Hey, Viktor!
Amateur Cree filmmaker Cody Lightning shoots for the sky with Hey, Viktor!, an unexpected mockumentary that pulls its influences from the most unlikeliest of places.
Canadian
Suze
With only two features under their belt, married filmmakers Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart have demonstrated that a story can be singlehandedly developed on a unique and personal dynamic between two characters. While their debut indie I Put A Hit On You may have fizzled after liftoff, their sophomore effort Suze shows growth in all the right areas; resulting in an absolute crowd-pleasing charmer.
Orah
By: Trevor Chartrand Lonzo Nzekwe tells a very personal story in his gritty revenge-thriller, Orah. Having lost his brother at the hands of an alleged corrupt police officer in Nigeria, the filmmaker has admittedly helmed this movie as a sort-of revenge fantasy; with his characters exacting justice in ways he never could. As the film’s writer and director, Nzekwe’s ambitions are noble and empowering but, as a film, Orah is ultimately a messy series of…
Designer $hit
Actor Saffron Cassaday (Pete Winning and the Pirates: The Motion Picture) gives audiences an up close and personal perspective of her experience with ulcerative colitis and invites the viewer to tag along on her biohacking journey in her documentary Designer $hit.
Unfriending
You’ve heard of an intervention. But, have you heard of a “life intervention”? I hope you haven’t. If you have, I sure hope it wasn’t under the guidance of a similar core clique as seen in Unfriending.
Hands That Bind
Kyle Armstrong’s sophomore feature Hands That Bind is a western that’s more introverted than expected.
Toronto After Dark 2023: ‘Daniel’s Gotta Die’
Canadian filmmaker Jeremy LaLonde is becoming the go-to guy to find humour in despicable people. After taking a brief break to make an experimental drama (Ashgrove), LaLonde finds himself easing back into his comedic element with Daniel’s Gotta Die, a dark comedy about an inheritance-hungry, ne’er-do-well family being reigned in by a goodnatured sibling.
TIFF 2023: ‘I Don’t Know Who You Are’
M.H. Murray’s I Don’t Know Who You Are is a well-meaning dramatic thriller that raises awareness about systemic abandonment felt by sexual abuse survivors.
TIFF 2023: ‘Summer Qamp’
By: Jolie Featherstone Jen Markowitz’s documentary Summer Qamp follows several teens as they attend Camp fYrefly – a camp in rural Alberta where queer, non-binary, and trans teens get to be themselves, surrounded by peers and counsellors who can relate to their experience. From the moment the campers arrive, the camp implements a framework of care. Whether it’s coming out as trans or climbing a rock wall, the campers are supported.