Jackie Shane, a jazz singer who rose to prominence in the 1960s as a Black transgender musician, had disappeared almost entirely from the public eye. Decades later, her work gets rediscovered and reassessed, giving her one last chance to be appreciated properly.
A moving portrait that shines a light on the career of a trailblazer who was ahead of her time, this incredible story won the Special Jury Prize for Best Canadian Feature at Hot Docs 2024.
“A compelling investigation of an elusive life, as well as a talent so striking you’ll be amazed it remained forgotten for so long.” – Dennis Harvey, Variety
Directors
Michael Mabbott
Writer/director Mabbott made his debut with 2005’s Life and Hard Times of Guy Terrifico, winning Best Canadian First Feature Film at the Toronto International Film Festival. He followed with Citizen Duane and television shows like Baxter and The Yard. His short documentary Music Lessons premiered at Hot Docs 2015. Most recently he wrote episodes of Ten Days in the Valley.
Writers
Alison Duke, Lucah Rosenberg-Lee, Michael Mabbott
Cast
Rob Bowman, James Baley, Bobby Dean Blackburn
Producers
Janet Bradey, Justine Pimlott, Michael Mabbott
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Arts and Culture, Biography, BIPOC Stories, Black Filmmaker, Discrimination, History, LGBTQ2S+, Social Justice & Politics, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
English
Language Version
FR Subtitles
Canadian Distributor
National Film Board (NFB)
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DirectorDamon Kwame Mason
Year2023
Run Time44min
GenreDocumentary
When hockey legend Angela James led Canada to a gold medal in the first four Women’s World Championships in the 1990s, she inspired a generation of girls to join the sport, and later became the first Black woman inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Now, with stars like Sarah Nurse leading the game into new horizons, Black women continue to be a force to be reckoned with both on and off the ice.
A terrific showcase of the Black players and coaches that continue to make huge contributions to the sport, this documentary is an absolute must-watch for hockey fans.
Director
Damon Kwame Mason
Cast
Cassie Campbell-Pascal, Angela James, Sarah Nurse
Producer
Tom Cohen
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Biography, BIPOC Stories, Black Filmmaker, Discrimination, History, Social Justice & Politics, Sports, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
TVA Films
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DirectorMatthew Rankin
Year2024
Run Time89min
GenreComedy, Drama
Set in an alternate universe where Canada’s official languages are French and Persian, this charming and surreal fable follows a triptych of seemingly unrelated stories of people navigating through a bleak Winnipeg winter. Behind layers of eclectic bizarreness lives a poignant message about the depth and importance of human connection and understanding. It’s also just genuinely hilarious.
A pitch-perfect follow up to his acclaimed debut feature The Twentieth Century, this similarly absurdist comedy won the Director’s Fortnight Audience Award at Cannes, and is Canada’s 2024 selection for Academy Award consideration.
Director
Matthew Rankin
Matthew Rankin is an experimental film director of 30 short films, which have been screened at festivals around the world, including Berlinale, Sundance, Cannes and many others. His feature debut, the irreverent and surreal comedy, The Twentieth Century, received critical acclaim and three Canadian Screen Awards.
Writers
Matthew Rankin, Pirouz Nemati
Cast
Saba Vahedyousefi, Pirouz Nemati, Matthew Rankin, Rojina Esmaeili
Genres
Comedy, Drama
Interest
Cult & Offbeat Cinema
Original Language
Other Language
Language Version
EN Subtitles
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DirectorSophie Deraspe
Year2024
Run Time113min
GenreDrama
Tired of city life, a Québecois man leaves everything behind to pursue his dream of becoming a shepherd in rural France, where he must work illegally at a craft he knows almost nothing about. While the work proves more difficult than he’d imagined, everything changes when he wins over the like-minded Élise with his dreams of a pastoral life together. The two commit to a summer-long journey together in the mountains – with 800 sheep, and all the challenges that come with them.
Featuring breathtaking cinematography and a deeply human story, this beautiful romantic drama won the award for Best Canadian Feature at TIFF 2024.
Director
Sophie Deraspe
Deraspe has made several feature and documentary films, including Rechercher Victor Pellerin, Les loups and Les signes vitaux, which won 15 awards and played over 30 film festivals worldwide. Her documentary work includes A Gay Girl in Damascus: The Amina Profile, and the series La Vie nous arrive. Most recently, she directed the series Bête noire, and the series Motel Paradis.
Writer
Sophie Deraspe
Cast
Michel Benizri, David Ayala, Félix-Antoine Duval, Solène Rigot
Producers
Luc Déry, Élaine Hébert, Kim McCraw
Genre
Drama
Interests
Female Filmmaker, Global Experiences
Original Language
French
Language Version
EN Subtitles
Canadian Distributor
Maison 4:3
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DirectorCody Lightning (Cree)
Year2023
Run Time102min
GenreComedy
Twenty-five years after starring in the hit 90s film Smoke Signals, Cody Lightning directs and stars in this uproarious mockumentary about a fictionalized version of himself attempting to make a sequel. When a mysterious fan offers a full budget for the film, Cody jumps at the chance, promising the full participation of the original cast. The only thing standing in his way is the small fact that the entire original cast hates him.
A refreshing and occasionally raunchy comedy, this charming underdog story is a great movie about how to make a terrible one.
Director
Cody Lightning (Cree)
Writer
Cody Lightning (Cree)
Cast
Cody Lightning (Cree)
Producers
Blake McWilliam, Sara Corry, Samuel Miller, Kyle Thomas
Genre
Comedy
Interests
Arts and Culture, BIPOC Stories, Cult & Offbeat Cinema, Indigenous Filmmaker
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
Levelfilm
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DirectorHubert Davis
Year2016
Run Time77min
GenreDocumentary
Growing up playing basketball in Nigeria, Raptors president (and NBA champion) Masai Ujiri knows first-hand how few resources and opportunities were available to young African players. This inspiring documentary follows his programme Giants of Africa, which aims to educate and empower youth in communities across the continent. Given the tools to pursue their passion for basketball, not only do they gain a belief in themselves, they gain the confidence to “Dream Big”.
Featuring touching personal stories and breathtaking cinematography, this is a film that truly highlights the power of sport, and is an absolute must-watch for basketball fans.
Director
Hubert Davis
Davis’s first film, Hardwood, was nominated for an Oscar for Best Short Documentary. He received the Don Haig award at the Hot Docs festival for Invisible City, and has directed numerous award winning commercials, as well as the short film Aruba and the 2016 feature doc Giants of Africa. His 2017 short, Rivolta, won a Cannes Film Lion. his most recent feature doc Black Ice, premiered at TIFF 2022. Next, he is working on the series The Count.
Writer
Hubert Davis
Cast
Masai Ujiri
Producer
Josiah Rothenberg
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Black Filmmaker, Sports
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
Elevation Pictures
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DirectorsBruce Nyznik, Lawrence Schiller
Year1974
Run Time84min
GenreDocumentary
While many explorers have climbed the legendary peak of Mount Everest, Yûichirô Miura had a different dream. This Japanese skier and daredevil became the first person to ever ski on the treacherous slopes of the highest mountain in the world, descending nearly 4200 feet. While becoming famous in Japan for his achievement, it wasn’t until Canadian filmmaker F.R. Crawley released this documentary that he received widespread international attention.
Showing all of the dangers and thrilling moments of his journey up and down the mountain, this tense and engaging film won the Oscar for Best Documentary and became a formative work in the sports documentary genre.
Directors
Bruce Nyznik, Lawrence Schiller
Writers
Yûichirô Miura, Judith Crawley
Cast
Yûichirô Miura, Douglas Rain, Shintaro Ishihara
Producer
F.R. Crawley
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Classics, Global Experiences, Sports
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
Specialty Films
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DirectorMatt Johnson
Year2023
Run Time120min
GenreComedy, Drama
From its humble origins in Waterloo, ON, in 1996, nobody expected the massive global success that the world’s first smartphone would become. Nobody, that is, except Jim Balsillie (Howerton). Taking a chance on then-struggling startup Research in Motion (RIM), he joins BlackBerry creators Mike Lazaridis (Baruchel) and Douglas Fregin (Johnson) as co-CEO. Together, they form a massive multinational tech giant, but the power and wealth soon begin to eat away at their relationship, putting everything they built into jeopardy.
Based loosely on the true story of the extraordinary development and spectacular demise of the BlackBerry, this high-stakes comedy featuring an all-star cast is a bona fide crowd pleaser and critical darling.
"An instant Canadian classic" – Barry Hertz, The Globe and Mail
Director
Matt Johnson
Matt Johnson is an innovative and internationally recognized writer, actor, and director. He is the co-creator, writer, and star of the cult web series Nirvanna the Band the Show, which he adapted for television in 2016. His first two features, The Dirties and Operation Avalanche, received widespread recognition, and were featured at the Slamdance and Sundance film festivals respectively. His third feature, BlackBerry, premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2023 to critical acclaim, and earned a record 17 Canadian Screen Award nominations.
Writers
Matt Johnson, Matthew Miller
Cast
Jay Baruchel, Glenn Howerton, Matt Johnson, Kelly Van der Burg
Producers
Fraser Ash, Matthew Miller, Niv Fichman, Kevin Krikst
Genres
Comedy, Drama
Interests
Biography, History
Original Language
English
Canadian Distributor
Elevation Pictures
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DirectorJonathan Keijser
Year2021
Run Time96min
GenreComedy, Drama
Tareq (Abou Ammar), a Syrian refugee in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, is torn between his dream to become a doctor and his family’s chocolate-making legacy. When his family joins him in Canada, his father’s new chocolate business becomes an unexpected success, leading to new, unforeseen challenges. Tareq must make a choice between being there to support the family that needs him or pursuing the life in Canada that he always envisioned for himself.
Inspired by the true story of the formation of the artisanal chocolate company of the same name, Peace By Chocolate is an inspiring and quintessentially Canadian story.
“Peace By Chocolate is a bona fide crowd pleaser, and a true story to boot.” - Chris Knight, The National Post
Director
Jonathan Keijser
Writers
Jonathan Keijser, Abdul Malik
Cast
Hatem Ali, Ayham Abou Ammar, Yara Sabri
Producers
Catherine Léger, Jonathan Keijser, Martin Paul-Hus
Genres
Comedy, Drama
Interests
BIPOC Stories, ESL, Family Relationships, Global Experiences, Newcomer Stories
Original Languages
English, Other Language
Canadian Distributor
Vortex Media
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DirectorCharles Binamé
Year2005
Run Time124min
GenreDrama
The Rocket traces the meteoric rise of hockey legend Maurice Richard (Dupuis), from his humble beginnings as a Montreal machinist during the Depression to star of the Canadiens and the greatest scorer in hockey.
But this is much more than a sports movie. Director Binamé frames the story in a cultural context: It isn’t until Richard, a man of few words, begins to speak his mind about the inequalities and prejudice directed toward French Canadians that he finds his voice.
Many feel that the riots caused by Richard’s suspension in 1955 were the spark that fuelled the Quiet Revolution in Quebec. This hockey blockbuster is chock-full of heart and history.
The Rocket was nominated for 13 Genie Awards and won nine.
Director
Charles Binamé
Binamé’s Eldorado screened at the prestigious Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes in 1995. He also directs for hit TV shows such as Reign, Flashpoint, Rookie Blue and Republic of Doyle. His latest film, Elephant Song, won a Canadian Screen Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Writer
Ken Scott
Cast
Roy Dupuis, Julie Le Breton, Stephen McHattie, Patrice Robitaille
Producers
Daniel Louis, Denise Robert
Genre
Drama
Interests
Biography, Discrimination, History, Social Justice & Politics, Sports
Original Languages
English, French
Language Versions
EN Subtitles, FR CC, FR Subtitles
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DirectorDaniel Roby
Year2013
Run Time123min
GenreDrama
In the late 19th century, after years of delighting crowds with astounding feats of strength, Louis Cyr was considered the strongest man in the world. Based on his true story, this charming biopic recounts the many successes, heartbreaks and obstacles — both inside and out of the athletic arena — that Louis (Bertrand) faced on his climb from obscurity to international fame. Louis’ best friend recounts the story to the strongman’s estranged daughter — from Louis’ poverty-stricken childhood through the ups and downs of his circus career — and shares with us the fascinating life of this Quebec hero.
The top-grossing film of the year in Quebec, Louis Cyr won two Canadian Screen Awards and nine Jutra Awards, including Best Film.
Director
Daniel Roby
Roby’s feature film debut, La peau blanche, premiered at TIFF and went on to win the Canadian Screen Award for Best First Feature. He followed that with Funkytown, Louis Cyr(which swept the awards season) and Dans la brume. His most recent films are A Breath Away and Most Wanted.
Writer
Sylvain Guy
Cast
Antoine Bertrand, Guillaume Cyr, Rose-Maïté Erkoreka
Producers
Caroline Héroux, Christian Larouche
Genre
Drama
Interests
Biography, History, Sports
Original Language
French
Language Versions
EN Subtitles, FR CC
Canadian Distributor
eOne
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In 1959, at just 19 years of age, African-Canadian Harry Jerome was Canada’s most promising track and field star, on his way to the Olympics. By 1962, after a terrible leg injury, everyone feared his career was over. But Jerome was determined not to quit, starting what his coach called “the greatest comeback in track and field history.” A truly inspiring Canadian hero, Jerome kept running through years of personal, racial and political challenges, with a strength of character as impressive as his athletic ability. A deeply insightful documentary that tells the runner’s story from his early days through his sudden, tragic death, Mighty Jerome will electrify all those who appreciate stories of courage and passion.
Director
Charles Officer
Actor, writer and filmmaker Officer’s first feature, Nurse.Fighter.Boy, was nominated for 10 Genies, winning one. Officer also directed the docs Mighty Jerome, The Skin We're In, Unarmed Verses, and Invisible Essence: The Little Prince, as well as the feature Akilla's Escape, which won five CSAs. He has recently directed episodes of Coroner, and executive produced and co-directed The Porter. He’s also the executive producer of the upcoming docs The Art of Dance and Emmanuel.
Writer
Charles Officer
Cast
Nykeem Provo
Producers
Tracey Friesen, Selwyn Jacob
Genre
Documentary
Interests
Biography, BIPOC Stories, Black Filmmaker, Discrimination, History, Social Justice & Politics, Sports
Original Language
English
Language Versions
EN CC, FR Subtitles
Canadian Distributor
National Film Board (NFB)
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