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10-7 for LifeCynthia Banks 1995 56 min10–7 for Life is a funny, raw and occasionally violent chronicle of the last two weeks of Carol Banks's career as a cop in Parkdale, Toronto. Exploring the contrasts and absurdities of patrolling the streets, the film looks at everything from the now-almost-routine gang shootings to a colleague's shocking murder, while also capturing what Banks describes as "babysitting" – officers trying to help people who can't look after themselves. Filmed by Carol's sister, Cindy Banks, this film offers a rare inside look at a police force struggling to cope with an increasingly violent city, and an intimate portrait of one burnt-out cop who has to get out for her own peace of mind. -
The ApologyTiffany Hsiung 2016 1 h 44 minThe 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.
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Because We Are GirlsBaljit Sangra 2019 1 h 22 minA conservative Indo-Canadian family in small-town British Columbia must come to terms with a devastating secret: three sisters were sexually abused by an older relative beginning in their childhood years. After remaining silent for nearly two and a half decades, the sisters finally decide to come forward—not only to protect other young relatives, but to set an example for their daughters as well.
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CirclesShanti Thakur 1997 57 minIn the Yukon, an innovative program is bringing a traditional form of Aboriginal justice--circle sentencing--to the Canadian justice system. Sentencing circles don't focus on punishment. Instead, they bring together the perpetrator of a crime, his or her victims, and peers and family in an effort to bring healing to the community.
For many Aboriginal men in the North, going to jail was a natural extension of attending missionary-run schools. Brothers Harold and Phil Gatensby, who have both done their share of jail time, now participate in circles as a way to allow offenders to break the cycle of crime, court and prison. The program works so well that Aboriginals from the Yukon have helped set up similar programs elsewhere in Canada and in the US. The circle is a powerful alternative to prison terms imposed by courts--not only for Aboriginal people in the North but, potentially, for all communities. -
Democracy at Work - It's Your ChoiceJane Churchill 1990 23 minThis film is an excellent introduction to the workings of government in Canada. It outlines many of our crucial freedoms (like the right to vote and freedom of speech) and stresses the vital role that citizens play. Democracy at Work - It's Your Choice explains how the political system works--from how MPs represent us, to how Elections Canada organizes voting--and traces the history of democracy in Canada and the extension of the vote to all citizens. (Grades 6-12 civics and social studies.)
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A Day in the Night of Jonathan MoleDonald Brittain 1959 33 minThis short film from director Donald Brittain tackles the subject of racial prejudice in employment, in a particularly witty fashion. It takes the form of a fantasy in the mythical country of Adanac, featuring arch bigot Jonathan Mole, Mrs. Platitude, Professor Short Sight and other characters.
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Every ChildEugene Fedorenko 1979 6 minThis animated short follows an unwanted baby who is passed from house to house until he is taken in and cared for by two homeless men. The film is the Canadian contribution to an hour-long feature film celebrating UNESCO's Year of the Child (1979). It illustrates one of the ten principles of the Declaration of Children's Rights: every child is entitled to a name and a nationality. The film took home an Oscar® for Best Animated Short Film.
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Examined LifeAstra Taylor 2008 1 h 28 min
“The unexamined life is not worth living.” —Socrates
Examined Life pulls philosophy out of academia and classrooms and puts it back on the streets.
In Examined Life, filmmaker Astra Taylor accompanies some of today’s most influential thinkers on a series of unique excursions through places and spaces that hold particular resonance for them and their ideas.
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From Arusha to ArushaChristophe Gargot 2008 1 h 54 minFrom Arusha to Arusha focuses on the Rwandan tragedy in order to examine the functioning of the international justice system. It examines both the activities of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), which is prosecuting those responsible for the genocide, as well as those of the gacaca courts, the people’s tribunals, which are working towards justice through reconciliation.
By juxtaposing archival audiovisual footage of an international court enacting justice behind closed doors, with images and testimony gathered in the field, the film presents conflicting points of view and invites the Rwandan people to re-appropriate their own history.
Christophe Gargot has his roots in the rich documentary tradition of such filmmakers as Raymond Depardon, people who are interested in focussing on the rituals of large institutions. This film examines the issue of universal moral values in action while at the same time questioning our relationship with the images we take in and our responsibilities as world citizens.
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The Fight for Francophone Rights - Part Three - Setbacks and JusticeAnne-Marie Rocher 2015 56 minIn 1982, when section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms was adopted, the Canadian Constitution gave linguistic minorities the right to be educated in their own language. Yet, as francophone minorities outside Quebec soon came to realize, infrastructures needed for an education in French were lacking or totally nonexistent.
Groups of parents decided to launch legal battles to force provincial governments to recognize and respect their rights. The three-part documentary series The Fight For Francophone Rights looks at six of these battles. Through interviews with the players involved, director Anne-Marie Rocher spotlights the issues that have pushed francophones to commit to a long fight that many considered a lost cause. If the infrastructures needed to transmit culture, language and history are lacking, inadequate or nonexistent, what does the future hold for francophone minorities? -
The Fight for Francophone Rights - Part One - Winning the CaseAnne-Marie Rocher 2015 56 minIn 1982, when section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms was adopted, the Canadian Constitution gave linguistic minorities the right to be educated in their own language. Yet, as francophone minorities outside Quebec soon came to realize, infrastructures needed for an education in French were lacking or totally nonexistent.
Groups of parents decided to launch legal battles to force provincial governments to recognize and respect their rights. The three-part documentary series The Fight For Francophone Rights looks at six of these battles. Through interviews with the players involved, director Anne-Marie Rocher spotlights the issues that have pushed francophones to commit to a long fight that many considered a lost cause. If the infrastructures needed to transmit culture, language and history are lacking, inadequate or nonexistent, what does the future hold for francophone minorities? -
The Fight for Francophone Rights - Part Two - Our Rights, Our FightsAnne-Marie Rocher 2015 56 minIn 1982, when section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms was adopted, the Canadian Constitution gave linguistic minorities the right to be educated in their own language. Yet, as francophone minorities outside Quebec soon came to realize, infrastructures needed for an education in French were lacking or totally nonexistent.
Groups of parents decided to launch legal battles to force provincial governments to recognize and respect their rights. The three-part documentary series The Fight For Francophone Rights looks at six of these battles. Through interviews with the players involved, director Anne-Marie Rocher spotlights the issues that have pushed francophones to commit to a long fight that many considered a lost cause. If the infrastructures needed to transmit culture, language and history are lacking, inadequate or nonexistent, what does the future hold for francophone minorities? -
Gun KillersJason Young 2019 10 minIn an undisclosed location in rural Nova Scotia, retired blacksmiths John and Nancy Little live a peaceful life, tending to their beautiful vegetable garden and crafting ethereal musical sculptures out of scrap metal. Occasionally, their special skills are put to use by the local police in an effort to protect the daily lives of all Canadians. Steeped in the atmospherics of a taut spy thriller, Gun Killers portrays two ordinary citizens as gentle national heroes.
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The Hunters (Asivaqtiin)Mosha Michael 1977 13 minReleased in 1977, this beautifully paced short was photographed, directed, edited and narrated by Mosha Michael — one of Canada’s first Inuk filmmakers. Michael offers a first-hand account of a three-week Arctic hunting excursion, a rehabilitative trip undertaken by young offenders and their families. Dropping anchor at various points throughout Frobisher Bay, they fish for cod, hunt for seal and caribou, and renew family and community ties. Shooting on a Super 8 camera and providing his own narration, Michael crafts an engaging document of Inuk life in the 1970s. An original score features performances by Kowmageak Arngnakolak and Michael himself.
Viewer Advisory: This film contains scenes of animal slaughter. -
Honour of the CrownTom Radford 2001 47 minFrançois Paulette has devoted more than 25 years of his life to resolving a battle that is more than a century old. Senior negotiator for the Smith's Landing First Nation, Paulette is determined to see the Canadian government honour promises made to the Thebatthi (Chipewyan) people in an 1899 treaty. Shot in northern Alberta and Ottawa, Honour of the Crown is a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the turbulent final years of this fight.
Plunged into seemingly endless negotiations, Paulette and his brother, Chief Jerry Paulette, struggle to reclaim nine tracts of land and $33 million in compensation. Featuring interviews with tribal, provincial and federal government representatives, this documentary provides a rare glimpse into one community's success in settling a 100-year-old treaty obligation of the Crown. -
Is the Crown at war with us?Alanis Obomsawin 2002 1 h 36 minIn this feature-length documentary by Alanis Obomsawin, it's the summer of 2000 and the country watches in disbelief as federal fisheries wage war on the Mi'kmaq fishermen of Burnt Church, New Brunswick. Why would officials of the Canadian government attack citizens for exercising rights that had been affirmed by the highest court in the land? Casting her cinematic and intellectual nets into history to provide context, Obomsawin delineates the complex roots of the conflict with passion and clarity, building a persuasive defence of the Mi'kmaq position.
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Incident at RestigoucheAlanis Obomsawin 1984 45 minOn June 11 and 20, 1981, the Quebec Provincial Police (QPP) raided Restigouche Reserve, Quebec. At issue were the salmon-fishing rights of the Mi’kmaq. Because salmon has traditionally been a source of food and income for the Mi’kmaq, the Quebec government’s decision to restrict fishing aroused consternation and anger. Released in 1984, this groundbreaking and impassioned account of the police raids brought Alanis Obomsawin to international attention. The film features a remarkable on-camera exchange between Obomsawin herself and provincial Minister of Fisheries Lucien Lessard, the man who’d ordered the raid. Decades later, Jeff Barnaby, director of Rhymes for Young Ghouls, cited the film as an inspiration. “That documentary encapsulated the idea of films being a form of social protest for me... It started right there with that film.”
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Kids in JailLarry Lynn 2013 45 minWith unprecedented access, this documentary paints an intimate, complex portrait of kids in jail. The film raises difficult yet vital questions about at-risk youth and young offenders, and asks: Should we be doing more to help them?
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Love, ScottLaura Marie Wayne 2018 1 h 16 minWhile walking on the street one night in a small town in Canada, Scott Jones, a gay musician, is attacked and paralyzed from the waist down; what follows is a brave and fragile journey of healing and the transformation of a young man’s life. From the first raw moments in the hospital to a disquieting trip back to the place he was attacked, Scott is constantly faced with the choice of losing himself in waves of grief or embracing love over fear. Filmed over three years by Scott’s close friend, Love, Scott is an intimate and visually evocative window into queer experience, set against a stunning score by Sigur Rós.
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Local and Provincial Governments - Working TogetherJane Churchill 1990 37 minStreets, libraries, garbage collection, recycling, health care and education. All touch our lives--and all are under the control of local and provincial or territorial governments. Local and Provincial Governments - Working Together explores the relationships between various levels of government and how they handle funding and issues crossing jurisdictional boundaries. The film features a case study, showing how individuals can influence local government. When two young people discover that a local green space is slated for a condo development, they organize their neighbours, bring their concerns to their councillor and attend a council meeting. Intended for Grades 6-12, civics and social studies.
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NCR: Not Criminally ResponsibleJohn Kastner 2013 1 h 39 minDirected by John Kastner, this feature documentary about violence, mental illness, and the rights of victims tells the story of a troubled young man who stabbed a complete stranger 6 times in a crowded shopping mall while gripped by psychosis. Twelve years later, his victim, who miraculously survived, is terrified to learn that he’s out, living in the community under supervision. He’s applying for an absolute discharge, and if he succeeds, he’ll no longer be required to take the anti-psychotic drugs that control his mental illness. With unprecedented access to the patient, the victim, and the mental institution, the film looks at both sides of the debate and puts a human face on the complex ethical issues raised.
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NCR: Not Criminally Responsible (Short Version)John Kastner 2013 51 minWhile gripped by psychosis, a troubled young man stabs a complete stranger six times in a crowded shopping mall. Declared not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder, the young man is confined to a forensic mental health institution. NCR: Not Criminally Responsible offers a timely and provocative examination of violence and mental illness, and the rights of victims. With unprecedented access to the patient, the victim, and the mental institution, the film looks at both sides of the debate and puts a human face on the complex ethical issues raised.
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Our National Parliament - The Inside StoryJane Churchill 1990 31 minAlmost all Canadians recognize the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa. But how many understand just what goes on there and how Parliament touches our lives? In Our National Parliament - The Inside Story a young parliamentary page takes us behind the scenes, acting as our guide to the inner workings of the legislative branch of government. This video shows us day-to-day life on Parliament Hill: the roles of the Prime Minister, Cabinet and opposition parties; the nuts and bolts of how a bill moves from conception, through committee and the Houses of Parliament on the way to becoming law; and the daily life of a back-bench MP.
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Our Constitution - The Law of the LandJane Churchill 1990 28 minMost Canadians have heard a lot about the Constitution, but don't understand what it is or how it works. Using clear language, this film explains that the Constitution is made up of laws, court decisions and conventions. Together, they guide our legislatures and Parliament, delineating federal and provincial jurisdictions, and protecting citizens from abusive legislation.
Our Constitution - The Law of the Land touches on key moments in the Constitution's history, from the 1867 British North America Act (Constitution Act), to the 1982 repatriation of the Constitution and the Charter of Rights, to continued efforts at constitutional change. (Grades 6-12 civics and social studies.) -
ProsecutorBarry Stevens 2010 1 h 34 minThis feature documentary follows the Chief Prosecutor through the first trials of the newly formed International Criminal Court. Luis Moreno-Ocampo investigates and prosecutes some of the world's worst criminals for some of the world's worst crimes. He's a hero to genocide survivors, but has bitter enemies on both the Right and the Left. Is the ICC a groundbreaking new weapon for global justice or just an idealistic dream?
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The Point: Community Legal ClinicGrant Kennedy 1972 27 minCitizens of Point St. Charles, a bilingual district in Montréal's inner city, found a solution to the lack of adequate legal aid in their community by forming a legal clinic with salaried lawyers and student volunteers from university law faculties. In this film citizens and volunteers talk about the project, how it was initiated, and how it now serves the needs of people who lack the money for the fees of legal professionals.
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The PeacekeepersPaul Cowan 2005 1 h 23 minIn this documentary, Paul Cowan delivers unprecedented access to the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping, and the determined and often desperate manoeuvres to avert another Rwandan disaster, this time in the Democratic Republic of Congo (the DRC). The film cuts back and forth between the United Nations headquarters in New York and events on the ground in the DRC. We are with the peacekeepers in the 'Crisis Room' as they balance the risk of loss of life on the ground with the enormous sums of money required from uncertain donor countries. We are with UN troops as the northeast Congo erupts and the future of the DRC, if not all of central Africa, hangs in the balance. As Secretary General Kofi Annan tells the General Assembly at the conclusion of The Peacekeepers: "History is a harsh judge. The world will not forgive us if we do nothing." Whether the world's peacekeeper did enough remains to be seen.
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Peep and the Big Wide WorldKaj Pindal 1988 34 minThis series of three 10-minute films features Peep the chicken, Chirp the robin and Quack the duck. On their travels, they meet a cat, a ladybug, a turtle and a frog who speaks from both sides of his mouth. Narrated by Peter Ustinov, these films are great for young children aged 3–5.
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RiP! A Remix ManifestoBrett Gaylor 2008 1 h 26 minJoin filmmaker Brett Gaylor and mashup artist Girl Talk as they explore copyright and content creation in the digital age. In the process they dissect the media landscape of the 21st century and shatter the wall between users and producers. Creative Commons founder, Lawrence Lessig, Brazil's Minister of Culture, Gilberto Gil, and pop culture critic Cory Doctorow also come along for the ride.
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StatelessMichèle Stephenson 2020 1 h 35 minIn 1937, tens of thousands of Haitians and Dominicans of Haitian descent were exterminated by the Dominican army on the basis of anti-black racism. Fast-forward to 2013: the Dominican Republic’s Supreme Court stripped the citizenship of anyone with Haitian parents, retroactive to 1929, rendering more than 200,000 people stateless. Director Michèle Stephenson’s new documentary follows the grassroots campaign of a young attorney named Rosa Iris, as she challenges electoral corruption and fights to protect the right to citizenship for all people.
