Own Voice: No

Without Precedent: The Supreme Life of Rosalie Abella

Director Barry Avrich
Year 2023
Run Time 80min
Genre Documentary

As a fierce advocate for human rights, Rosalie Abella casts a long shadow. This lively documentary explores her life and career trajectory, including her successes as an attorney and judge, culminating with her historic appointment to the Supreme Court of Canada, which made her both the first refugee and first Jewish person ever to sit on the country’s highest court. With Rosalie already being an icon and inspiration to many, this portrait also places a focus on Rosalie’s unique personality, style and love of life that carries through all that she does.

Featuring interviews with Margaret Atwood, Brian Mulroney, Joe Clark and, of course, Rosalie herself, this critically-acclaimed film from Barry Avrich is the perfect introduction to one of Canada’s most important figures.

Director

Barry Avrich

Prolific producer, director, and writer Avrich has made many acclaimed documentaries including The Last Mogul, Show Stopper: The Theatrical Life of Garth Drabinsky and David Foster: Off the Record, and the recent Oscar Peterson: Black + White. Avrich has also authored three books, and produced and directed several film adaptations of theatrical productions. He is currently working on 2022 doc The Talented Mr. Rosenberg.

Writer

Barry Avrich

Cast

Margaret Atwood, Rosalie Abella, Joe Clark

Producers

Barry Avrich, Mark Selby

Genre

Documentary

Interests

Biography, Social Justice & Politics, Strong Female Leads

Original Language

English

Ratings by Province

G
 Alberta
G
 British Columbia
G
 Manitoba
NR
 New Brunswick
NR
 Newfoundland and Labrador
NR
 Nova Scotia
G
 Northwest Territories
G
 Nunavut
G
 Ontario
NR
 Prince Edward Island
G
 Québec
G
 Saskatchewan
NR
 Yukon
Back to the Canadian Film Collection

Sensei

Director Jill Roberts
Year 2022
Run Time 23min
Genre Documentary
The inspiring story of Natalie Olson, a young woman with Down Syndrome who attained a 2nd degree black belt in karate, as her sensei prepares her for the Parapan American Karate Championship.

Director

Jill Roberts

Genre

Documentary

Interests

Female Filmmaker, Sports, Strong Female Leads

Original Language

English

Ratings by Province

NR
 Alberta
NR
 British Columbia
NR
 Manitoba
NR
 New Brunswick
NR
 Newfoundland and Labrador
NR
 Nova Scotia
NR
 Northwest Territories
NR
 Nunavut
NR
 Ontario
NR
 Prince Edward Island
NR
 Québec
NR
 Saskatchewan
NR
 Yukon
Back to the Canadian Film Collection

Through Black Spruce

Director Don McKellar
Year 2018
Run Time 111min
Genre Drama, Thriller
The disappearance of a young Cree woman in Toronto traumatizes her Northern Ontario family, and sends her twin sister on a journey south to find her.

Director

Don McKellar

McKellar is a prolific filmmaker and actor whose work has garnered numerous awards. He wrote Highway 61, The Red Violin and Thirty-Two Short Films About Glenn Gould, and wrote, directed and starred in Last Night (which won the Prix de la jeunesse at the Cannes film festival), and Childstar, and has directed several other films. He recently starred in Meditation Park, Crimes of the Future, and directed Sensitive Skin. Currently, he is writing episodes for Park Chan-wook’s The Sympathizer, which he is also executive producing.

Writer

Barbara Samuels

Cast

Tanaya Beatty (Kwakwakaʼwakw)

Producers

Tina Keeper (Cree), Phyllis Laing, Robert Lantos, Barbara Samuels

Genres

Drama, Thriller

Interests

BIPOC Stories, Family Relationships, Strong Female Leads

Original Language

English

Ratings by Province

14A
 Alberta
14A
 British Columbia
14A
 Manitoba
14A
 New Brunswick
NR
 Newfoundland and Labrador
14A
 Nova Scotia
14A
 Northwest Territories
14A
 Nunavut
14A
 Ontario
14A
 Prince Edward Island
13+
 Québec
14A
 Saskatchewan
NR
 Yukon
Back to the Canadian Film Collection

Big Drive

Director Anita Lebeau
Year 2011
Run Time 9min
Genre Animation, Family

Stuck in a seemingly endless car ride with nothing to do, four sisters use their imagination to create something amazing together.

Director

Anita Lebeau

Writer

Anita Lebeau

Cast

Nathalie Daudet, Emma Collins, Annie Rose Daudet, Maggie Collins, Anita Lebeau

Producer

Derek Mazur

Genres

Animation, Family

Interests

Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker

Original Language

English

Ratings by Province

NR
 Alberta
NR
 British Columbia
NR
 Manitoba
NR
 New Brunswick
NR
 Newfoundland and Labrador
NR
 Nova Scotia
NR
 Northwest Territories
NR
 Nunavut
NR
 Ontario
NR
 Prince Edward Island
NR
 Québec
NR
 Saskatchewan
NR
 Yukon
Back to the Canadian Film Collection

The Girl Who Hated Books

Director Jo Meuris
Year 2006
Run Time 7min
Genre Family
This animated short about literacy introduces us to Meena, a young girl who hates books even though her parents love to read. Books are everywhere in Meena's house, in cupboards, drawers and even piled up on the stairs. Still, she refuses to even open one up. But when her cat Max accidentally knocks down a huge stack, pandemonium ensues and nothing is ever the same again. 
 

Director

Jo Meuris

Writer

Sugith Varughese

Cast

Michael Rudder, Elizabeth Lofranco, Harry Standjofski, Thor Bishopric

Producer

Tamara Lynch

Genre

Family

Interests

Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, Strong Female Leads

Original Languages

English, French

Ratings by Province

NR
 Alberta
NR
 British Columbia
NR
 Manitoba
NR
 New Brunswick
NR
 Newfoundland and Labrador
NR
 Nova Scotia
NR
 Northwest Territories
NR
 Nunavut
NR
 Ontario
NR
 Prince Edward Island
NR
 Québec
NR
 Saskatchewan
NR
 Yukon
Back to the Canadian Film Collection

Unloved: Huronia’s Forgotten Children

Director Barri Cohen
Year 2022
Run Time 90min
Genre Documentary
In researching the fates of her two half-brothers, filmmaker Barri Cohen uncovers the tragic history of neglect and abuse of institutionalized patients at the Huronia Regional Centre in Orillia.

Director

Barri Cohen

Writer

Barri Cohen

Producers

Craig Baines, Peter Raymont

Genre

Documentary

Interests

Discrimination, Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, Social Justice & Politics

Original Language

English

Ratings by Province

NR
 Alberta
NR
 British Columbia
NR
 Manitoba
NR
 New Brunswick
NR
 Newfoundland and Labrador
NR
 Nova Scotia
NR
 Northwest Territories
NR
 Nunavut
NR
 Ontario
NR
 Prince Edward Island
NR
 Québec
NR
 Saskatchewan
NR
 Yukon
Back to the Canadian Film Collection

A Dangerous Method

Director David Cronenberg
Year 2011
Run Time 99min
Genre Drama, Romance, Thriller
A fictionalized account of the early days of psychoanalysis and the turbulent relationship between Carl Jung (Michael Fassbender), his mentor Sigmund Freud (Viggo Mortensen), and the patient (Kiera Knightley) who tore them apart. 

Director

David Cronenberg

Cast

Keira Knightley, Michael Fassbender, Viggo Mortensen

Producer

Jeremy Thomas

Genres

Drama, Romance, Thriller

Interests

Biography, Literary Adaptation

Original Language

English

Ratings by Province

NR
 Alberta
NR
 British Columbia
NR
 Manitoba
NR
 New Brunswick
NR
 Newfoundland and Labrador
NR
 Nova Scotia
NR
 Northwest Territories
NR
 Nunavut
NR
 Ontario
NR
 Prince Edward Island
13+
 Québec
NR
 Saskatchewan
NR
 Yukon
Back to the Canadian Film Collection

Elijah and the Rock Creature

Director Jen Walden
Year 2018
Run Time 88min
Genre Sci-Fi/Fantasy
When separated from his mother on a family camping trip, a young boy meets a fantastical creature who helps him. Set in the stunning landscapes of Canada’s north, this lighthearted film explores themes of friendship and family, as Elijah and his unlikely new friend both try to find their way home. 

Director

Jen Walden

Writer

Jen Walden

Cast

Ben Naugler, Thompson Duff, Allie Dunbar

Producer

Jeremy Emerson

Genre

Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Interest

Female Filmmaker

Original Language

English

Ratings by Province

G
 Alberta
NR
 British Columbia
NR
 Manitoba
NR
 New Brunswick
NR
 Newfoundland and Labrador
NR
 Nova Scotia
G
 Northwest Territories
G
 Nunavut
NR
 Ontario
NR
 Prince Edward Island
NR
 Québec
NR
 Saskatchewan
NR
 Yukon
Back to the Canadian Film Collection

Bluefin

Director John Hopkins
Year 2016
Run Time 53min
Genre Documentary
Endangered giant bluefin tuna have returned to Prince Edward Island, Canada, in surprising abundance after a complete disappearance from overfishing, but renewed human interference threatens to drive them away permanently. This fascinating documentary explores the baffling mystery of why the normally wary bluefin tuna no longer seem to fear humans.

Director

John Hopkins

Writer

John Hopkins

Cast

Carl Safina, Brian Skerry, Boris Worm

Genre

Documentary

Interest

Environment

Original Language

English

Ratings by Province

NR
 Alberta
NR
 British Columbia
NR
 Manitoba
NR
 New Brunswick
NR
 Newfoundland and Labrador
NR
 Nova Scotia
NR
 Northwest Territories
NR
 Nunavut
NR
 Ontario
NR
 Prince Edward Island
NR
 Québec
NR
 Saskatchewan
NR
 Yukon
Back to the Canadian Film Collection

Tom à la ferme (Tom at the Farm)

Director Xavier Dolan
Year 2013
Run Time 102min
Genre Drama, Thriller
A grieving man (Xavier Dolan) travels to a rural farm for his boyfriend’s funeral, where he finds a less than warm welcome from the family, particularly Francis (Pierre-Yves Cardinal), his boyfriend’s brother, whose sadistic and threatening behaviour begins to escalate to dangerous levels.

Director

Xavier Dolan

Cast

Xavier Dolan, Pierre-Yves Cardinal, Lise Roy

Producers

Xavier Dolan, Nathanaël Karmitz, Charles Gillibert

Genres

Drama, Thriller

Interests

LGBTQ2S+, Literary Adaptation

Original Languages

English, French

Ratings by Province

14A
 Alberta
NR
 British Columbia
NR
 Manitoba
14A
 New Brunswick
NR
 Newfoundland and Labrador
14A
 Nova Scotia
14A
 Northwest Territories
14A
 Nunavut
NR
 Ontario
14A
 Prince Edward Island
13+
 Québec
NR
 Saskatchewan
NR
 Yukon
Back to the Canadian Film Collection
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