Mirjam Leuze | CANADA
101 min | Feature

In partnership with the Guelph Neighbourhood Support Coalition

On the otherwise uninhabited Gil Island, just off the northwest coast of British Columbia, the sound of waves lapping and ravens cawing is punctuated by the haunting whale calls emanating from a network of loudspeakers. The Whale and the Raven illuminates the many issues that have drawn whale researchers, the Gitga’at First Nation, and the Government of British Columbia into a complex conflict. As the people in the Great Bear Rainforest struggle to protect their territory against the pressure and promise of the gas industry, caught in between are the countless beings that call this place home.

Greta Riondato and Tobin J Stewart | Canada
14 min | Short | Full Subtitles – World Premiere

Ilario's existence is devoid of the riches most commonly associated with a successful life, yet the passion and love that compels him to work his farm every day, voluntarily, at the age of 81, is undeniable and contagious.

David W. Craig | CANADA
52 min | Feature – Ontario Premiere

In partnership with the Art Gallery of Guelph

The divided community of Pictou County, Nova Scotia is facing a major turning point in the fifty-year old controversy surrounding the pulp mill located on the shores of Pictou Harbour. Will the mill, considered the dirtiest in Canada, finally clean up its act or will the Government of Nova Scotia permit a new plan to allow the mill to pipe its treated waste directly into the Northumberland Straight?

Sarah Wray & Ben Wilson | CANADA
12 min | Short

Canada’s native grasslands are disappearing at an alarming rate. In fact, they are one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world. Canada’s grasslands protect our soil and mitigate climate change by storing carbon. They are also complex ecosystems that support hundreds of species. Sustainable grazing is essential to the preservation of this ecosystem, with cattle replacing bison as the historic keystone species. Guardians of the Grasslands explores how cattle can create hope for these native grasslands and for the plants and animals that call them home.

Victoria Anderson-Gardner | CANADA
12 min | Short

In partnership with Guelph Museums

More than a year has passed since meeting at the Oceti Sakowin camp during the NoDAPL resistance movement at Standing Rock, when five Indigenous Water Protectors reunite in Toronto, Ontario to share in how the “spirit of the camp” created a family from shared passion and action. Brought together by a calling to protect and defend their first family—the land and water—the experience at Standing Rock has moved them to further elevate their voices in solidarity with the global Indigenous community, ultimately transforming their lives forever.