Give Me Strength

Provocative and emotional, these shorts exhibit the power and resilience of survivors as they reflect on and recover from personal traumas.

Note: Films in this program may not be suitable for all ages.

Films

The Lord’s Day

Simon Weizineau | Canada | Age 18

To get over his Sunday boredom, a young Atikamekw wanders around killing time with friends, reminiscing about troubles at school and his dogs.

Moira

Mckenna Ryan | Canada | Age 20

Slipping out of the present and into the liminal unconscious landscape of her anxious mind, a woman struggles through an existential crisis in this ghostly 2D animation.

The Words We Don’t Say

Jess O’Brien | UK | Age 18

As alcohol flows at a house party packed with teenagers, a nervous Ellie finds herself trapped in a dilemma that could compromise her sense of self and her relationship with a coercive partygoer.

The Year That Passed

Grace Simmons | Pennsylvania | Age 22

Minimalist, monochromatic animation accompanies this thoughtful look at addiction and grief, in which a young woman reflects on how the opiate epidemic has directly affected her life and her understanding of the world.

Witness

Kira Findling | California | Age 22

In a world where women go missing every day, the terror of going outside becomes personified in colorful paintings, Google Maps images, and the news.

An Alternative Method

Hannah Schierbeek | Chicago | Age 22

After a ballerina teacher is followed on her way home from work, her fears start manifesting in dreams and reality. To cope, she confides in her neighbor.