Films for 2015
A lonely Zoe (Sunah Bilsted), whose only friends are the 6,669 imaginary ones on Twitter and her self-centered sister Sarah (Sarah Paulson), uses social media to construct a perfect public persona. But creating a fake life has consequences. Won Best Comedy at the 2014 HollyShorts Film Festival among other awards.
How many ways are there to commit suicide? Can a suicide attempt be considered successful? As he investigates different methods, Makis struggles to achieve the ideal result. Won Best Comedy Short at the 2014 Buffalo Niagara International Film Festival among many other awards. *Alberta premiere*
Haunted by visions of his late husband, and in conflict with his daughter who is trying to renew the ties between them, an aging author must tackle the impossible task of finding peace in the wake of a devastating loss. Won Best LGBT Short Film at the 2014 Cleveland International Film Festival among other awards.
Foster brothers Mark and Tom set out to break the world record for Longest Distance Travelled in a Two-Person Costume as they walk from Toronto to Venice Beach, California in a donkey costume, pushing their physical, mental, and emotional limits in the process. Won Golden Sheaf Award for Best Comedy at the 2014 Yorkton Film…
When a woman plays a mysterious vinyl record single, she suddenly knows how to travel through her own life. Nominated for an Oscar in 2015 for Best Animated Short.
Inspired by true events, this film captures the experience of two men caught up in their government’s restrictive regime. Won the Best Short Jury Award at the 2014 Rochester ImageOut Film Festival among other awards.
A young boy spends his days near his dad’s tomb. When a strange girl makes communication possible between father and son again, the boy is determined not to move away with his mother. Screened with the kind permission of Network Ireland Television and Oxen Films.
Two brothers confront unknown foes in a wintry, dystopian world where it’s every man for himself. Won Best Narrative Short at the 2014 Florida Film Festival among other awards. Facebook page Trailer: Director’s Statement As the older of three brothers, I got an early start at directing – ordering my brothers Ethan and Noah in…
A journey into the imagination of two young children who share an instant connection as fans of the same superhero duo.
In the summer of 1987 – the first since their father walked out of their lives – Asher’s confusion and anger boils over into an act of mindless cruelty that profoundly affects the relationship he has with his younger brother. Having lost their father, will they lose each other too?
Jean’s sister Mae is sick, but Jean is sick of it … Mae is a bully and gets everything she wants including Jean’s pennant flag. When Mae throws it out the car window, the sisters’ feud comes to a head.
Two strangers meet at an airport. He believes that she is to be his assigned driver. She, enchanted by the random encounter, does not tell him otherwise. Nominated for an Oscar in 2015 for Best Live Action Short.
During a night of grave political crisis, a young diplomat must step in to interpret between the two superpower leaders as they hold the fate of humanity in their hands. By extension, this absurd responsibility rests on the shoulders of the young interpreter as he tries to balance the oversized egos in the room while…
In 1970’s Belfast, two young boys are thrilled when their soft-hearted Dad presents them with two baby chicks to care for, but the boys are in for a shock when their parents announce that big changes are coming to the family. Nominated for an Oscar in 2015 for Best Live Action Short. Screened with the…
On her first day at a new school, a self-conscious young girl hides behind a homemade rabbit mask until a new friend gives her the courage to be seen just the way she is.
A woman’s idyllic view of her new job as a school bus driver is sorely tested after she meets her surly boss and discovers that winding roads can prove treacherous in winter, especially with a faulty clutch.
A young itinerant photographer and his assistant take photos of Tibetan nomads in front of various backgrounds. Nominated for an Oscar in 2015 for Best Live Action Short.
What happens when a little girl decides to save the food she refuses to eat? Won the Audience Award for Best Children’s Film at the 2014 Warsaw International Film Festival.
When John’s simple day of snowmobiling goes awry, the cold winter and a difficult decision forever change his life.
While asleep, a bored housewife falls in love with a man who appears in her dreams, leaving her torn between them and reality.
On the final assignment of their course as officer candidate in the Israeli army, two women trek through a harsh landscape when one suddenly remembers that she’s forgotten something that must be retrieved at all costs. Won Best Student Short at the 2014 Rome Independent Film Festival among other awards. Screened with the kind permission…
In this allegorical depiction of society, “the system” feeds the few who foolishly consume all the resources while the rest survive on scraps. Inevitably, the struggle for what remains leads to catastrophic change. Won Best Director at the 2014 Cyprus International Film Festival among other awards.
Dinosaurs – the prehistoric titans who ruled the Earth for 160 million years. Their name literally means “Terrible Lizards” and this animated documentary looks at whether they deserved this terrifying monicker.
When a young man finally musters the courage to approach the girl of his dreams at an outdoor café, she has already left. When he finds a mysterious watch that can turn back time, he gets a second chance to talk to her, but travelling back in time means there’s a second copy of himself…
A celebration of life through the hand-drawn line.
A dog must learn to cope with an automatic cleaning robot that sucks up every crumb off the floor before he can get to it.
Set in 14th century Scotland, a bored shepherd is inspired by one of his sheep to create one of the most popular entertainments of modern day.
The story of one man’s love life is seen through the eyes of his best friend and dog Winston, and revealed bite by bite through the meals that they share. Won the Oscar in 2015 for Best Animated Short.
At a vibrant music festival, a young couple’s hedonistic weekend turns into a desperate fight for survival as they are terrorized by a gang of masked festival goers.
A man follows footsteps in search of a mysterious visitor to his house.
A young, disabled dog in foster care gets a new leash on life with the help of an older, wiser friend so that he can become adoptable and find his furever home. Winner of the 2015 Youth Audience Choice Award.
Thirteen local teams competed two weeks ago to write, shoot, and edit a short film in 48 hours, right here in the Peace Region. Prizes (Generously Sponsored by Community Futures Grande Prairie) will be awarded for audience choice and best juried film. Presented in collaboration with PRIMAA (Peace Region Independent Media Arts Association). The following…
A young girl discovers a bottle that gives the person who possesses it the power to “freeze” people momentarily, but then bullies steal the bottle from her. How can she get the bottle back without getting frozen?
After a viral pandemic turns humans into flesh-craving mutants, adventurer Hunter Smith hunts them down on his TV show “Get Some,” tracking and killing them for the entertainment of the surviving population.
A Dutch tourist on death row must do everything in his power to overcome the bureaucracy of the Singaporean prison system if he wishes to get his last meal request filled. And all he wants is a cup of coffee! Won Best Actor in a Short at the 2014 Long Beach International Film Festival.
On a crowded bus during rush hour, Laura notices that she shares the handrail with a very attractive stranger. As if unintentionally, she slides her hand towards his.
Jack can’t find his car in a huge airport parking lot where he meets Maya who is in the same predicament. They talk to the man who answers when they press the “Help Point” button. It seems that everything will turn out for the best with his assistance, or at least that’s what Jack…
A young boy longs to be good at something and realizes what it will be when his father comes home with an old piano. He will become the next Mozart.
Feeling isolated in a world where everyone wears the same surgically enhanced appearance, a teenaged girl feels compelled to change her own.
Ollie, an uncertain and discouraged mother-to-be, befriends an unlikely young girl who helps her to overcome her misgivings and find joy in what the future holds.
In a world where time travel is a simple hospital procedure, a man travels back in time to convince his 10-year-old self to learn the guitar so that he can get more action with the ladies in the present day, but his younger self is less than willing to cooperate and things quickly spin out…
Some things in life are just unacceptable. If one could run fast enough and break through a time barrier, could fate be averted and a different reality created?
Mariela is convinced that her boyfriend plans to propose and Oliver tries to plan the most romantic proposal he can think of in this comedic look at how reality and romance often conflict. Won the Audience Choice Award for Best Comedy at the 2015 Sedona International Film Festival among other awards.
A man is woken in the middle of the night by his parents who insist on telling him things he would rather not hear.
Lisa’s job interview seems to be going well until her prospective boss starts asking strange questions. Won Artistic Director’s Choice at Lady Filmmakers Festival in Beverly Hills among other awards.
Julian is simply passing time at his dreary job until a new girl is hired and changes everything.
Homeless brothers Majid (15) and Adel (11) try to survive in war-torn Iran in 1984. Remaining in school is their only safeguard against being sent to the front lines, but doing so requires the cooperation of their father who has other plans.
A 13-year-old boy in Tijuana, Mexico must find a way to make enough money to buy medicine so he agrees to embark on his first drug smuggle across the “Devil’s Highway,” a notoriously fatal stretch of desert on the Arizona/Mexico border.
Each evening, Spencer plays piano, his music flowing through the window into the night unnoticed, until one day a violinist responds and they share a beautiful musical connection. But then the music stops, leaving Spencer determined to find his mystery violinist.
A girl wishes that her parents would get her a bicycle, but she gets something completely different. Nominated for an Oscar in 2015 for Best Animated Short.
Equal parts documentary and animation, Lyn Schofield’s memories of her youth, love and family life come alive through everyday household objects.
In order to financially make ends meet, Michel shares his home with Pierre, a young student who’s never told his girlfriend that he lives with a cranky old man. In the hopes of having an intimate dinner at home with her, Pierre tries to get Michel to leave for the evening.
A small alien creature lives all alone on a tiny planet. He spends his time collecting garbage that falls from the intergalactic highways high above his planet until one day something falls that changes his life forever.
A young boy manages to survive alone in a post-apocalyptic world until he finds an ally when a woman saves him from an attack. But how long can they both continue to live in a world gone mad?
Moziah Bridges is the subject of this documentary and he was 9 years old when he started his company, Mo’s Bows, in Memphis. As a Grade 6 student, he offered 20% of his bow tie business for an investment of $50,000 when he appeared on ABC’s Shark Tank in 2014.
On a cold winter night, Laura reads to her brother from a book that he found. The story about a strange creature that attacks children is disturbing so she stops reading it, but it’s too late. There’s a strange presence in the house. It’s him.
Diagnosed with a rare disorder at age 13, Brittney is a Grande Prairie teen whose story is an inspiration as she learns to accept the periodic changes her body goes through with the help of a support group of fellow sufferers. There’ll be a Q&A with Devon Burbank after the screening.
When a desperate young man with paranoid schizophrenia tells police that his girlfriend is suffering from the deadly side effects of a new drug that’s being tested, no one believes him. Not even his sister believes that this girl really exists although she reluctantly agrees to help him. In this perception thriller, where is the…
Karen, a First Nations woman, learns that someone has been saying that she isn’t Indian. Suspecting that it’s her cousin who has been spreading the lie, Karen goes to her house to confront her.
James is all too eager to put his one-minute time machine to use in winning the heart of Regina until he discovers the unexpected consequences of his actions. Won Best Short Film at the 2014 DC Shorts Film Festival.
Nigel has fallen in love. But when you live in orbit aboard a ramshackle space hovel with the most risk-averse family imaginable, it isn’t easy to follow your heart, especially when the girl of your dreams is spinning around earth the wrong way. Screened with the kind permission of Network Ireland Television and No Logo…
When the call centre he works at is outsourced overseas, DJ is out of a job and dead broke. Lured by the promise of easy money, he ventures into the highly lucrative world of telephone fraud in this uncompromising look at the initiation of a novice into the dark side. Winner of the 2015 Best…
A video game master gets schooled by a toddler and discovers the true meaning of life. Won 2014 Student Academy Award for Best Animation.
Parvaneh is a young Afghan immigrant who recently arrived at a transit centre for asylum seekers in the Swiss Alps. Nominated for an Oscar in 2015 for Best Live Action Short.
A New York couple, desperate to have a child, travel to Mumbai to meet the surrogate who will make it possible, but can their relationship survive the controversial process to have the family they always wanted?
As captain of a deep-space freighter, Marshall discovers a distress call from his estranged brother whose ship is trapped in a recoil effect near a black hole. Only one course of action makes sense, but can Marshall abandon his brother and any chance at redemption?
Sherwin, an accident-prone best man, travels back and forth through time to retrieve a wedding ring while desperately avoiding previous versions of himself trying to do the same thing. In an ill-fated moment of inspiration, he leaves the ring where his past self will find it not realizing that an infinite loop paradox will begin.…
In a future where victims of traumatic crimes have their memories erased as if the crime never happened, one woman struggles for her right to refuse the process.
A discredited scientist plans an elaborate heist to prove his genius and salvage his ruined reputation.
A woman and her husband react very differently to the news they get about the condition of their unborn child.Won the Jury Award for Best Live Action Short Under 15 Minutes at the 2014 Palm Springs International ShortFest.
A self-doubting entrepreneur cannot stop listening to the disconcerting voice inside his head. He must find a way to change what he hears inside his head or resign himself to failure.
This screen adaptation of an unknown author’s 14th century manuscript, one of the most mysterious and ambiguous of all the Arthurian stories, is a story rich with magic and symbols. A mysterious Green Knight rides into a court celebration and challenges the young knights to strike him with his own axe but there is one…
A teenage boxer searching for self-definition gives in to his true colours and risks losing everything. Nominated for a British Independent Film Award in 2014.
Sammy is a transgender tween, born a boy but living in stealth as a girl with the support of her mother and a doctor. At her new school, Sammy finds the friends she has always dreamed of having and tells them her secret in confidence. When the threat of betrayal arises, she must decide whether…
Stella Walsh was one of the most celebrated female athletes in the world. Her popularity continued for decades after winning a gold medal in the 1932 Olympics, until she was killed in a robbery and it was discovered in the autopsy that she had ambiguous gender. This documentary explores her life, her murder, and the…
Maria becomes friends with the new child at school and finds imaginative ways to include him in games. Winner of the 2015 Best Animated Short Award.
In 2011, Will Lautzenheiser went to hospital with what he thought was a muscle pull in his thigh, but the group A streptococcus bacterial infection that he actually had left doctors with no choice but to amputate parts of both arms and legs. This documentary about how he adapted is not only inspiring, but…
A plump caterpillar can’t get into her cocoon without the help of two friendly beetles.
A young woman roams the aisles of her local grocery store, matching her purchases with those of the men she’s interested in.
Ellen has been the loyal BFF to Kate since forever, but when Ellen finally decides that it’s her turn to shine, will Kate return the favour and be her BFF?
Two brothers struggle to care for their elderly mother. Nominated for an Oscar in 2015 for Best Animated Short.
A little pig keeps his town safe from a cloud of pollution with his windmill dam, but is ignored by a thankless public and bullied at school. When a new kid arrives, things begin to change. Nominated for an Oscar in 2015 for Best Animated Short.
In a dystopian future, Budapest is run by a corrupt company called Gold Dimension. When top secret papers are stolen that could result in the company’s collapse, a seer is brought in to discover the culprit’s identity but the images he sees also show his own murder. Won Best Sci-Fi Short at the 2014 Phoenix…
A mysterious object from the past drives a tense showdown between two strangers. Each believes he knows what the other man wants. Both are wrong. Director Chris Beauchamp, Producer Laura Beauchamp, actors Tim Heimdal and Cam White, and composer Chris McIntyre will participate in a Q&A.
Ed Telfair is a mundane middle-aged man who’s dealing with insecurities in his life … until he decides to take matters into his own hands. Won Best Short Film at the 2014 Victoria Texas Independent Film Festival among other awards.
A boy and his cat journey into unknown waters with a boat, a little bottle, and a vivid imagination. Won Best Animated Short Film at the 2014 Omaha International Film Festival among other awards.
Two travellers inspire a nearby community with their courage and determination as they attempt to build a gigantic bridge that will cross a gulf blocking their way. Won Best Animation at the 2014 YoungCuts Film Festival among other awards.
A weary gunfighter walks into a saloon. Waiting inside are the Henderson boys who plan to kill him for the $200 bounty. Every fan of classic westerns knows how this will end, but what if the only one who wants a gunfight to break out is the omniscient narrator who knows everyone’s secrets? Won the…
A young girl is brought to a nineteenth-century mansion to join nine other children who are trapped and living under the abuses of the Huckster, a woman who likes to be referred to as “mother,” but the girl’s obstinacy disrupts the strict order in the house and reveals the true horror within it.
Despite an unrivalled talent for communicating, Jake has trouble talking to women. When a woman from Malta leaves her book on the subway, he ignores his friend’s advice and tries to find her. Won Teen Jury Prize for Best Short Film at the 2014 Nantucket Film Festival among other awards.
An overweight man, obsessed with calorie counting, has his sanity pushed to the limits by a fitness freak who mocks him.
In this Mexican adaptation of American playwright Mark Harvey Levin’s short play The Kiss, a young woman’s quiet night in doing laundry is interrupted when her good friend stops by to ask for an honest appraisal of how he kisses.
In spite of his amazing gourmet lemonade, Anthony’s lemonade stand business goes sour when a competitor sets up across the street.
In the caves below the earth are thousands of candles, each representing a human life. Life-Givers light the candles, signifying the birth of a child, while Death snuffs out the flame when the person’s time on earth has ended. A young apprentice Life-Giver struggles with the idea that life must one day come to an…
This documentary follows a young Scottish actress who decides to find out whether she’s inherited the gene for Huntington’s Disease. If she has it, there will be no escape from the fate that awaits her: dementia and death. Won a Special Jury Award at 2014 Aspen Shortfest. Winner of the 2015 Best Documentary Short Award.
In a dark future, the world can look and sound like a paradise with properly tuned ImmerSyst Eyes & Ears, but when the device begins to fail and he needs to find a replacement, a man leaves his young son at home to venture out into a city where violence and danger lurk beneath a…
Heather (Golden Globe winner Sally Hawkins), a shy Crisis Centre worker, takes a call from a suicidal man (Oscar winner Jim Broadbent) and tries to change his mind. Screened with the kind permission of Network Ireland Television and RSA Films. Won the Oscar in 2015 for Best Live Action Short.
Jake spends most of his time playing video games until his mom decides to give him a present. Won Best Animated Short at the 2014 Rhode Island Film Festival.
In the shadow of a family funeral, a young boy retreats to the treehouse he built with his father and shuts himself in and the rest of the world out. An enigmatic young girl from next door helps him to come to terms with his loss and face up to his future. Won Best Cinematography…
When a skinhead enters Malik’s grocery store, Malik chooses to react to the young man’s insolence in a most unusual way, which leads to a different outcome than either could have foreseen. Winner of the 2015 Best Live Action Short Award.
A mysterious phone call which questions a routine weather report by a Lighthouse Keeper leads his wife to question more than just the weather report.
In a dystopia where a person’s social class is determined by their theme song, a young woman challenges the status quo by daring to change her tune. Won Best Short Film at the 2014 London Sci-Fi Film Festival.
Two lonely souls notice each other through the window and begin a conversation through hand-written notes, but will their fears spoil their chance at finding love? Won Audience Choice at the 2014 Atlanta ShortsFest among many other awards.
An unlucky-in-love immigration officer pays a home visit to a young gay couple as part of her assessment of their visa application. What she finds causes her to re-evaluate her own life in this offbeat comedy about the choices we make to be with the ones we love.
In 1981 Northern Ireland, a conflicted border-town mechanic is faced with an impossible decision in this tense political drama.
After the sudden passing of his wife, a songwriter’s overwhelming grief takes the form of a 20-piece marching band that floods his world with boisterous, interminable song.
When aid worker Karla arrives in Afghanistan to build a well, she can’t understand why the well is repeatedly sabotaged. When she finds out who is behind the attacks, she must re-evaluate her western notion of what is good for people who live in a totally different culture.
Quiet and withdrawn, Yussef is often bullied by his classmates. After a schoolyard fight puts him under threat of expulsion, his teacher gives the class a writing assignment. When Yussef reads his essay to the class, he finally reveals what it is that makes him so complicated.
When a zebra runs into a tree, the results are surprising.