Film Countries Archives: Canada

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CineYouth Program

Espressivo: Music and Dance

  Canada, Spain, United States     8 shorts | 64 minutes

Screenings & Events

Virtual Screening

Available to stream Mon, April 28 @ 12:00pm CT through Sun, May 4 @ 11:59pm CT for a 48-hour watch window.

Synopsis

Let the sound waves move your spirit. Music and dance are at the core of these personal and innovative works exploring cultural identity, nostalgia, loss, and remembrance. Like a playlist on shuffle, music videos, documentaries, and narrative dramas from these 8 filmmakers coalesce into a gorgeous display of how music can connect us, no matter who or where we are.

Please note: Films in this program contain flashing lights and themes, images, and language that may not be suitable for all ages.

Films

Two girls sit on a set of stairs, gazing out of the window.

Rabbit by Creeping Charlie

Leila Minara Boisvert | Chicago, Illinois | Age 20

In this dreamy music video, two girls reminisce on their early childhoods, longing for the simplistic and innocent past. Set amidst a beautiful fall day and adorned with feminine playfulness, Rabbit explores how childhood notions evolve into contemporary creativity.

A Mexican woman in a mariachi outfit plays the trumpet.

Las Mariachis

Francesca Hill | Los Angeles, California | Age 21

This documentary follows Maricella Martinez, the director of the all-female mariachi band Mariachis Lindas Mexicanas as she balances the band and motherhood. With a backdrop of lively and lilting tunes, Marcialla reflects on the ways in which Mariachi music has shaped her as a person.

A boy sits within a spotlight in a theater.

Dis Feeling

Ellie Bonefas | Elmhurst, Illinois | Age 22

In this stylish and atmospheric music video of his original song, Leif Ericson 7th grader Avant Spann speaks to both his past struggles and his dreams for his future. This piece was created as a part of The BASE Chicago’s Feel the BASE music video program.

Sheet music is overlaid on top of an image of a powerline in the sky.

Symphony ((SIN)FONÍA)

Leyre Cazalla Ruiz | Spain | Age 21

This abstract documentary simulates the experience of living with four distinct auditory conditions through the use of narration, instrumental music, unique sound design, and vibrant visuals. Two voices reflect on the uniqueness of the sense of hearing itself, and how it shapes our perception and emotions.

A man illuminated by a city scape looks back at someone.

The Pact

Wesley Kersey, Isaac Maas, Patrick Marsh, Joel Rodgers, & Nathan Thompkins | Indianapolis, Indiana | Age 22

This punchy music video takes a look at lost love through swirling memories of the past and features original music by Worry Club.

Two men sit across from each other in the backstage of a television set.

The Honey Trap

Christopher Jordan | Los Angeles, California | Age 22

While at work, a young fan watches a video of his favorite musician on a talk show. Soon, he finds himself connecting with the superstar in ways he never expected.

A woman and a man walk underneath a beautiful woven floral arch in the woods.

The Delightful One (La Ravissante)

Diego Gros-Louis | Canada | Age 19

This experimental documentary is an ode to the rich culture and history of the Huron-Wedant Indigenous peoples. Mixing traditional music, spoken poetry, and footage of everyday life on their land, this work paints a picture of their past, present, and future.

A group of mourning women cluster around the body of a young girl.

Chiquita piconera

Mey Montero | Spain | Age 22

A grieving mother uses vibrant Spanish dancing to cope with the loss of her youngest daughter. However, the intensity of her grief and escapism threatens her relationship with her oldest daughter.

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CineYouth Program

Pulling Focus: Documentary

  Canada, China, Spain, United Kingdom, United States     7 shorts | 74 minutes

Screenings & Events

Virtual Screening

Available to stream Mon, April 28 @ 12:00pm CT through Sun, May 4 @ 11:59pm CT for a 48-hour watch window.

Synopsis

Whether it’s a visual love letter to far away relatives, a detailed account of individuals’ experiences of colorism, or a behind-the-scenes look into the meticulous process of crafting authentic Lion Dance Heads, these seven personal documentaries shed light on lives, beliefs, and cultures.

Please note: Films in this program contain themes, images, language, that may not be suitable for all ages.

Films

A diagonal beam of sunlight highlights half of a painted cloud on the exterior of a dilapidated building

Places Nowhere

Alex Scott Chen | St. Louis, Missouri | Age 20

While discussing the topic of unexplainable memories with his friends, Filmmaker Alex Chen recounts a childhood memory of going to a mall with an exterior that was “painted like the sky.” He always figured it was a figment of his imagination… except his friend remembers the same mall. Assembling many years’ worth of archival and personal footage, Alex Chen attempts to rediscover the feeling of being in this long-forgotten mall.

A somber older woman glances out into the distance of Barcelona on a cloudy day.

Memories of a new destination (Records d’un nou destí)

The students of Cinema en curs (Mario Aranda, Sara Fernández, Laia Garcia, Rakel Hernando, Milenka Jurado, Olaya Lahoz, Carla Marcos, Alexandra Marcús, Martina Montes, Lucia Olmeda, Luna Reyes, Giselle Rodríguez, Nia Soler, Júlia Torrent, Llyne Salomé Zapata) | Spain | Ages 16–17

Told through postcards and first-hand experiences, this film is a touching tribute to those that have traveled away from home. This profound documentary provides an avenue for the filmmakers to have a deeper connection with their relatives, learn more about their lives, and comprehend the bravery it must have taken for each of them to start anew.

A young person, illuminated by a spotlight, enclosed by malevolent, penetrating eyes.

A-Okay

J Fitzpatrick | Canada | Age 20

In the form of a letter to their past self, filmmaker J Fitzpatrick takes the viewer on a deeply intimate journey through their early experiences (or lack thereof) of crushes and discovery of asexual and aromantic spectrums. Told in the second person perspective, A-Okay examines the highly sexualized society we live in and explores harmful stigmas surrounding sexual orientations, while also giving a voice (and advice) to those within the underrepresented communities.

A close up of a beautiful piece of art that uses paint, beads, and feathers.

Epiphany

Mai Man Xu | China | Age 17

This colorful documentary follows the mother and daughter team of Master Li and Master Zhou as they work through all the steps of creating traditional Lion Dance Heads. The observational camera work captures the details of their craft as Li and Zhou share their family heritage and the cultural significance of the artform.

A blue image of a couch with a psychedelic overlay.

Tainted by the Visual

Laura Calzada | United Kingdom | Age 20

Through an immersive viewing experience, filmmaker Laura Calzada explores the subjective experiences of blind individuals and uses different techniques to express sound artist Andy Slater’s experience of how vision loss reshaped his perception of sound.

A woman sits with her hands open in front of her, behind her are several wall-mounted guitars.

Stay Out of the Sun

Vivienne Ayres, Zola Franchi & Nidhi Kumar | New York, New York; Los Angeles & San Francisco, California; Amherst, Massachusetts; Washington D.C. | Ages 20-21

This vignette-style multimedia documentary discusses the global cultural practice of colorism. Various women recount their individual experiences and opinions about this issue from childhood through adulthood.

A woman in a motorized wheelchair laughs with a man sitting next to her.

Butterflies

Zav Jenabian | Canada | Age 19

In this celebration of love and resilience, high school sweethearts Quinn and Josh reflect on the prom night that turned a mother’s fears into a moment of triumph. Through heartfelt stories and reflections, Butterflies challenges perceptions of disability, demonstrating that love knows no boundaries and victories, no matter how small they may seem, are always worth celebrating.

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CineYouth Program

Between Me and You

  Australia, Canada, China, United Kingdom, United States     7 shorts | 69 minutes

Screenings & Events

Virtual Screening

Available to stream Mon, April 28 @ 12:00pm CT through Sun, May 4 @ 11:59pm CT for a 48-hour watch window.

Synopsis

Captivating visuals and unconventional storytelling illuminate a wide range of relations between parents and children, best of friends, and bitter enemies. These seven shorts explore how the different people we encounter in our lives can have a lasting effect on us for better or for worse.

Note: Films in this program contain themes, images, and language that may not be suitable for all ages, including guns and violence.

Films

Two Korean guys fighting with one guy holding a steel plate upward and the other guy using a broom to hit the plate

Check Please

Shane Chung | Chicago, Illinois | Age 22

In this comedy action film, a Korean and a Korean-American fight over their pride, honor, and who gets to pick up the tab.

A woman reads Karl Marx while another woman lies on her stomach looking through binoculars.

Bi-Nocular Panic

Anouk Witkowska Hiffler | United Kingdom | Ages 22

Two young girls spend an afternoon in the park spying on boys when one of them discovers something new about themself.

A man and a boy look at a large "One Child Policy" poster.

Until He’s Born

Qingxuan Wang | China | Age 18

Years after the death of his unborn brother, a teenager comes face to face with his guilt and grief in this beautiful rumination on tradition and family set during China’s one-child policy.

Close up of a man's smiling face on the right side of screen.

Loose Lace

Emma Snyder | Chicago, Illinois | Age 20

Lighten up with this lighthearted film, which unites two of our favorite things – skating and pizza – to subtly depict humans being human.

A woman in the middle of the foreground with two other people in the background, looking straight forward

Desync

Minerva Marie Navasca | Canada | Age 22

Confronting the past, a young Filipina filmmaker re-lives a painful conversation with her mother to produce the perfect movie scene of a mother and daughter cooking. Sophisticated camera work shifts the scene between the present-day movie set and her memory exploring the complexity of the mother-daughter dynamic.

A young man wearing headphones moves expressively while other young people sitting at tables in the background look at something unseen.

Just. Drop. Dead.

Yael Green | Australia | Age 22

Two inept hitmen struggle to complete their latest job. Their target? A man with dance moves so rhythmic that he seems to dodge death at every turn.

Three people sitting on the beach with their backs to the camera.

The New Raymond

Joe Blaugrund | Chicago, Illinois | Age 22

After an attempted break-in goes wrong, a burglar is held captive by the homeowners–a grieving couple with a sinister plan for bringing their son back.

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CineYouth Program

Scream Screen

  Canada, Iran, Ireland, United States     7 shorts | 69 minutes

Screenings & Events

Virtual Screening

Available to stream Mon, April 28 @ 12:00pm CT through Sun, May 4 @ 11:59pm CT for a 48-hour watch window.

Synopsis

Tense up with horror hits from filmmakers all over the world. These unconventional yet chilling shorts will leave you on the edge of your seat.

Please note: Films in this program contain flashing lights and themes, images, and language that may not be suitable for all ages.

Films

A black and white image of a person falling through an endless black abyss.

The Mechanization of Man

Eion Nunez | Los Angeles, California | Age 17

Diagnosed with terminal insomnia, Cillian clings to his past, obsessively building a time machine in his final days only for it to fail. With shifting visual styles and a driving pace, The Mechanization of Man is a compelling thriller.

A young woman with a concerned expression looks at something furry in the foreground of the frame.

Runway Kill

Graham Bennett | Canada | Age 22

The latest fashion trend is not what you think. When a loner gets in with the cool kids by fixing their outfits, she finds her own gruesome way of being stylish.

Within an otherworldly location, an eyeless claymation orangutan gapes into the camera

Pongo Labyrinth [VTuber KawaiiMermaid120’s Final Livestream]

Nathan William Frost | Montgomery, Illinois | Age 20

Enter the nightmare-fueled and abstract final live stream of a virtual YouTuber. Nathan William Frost, winner of CineYouth’s 2024 Rising Star Award, delivers an otherworldly, unsettling experience, this time utilizing stop-motion animation, found footage, and horror video game conventions.

A wedding pastor, dressed as a pink poodle, is confronted by two men mid-wedding.

The Last Chapel

Kate Saltel | Los Angeles, California | Age 21

Embrace the silliness of this zany and pink-tinted comedy, in which a wedding chapel dedicated to the late Poolvis Poodle is shut down by the poodle’s money-grubbing estate advisors. Highlighted by its eccentric production design and over-the-top performances, The Last Chapel marries (!!!) live-action and animation to create a wholly unique vision.

A young boy, with a hostile expression on his face, observes two yellow fish swimming in their tank.

Barracuda

Izzy Dalton | Ireland | Age 17

Jack’s pet fish have been disappearing at night, and it dominates his every thought. He suspects his younger brother, who has been acting strangely lately. Filmmaker Izzy Dalton deploys distinct, varied styles to contrast the mundane daytime against the bizarre, eerie night.

A man sits on a stack of tires with his feet on a man hunched down on the ground.

Timer

Shirin Shakhs & Satar Sanjari | Iran | Age 21

Two hotel workers compete in an off-kilter game to kill time. When the clock stops, so does the game – but that doesn’t mean their increasingly disturbing behavior will. Tensions escalate, and their anger starts to get out of hand.

Back of a girl in white bow and dress, standing in a forest

Seventh Heaven

Syrus Gupta & Davis Knocke | Dallas, Texas | Age 16

A young man experiences sensory overload at a party sending him on an ever-changing trip. Fast-paced and packed with unexpected surprises, Seventh Heaven is an experiential, exhilarating ride.

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In a restaurant, an old woman cross-stitching sits across from a younger a woman, who is drinking boba tea.

Have I Swallowed Your Dreams [short film]

  Clara Chan

  Canada     6 minutes

Synopsis

An immigrant mother and daughter have a heartfelt conversation about the ways their hopes and dreams have changed over time, growing beyond their wildest imaginations. This compassionate story, told with boundless color and creativity, brings to life the power of intergenerational understanding.

This film screens as part of the Family Animated Shorts: Me and Magical You program.

 English 

Film Credits

  •   Clara Chan
  •   Clara Chan
  •   Clara Chan
  •   Clara Chan, Catherine Ip
  •   Haibei Wang, Ailin Gong
  •   Flying Dumpling Films