Specially curated for our short film lovers!
Water stories from around the world that you won’t want to miss
You won’t want to miss these poignant short films:
Water | CANADA
Fred the Pufferfish | SWITZERLAND
For the Love of the Reef | USA
The River of the Kukamas | PERU
Facing the Mountain | INDIA
Swim, Drink, Fish: FISH | CANADA
Wild Tides | CANADA
The Grind Message | DENMARK
Waterway Jay | USA
A Word to the Wise | SPAIN
Emcee: Dr. Stephen Scharper
Associate Professor, University of Toronto
Water
Tony Lee & brian g. smith
CANADA | 2017 | 2.5 min
World Premiere
While babysitting 3 year-old Leon, Tony takes a moment to put out the trash. But when kids and dogs are left alone, Murphy’s Law ensues.
Fred the Pufferfish
Joel Stutz
SWITZERLAND | 2017 | 1 min
World Premiere
This whimsical animation by filmmaker Joel Stutz introduces us to Fred, a pufferfish living a cozy life of luxury in his fishbowl. A colourful and playful short that will flip the world upside down in the wake of reckless human behaviour; begging us to contemplate the impact of our actions.
For the Love of the Reef
Alan E. Franks
USA | 2018 | 7 min
Canadian Premiere
A swan song for the only living organism that can be seen from space, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. This uplifting film takes us below the waves and shows two faces of the reef: one, vibrant in beauty and life; the other, grey and barren due to ocean acidification. Author and historian Iain McCalman reflects on the wavering health of this wonder of the world and shines light into how we may be able to shift the world toward an optimistic future.
The River of the Kukamas
Nika Belianina
PERU | 2018 | 7 min
Ontario Premiere
Nika Belianina brings a rare perspective to the screen. A love-cry to THE RIVER OF THE KUKAMAS; the body of water that gave life to this Amazonian culture. At once a mythological tale and reverent prayer for nature. A Kukama man shares his thoughts on the dying of his culture as it gives way to the modern world.
Facing the Mountain
Vaibhav Kaul & Ross Harrison
INDIA | 2016 | 21 min
Toronto Premiere
A story of human resilience in the face of environmental disaster. India’s Kedarnath Hindu temple, perched amid the Garhwal Himalayas, is a spiritual destination to which thousands migrate annually. FACING THE MOUNTAIN is a retelling of the destruction of this temple during a deluge in 2013 brought on by climate change. This is the story of those whose faith is unwavering amid environmental challenges.
Swim, Drink, Fish: FISH
Jerome Riel & Studio Sophomore
CANADA | 2018 | 8.5 min
World Premiere
Revel in the fresh waters of Lake Ontario as we join Chef Grant van Garmeren in a fishing trip to debunk the perception of this Great Lake’s questionable fisheries. This local short will inspire you to seek the freshness of locally sourced food and from within that journey understand the importance of preserving our habitats.
Wild Tides
Rachael Dudley & Kate Curley
CANADA | 2018 | 12 min
World Premiere
Step into the cool waters off the West Coast of Vancouver with Amanda Swinimer, a woman who shows that following your passion is a recipe for success. Amanda has made a business of hand harvesting wild seaweed, a unique method of harvest that keeps her garden of nutrient dense seaweed thriving every year.
The Grind Message
Niels Christian Askholm
DENMARK | 2018 | 21 min
Canadian Premiere
The Grind, the annual whale harvest in the Faroe Islands, washes the shores red with the blood of pilot whales; the tradition dates back nearly half a millenium for a once vital food source. Now in the 21st century is it a slaughter or a means of survival? Director Niels Christian Askholm presents various perspectives on the big screen in this objective contemplation of holding on to a tradition that is no longer necessary for survival.
WARNING: Some graphic scenes.
Waterway Jay
Brenda Piekarski
USA | 2018 | 7 min
In 2017, Jay Gustafson launched Paddle for Progress, a two-year, 4,300-mile personal journey in response to Governor Dayton's call for water action. Jay's mission to reconnect humanity with one of our most precious resources took him to the most remote and least visited corners of Minnesota, as well as through nearly every major community in the state. WATERWAY JAY is the story of this one man's journey to save water, and how we are connected to it all.
A Word to the Wise
Jordi Esgleas Marroi
SPAIN | 2018 | 27 min
Ontario Premiere
This documentary introduces us to Douglas Lui Fo’oa, a husband and father from the Solomon Islands, one of the most remote places on Earth. He is our guide and as he shares his wisdom with us, we travel around some of the Islands’ amazing locations, slowly understanding the almost idyllic qualities of this archipelago and its people. Douglas tells us about the country’s origins, the role of cannibalism in tribal wars and the spiritual power of sharks and other animals. The respect for nature and the environment that his community promotes as a means to achieve happiness and a peaceful existence is a reminder of how complex issues can be so simply expressed. The result is a portrait of someone who seems to effortlessly understand the meaning of life.
Q & A discussion to follow the screenings.
SWAG
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