Spotlight Sublist: 2020 - Immune Boosting
Bon Cop Bad Cop

Ward (Feore) and Boucher (Huard) couldn’t be more different: one is an English-speaker from Toronto, the other is a French-speaker from Montreal; one never deviates from established procedure, the other is a rebel who refuses to play by the rules. The detectives soon learn that if they are to solve this lurid crime, which is linked to the world of hockey, they need to stop bickering and work together.
With uproarious performances from both leads, Bon Cop, Bad Cop is a genuinely clever take on the buddy-cop genre that will keep you captivated throughout.
Director
Érik Canuel
Canuel made music videos and TV commercials before turning to film. His features include Nez rouge and Le dernier tunnel, Barrymore, starring Christopher Plummer, and the recent Undercover Grandpa. Bon Cop Bad Cop won a Genie for Best Motion Picture and the Golden Reel Award. Next, Canuel will direct the feature film The Burning Man.
Writers
Leila Basen, Alex Epstein, Patrick Huard, Kevin Tierney
Cast
Colm Feore, Patrick Huard
Producer
Kevin Tierney
Genres
Action/Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Thriller
Interest
Family Relationships
Original Languages
English, French
I’ve Heard the Mermaids Singing

Though timid on the outside, Polly’s inner life is rich and full of charming fantasies which Rozema brings to life in black & white sequences that punctuate the film with humour and whimsy.
The film won the award for Best First Feature at the Cannes Film Festival, and in 1993 was ranked as one of TIFF’s Top 10 Canadian Films of All Time.
Director
Patricia Rozema
Writer
Patricia Rozema
Cast
Sheila McCarthy, Paule Baillargeon, Ann-Marie MacDonald
Producers
Don Haig, Alexandra Raffe, Patricia Rozema
Genre
Drama
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Female Filmmaker, LGBTQ2S+
Original Language
English
Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner

“I am not surprised that The Fast Runner has been a box office hit in its opening engagements. It is unlike anything most audiences will have ever seen, and yet it tells a universal story.”
— Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Director
Zacharias Kunuk (Inuk)
In 2015, Atanarjuat was selected as TIFF’s number one Canadian film of all time. Kunuk has directed shorts such as Exile and Home and features such as Maliglutit, which won the CSAs for best film and screenplay. He recently directed the series Hunting With My Ancestors and executive produced SGaawaay K'uuna (Edge of the Knife). His latest feature, One Day in the Life of Noah Piugattuk, premiered at TIFF 2019. Most recently, he directed the short The Shaman’s Apprentice, which won the CSA for Best Animated Short among other awards at festivals worldwide.
Writer
Paul Apak Angilirq (Inuk)
Cast
Peter-Henry Arnatsiaq (Inuk), Lucy Tulugarjuk (Inuk), Natar Ungalaaq (Inuk), Sylvia Ivalu (Inuk)
Producers
Paul Apak Angilirq (Inuk), Norman Cohn, Zacharias Kunuk (Inuk), Germaine Ying Gee Wong
Genre
Drama
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Classics, Family Relationships, Indigenous Filmmaker
Original Language
Inuktitut
Menteur (Compulsive Liar)

Simon’s friends and family have had enough of his compulsive lying. They try to stage an intervention for him but he refuses to accept that he has a problem. All of that changes when he wakes up to a bizarre reality where all of his lies and excuses have become true. His boss is a raving drunk, his sister-in-law is in love with him and basically everything that could go wrong does.
While everyone around him seems to think this reality is normal, his brother knows the truth and convinces him that the only way that everything can get back to normal is for him to kick his habit for good. The newest comedy from Émile Gaudrault (De Père en Flic), Menteur was a box office smash that is as funny as it is original.
Director
Émile Gaudreault
Gaudreault co-wrote Louis 19, le roi des ondes, which Ron Howard adapted into EDtv. Gaudreault both co-wrote and directed De pere en flic (the highest-grossing French-language film in Canadian history), Le vrai du faux, Le sens de l'humour and Mambo Italiano, which earned six Canadian Comedy Award nominations. He also wrote and directed De père en flic 2, and most recently, the comedy Menteur. He also co-wrote the upcoming Lignes de fuite, and is producing the English-language remake of De père en flic, Fathers and Guns.
Writers
Eric K. Boulianne, Émile Gaudreault, Sébastien Ravary
Cast
Louis-José Houde, Antoine Bertrand, Véronique Le Flaguais
Producer
Denise Robert
Genre
Comedy
Interest
Family Relationships
Original Language
French
Beautifully shot and featuring a killer '70s soundtrack, the new film from Canadian master Bruce McDonald and playwright and screenwriter Daniel MacIvor shakes up the coming-of-age road-movie concept with wit, charm and a lot of heart.
"What's not to love about Canuck hipster Bruce McDonald's return to a genre he's a master of – the indie road movie with a distinctly Canadian flavour and endearingly peculiar characters." – Michelle Reid, Victoria Times Colonist
Director
Bruce McDonald
McDonald directed the cult hits Highway 61, Roadkill, Hard Core Logo, The Tracey Fragments, starring Elliot Page, Pontypool, and the award-winning series Twitch City, episodes of Degrassi and Heartland. His recent films include Trigger, The Husband, Hellions, Weirdos and Dreamland. He recently directed the series Creeped Out and Malory Towers and is currently working on the films Switched at Death and I Have a Bad Feeling About This.
Writer
Daniel MacIvor
Cast
Dylan Authors, Rhys Bevan-John
Producers
Marc Almon, Mike MacMillan
Genre
Drama
Interests
Cult & Offbeat Cinema, Family Relationships, LGBTQ2S+, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
English
Bon Cop Bad Cop 2

Eight years after they met in Bon Cop Bad Cop (above), the comically mismatched duo of straightlaced Ontario cop Martin Ward (Feore) and scruffy Quebec cop David Bouchard (Huard) reunite to investigate yet another major crime in this long-awaited sequel. When their separate investigations unexpectedly cross paths, the pair must join forces to investigate a crime ring south of the border, giving the film plenty of hilarious opportunities to poke fun at the cultural differences between the two Canucks and their American counterparts.
Director
Alain Desrochers
Desrochers began his filmmaking career with over 100 music videos and commercials, winning numerous awards. His first feature, La Bouteille, earned him a Genie nomination for Best Direction. His credits include Nitro, Cabotins and Gerry. Most recently, he directed the miniseries Bad Blood and the feature Security starring Sir Ben Kingsley.
Writer
Patrick Huard
Cast
Colm Feore, Patrick Huard, Erik Knudsen, Sarah-Jeanne Labrosse
Producers
Pierre Even, Patrick Huard, François Flamand
Genres
Action/Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Interest
Family Relationships
Original Languages
English, French
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
The Trotsky

Leon sets out to change the world, immediately butting heads with his new principal (Feore). Getting his apathetic peers to stand up to the school’s repressive administration proves more difficult than Leon first imagines, leading him to resort to some extreme and often hilarious tactics.
“The most genuine, authentic, legitimately funny teen movie since Heathers or John Hughes’ movies.” — Jane Stevenson, Sun Media
Director
Jacob Tierney
As an actor, Tierney has appeared in over 45 feature films and TV shows. His first feature was Twist, and he has also directed Good Neighbours, Preggoland and the hit series Letterkenny (in which he also starred). The Trotsky won three Genies. He wrote The Death and Life of John F. Donovan, which premiered at TIFF 2018, and is currently starring in Gran Turismo.
Writer
Jacob Tierney
Cast
Jay Baruchel, Emily Hampshire, Saul Rubinek, Colm Feore, Geneviève Bujold
Producer
Kevin Tierney
Genre
Comedy
Interests
Biography, Bullying, Social Justice & Politics, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
English
Everyone, including Tripper, is sick and tired of perennially losing the Camp Olympics. It’s only by encouraging all campers to try their hardest — including young Rudy (Makepeace), who has self-esteem issues — that Tripper and his troops can hope to emerge triumphant. Full of wacky pranks, lively high jinks and a lot of touching moments, Meatballs is sure to entertain audiences of all ages.
Meatballs won the Genie Awards for Best Screenplay and Best Actress (Lynch), as well as the Golden Reel Award, given to the film with the biggest box office gross of the year.
Director
Ivan Reitman
Writers
Len Blum, Dan Goldberg, Janis Allen, Harold Ramis
Cast
Bill Murray, Harvey Atkin, Kate Lynch, Chris Makepeace, Jack Blum
Producers
John Dunning, Dan Goldberg, André Link
Genre
Comedy
Interests
Bullying, Classics, Cult & Offbeat Cinema, ESL
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; and Drive, She Said. Most recently, she has directed episodes of Frankie Drake Mysteries, Murdoch Mysteries and October Faction. She is currently directing the feature One (Nine).
Writer
Mina Shum
Cast
Sandra Oh, Callum Keith Rennie
Producers
Stephen Hegyes, Rose Lam Waddell
Genre
Drama
Interests
Arts and Culture, BIPOC Stories, ESL, Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, Newcomer Stories, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
English