APRIL 17TH, 2024 - 6:30PM
OPENING PERFORMANCE: Kayo
Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21
Brother
Clement Virgo
Canada | 1h 59m
Sons of Caribbean immigrants, Francis and Michael face questions of masculinity, identity and family amid the pulsing beat of Toronto's early hip-hop scene.
The Splint
Mehdi Sedighi
Iran | 5m 15s
A robotic truck driver, on a dirt road, is replacing old wooden power poles with new concrete ones when he hits two birds.
APRIL 18TH, 2024 - 6:30PM
OPENING PERFORMANCE: Jéa
Sanctuary arts centre
A Beautiful Peace
Mia Golden
Canada | 13m 51s
Family and friends attending the memorial of a loved one, are forever changed when the elderly patriarch of the family sends a message for the world to hear.
Nereid
Lori Zozzolotto
Canada | 7m 48s
A mysterious woman escapes from an abusive relationship with earth shattering results.
Smile It's Free
Yogi Devgan
Australia| 15m
After battling addiction, mental illness, and homelessness, indigenous man Stephan Coard embraces hope, spreading his message to smile. "Smile It's Free" showcases human resilience
Dancing with addiction
Oceann Elsie
Canada | 6m 22s
It's a personal story of my journey through addiction and how I navigated through it. Showing future generations recovery is possible.
Unboxing
Israel Ekanem
Canada | 12m 4s
Influencers have an interesting unboxing experience while working on their reality show
His Hands, His Art
Ebony R. Gooden
Canada | 15m
In this captivating documentary, we join Ralph 'Ralf' Newberry on a visually diverse journey that combines live footage and animated sequences. Beyond the intersection of his Black and Deaf identity lies a life rich with experiences and hardships unlike most. Without the support of his community and his family, Ralph was left with anger in his heart. Armed with his pen and an open heart, Ralph generously invites us into his creative realm, sharing his unique worldview, reflections on the past, the present, and his hopes for the future.
Bibi's Dog is Dead
Shervin Kermani
Canada | 12m 20s
Bibi's dog is dead. But Bibi's ex is alive. She should call him, right?
ZiON
Raymond Floyd Seay III
United States | 12m 55s
'ZiON', is about a young man named Isaac coping with the passing of his brother, Zion, who he thinks he “killed" in an altercation with a police officer. He relives the events over dinner with his mother, Serenity, who not only has to keep the lights on but also make sure that her son is ok.
This is where I live
Terri Smith-Fraser
Canada | 14m 20s
In Nova Scotia one healthcare worker that has been working tirelessly through the pandemics is now braving another crisis. After being renovicted from her home and faced with the lack of affordable housing: Terri finds herself living an alternative lifestyle on the streets of Halifax.
APRIL 19TH, 2024 - 6:30PM
OPENING PERFORMANCE: Damini Creatives
NORTH MEMORIAL LIBRARY
The 7th Night: MaoMao Revisits
ahLoong
Malaysia | 3m 48s
According to Chinese custom, every soul will pay a last visit to their beloved family on the 7th night after they passed away. This is a story about a little boy waiting for the return of his lost beloved cat MaoMao. Will MaoMao come back for her farewell? or has she forgoten about her owner?
For Black Muslim Girls
Niya Abdullahi
Canada | 8m 28s
For Black Muslim Girls explores the social nuances behind identity expression and what it takes to fall back in love with yourself.
Memory (2024)
Riyadh Haque
United Kingdom | 3m 23s
An experimental documentary reimagining the childhood recollections of a Jersey inhabitant, Margaret, through the intimate lens of the director's British South Asian background by channelling his own family's generational diasporic experience and sisterhood. The cast is comprised of the director's own family reconstructing Margaret's memories on 16mm Kodak film.
Minsoo is Missing
Richard Dang
Canada | 8m
After receiving a vague text, Richard scours the streets of Toronto's Koreatowns, immersing himself in the language and culture, in a desperate search for his filmmaker friend, Minsoo. But sometimes, miscommunications lead to unexpected adventures.
In the whiteness
Niya Abdullahi
Canada | 4m 38s
in the whiteness is a poetic exploration of identity through the eyes of a Harari-Ethiopian woman, displaced via war, now living in Canada. She uses poetry and movement as a meditative method of reconnecting with her roots and in doing so, establishes a magical bond with her ancestors.
EXIT
REZA ABIYAT
Iran | 4m
This film confronts the dangerous intersection of religious fanaticism and life-threatening situations. Drawing inspiration from actual events during natural disasters in Iran, it portrays the perilous dilemma faced by individuals entrenched in rigid religious dogma. My personal experiences and observations of such extreme ideologies in critical moments have fueled this narrative. The story aims to challenge viewers to consider the consequences of when unwavering religious adherence collides with the urgent need for survival, questioning whether rigid beliefs should override the instinct to preserve life
What Do You Think?
Brandon Boyd
Canada | 11m 25s
Video project members of Autism NS and other Autistic individuals are ask what why Autistic representation in the film industry matter?
Canon - Knocked Out
Michael S.U. Hudson
Sweden | 2m
A young boy trains hard from his bedroom to become a champion boxer in virtual reality.
Perfect City: The Bravest Kid
Shengwei Zhou
United States | 6m 19s
Chased by his nightmare knife hand, the paper boy has to confront his real fear which supposed to be his hope.
The Colour Orange
Lesley Marshall
Canada | 3m 35s
My mom is anaphylactically allergic to the colour orange which is technically tartrazine, also commonly known as Yellow #5 and caramel colouring. Although banned in parts of Europe, it is used widely in Canada and around the world in food, cosmetics and prescription drugs. Specifically marketed to children as the "fun" food, scientists have linked this dye to behavioral issues, asthma, skin rashes, migraines, ADHD symptoms and hypersensitivity. This piece uses voiceover, interviews, and animation to colourfully explain how tartrazine affects my mom, the experience of growing up checking the ingredients lists of each product bought, and how to be more cautious about what we put into our bodies on a daily basis.
Ocean Brooks: A Kintsugi Monologue
iMove Media NS
Canada | 6m 18s
The Boat Builders
iMove Media NS
Canada | 8m
Small Title
Small Title
Essence
Essance MacKinnon
Canada | 9m 17s
Each person in this film holds a piece of the puzzle that is Essance. As Essance brings together these threads, we witness a tapestry that is beautiful, contradictory, and complex. The very seeds of an identity in flux and motion...
Mum
Kimber Wesley
Canada | 9m 43s
The short film Mum is about a young woman reflecting on her childhood while dealing with motherhood and realizing she’s breaking generational trauma.
From the Ashes
Hailey Ramsay
Canada | 9m 26s
Hailey Ramsay half African Nova Scotian speaks on being raised and segregated from the African Nova Scotian roots until age 10. Singing& music is how she copes with hard times growing up even until now. Trauma ends up getting best of her she goes down a dark path for 9 years until getting pregnant with her daughter gets sober and healthy and leaves province to heal. discovers she can sing while singing to her baby girl, finds her voice in more ways than one, time to speak up and tell my story.
FLoating
Nikita Morris
Canada | 8m 43s
Follow the journey of passionate breakers from Halifax, Nova Scotia as they defy gravity, push boundaries, and express their souls through mesmerizing moves. From the streets to international competitions, witness the power of dance to unite, inspire, and transform lives.
APRIL 2OTH, 2024 - 6:30PM
OPENING PERFORMANCE: HARMZ
BLACK CULTURAL CENTER
Standing Tall
Andre Anderson
Canada | 22m
"Standing Tall" is a documentary that charts the extraordinary journey of Senator Wanda Thomas Bernard, from her modest origins in East Preston, Nova Scotia, to her esteemed position in the Canadian Senate. Born and raised in a tight-knit African Nova Scotian community, her early life in East Preston laid the foundation of resilience, faith, and a deep commitment to social justice that would define her career and contributions to society. The film delves into her formidable years of post-secondary education, where Bernard broke barriers, challenged norms, and paved the way for future generations of African Nova Scotians in academia. "Standing Tall" is more than a documentary; it is a heartfelt tribute from the African Nova Scotian community to one of its most distinguished leaders. It honours Senator Thomas Bernard's legacy, showcasing her as a beacon of hope, resilience, and inspiration not only for her community but for all Canadians. Through intimate interviews, archival footage, and personal testimonials, the documentary illuminates Senator Bernard's profound impact on society and her indomitable spirit that inspires us all to stand tall.
Three Trees
Mathias Richard Horhager, Aaron Hong
Canada | 4m 30s
As the seasons change, three little trees learn about themselves, friendship and their place in the world. Narrated by Whoopi Goldberg.
Ameka and Her Magical Crown
Dr. Tamecca Rogers
United States | 17m
After discovering her voluminous hair is her magical crown, Ameka, a spirited young girl, must harness its whimsical powers to protect her community, confront social issues, and learn the true meaning of empowerment and compassion while navigating a world where her hair has a mind of its own.
The Tweetations Revue
Fraser Collins
Canada | 17m
A charismatic cast of songbirds take flight on a musical journey through a vibrant variety show, creating a fantastical celebration of cultural heritage and artistic brilliance.
I'll Wait For You
Cortez Mack
United States | 4m 40s
African Rifles
Mia Golden
Canada | 36m 16s
The story of the first Black pioneers to immigrate to Vancouver Island and form BC's first official military corps to protect the area from the possibility of American annexation. They arrived to this new land with a renewed sense of purpose filling the region with a sense of community and diversity. That was the dream, that was the goal. This is the story.
Canada's Unchecked Racism
Zoe Davidson
Canada | 6m 12s
Growing up as a non-white Canadian, you experience racism every day. What makes Toronto’s racism so unique, is that you almost don’t notice it.
Bare Luxuries
Armando Smith
United States | 8m 58s
With her landlord only offering a few hours to pay her late rent, Anya, a free-spirit music lover, must find a way to sell off her prized possessions before being evicted. With the clock ticking, Anya calls up her closest friends, hoping that any of them will purchase her items. As she barters over the phone, she is haunted by a tent across the street belonging to a homeless woman who is not shown, which to her imagination she pictures herself living in. After a string of rejections, Anya begins to receive offers but accidentally spills coffee on her most valuable record. Now, with only minutes to spare, Anya sells off nearly everything she owns for little to no money. Anya wakes up the next day and it is revealed that she has barely made rent. As she goes to look out her front window she can see that the tent belonging to the homeless woman has disappeared. As she leaves to go deliver her stuff, she bumps into her neighbor who tells her that the police kicked the homeless woman out from across the street. While Anya sullenly looks across the street to the remains, events flashback to the day prior, revealing the actual homeless woman sitting on the street with one of her only possessions, a potted plant.