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International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (Ages 18+)

12 films
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This selection of films addresses the issues of gender-based violence, and specifically the existing structural barriers as well as the feminist movement's interrogation of power and privilege. Pour visionner cette sélection en français, cliquez ici.

Up next: Finding Dawn
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International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (Ages 18+)

This selection of films addresses the issues of gender-based violence, and specifically the existing structural barriers as well as the feminist movement's interrogation of power and privilege.

Pour visionner cette sélection en français, cliquez ici.

Playlist

  • Afterwards
    Afterwards
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    Romane Garant Chartrand 2023 24 min

    Afterwards amplifies the voices of women who—through resilience and resistance—are fighting to reclaim their power.

  • A Better Man
    A Better Man
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    Attiya Khan  &  Lawrence Jackman 2017 1 h 17 min

    Illuminating a new paradigm for domestic-violence prevention, A Better Man offers a fresh and nuanced look at the healing and revelation that can happen for everyone involved when men take responsibility for their abuse. It also empowers audience members to play new roles in challenging domestic violence, whether it’s in their own relationships or as part of a broader movement for social change.

  • Because We Are Girls
    Because We Are Girls
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    Baljit Sangra 2019 1 h 22 min

    Poetically weaving past and present, Baljit Sangra's documentary explores the impact of sexual abuse on a family.

  • Finding Dawn
    Finding Dawn
    Christine Welsh 2006 1 h 13 min

    Acclaimed Métis filmmaker Christine Welsh brings us a compelling documentary that puts a human face on a national tragedy – the epidemic of missing or murdered Indigenous women in Canada. The film takes a journey into the heart of Indigenous women's experience, from Vancouver's skid row, down the Highway of Tears in northern BC, and on to Saskatoon, where the murders and disappearances of these women remain unsolved.

  • this river
    this river
    Erika MacPherson  &  Katherena Vermette 2016 19 min

    This short documentary offers an Indigenous perspective on the devastating experience of searching for a loved one who has disappeared. Volunteer activist Kyle Kematch and award-winning writer Katherena Vermette have both survived this heartbreak and share their histories with each other and the audience. While their stories are different, they both exemplify the beauty, grace, resilience, and activism born out of the need to do something.

  • Into the Light
    Into the Light
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    Gentille M. Assih 2020 1 h 19 min

    Into the Light features the liberating life stories and powerful words of inspiring Quebec women of African origin who’ve regained control over their lives after suffering from domestic violence. The film transcends prejudice and breaks the silence, pulling back the curtain on a poorly understood, hidden world, while testifying to the tremendous power that comes from overcoming isolation and accepting one’s self. It’s a luminous dive into the quest for personal healing and universal humanity. This is Togo-born director Gentille M. Assih’s third documentary.

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  • Gender Matters: A Virtual Discussion on Violence Against Women
    Gender Matters: A Virtual Discussion on Violence Against Women
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    Dan Thornhill 2015 48 min

    As part of the Young Women's National Leadership Summit, the YWCA and the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) invited participants aged 17+ from across North America to take part in a conversation with three outstanding role models and leaders in the fight for women's rights. Focusing on the subject of gender-based violence, the panellists discussed the issues that women are facing today, and how we can work together to create a fairer and safer society for all.

  • Last Chance
    Last Chance
    Paul Émile d'Entremont 2012 1 h 24 min

    This feature documentary tells the stories of 5 asylum seekers who flee their native countries to escape homophobic violence. They face hurdles integrating into Canada, fear deportation and anxiously await a decision that will change their lives forever.

  • A Love That Kills
    A Love That Kills
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    Annie O'Donoghue 1999 19 min

    A Love That Kills is a powerful documentary that tells the tragic story of Monica, a nineteen-year-old woman who was murdered by her former boyfriend. Monica's mother speaks passionately throughout the video, bravely telling viewers about her daughter's life and tragic death. She describes the helplessness she felt watching the emotional and economic abuse. She later discovered that physical battering was also part of the violence that Monica endured. In a parallel conversation, young people list the symptoms of partner abuse from male and female points of view. A Love That Kills helps to identify the warning signs of partner abuse, especially in young people, and the damage it causes emotionally and physically.

  • Sisters in the Struggle
    Sisters in the Struggle
    Dionne Brand  &  Ginny Stikeman 1991 49 min

    This documentary features Black women active in politics as well as community, labour and feminist organizing. They share their insights and personal testimonies on the double legacy of racism and sexism, linking their personal struggles with the ongoing battle to end systemic discrimination and violence against women and people of colour.

  • The Apology
    The Apology
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    Tiffany Hsiung 2016 1 h 44 min

    The Apology follows the personal journeys of three former “comfort women” who were among the 200,000 girls and young women kidnapped and forced into military sexual slavery by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. Some 70 years after their imprisonment in so-called “comfort stations”, the three “grandmothers—Grandma Gil in South Korea, Grandma Cao in China, and Grandma Adela in the Philippines—face their twilight years in fading health. After decades of living in silence and shame about their past, they know that time is running out to give a first-hand account of the truth and ensure that this horrific chapter of history is not forgotten. Whether they are seeking a formal apology from the Japanese government or summoning the courage to finally share their secret with loved ones, their resolve moves them forward as they seize this last chance to set future generations on a course for reconciliation, healing, and justice.

  • Status Quo? The Unfinished Business of Feminism in Canada
    Status Quo? The Unfinished Business of Feminism in Canada
    Karen Cho 2012 1 h 27 min

    Feminism has shaped the society we live in. But just how far has it brought us, and how relevant is it today? This feature documentary zeroes in on key concerns such as violence against women, access to abortion, and universal childcare, asking how much progress we have truly made on these issues. Rich with archival material and startling contemporary stories, Status Quo? uncovers answers that are provocative and at times shocking.