Original Language: Other Language
Je m’appelle humain (Call Me Human)
After spending most of her life working as an Innu language translator and transcriber, Joséphine Bacon rose to fame late in life in her second career as an award-winning poet. This moving profile frames her life and work in a new context, offering a deeply personal look at an important literary figure in Canada.
Je m'appele humain premiered at the Quebec City Film Festival to great acclaim, and went on to receive four Prix Iris nominations, including Best Documentary.
Director
Kim O'Bomsawin (Abenaki)
Writers
Kim O'Bomsawin (Abenaki), Nathalie Gressin
Cast
Joséphine Bacon (Innu)
Producer
Andrée-Anne Frenette
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Arts and Culture, Biography, BIPOC Stories, Female Filmmaker, Indigenous Filmmaker
Original Languages
French, Other Language
Modra
Being a teenager isn’t always easy. 17-year old Lina (Hallie Switzer) is planning a summer holiday visiting her mother’s family in Modra, Slovakia with her boyfriend, when he unexpectedly breaks up with her. Not willing to let it ruin her summer plans, Lina asks Leco (Alexander Gammal), another cute boy from school, to join her on the trip.
While Lina’s Slovakian family assumes they’re a couple, she and Leco start to realize that they don’t have a whole lot in common after all – which doesn’t stop Leco from feeling hurt when Lina steps out with a local boy. An emotional journey of soul searching and self discovery, Modra lets its two young leads gently discover who they are while they navigate the unfamiliar challenges of being far from home.
The film was selected by the Toronto International Film Festival as one of Canada’s Top Ten films of 2010 and won an Audience Award in Slovakia, at the Bratislava International Film Festival.
“… a prime example of heartfelt DIY filmmaking that really works… poignantly alert to the nuances of teen life, perfectly capturing that confusing betwixt-and-between time." Alissa Simon, Variety
Director
Ingrid Veninger
Writer
Ingrid Veninger
Cast
Alexander Gammal, Hallie Switzer
Producer
Ingrid Veninger
Genres
Drama, Romance
Interest
Female Filmmaker
Original Languages
English, Other Language
Soon, though, she finds herself falling in love with him, and as the physical terrain becomes more dangerous, so does the landscape of the heart. Beautifully shot and featuring screen legend Peter O’Toole in one of his last roles, Iron Road revisits an important and controversial time in Canadian history.
Originally broadcast as a CBC miniseries, REEL CANADA is proud to present the feature version of this epic tale that spans two continents.
Director
David Wu
Wu is a master editor who has worked with many legendary Hong Kong filmmakers. His directorial credits include the films The Snow Queen with Bridget Fonda, Plague City: SARS in Toronto (for which he earned the DGC Best Director nomination), See You Tomorrow, and the TV show Once a Thief. He recently edited the films You Are In My Heart and Bai du ren.
Writers
Barry Pearson, Raymond Storey
Cast
Sun Li, Luke Macfarlane, Sam Neill, Peter O’Toole
Producers
Zhao Haicheng, Anne Tait, Raymond Massey II
Genre
Drama
Interests
Asian Filmmaker, BIPOC Stories, Discrimination, ESL, History, Newcomer Stories, Social Justice & Politics, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
Other Language
Al Ghorba
Director
Alia Hijaab
Writer
Alia Hijaab
Producer
Alia Hijaab
Genres
Animation, Drama
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, Global Experiences, Newcomer Stories, Social Justice & Politics
Original Languages
English, Other Language
Baba (Dance)
Director
Jonathan Lawley
Writer
Jonathan Lawley
Cast
Stacey Armstrong, Cassidy DeFreitas, Alana Elmer
Producer
Wayne Lawley
Genre
Experimental
Interests
Arts and Culture, BIPOC Stories
Original Language
Other Language
Funny Boy
Based on the celebrated novel by Shyam Selvadurai, Funny Boy was nominated for nine Canadian Screen Awards, winning for directing, screenplay and score.
“An attractive journey, gilded in summery light throughout by Douglas Koch’s camera.” – Guy Lodge, Variety
Director
Deepa Mehta
Mehta gained acclaim for her trilogy, Fire, Earth and the Oscar-nominated Water. Her adaptation of Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children was nominated for eight CSAs. She has also directed Bollywood/Hollywood, Beeba Boys, Anatomy of Violence, and many others. Her most recent film Funny Boy has also won multiple awards, including the CSA for best direction. Most recently, she directed an episode of the series Yellowjackets. She has numerous projects in development as a writer, director and producer.
Writers
Deepa Mehta, Shyam Selvadurai
Cast
Brandon Ingram, Arush Nand, Nimmi Harasgama, Agam Darshi, Ali Kazmi
Producers
Hussaini Amarshi, Lodi Butler, Gopi Darmaratnam, David Hamilton, Neil Mathieson
Genres
Drama, Romance
Interests
Asian Filmmaker, BIPOC Stories, Bullying, Discrimination, Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, Global Experiences, LGBTQ2S+, Literary Adaptation
Original Languages
English, Other Language
Four Faces of the Moon
Director
Amanda Strong (Michif)
Writers
Amanda Strong (Michif), Bracken Hanuse Corlett (Wuikinuxv-Klahoose)
Cast
Gail Maurice (Cree/Métis)
Producer
Bracken Hanuse Corlett (Wuikinuxv-Klahoose)
Genres
Action/Adventure, Animation, Documentary, Family
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Discrimination, Family Relationships, Indigenous Filmmaker
Original Language
Other Language
Shin-Chi’s Canoe
Through his father’s gift of a secret and tiny hand-carved cedar canoe, an Indigenous child discovers the strength and resilience to endure his first year at a residential school.
Director
Allan Hopkins (N’quatwua)
Writers
Allan Hopkins (N’quatwua), Kate Kroll
Cast
Zayne Jasper
Producers
Kate Kroll, Allan Hopkins (N’quatwua)
Genre
Drama
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Discrimination, Family Relationships
Original Languages
English, Other Language
Ute Kanata (Here in Canada)
This poignant take on “O Canada” adapts the national anthem to the reality of the First Nations of Canada, and provides a rallying song for all peoples.
Director
Virginie Michel (Innu)
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Arts and Culture, BIPOC Stories, Female Filmmaker, Indigenous Filmmaker, Social Justice & Politics
Original Language
Other Language
Night Raiders
A compelling and propulsive dystopian thriller grounded in an allegory for the residential school system, Night Raiders is the story of Niska (Tailfeathers), a Cree mother in an impossible situation. As she travels across a war-torn Turtle Island (North America), she is caught in a desperate attempt to save her daughter from a state-run forced re-education camp. With the world against her, Niska joins forces with a group of underground resistance fighters seeking to free their children and save their future.
Anchored by an incredible lead performance from Tailfeathers along with a stellar supporting cast, this powerful and heartfelt debut feature from Danis Goulet premiered at TIFF in 2021 and was nominated for eleven Canadian Screen Awards, winning six, including Best Original Screenplay.
“Night Raiders should become the most talked-about Canadian film of the year. And for good reason.” – Barry Hertz, The Globe and Mail
Director
Danis Goulet (Cree/Métis)
Danis Goulet is an award-winning Cree/Métis filmmaker from La Ronge, SK, now based in Toronto. Her films have screened at festivals worldwide including Sundance, Berlinale, TIFF, and MoMA. She is a former programmer and current board member for TIFF, and was the former Director of the imagineNATIVE Film+Media Arts Festival. Her latest projects include the TV series Reservation Dogs, and the upcoming feature film Ivy.
Writer
Danis Goulet (Cree/Métis)
Cast
Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers (Blackfoot/Sámi), Brooklyn Letexier-Hart (Cree/Métis), Alex Tarrant (Māori-Niuean-Samoan), Shaun Sipos, Amanda Plummer
Producers
Taika Waititi (Te Whānau-ā-Apanui), Paul Barkin, Tara Woodbury, Ainsley Gardiner (Ngāti Awa/Te Whānau-a-Apanui/Ngāti Pikiao/Whakatōhea), Georgina Allison Conder
Genres
Action/Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Discrimination, Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, Indigenous Filmmaker, Social Justice & Politics, Strong Female Leads
Original Languages
English, Other Language