Film Categories: Childhood

The Lion

Every night for the past three months begins and ends the same for Atom Sprengja…in tears. Atom and his father Joachim quietly exist parallel to one another on a picturesque farmstead in the middle of nowhere. Two of a dwindling lineage of Icelandic farmers, each day begins and ends in almost silence. Grief commands both father and son, stricken by the recent loss of the woman who was the light and sound of the small family, Atom’s mother and Joachim’s wife. Joachim remains silent; hoping time and routine will heal Atom’s wounds. Atom suffers having his father silent and distant,…
Video Home System

‘Video Home System’ traces the convergence of popular culture and politics in Pakistan during the 1980s and 1990s. This video showcases the connections between pop culture and nationalism, and how bootleg economies kept the cinema industry alive during periods of censorship. Image description: A young man sits at a desk behind a pile of VHS tapes, illuminated by a desk lamp. The wall behind him is vivid green.
Stripped

Forget everything you heard and enter the world that many know of but know very little about. STRIPPED is the personal, untold story of Phylicia Carty, also known as Mz Lady Ice, whose life took her in the direction of becoming one of the most revolutionary urban exotic dancers in the Toronto adult entertainment industry. The enticing documentary showcases the struggles and triumphs that come with being a female stripper in a contemporary world that is now gaining mainstream acceptance. A multi-award winning short film, STRIPPED has received a total of 4 awards, 8 nominations and 3 official selections in…
我的女儿 DAUGHTER

DAUGHTER explores an immigrant mother’s pain and worry about her transgender daughter and examines the perspective of a mother who may not understand her daughter, but cares for her deeply. The film celebrates transgender resistance, gender non-normativity, and the strength of the immigrant family across language and cultural boundaries.
At Midnight Plays a Dance Tune

During his mother’s illness and after her death, Roy went through an intense period in his life, in which he felt attracted to the fringes of society. He raced in his car, roamed the streets at night and indulged in sex and drugs. He always had music playing in his appartment, no matter what time it was. During this period of extremities, the memory of his former neighbour Antoine suddenly came back. As a child Roy had been fascinated by the man and looking back now it seemed like Roy’s current life mirrored that of his former neighbour. Even though…
Holding Hands with Ilse

“Holding Hands With Ilse” is a moving documentary about the search for the German teenage girl who took care of the filmmaker between 1948-1950 in Walbrzych, Poland where he was born. Knowing only her first name and circulating a small photograph taken in 1950 of the two, the director explores the urban landscapes of western Poland and the journey involved in their unexpected reunion that recently took place in Ibbenbüren, Germany. Filmed in the USA, Poland and Germany.
I Feel Good

“I Feel Good” is a collage of found family hockey footage and a conversation between Osborne and their brother Mathew in the basement of their family home. The two discuss the loss of their mother and living with a variety of mental illnesses, body dysphoria from both gender-variant and cisgender-male perspectives, lack of self-love, and the tensions that arise in the process of trying to understand one another. This video represents a moment in Osborne’s transition and a glimpse of the dynamic between siblings of similar gender dispositions.
Daily Bread

In a WWII internment camp in Indonesia, Jeanne and a group of Dutch women and children face a daily struggle against abuse, disease, and starvation. Meanwhile, the Camp Commandant’s beloved white fluffy cat is fed fresh juicy meat….
Breathing Through a Straw

When a hookup ends in homicide, Parker decides to confront the man who abused him as a child. Inspired by a true story, “Breathing Through a Straw” explores the consequences of secrets. It is Canadian theatre director Leigh Rivenbark’s debut film, starring Christian Lloyd (Emmy Award-winning The Handmaid’s Tale, Maps to the Stars, American Gods).
Flipbook Movie, The

Patrick Jenkin’s flipbooks are employed to play with the animation form, featuring humorous and wonderful visual tales of worlds within worlds.