. When Mina finds a way to reignite his memory using music and food from his past, the two enter on an inspiring journey of self-discovery that reawakens Mina’s love of music, and changes both of their lives.
Featuring a stellar cast and beautiful original music, The Cuban is a heartwarming cross-cultural story that received 3 Canadian Screen Award nominations.
“As a story of the curative power of music, it works, has a good beat and you can dance to it.” - Richard Crouse, film critic
Director
Sergio Navarretta
Navarretta is an award-winning director whose credits include the shorts Serena DeBergerac, and The Fortune Cookie, and the features Looking for Angelina and The Colossal Failure of the Modern Relationship. Most recently, he executive produced Lamborghini: The Man Behind the Legend. Next, he will be directing the feature The Last Palikári, and he will be working with Louis Gosset Jr. again on his next film, Elephants in the Room.
Writer
Alessandra Piccione
Cast
Ana Golja, Louis Gossett Jr., Shohreh Aghdashloo
Producers
Alessandra Piccione, Taras Koltun, Ana Golja
Genre
Drama
Interests
Arts and Culture, BIPOC Stories, ESL, Family Relationships, Newcomer Stories, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
English
Sabah
Sabah is frustrated at home with no means of escape. That is, until she meets non-Muslim Stephen (Doyle), who awakens her long-lost desire for independence and romance. Soon, Sabah is having a whirlwind cross-cultural affair that she must hide from her family.
Ruba Nadda’s witty and timely love story breathes new life into a classic tale of family, tradition, cultural difference and love.
Director
Ruba Nadda
Nadda is an internationally acclaimed writer and filmmaker whose credits include the features Inescapable and October Gale and television shows such as Killjoys; Frankie Drake Mysteries; Arrow; Roswell, Riverdale and many others. Her feature Cairo Time won the Best Canadian Feature at TIFF. She is currently producing the series Gray, and next she will direct the films Lifetime and Elizabeth.
Writer
Ruba Nadda
Cast
Arsinée Khanjian, Fadia Nada, Jeff Seymour, Shawn Doyle
Producers
Tracey Boulton, Atom Egoyan
Genres
Drama, Romance
Interests
BIPOC Stories, ESL, Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, Newcomer Stories, Social Justice & Politics, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
English
Dr. Cabbie
“…With a host of appealing characters, snappy dialogue and an issue at its heart that will resonate with audiences, Dr. Cabbie provides a pleasingly comical cinematic ride.” — Bruce DeMara, The Toronto Star
Director
Jean-François Pouliot
In addition to over 500 commercials, Montrealer Pouliot’s credits include feature films Guide de la petite vengeance and the 2015 box-office success Dr. Cabbie as well as the hit animated film Snowtime!. Recently, he directed the feature films Les 3 p’tits cochons 2, Votez Bougon and the Snowtime! sequel, Racetime.
Writers
Vinay Virmani, Ron Kennell, Manu Chopra
Cast
Vinay Virmani, Adrianne Palicki, Kunal Nayyar, Lillete Dubey, Mircea Monroe
Producers
Pauline Dhillon, Salman Khan, André Rouleau, Ajay Virmani
Genre
Comedy
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Global Experiences, Newcomer Stories
Original Language
English
Breakaway
A cross-cultural story of self-discovery, Breakaway is a heartwarming, action-filled comedy, bringing a dash of Bollywood to Canada’s favourite sport. With a hilarious supporting cast including comedian Russell Peters, and a special appearance from Drake, Breakaway will have you cheering for its unlikely heroes.
Director
Robert Lieberman
Lieberman’s directing credits include the feature films D3: The Mighty Ducks, Fire in the Sky and Table for Five. He has won 29 Clio Awards for his work in advertising and has directed such hit TV shows as Lost Girl, Republic of Doyle, Houdini & Doyle, Haven, The Expanse, Rogue, and Criminal Minds. Most recently, he directed the features Christmas in Tahoe, Love Stories in Sunflower Valley and Love on the Road.
Writers
Noel S. Baker, Jeffrey Alan Schechter, Matt Simmons, Vinay Virmani
Cast
Vinay Virmani, Russell Peters, Rob Lowe, Camilla Belle
Producers
Ajay Virmani, Don Carmody, Frank Siracusa
Genres
Comedy, Drama, Romance
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Bullying, Discrimination, ESL, Family Relationships, Newcomer Stories, Sports
Original Language
English
Guibord s’en va-t-en guerre (My Internship in Canada)
Frozen in the spotlight, Guibord’s closest ally becomes Souverain (Exantus), his naïve intern from Haiti, who commands the situation with playful quips, charming idealism and a good dose of humour.
Written and directed by Oscar nominee Philippe Falardeau, Guibord s’en va-t-en guerre’s satirical spin is a fun — and relevant — political farce. The film was nominated for three Canadian Screen Awards, including Best Picture, and earned the Special Jury Citation for Best Canadian Feature Film at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Director
Philippe Falardeau
Québécois director and screenwriter Falardeau has won more than 32 international awards for his films, which include Monsieur Lazhar, La moitié gauche du frigo, C’est pas moi, je le jure!, The Good Lie, Guibord s’en va-t-en guerre, and My Salinger Year. He also directed the TV shows Le temps des framboises, and Lac-Mégantic - ceci n’est pas un accident.
Writer
Philippe Falardeau
Cast
Patrick Huard, Suzanne Clément, Irdens Exantus
Producers
Luc Déry, Kim McCraw
Genres
Comedy, Drama
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Newcomer Stories, Social Justice & Politics
Original Languages
English, French
This stunning second feature from Anthony Shim follows a Korean single mother who moves to Canada with her young son in the early 1990s, following the death of her husband. As she struggles to make ends meet and provide the best life possible for her son, she has to contend with his changing attitudes towards her, and towards their Korean culture.
A profoundly affecting drama about the immigrant experience, Riceboy Sleeps premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival where it won the Platform Prize, and was named to their 2022 Canada’s Top Ten list. It also won the award for Best Original Screenplay at the Canadian Screen Awards.
Director
Anthony Shim
Shim is an actor and award-winning filmmaker who has appeared in numerous shorts, feature films and television series. His features include Daughter and Riceboy Sleeps, both of which he directed, wrote, and produced. His second feature, Riceboy Sleeps, premiered at TIFF 2022 and won the festival’s Platform Prize. The film went on to win over 20 other awards, including the CSA for Original Screenplay.
Writer
Anthony Shim
Cast
Choi Seung-yoon, Ethan Hwang, Hunter Dillon
Producers
Bryan Demore, Anthony Shim, Rebecca Steele
Genre
Drama
Interests
Asian Filmmaker, BIPOC Stories, Bullying, Discrimination, Family Relationships, Newcomer Stories, Strong Female Leads
Original Languages
English, Other Language