Original Language: French
Johanne, tout simplement (Simply Johanne)
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
Rêver en néon (Neon Dreaming)
Convinced that her mother is international ballet superstar Karen Kain, eight-year-old Billie is dead set on proving it to everyone around her. But as her investigation starts to yield new information, she sets off with her best friend on an impossible adventure to finally get to the truth.
Using magical realism to capture the wonder and carefree innocence of childhood, this charming coming-of-age feature carries a beautiful message about the importance of family and community, and how they help you find your place in the world.
Director
Marie-Claire Marcotte
Marcotte is a playwright, screenwriter and filmmaker with numerous short film credits to her name, including Check ta chatte, Gili gili, Poil anyways, Fin de la pomme, and Goût d'un mensonge, among others. She has participated in residencies in Canada (Banff Centre — Leighton Studios), Belgium (Centre des écritures dramatiques W-B), France (La Chartreuse) and in Martinique (ETC Caraïbes). Neon Dreaming, her first feature, has won seven awards at international film festivals.
Writer
Marie-Claire Marcotte
Cast
Maélya Boyd, Genevieve Langlois, Corey Loranger
Producers
Corey Loranger, Marie-Claire Marcotte
Genre
Drama
Interests
Arts and Culture, Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
French
Vous n’êtes pas seuls (You Are Not Alone)
Léo, a lonely young pizza delivery man finds little purpose in his life, but that all changes when he falls head over heels for local musician Rita. As their romance begins to blossom, the couple is blissfully unaware of the threat of an alien who has targeted Léo for a mysterious and dangerous purpose.
A heartfelt drama with a sci-fi twist, You Are Not Alone takes you on a mysterious and beautiful journey that is completely captivating.
“Vous n’êtes pas seuls prouve, si nous en doutions encore, que notre cinéma est capable de continuer d’innover et de se renouveler.” – Isabelle Hontebeyrie, Le journal de Montréal
Directors
Philippe Lupien
Lupien is a director whose short film credits include L'Halloween de Monsieur Simard and Le diable en personne. Together with his partner Marie-Hélène Viens, he has co-directed the short films Bernard Le Grand, Amen and Nous sommes Le Freak Show, and the feature film Vous n'êtes pas seul, which won the Best Canadian Discovery Award at TIFF 2024.
Marie-Hélène Viens
Viens is a director and screenwriter who has worked in collaboration with Philippe Lupien for many years. Their short films Bernard Le Grand, Amen and Nous sommes Le Freak Show played at numerous festivals and won over 15 awards. Vous n'êtes pas seul was the duo’s first feature film, and won the Best Canadian Discovery Award at TIFF 2024.
Writers
Marie-Hélène Viens, Philippe Lupien
Cast
Marianne Fortier, Pier-Luc Funk, Sandrine Bisson
Producer
Fanny-Laure Malo
Genres
Comedy, Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Interests
Cult & Offbeat Cinema, Female Filmmaker
Original Language
French
Comme un fleuve (Flowing Home)
Over the course of 20 years, two sisters try to remain connected through a series of letters after their family is pulled apart by the Vietnam War.
Content note: Depictions of war and violence (in animation)
Director
Sandra Desmazières
Writer
Sandra Desmazières
Cast
Linh Dan Pham, Sara Martins
Producers
Julie Roy, Dora Benousilio
Genre
Animation
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, Global Experiences, Newcomer Stories
Original Language
French
La soeur de Margot (Margot’s Sister)
A shy pre-teen struggles when her classmates begin to make fun of her sister’s disability, until she finds the courage within herself to stand up to them.
Director
Christine Doyon
Genre
Drama
Interests
Bullying, Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
French
Le temps d’un été (One Summer)
Featuring breathtaking cinematography and powerful performances, this latest feature from acclaimed director Louise Archambeault demonstrates the power of love and care, and the importance of supporting those who have fallen on hard times.
“Archambault delivers a delicately balanced, deeply moving story with One Summer.” – Pat Mullen, That Shelf
Director
Louise Archambault
Archambault’s first short film, Atomic Saké, won the Jutra Award for best short. Her first feature, Familia, won her the Jutra for best debut feature, and her follow-up Gabrielle was nominated for six CSAs. Archambault also directed the TV series Catastrophe and wrote and directed Il pleuvait des oiseaux, which premiered at TIFF. She has also directed the films Merci pour tout, Le temps d’un été, and Irena’s Vow, which won the Audience Award at VIFF.
Writer
Marie Vien
Cast
Patrice Robitaille, Sylvio Archambault, Élise Guilbault, Guy Nadon
Producers
Brigitte Léveillé, Antonello Cozzolino
Genres
Comedy, Drama
Interests
Family Relationships, LGBTQ2S+
Original Language
French
Tu te souviendras de moi (You Will Remember Me)
Director
Éric Tessier
Tessier’s first film was the award-winning short Viens dehors! His feature films include Sur le seuil, Vendus, 5150 rue des Ormes, Junior Majeur, and Les Pee-Wee: L’hiver qui a changé ma vie, which won the Best Feature Film award at TIFF Kids. He recently directed the films Tu te souviendras de moi and When Love Blooms, and episodes of Hôtel and Transplant. He is currently directing The Amityville Curse.
Genre
Drama
Original Language
French
Butterfly Tale
Determined not to let his disability stop him, Patrick and his best friend, a goofy caterpillar named Marty (Lucinda Davis), stow away in a milkweed trailer to be part of the adventure. Facing challenges and trials along the way, Patrick faces his fear, embraces his uniqueness and overcomes adversity to become an unlikely hero!
Butterfly Tale is an inspiring animated adventure full of humour that reminds us that differences are less important than the bonds we share.
Director
Sophie Roy
Writers
Heidi Foss, Lienne Sawatsky, Michael Solomon
Cast
Tatiana Maslany, Mena Massoud, Nick Julius Schuck
Genres
Animation, Family
Interests
Bullying, Female Filmmaker
Original Languages
English, French
Simple comme Sylvain (The Nature of Love)
Director
Monia Chokri
Writer
Monia Chokri
Cast
Pierre-Yves Cardinal, Monia Chokri, Magalie Lépine Blondeau, Francis-William Rhéaume
Producers
Nathanaël Karmitz, Sylvain Corbeil, Nancy Grant, Elisha Karmitz
Genres
Comedy, Drama, Romance
Interests
Female Filmmaker, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
French
Cette maison (This House)
Drawing from the events surrounding her fourteen-year-old cousin’s murder in 2008, director Miryam Charles wants to finally unpack her grief and the trauma associated with it. Through dream-like reenactments of her own childhood and an imagined life for her cousin, Charles delves into the changing emotional, political, and historical climates surrounding her family as Haitian-Canadians in Quebec.
This beautifully crafted film is a bold and thought-provoking look at family, and a moving tribute to a life tragically cut short.
“A daring blend of documentary and fantasy that invests a deeply personal drama with a wide historical scope.” – Richard Brody, The New Yorker
Director
Miryam Charles
Charles is a filmmaker and cinematographer who has directed, produced, and shot many short films, including A Fortress, Drei Atlas, and Chanson pour le Nouveau Monde. She directed the features Mosaic, and Cette maison (This House), which premiered at the Berlinale Forum and was included in TIFF’s Canada’s Top Ten, and Sight and Sound’s Best Films of the Year. She was the inaugural recipient of TIFF’s Charles Officer Award for her body of work.
Writer
Miryam Charles
Cast
Schelby Jean-Baptiste
Producer
Felix Dufour-Laperriere
Genres
Documentary, Drama, Experimental
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Black Filmmaker, Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, Newcomer Stories
Original Language
French