Spotlight Sublist: 2023 - 6 - Farm-to-table
Anne of Green Gables
So begins Anne of Green Gables, one of the most beloved stories in Canadian literature for readers of all ages. This mini-series adaptation of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s series of novels — one of the highest-rated broadcasts in Canadian television history — features Megan Follows in the title role, who has since gone on to become one of Canada’s most critically acclaimed actors.
This trophy-sweeping Genie Award-winner is a charming, family-friendly affair that is sure to delight.
Director
Kevin Sullivan
Writers
Joe Wiesenfeld, Kevin Sullivan
Cast
Megan Follows, Colleen Dewhurst, Richard Farnsworth, Jonathan Crombie
Producers
Ian McDougall, Kevin Sullivan, Trudy Grant
Genres
Drama, Family
Interests
Classics, Family Relationships, Literary Adaptation, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
Sullivan Entertainment inc
Corner Gas: The Movie
Suddenly, the normally apathetic Brent (Butt) is spurred into action, buying the shuttered town pub and entering Dog River into the “Quaintest Town in Canada” competition. With a chance to win $75,000, the townsfolk make one last rally to best their arch-rival town of Wullerton, head off big corporate investors and “quaintify” the town. Will their efforts be enough?
Based on the Canadian Comedy Award–winning TV series — with all of your favourite characters returning for this big-screen reunion — the latest tale of Dog River is sure to charm, amuse and delight.
Director
David Storey
Storey began his career as a musician, then moved into directing music videos and eventually television. He served as an executive producer, director and writer on the Corner Gas television series, which garnered him four Gemini Awards and two Canadian Comedy Awards. He is currently producing and directing the Corner Gas animated series.
Writers
Andrew Carr, Andrew Wreggitt, Brent Butt
Cast
Brent Butt, Gabrielle Miller, Fred Ewanuick, Eric Peterson, Janet Wright
Producers
Brent Butt, David Storey, Virginia Thompson
Genres
Comedy, Family
Interests
ESL, Social Justice & Politics
Original Language
English
Language Version
EN CC
Canadian Distributor
VSC
The Grand Seduction
When city doctor Paul Lewis (Kitsch) arrives for a court-ordered trial residence, the townsfolk rally to charm and hoodwink him into staying. Under the guidance of an unemployed fisherman (Gleeson), they go to hilarious lengths to fabricate all the amenities of the big city and make it seem as though their sleepy town has everything Dr. Lewis could possibly want. Will the good doc fall for their tricks, or will he see through them to the truth about small town life?
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.
Writers
Michael Dowse, Ken Scott
Cast
Taylor Kitsch, Brendan Gleeson, Gordon Pinsent, Liane Balaban
Producers
Barbara Doran, Roger Frappier
Genres
Comedy, Drama
Interest
ESL
Original Language
English
Language Versions
EN CC, FR Dub, FR Subtitles
Canadian Distributor
eOne/Criterion
J.A. Martin photographe (J.A. Martin Photographer)
After 14 years of marriage, Martin’s wife (Mercure) decides to accompany him on one of his summer tours, using it as an opportunity to try to rekindle their relationship as they explore the uniquely beautiful landscapes of rural Quebec.
Winner of three Canadian Film Awards (including Best Feature Film) and the Best Actress award for Monique Mercure at the Cannes Film Festival.
Director
Jean Beaudin
Writers
Jean Beaudin, Marcel Sabourin
Cast
Marcel Sabourin, Monique Mercure, Luce Guilbeault, Jean Lapointe
Producer
Jean-Marc Garand
Genre
Drama
Interests
Arts and Culture, Biography
Original Language
French
Language Version
EN Dub
Canadian Distributor
NFB
The Captive
Anchored by Ryan Reynolds’ Canadian Screen Award nominated performance, The Captive is an edge-of-your-seat mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end.
Director
Atom Egoyan
Egoyan received the Governor General’s award in 2015 for Lifetime Artistic Achievement. He was the first-ever Canadian director to earn two Oscar nominations (for The Sweet Hereafter). His award-winning films include Exotica, Ararat and The Captive. His most recent film, Guest of Honour, premiered at TIFF 2019.
Writer
Atom Egoyan
Cast
Ryan Reynolds
Genres
Drama, Thriller
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
eOne/Criterion
The Grizzlies
Based on an inspiring true story, The Grizzlies is a powerful film about the determination and resilience of a group of Inuit youth struggling with the legacy of colonization.
When Russ Sheppard (Schnetzer) moves to Kugluktuk, NU, to be a teacher, he is shocked by the challenges facing the community, most especially the ongoing epidemic of teen suicide. Russ introduces a lacrosse programme and gradually wins the trust of his students. Together, the youth find a sense of pride and purpose in themselves and their community.
The Grizzlies was called “transcendently moving” by The Hollywood Reporter and has won multiple awards and been screened to acclaim at film festivals around the world. Cast members Paul Nutarariaq and Anna Lambe earned Canadian Screen Award nominations for their performances.
* Please note that this film has Indigenous producers, but not an Indigenous director. imagineNATIVE defines an Indigenous-made film as one directed or co-directed by an Indigenous person.
Director
Miranda de Pencier
De Pencier is a director and producer whose first short film Throat Song won four awards including a CSA for Best Live Action Short. The Grizzlies won the DGC’s Outstanding Directorial Achievement Feature Film Award. She has produced several films, including Cake, Beginners and Thanks for Sharing and episodes of Anne With an E. She is currently producing the film The Chocolate Money.
Writers
Graham Yost, Moira Walley-Beckett
Cast
Emerald MacDonald (Inuk), Paul Nutarariaq (Inuk), Anna Lambe (Inuk), Ben Schnetzer, Ricky Martin-Pahtaykan (Plains Cree/Stoney Nakoda)
Producers
Stacey Aglok MacDonald (Inuk), Alethea Arnaquq-Baril (Inuk), Damon D'Oliveira, Miranda de Pencier, Zanne Devine
Genre
Drama
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Bullying, Discrimination, ESL, Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, Social Justice & Politics, Sports
Original Language
English
Language Version
EN CC
Canadian Distributor
Mongrel Media/Criterion
- Own Voice
Run Woman Run
Single mother Beck (Hebert) finds her life upended when she faces a health scare and is forced to make big changes to the way she lives. Beck decides to start training for a marathon to prove to herself and her family that she’s able to get back on track.
Guided by the ghost of her ancestor, legendary long distance runner Tom Longboat (Koostachin), she sets out on a journey that is both emotional and inspiring. Told in a lighthearted and charming way, Run Woman Run is a feel-good anti-rom-com about a woman who has to tackle the ghosts of her past before she can run toward a better future. Winner of the Audience Choice Award and Moon Jury Prize at imagineNATIVE.
“It’s one of the year’s best” – Alex Heeney, Seventh Row
Director
Zoe Leigh Hopkins (Heiltsuk/Mohawk)
Hopkins is an alumna of the Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program, and has directed numerous shorts, including Button Blanket, Mohawk Midnight Runners, Impossible to Contain and a segment of The Embargo Project. She has directed the features Kayak to Klemtu and Run Woman Run, which won the Audience Choice award at imagineNATIVE 2021. She is currently writing and directing the series Little Bird.
Writer
Zoe Leigh Hopkins (Heiltsuk/Mohawk)
Cast
Lorne Cardinal (Cree), Braeden Clarke (Cree), Asivak Koostachin (Cree/Inuk), Jayli Wolf (Anishinaabe), Dakota Ray Hebert (Dene)
Producers
Paula Devonshire (Mohawk), Pj Thornton, Laura Milliken (Ojibway)
Genres
Comedy, Drama, Romance
Interests
BIPOC Stories, ESL, Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, Indigenous Filmmaker, Sports
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
LevelFILM
Still Mine
Craig (Cromwell) shares an idyllic life in rural St. Martins with the love of his life, Irene (Bujold). When Irene’s health begins to fail, Craig is forced into a conflict with a pesky government inspector who refuses to let him build a new home that will be more suitable for her. Stubborn and used to fierce independence, Craig decides to put his carpentry skills to good use in spite of the inspector’s efforts to shut him down.
As a showdown between the two becomes imminent, Craig also struggles to cope with the unmistakable deterioration of his beloved wife’s memory, and her diminishing ability to manage on her own. Based on true events, Still Mine is an affecting love story and a funny tale about the battle between old and new ways of doing things.
Director
Michael McGowan
McGowan made his film debut as a writer, director and producer with My Dog Vincent, and directed Saint Ralph, One Week, Score: A Hockey Musical and Still Mine, which was named by TIFF as one of Canada’s Top 10 films in 2012. He recently directed TV shows Reign and Between and wrote the film The Etruscan Smile. His most recent film, All My Puny Sorrows, premiered at TIFF 2021.
Writer
Michael McGowan
Cast
Geneviève Bujold, Campbell Scott, James Cromwell, Rick Roberts
Producers
Jody Colero, Tamara Deverell, Avi Federgreen, Michael McGowan
Genre
Drama
Interests
ESL, Family Relationships, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
English
Language Version
EN CC
Canadian Distributor
Mongrel Media/Criterion
First We Eat
This thought-provoking environmental documentary won the Audience Choice Award for Best Canadian Documentary at the Hot Docs festival in 2020.
Director
Suzanne Crocker
Writer
Suzanne Crocker
Producer
Suzanne Crocker
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Arts and Culture, Environment, Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
levelFILM
Sleeping Giant
A shocking revelation sets in motion a series of events that tests the bonds of friendship and changes the boys forever. With gorgeous location photography and unerring authenticity, Sleeping Giant highlights that critical moment in adolescence when everything seems possible and every dare is an opportunity to test one’s limitations, regardless of the consequences.
Nick Serino won a Canadian Screen Award for his supporting role.
Director
Andrew Cividino
Writers
Andrew Cividino, Blain Watters, Aaron Yeger
Cast
Jackson Martin, Reece Moffett, Nick Serino
Producers
Andrew Cividino, Karen Harnisch, Marc Swenker, James Vandewater, Aaron Yeger
Genres
Action/Adventure, Drama
Interest
LGBTQ2S+
Original Language
English
Language Version
FR Subtitles
Canadian Distributor
Vortex Media