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2. Systemic ProblemsJean-Martin Gagnon 2023 26 minThe student association engages in critical self-assessment over diversity and considers the best way forward. Meanwhile, students question the association’s practices. -
Apples and OrangesLynne Fernie 2003 17 minThis short documentary with interspersed animated vignettes is designed to raise children's awareness of the harmful effects of homophobia and gender-related bullying. In the course of a lively in-class discussion, children's paintings magically dissolve into two short animated stories. In Anta's Revenge, Anta finds out that creativity, not revenge, is the best way to deal with a school bully. Defying Gravity tells the story of two skateboarders whose friendship is tested when one of them finds out the other is gay. The animated stories in this video will help elementary school students explore name calling and bullying. The video can assist children aged 8-12 in learning about families, differences and respect.
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Alone, TogetherPaul Émile d'Entremont 2001 24 minIs culture accepting of difference? This is the vital question that Nova Scotia filmmaker Paul Émile d'Entremont asks in his film about difference and identity. Alone, Together charts the quest of two Acadians: Simon, who is trying to come to terms with his sexuality, and Cynthia, who is searching for her biological mother. The filmmaker sees himself in Simon and Cynthia who, each in their own way, is seeking an answer to the existential questions: who am I? where do I belong? In daring to come out with his homosexuality, Simon is also able to assume his Acadian identity. After finding her birth mother, Cynthia finally untangles the various strands of her identity. Alone, Together shows Acadia as a multifaceted society embracing the more open attitudes of the 21st century. Today's Acadians are able to assume their difference and create their own identity. In French with English subtitles.
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Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane StoryMichael Mabbott & Lucah Rosenberg-Lee 2024 1 h 39 minA lost R&B star who eclipsed Etta James and Little Richard, trans soul singer Jackie Shane blazed an extraordinary trail with an unbreakable commitment to her truth. Forty years after vanishing from public view, this 20th century icon finally gets her second act.
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The Amina ProfileSophie Deraspe 2015 1 h 26 minPart love story, part international thriller, and a gripping chronicle of an unprecedented media and sociological hoax, this feature documentary travels from San Francisco and Washington to Istanbul, Tel Aviv and Beirut in a quest to reveal the true identity of the person behind the popular blog A Gay Girl in Damascus. Who is this Syrian-American revolutionary who goes by the name of Amina Arraf? Not even Montrealer Sandra Bagaria, with whom Amina is carrying an online affair, seems to know for sure. As the Syrian uprising gains momentum, the blog attracts a huge following. But it’s Amina’s subsequent abduction that sparks an international outcry to free her. Telling a detective story that involves various intelligence agencies and top-tier global media, the film tells a thoroughly modern tale of technology, love and news-as-spectacle questions the ways in which people connect in today’s virtual world.
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The BassinetTiffany Hsiung 2019 6 minWhen a vintage bassinet appears at filmmaker Tiffany Hsiung and long-time fiancée Victoria Mata’s home, it sets off a chain reaction of emotions. The Bassinet is a gentle and affecting story about Tiffany’s personal struggle with the intersection of her sexual orientation and cultural identity, and the cross-generational burden of having a baby in the context of rigid social constructs of marriage and family.
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BeautyChristina Willings 2018 23 minBeauty explores the lives of five gender-creative kids, each uniquely engaged in shaping their own sense of what it means to be fully human. Whether it’s dealing with bullies, explaining themselves to their parents, or navigating the uncharted waters of relationships, Bex, Lili, Fox, Tru and Milo talk about their experiences and struggle to live in authenticity.
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Cure for LoveFrancine Pelletier & Christina Willings 2008 59 minCure for Love is a full-length documentary about a controversial evangelical movement that purports to convert gay people into heterosexuals. The film brings us inside this unusual Christian subculture and follows the lives of several young people whose homosexuality is at odds with their religious beliefs.
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The Company of StrangersCynthia Scott 1990 1 h 40 minIn this feature film, 7 elderly women find themselves stranded when their bus breaks down in the wilderness. With only their wits, memories and some roasted frogs' legs to sustain them, this remarkable group of strangers share their life stories and turn a potential crisis into a magical time of humour, spirit and camaraderie. Featuring non-professional actors and unscripted dialogue, this film dissolves the barrier between fiction and reality, weaving a heart-warming tale of friendship and courage.
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Deep Inside Clint StarClint Alberta 1998 1 h 28 minTake a hilarious and bittersweet journey into the hearts and minds of some very ordinary, extraordinary young Canadians with this feature-length documentary. The filmmaker, assuming the role of Clint Star, seeks out his far-flung buddies, young Indigenous people like himself. They talk about sex and life, love and abuse, and 500 years of oppression—all with humour, grace and courage.
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Do I Have Boobs Now?Milena Salazar & Joella Cabalu 2017 6 minIn 2015, Victoria-based trans activist Courtney Demone launched the viral online campaign #DoIHaveBoobsNow, in which she posted topless photos of her transition on social media while undergoing hormone replacement therapy. One year later, Courtney revisits the global conversation she catalyzed on social media censorship policies and the sexualization of feminine bodies, and reflects on the impacts of being thrust into the critical spotlight as a visible trans activist and queer feminist.
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Escape to CanadaAlbert Nerenberg 2005 1 h 21 minAround the world, Canada is known for its beavers, Mounties and winter climate. But a new Canada has emerged in the past couple of years, famous for potent marijuana, gay marriage and pushing the limits of freedom.
Director Albert Nerenberg, the man behind the indie-documentary hit Stupidity, explores these events in the high-energy Escape to Canada, a cleverly crafted, tongue-in-cheek feature.
The story begins in 2003, when by apparent coincidence, gay marriage and marijuana are legalized on the same day. Coincidence or trend? Either way, quiet, boring Canada suddenly explodes.
Soon Canadians are not the only ones enjoying their newly forged liberties. Citizens from "The Land of the Free" flock across the border to marry their same-sex partners. Others come to smoke marijuana. AWOL U.S. army soldiers arrive to seek refugee status. To many, Canada has become a red-and-white beacon of freedom around the world.
Canada, used to being called cold, is suddenly "cool."
But within months, Canada re-criminalizes marijuana and there's a new campaign to turn back gay marriage. In his signature no-holds-barred style, Nerenberg reveals a never-before-seen Canada, in an action-packed voyage into freedom Canadian style. -
Firewords: Louky Bersianik, Jovette Marchessault, Nicole BrossardDorothy Todd Henaut 1986 1 h 24 minThis feature documentary offers an intimate glimpse of three respected yet controversial Quebec writers. Now recognized at home and abroad, Louky Bersianik, Jovette Marchessault and Nicole Brossard have contributed greatly to the creation of a distinctive women’s literature. Confirming that fresh approaches to literature are still possible, they have helped to heighten awareness of the politics of language. Excerpts from their works vividly convey each woman’s style, concerns and rhythms. They examine personal and global issues from a feminist perspective: human relationships, work, justice, poverty, loneliness, women’s spirituality, and the future.
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Forbidden Love: The Unashamed Stories of Lesbian LivesAerlyn Weissman & Lynne Fernie 1992 1 h 24 minThis feature documentary delves into the rich history of Canadian queer women’s experiences in the mid-20th century. Compelling, often hilarious and always rebellious, the women interviewed in this film recount stories about their search for the places where openly gay women gathered in urban centres. Contemporary interviews, archival footage, and a stylized fictional narrative based on the pulp novels of the 1950s are woven throughout this simultaneously funny, heartbreaking, and empowering film. Forbidden Love brings an important and empowering history of lesbian sexuality in Canada out of the closet.
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First Stories - Two SpiritedSharon A. Desjarlais 2007 6 minThis short documentary presents the empowering story of Rodney "Geeyo" Poucette's struggle against prejudice in the Indigenous community as a two-spirited person (gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender). First Stories is an emerging filmmaker program for Indigenous youth which produced 3 separate collections of short films from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. Produced in association with CBC, APTN, SCN, SaskFilm and MANITOBA FILM & SOUND.
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Shepherds to the FlockJohn Walker 1993 50 minThe United Church of Canada has long been pivotal in Church-based social activism. This tradition continues today, despite a split that has developed within the Church as a result of a 1988 vote to ordain gays and lesbians. Some ministers and their congregations want to turn the clock back on these reforms. On the crest of change, these shepherds to the flock are questioning not just what, but who, the Church stands for.
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The Hook UpMichael V. Smith 2019 6 minThe Hook Up is an experimental doc featuring four gay men from two different generations: two nearing age 70 and two 20-somethings. Striking close-up visuals create a powerful sense of intimacy and connection as the men discuss how hooking up has (and has not) evolved for gay men.
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Universe Within - GuangzhouKaterina Cizek 2015 3 minThrough the internet, Ling has arranged for herself a "mock marriage" to a gay man, to conceal her lesbian identity from her parents, with whom she lives in a highrise apartment in Guangzhou, China's 3rd largest city.
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Handmade MountainMichèle Pearson Clarke 2019 6 minIn Handmade Mountain, Michèle Pearson Clarke explores the emotional fallout of being both early to gay marriage and early to gay divorce. Fifteen years after same-sex marriage became legal, she and friends reflect on its personal and political meaning in this experimental film.
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I Am SkylarRachel Bower 2019 15 minI Am Skylar is the emotionally compelling story of an articulate 14-year-old girl who is thoughtfully defining her future and the woman she is to become. Surrounded by a family and a community who show her unconditional love as she follows her personal path, Skylar faces the complexities of being a transgender girl on the cusp of puberty with refreshing honesty and unshakeable dignity.
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I Am GayAjahnis Charley 2020 10 minAfter working abroad for five years, filmmaker Ajahnis Charley returns home to Oshawa, Ontario, in the age of quarantine. In addition to reuniting with his family, he returns with a mission to share some deep personal truths. Surprising conversations ensue with his mother and three siblings creating, in this humorous and heart-wrenching story about our need to seek love and acceptance within our own families.
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Inkwo for When the Starving ReturnAmanda Strong 2024 18 minTwo lifetimes from now the world hangs in the balance. Dove, a young, enigmatic, gender-shifting warrior, discovers the gifts and burdens of their Inkwo (medicine) to defend against an army of hungry, ferocious monsters. Dove’s courage, resilience and alliance with the Earth culminates in a battle against these flesh-consuming creatures, who become stronger with each body and soul they devour. Inkwo for When the Starving Return is a call to action to fight and protect against the forces of greed around us.
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In Other WordsJan Padgett 2001 27 minThis short documentary explores homophobic language and its consequences among teenagers. Name-calling and cruel language hurt, say the teens who speak in this video. Homophobic language is a common verbal put-down among young people, but many adults feel uncomfortable responding. This video is a tool for teachers, counsellors and youth groups to explore the origins of the words, how young people feel about them and how to overcome the pain they cause.
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Into LightSheona McDonald 2021 19 minWhen a child reveals who they truly are on the inside, how does a parent set aside their own expectations to help them become their most authentic self? Sheona McDonald’s documentary captures a season of change as a mother and child navigate the complexities of gender identity together.
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I Hear YouKoumbie & Chelsea Innes 2019 1 h 40 min
I Hear You is a non-conforming medical drama about a group of gender oppressed women and non-binary people, who each struggle with sexual health issues, and the newly graduated doctor who believes she can help them as they all navigate the frustrations of the Western medical system and their own personal limitations to find hope and help on the other side.
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I Like GirlsDiane Obomsawin 2016 8 minIn this animated short from Diane Obomsawin, four women reveal the nitty-gritty about their first loves, sharing funny and intimate tales of one-sided infatuation, mutual attraction, erotic moments, and fumbling attempts at sexual expression. For them, discovering that they're attracted to other women comes hand-in-hand with a deeper understanding of their personal identity and a joyful new self-awareness.
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I Am Syd StoneDenis Thériault 2020 1 h 21 minWhile shooting a film in a small town, a famous actor puts his personal life and career in jeopardy by starting an intense affair with another man.
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Jump, DarlingPhil Connell 2019 1 h 30 min
A rookie drag queen, reeling from a break-up, escapes to the country where he finds his grandmother in steep decline, yet desperate to avoid the local nursing home.
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John and MichaelShira Avni 2004 10 minThis animated short pays tribute to two men with Down syndrome who shared an intimate and profoundly loving relationship that deeply affected the filmmaker. Narrator Brian Davis brings the characters to life with great sensitivity.
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A Kind of FamilyAndrew Koster 1992 53 minThis feature documentary tells the complex and touching story of Winnipeg city councilor Glen Murray and his 17-year-old adopted son Mike, whose struggles with addiction and behavioural problems cyclically repeat. Glen, now an Ontario Member of Provincial Parliament, was one of the first openly gay elected politicians in Canada. He adopted Mike during an era when homophobic stereotypes often prevented gay men and women from adopting children. Glen and Mike's relationship is always tenuous and always turbulent as they struggle to define themselves together and alone.
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k.d. lang: songs & silenceLaura O'Grady 2023 5 mink.d. lang shares her perspective on preferring silence and listening to making noise as one of the 2023 recipients of the GGPAA for Lifetime Artistic Achievement. A musician, 2SLGBTQI+ activist, daughter and icon, lang transcends categorization. Here, she delves into the essence and significance of musical expression, examining its emotional impact on both the performer and the audience.
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Listening for Something... Adrienne Rich and Dionne Brand in ConversationDionne Brand 1996 55 minThe nation, the country, where do we belong in it? In this film through conversation and poetry two poets meet for the telling and the listening. Adrienne Rich is a distinguished American feminist poet, and author of numerous books of prose, poetry, essays and speeches. Dionne Brand is a Trinidadian-Canadian femininst poet, writer and filmmaker. Incisive and inquisitive, the two women meet to discuss the world as they each see it. Claiming any subject, they talk about events as they see them, analytic, contemplative, honest and open ended. Topics include political issues, feminism, racism and lesbianism, among others. The viewer is invited into the exchange by the familiar images of two women talking intimately around a kitchen table, in corridors, or casually outdoors in the United States, Tobago and Canada. Shot in black and white and in colour, the conversation takes us over the territories of their poetry.
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Long Time Comin'Dionne Brand 1993 52 minThere is a cultural revolution going on in Canada and Faith Nolan and Grace Channer are on the leading edge. These two African-Canadian lesbian artists give back to art its most urgent meanings--commitment and passion. Grace Channer's large and sensuous canvasses and musician Faith Nolan's gritty and joyous blues propel this documentary into the spheres of poetry and dance. Long Time Comin' captures their work, their urgency, and their friendship in intimate conversations with both artists.
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Love in QuarantineMillefiore Clarkes 2020 10 minWhen COVID protocols impose restrictions on human interaction, Millefiore Clarkes seizes the opportunity to reflect on the nature of love itself, juxtaposing her own existential quest with those of a teenager grappling with identity and self-worth in a time of social distancing, and a woman who finds surprising new romance despite pandemic isolation.
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Last ChancePaul Émile d'Entremont 2012 1 h 24 minThis 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.
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Multiple Choices - Picture PerfectAlison Burns 1995 12 minIt's never easy reconciling fairy tales to reality, especially when the reality is, to say the least, complicated. You know things are tough when young people don't expect a good relationship, let alone a perfect one, because as one young woman puts it, "all good things must come to an end." Participants discuss their expectations of marriage, homosexual relationships, and how the changing roles (and role models) of men and women have affected marital responsibilities.
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Multiple Choices - The Agony and the EcstasyAlison Burns 1995 13 minRaising kids in this society is an often daunting task. Each of us has different reasons about why we choose--or don't choose--to be parents. Participants discuss their parent-child relationships, single parenting by choice, homosexual or lesbian parents, and teenage parenting.
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Michel Marc Bouchard: Speaking OutMartin Talbot 2023 5 minA window onto the world of a theatre giant, and an opportunity to discover the man behind the words. Michel Marc Bouchard discusses his youth and talks candidly about what has motivated him over the years to speak out and share his concerns, which resonate here at home and across the globe.
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Men for SaleRodrigue Jean 2009 2 h 24 minIn this feature-length documentary, 11 male sex-trade workers are followed over the course of a year. They share their struggles to survive alcohol and drug-related addictions, abuse and stigmatization – but most of all, their troubled pasts.
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ManivaldChintis Lundgren 2017 12 minManivald, a fox, is turning 33. Overeducated, unemployed and generally uninspired, he lives with his overbearing, retired mother and spends his days learning piano while she makes his coffee and washes his socks. It is an easy life, but not a good one. Their unhealthy co-dependence is about to collapse when the washing machine breaks down and Toomas, a sexy and adventurous wolf repairman, arrives to fix it, and them.
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My Prairie HomeChelsea McMullan 2013 1 h 16 minIn this feature documentary-musical by Chelsea McMullan, indie singer Rae Spoon takes us on a playful, meditative and at times melancholic journey. Set against majestic images of the infinite expanses of the Canadian Prairies, the film features Spoon crooning about their queer and musical coming of age. Interviews, performances and music sequences reveal Spoon’s inspiring process of building a life of their own, as a trans person and as a musician.
Official selection at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. -
Out: Stories of Lesbian and Gay Youth (European Version)David Adkin 1993 50 minOut: Stories of Lesbian and Gay Youth is an intimate exploration of the struggles and victories of gay and lesbian youth in Canada in 1993. Delving into the emotional, social and family conflicts that these young people often face, the film breaks the damaging silence surrounding sexual orientation and expression. Through explicit interviews with youth from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds, the film sensitively addresses issues of discrimination as well as the compounding problems of confronting racism and sexism. Out provides awareness, understanding and hope—to 2SLGBTQIA+ youth, parents, counsellors and educators.
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One of ThemElise Swerhone 2000 25 minThis short fictional film features high school seniors discovering and battling against homophobic discrimination and stereotypes. Jamie must face up to her own reactions as she realizes that her friend is gay and needs her support. Jamie's boyfriend must decide if he will support Jamie. One of Them focuses on homophobia and discrimination in a human rights context. The dramatization prompts viewers to examine their own responses and promote a safe school environment for all.
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Open SecretsJosé Torrealba 2003 52 minThis provocative documentary uncovers a lost chapter in Canadian military history: how the Armed Forces dealt with homosexual behaviour among soldiers, during and after World War II. More than 60 years later, a group of five veterans, barely adults when they enlisted, break the silence to talk about how homosexual behaviour "was even more unmentionable than cancer." Yet amidst the brutality of war, instances of sexual awakening among soldiers and officers were occuring. Initially, the Army overlooked it, but as the war advanced, they began to crack down: military tribunals, threats of imprisonment, discharge and public exposure. After the war, officers accused of homosexuality were discharged. Back home in Canada, reputations and careers were ruined. For the young men who had served their country with valour, this final chapter was often too much to bear. Based on the book Courting Homosexuals in the Military by Paul Jackson.
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The Passion and Puppetry of Ronnie BurkettMichelle Mama 2024 5 minGroundbreaking theatre artist Ronnie Burkett has wowed audiences for decades with his imaginative and provocative reinventions of puppetry and storytelling. The Passion and Puppetry of Ronnie invites us into his home studio and his creative process, as the puppeteer generously and vulnerably reflects on a career that has pushed boundaries while allowing him to be genuinely himself.
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PassifloraFernand Bélanger & Dagmar Gueissaz-Teufel 1985 1 h 24 minMontreal, September 1984. Within a span of five days, Montreal’s Olympic Stadium hosts Pope John Paul II and Michael Jackson. A perfect opportunity to explore the impact of the media on the masses. With caustic irony, this film gives voice to people excluded by Church doctrine: the gay and lesbian community, and women who’ve had abortions or been abused. Beyond documentary, fiction or news report, Passiflora is above all a film that packs a punch, leaves a mark and makes an impression, happily blending analysis, animation, acting, humour and song.
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PaulaScott Munn 2019 9 minBefore her operation, Paula was the husband, father, son and neighbour known as Paul. Now, she’s the only transgender person her community has ever met.
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PlayhouseLori Malépart-Traversy 2022 3 minThis film discusses topics of sex and masturbation; viewer discretion is advised. How does porn fuel sexual fantasies? For some, the most powerful images are those that flirt with completely unfamiliar situations. This animated short with a magic touch relates one woman’s confessions about her favourite erotic scenarios.
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Reviving The RoostVivek Shraya 2019 6 minFilmmaker and bestselling author Vivek Shraya’s ode to a popular Edmonton gay bar that closed in 2007. With pulsating neon-light animation, Reviving the Roost is a story about community complexity and longing, and an elegy to a lost space.
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Sticks and StonesJan Padgett 2001 17 minThis short documentary features children aged 5 to 12 talking about their experiences with bullying and discrimination because they or their families do not fit into traditional gender and family roles. This film explores the contemporary diversity of families from kids' points of view, while featuring short animated sequences about the history of derogatory slang.
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Second Stories - Deb-we-win Ge-ken-am-aan, Our Place in the CircleLorne Olson 2008 22 minLorne Olson's short documentary presents a vision he had of two-spirited people dancing, laughing, and smiling. His vision spurs him to rediscover the strength of the past to better face the challenges of today. This funny and buoyant film documents his touching journey. Second Stories follows on the heels of the enormously successful First Stories project, which produced 3 separate collections of short films from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. Second Stories builds on that success by continuing the training with 3 of the 12 Indigenous filmmakers who delivered such compelling short documentaries. Produced in association with CBC, APTN, SCN, SaskFilm and MANITOBA FILM & SOUND.
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Sometimes I Wish I Was On a Desert IslandEli Jean Tahchi 2020 10 minAs the world learns to live again in the midst of the pandemic, for many Arabic-speaking LGBTQ+ people living in Montreal, this is just a period of time like any other. When you’ve fled homophobic violence in your home country and endured a painful migratory journey, or you still face social prejudices stemming from intercultural and intergenerational conflicts, surviving social isolation is nothing new.
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Someone Like MeSean Horlor & Steve J. Adams 2021 1 h 19 minTRIGGER WARNING: This film contains scenes depicting homophobia and violence, which may be disturbing to some viewers.
Someone Like Me follows the parallel journeys of Drake, a gay asylum seeker from Uganda, and a group of strangers from Vancouver’s queer community who are tasked with supporting his resettlement in Canada. Together, they embark on a year-long quest for personal freedom, revealing how in a world where one must constantly fight for the right to exist, survival itself becomes a victory. -
Standing on the LinePaul Émile d'Entremont 2018 1 h 20 minTRIGGER WARNING: This film contains the following subject matter: Suicide and self harm.
In both amateur and professional sports, being gay remains taboo. For some athletes, the pressure to perform is compounded by the further strain of deciding whether or not to come out of the closet. They set out to overcome prejudice in the hopes of changing things for the athletes of tomorrow. -
She and IMarie-Pier Ottawa 2008 6 minThis short film is inspired by a stormy same-sex relationship in the Manawan community of the Atikamekw Nation, which led to a suicide. Since 2004, Wapikoni Mobile has been giving Indigenous youth the opportunity to speak out using video and music. This short film was made with the guidance of the traveling Wapikoni Mobile studios and is part of the 2007 Selection—Wapikoni Mobile DVD.
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Shannon AmenChris Dainty 2019 14 minTRIGGER WARNING: This film contains the following subject matter: Suicide and self harm.
If you are affected by the topics addressed in the film, we encourage you to reach out to someone you trust.
Shannon Amen unearths the passionate and pained expressions of a young woman overwhelmed by guilt and anxiety as she struggles to reconcile her sexual identity with her religious faith. A loving elegy to a friend lost to suicide. -
A Short Film About Tegan & SaraAnn Marie Fleming 2018 4 minIn this joyful portrait, filmmaker Ann Marie Fleming animates the formative days and musical career of Calgary-born identical twins Tegan and Sara Quin. Their remarkable journey over the past 20 years has often intersected with notions of identity—as artists, as individuals, as sisters, as queer women, and as leading activists in the LGBTQ community. Their musical progression parallels and amplifies their commitment to bringing the marginal to the mainstream.
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Surviving Death: Stories of GriefElizabeth Murray 1998 47 minThis short documentary profiles a variety of individuals and families who have dealt with the death of a loved one. These people—parents, children, siblings, partners, friends—candidly share their experiences of negotiating a new relationship with life after losing a loved one. Hailing from different cultural backgrounds, the people in this film hope their stories will allow others to begin expressing and understanding their own grief. They speak about the pain and powerful emotions they have experienced, about their need to reassess values and relationships after a death, and about the ways they have found to survive their loss. Recognizing that there is no single or easy path to recovery, this film can act as a thorough, sincere, and helpful resource for those in grief.
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Taking ChargeClaudette Jaiko 1996 25 minTaking Charge shows teens taking the initiative to overcome the fears and vulnerabilities of growing up in an increasingly violent and rapidly changing society. Through role-playing, theatre groups, peer discussion groups and anti-violence collectives these young activists have "taken charge," educating themselves and their peers towards a deeper understanding of the effects of violence rooted in sexism, racism and homophobia.
We see through their various initiatives, as well as personal testimonies, that teens speaking and organizing against violence sends a positive message to everyone. Taking Charge encourages the viewer to re-examine definitions of violence, and shows how to effect change.
The defiant lyrics of the theme song match the bold and creative energy alive in these teens. Witty animation sequences add a layer of visual playfulness, but the message remains: Do something before it is too late! -
Topics: Sex, Drugs & GenderNettie Wild 2007 9 minStreet nurse Paul Harris (Gay Outreach) and Sean, a transgender person who uses drugs, both reflect on the role that drugs play in the LGBT community.
*Watch the complete documentary.
*View all 10 educational playlists.
*Explore the Teacher's Guide for this chapter. -
UnarchivedHayley Gray & Elad Tzadok 2022 1 h 24 minIn community archives across British Columbia, local knowledge keepers are hand-fashioning a more inclusive history. Through a collage of personal interviews, archival footage and deeply rooted memories, the past, present and future come together, fighting for a space where everyone is seen and everyone belongs. History is what we all make of it.
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When Shirley Met FlorenceRonit Bezalel 1994 27 minThis short documentary offers an intimate portrait of two women in their mid-sixties—one homosexual, the other heterosexual—whose love for one another and the music they create together transcends differences. Florence and Shirley's lifelong attachment is a heartwarming connection that defies categorization.
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When Love Is GayLaurent Gagliardi 1995 48 minThis documentary explores and debunks myths about male homosexuality. Examining relationships between men - from long-standing monogamous partnerships to brief encounters - the film features men of all ages talking openly about their sexuality and the challenges of self-acceptance in a straight, often homophobic society. Drawing from intimate interviews as well as action scenes ranging from a steamy dance floor in Montreal's gay village to a gay ex-policeman lecturing to future officers, When Love is Gay brushes a realistic portrait of an evolving gay culture.
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Why Thee Wed?Cal Garingan 2005 50 minThis documentary profiles the eight couples who challenged marriage laws in British Columbia in court until same-sex marriage was recognized in 2003. As controversy swirls around this issue worldwide, Why Thee Wed? offers surprising and diverse perspectives on what it means for gay and lesbian couples to walk down the aisle and to fight for the right to do so under the law.
Why Thee Wed? was produced as part of the Reel Diversity Competition for emerging filmmakers of colour. -
Woman DressTheo Jean Cuthand 2019 6 minPre-contact, a Two Spirit person named Woman Dress travels the Plains, gathering and sharing stories. Featuring archival images and dramatized re-enactments, this film shares a Cuthand family oral story, honouring and respecting Woman Dress without imposing colonial binaries on them.
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Zero Degrees of SeparationElle Flanders 2005 1 h 29 minThis feature documentary breaks with the sensationalistic media coverage of the Middle East by documenting the everyday lives of same-sex Palestinian-Israeli couples. Faced with the modern injustices of work visas, checkpoints, harassment and prejudices, these brave individuals resist oppression and take small steps each day to build a sense of peace, mutual respect and hope. Filmmaker Elle Flanders draws on her own story of growing up with Zionist grandparents who were intimately involved in the founding of the state of Israel. Their haunting archival home movies evoke an idealized Israel of the 1950s and summon larger questions about humanity, conflict and nationalist aspiration.
