CANADA | 76 min | Partial Subtitles
Tickets: $12/PWYW
A series of short documentaries that bask in the sunlight of plants.
Post-Film: Directors talkback with David Hartman & Claire Sanford.
The Mini Forest
David Hartman | GUELPH | 20 min
Terrell is about to plant 100 trees in her small backyard in Toronto, building a dense mini forest. Nick and Heather have crafted the start of their own mini forest in Guelph.What at first seems like a simple act soon evolves into a complex story about dirt, lawns, fungus, wildlife, native species, and finally the human brain.
DIRECTOR BIO:
David Hartman's work is driven by a curiosity about how we live, cope, and thrive. His parents immersed him in wild places from a young age and he later became a wilderness guide working on remote rivers, mountains, and forests before being pulled into filmmaking. David's work is known for the sensitive curiosity with which he approaches his subjects, allowing them to feel comfortable opening up on the other side of the lens.
The Everlasting Pea
Su Rynard | CANADA | 17 min
An enchanting exploration of plant life that blends scientific inquiry with ancient ruins and mysterious dreamscapes. Through the eyes of a scientist questioning plant consciousness, this unexpected narrative invites a profound reimagining of our relationship with the vegetal world.
DIRECTOR BIO:
Su Rynard is a Canadian filmmaker. Her films have screened around the globe and have garnered multiple awards. Feature films include; Duet for Solo Piano (2020) An intimate portrait of a remarkable artist, Eve Egoyan, The Hot Docs ‘Top Ten Audience Award’ documentary. The Messenger (2015) a film that contemplates our deep-seated connection to birds. Kardia (2005) a dramatic film about a woman who discovers that a heart operation has mysteriously linked her life with another, and winner of the prestigious Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize.
Twig
Claire Sanford | CANADA | 39 min
Ochre streams of sand flow across the dunes in the Kubuqi Desert of Inner Mongolia, where 81-year-old Ambassador Kwon aims to plant one billion trees with the help of students. Can these unlikely forests face the harsh winds, and fight back desertification, to hold the desert in its place?
DIRECTOR BIO:
Claire Sanford is a Canadian filmmaker, cinematographer and video artist working in two- and three-dimensional documentaries. Her practice focuses on sensorial stories exploring the natural world, human identity, and how they overlap She is most noted for her 2022 short documentary film Violet Gave Willingly, which was named to the Toronto International Film Festival's annual year-end Canada's Top Ten list for 2022, and received a Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Short Documentary at the 12th Canadian Screen Awards in 2024.
