Subscribe to get notified about new events!

Reelworld Screen Institute

Reelworld Screen Institute empowers diverse creators in the film and television industry through mentorship, training, and funding, fostering inclusive storytelling that reflects the richness of Canadian culture.

Shattered by a family tragedy in the wake of 9/11, a young Sikh boy struggles to hold onto love, family, and identity as he grows up in a country feeling like he doesn&#39;t belong.

Jersey Boy

Featuring: Kasra by Faran MoradiWhen a disgruntled Iranian-Canadian mama&#39;s boy and his deadbeat mom embark on a heist to alleviate family debts, tensions boil over between them mid-robbery. Sitting Bird by Athena HanAfter immigrating to Canada, Ming becomes a stay-at-home father while his career-driven wife, Fei, continues to pursue her dream as a First Officer in China. Struggling with the societal pressure as an unemployed man and a growing sense of inadequacy in his family, Ming one day sees a lost flamingo named Jos&eacute;. He decides to rescue the bird. The Last Wish by Kimberley Ann SurinWhen an unsettling visitor disrupts her fragile new life, a 70-year-old widow is compelled to face her greatest fear, water, forcing her into a battle with both her past and her own mortality. Never Sleep by Ayo TsalithabaFollowing the sudden death of their father, a restless teen in the midst of a queer self-discovery bonds with their estranged aunt over their fraught relationships with death, loss and familial responsibility.&nbsp; Sonia Honey by Ameesha JoshiOn a single, transformative day, a middle-aged actress navigates the blurred lines between reel and reality, unearthing buried truths about identity, ageing, and the silent labour of care in a world that constantly rewrites her relevance. Diamond Belly by Kyle D&rsquo;OdoricoAlex&#39;s grandfather is dying of stomach cancer. When the older man starts claiming those aren&#39;t tumours in his belly but pilfered diamonds from a long-forgotten heist in the old country, family secrets and myths collide as Alex grapples with her newfound inheritance resting in a dying man&#39;s stomach. One Last Walk by Andrea Bang and Diana BangTwo lonely grandmas who don&#39;t speak the same language connect on their daily walks. Today is their last walk before one of them has to fly back home to Korea.

Shorts Program: Home & Family

Featuring: My Dinner with Victor by Andrew ChiuTwo childhood best friends meet after a long absence, but a cultural mix-up leads to hilarious &ndash; and deadly &ndash; consequences. Plan Jinn by Zeeshan DhananiA Pakistani-Canadian woman, desperate to escape a forced arranged marriage, devises a plan to fake a Jinn possession Danceland by Sarah CarrierAfter the death of her grandfather, Riley, an actress, returns to her hometown&#39;s dance hall in rural Saskatchewan and unexpectedly encounters her former best friend Kelsey at a wedding. Riley is confronted with the place that shaped her, one that remains familiar long after it stopped feeling like home. Father Tree by Atefeh KhademolrezaWhen a young woman returns to care for her ailing father, she discovers that his illness is slowly transforming him into a tree. As his metamorphosis unfolds, she learns to nurture him in his new form, confront their complicated bond, and find an unexpected path toward reconciliation, love, and acceptance. L&#39;okapi by Samir EssaDeep in the wilderness, a Congolese refugee&#39;s unresolved legal status slowly unravels his bond with his well-meaning partner. Dome by Mave KyAn immigrant family&#39;s reflection on the Calgary Flames and the demolition of the Saddledome, 28 years after making Calgary their home.

Shorts Program: Across Differences

Featuring: My Dinner with Victor by Andrew ChiuTwo childhood best friends meet after a long absence, but a cultural mix-up leads to hilarious &ndash; and deadly &ndash; consequences. Plan Jinn by Zeeshan DhananiA Pakistani-Canadian woman, desperate to escape a forced arranged marriage, devises a plan to fake a Jinn possession. Danceland by Sarah CarrierAfter the death of her grandfather, Riley, an actress, returns to her hometown&#39;s dance hall in rural Saskatchewan and unexpectedly encounters her former best friend Kelsey at a wedding. Riley is confronted with the place that shaped her, one that remains familiar long after it stopped feeling like home. Father Tree by Atefeh KhademolrezaWhen a young woman returns to care for her ailing father, she discovers that his illness is slowly transforming him into a tree. As his metamorphosis unfolds, she learns to nurture him in his new form, confront their complicated bond, and find an unexpected path toward reconciliation, love, and acceptance. L&#39;okapi by Samir EssaDeep in the wilderness, a Congolese refugee&#39;s unresolved legal status slowly unravels his bond with his well-meaning partner. Dome by Mave KyAn immigrant family&#39;s reflection on the Calgary Flames and the demolition of the Saddledome, 28 years after making Calgary their home.

Featuring: Shelf Life by Emmanuel TejiA man abandons his dream of music for a sales job, where he finds unexpected companionship in an eccentric co-worker. After hours, he is drawn to the warmth of a kind cashier at an Indian grocery store. But when the co-worker is dismissed and the cashier must leave the country, he is left alone with the silence of his forgotten ambitions. Purge by Andrew HamiltonUnable to cope with her depression, Gee takes an experimental drug called BriteNol, which makes her violently expel a black substance. With a new outlook, she&#39;s the person she always wished she could be, but this clarity might be short-lived, as Gee discovers a darker outcome of her medication. Frankie Wants Applause by Anthony LeeFrankie, an envious but mediocre musician, is asked by his talented rival Alex to look after his home. In the process, Frankie accidentally loses Alex&#39;s prized parrot, Stronzo. When Stronzo mysteriously returns, Frankie sees a chance to redeem himself&mdash;by impressing the bird with his musical talent. But the more he tries to control and outshine Stronzo, the more he reveals his own flaws, until Stronzo&#39;s final escape leaves Frankie alone, confronting the applause he craves but cannot earn. Four Four by Kent DonguinesLucas, a Filipino-Canadian dancer, is vying for a spot on a dance team that will soon be heading to nationals. Estranged from his disapproving grandfather and alienated from his culture, Lucas pushes his body to the breaking point to master Tinikling, a physically demanding Filipino folk dance, to gain the respect of his talented but demanding dance captain. It soon becomes clear, however, that he&#39;s exchanged one complicated relationship for another. Fine Black Frame by Leah DozOne man explores and defies the definitions of Blackness, queerness, and masculinity in a kinetic self-portrait. Honour of the Paintbrush by Louise ThomasLouise, an Anicinabe woman, found the strength to move on after the loss of her husband by devoting herself to the art gallery she opened in his honour. Through this process, she shows how healing can bring positivity and renewal.

Shorts Program: Take the Stage

Featuring: Unwedding by Shazia JavedSanam and Jehan, the bride&#39;s mother and grandmother, hurry into the bridal suite to check in on Alia, the bride. They&#39;re surprised to hear that Alia has cold feet, as she talks about all the differences between her and her fianc&eacute;. &nbsp;Frustrated by this, Sanam tries to get Alia ready, wrestling her with a dupatta that&#39;s been passed down through generations, while Jehan looks on, amused. Adverse Possession by Norman Yi LiThree reno-victed millennials break into an abandoned mansion to seek temporary refuge. Inside, the house is eerie but clean and stocked with food and supplies. As the trespassers begin to relax, the house slowly reveals its true nature. Objects start to disappear, as though being absorbed into the furniture and walls. Before long, the trio realize that the house isn&#39;t just empty; it&#39;s famished! Sara &amp; Fatima by Romy Boutin St-Pierre, Nada Cheddani and Karima ZouhairIn an isolated bus shelter amidst the Moroccan desert, two radically different women - one veiled, the other bare-shouldered - wait for a bus that never comes, while a mysterious car repeatedly passes by, again and again. Lethal Ethel by Elayna EinishBlending horror and humour, Lethal Ethel is a mockumentary that follows the story of a Naskapi vampire who goes to murderous lengths to protect her land and culture. Run From It by Racha (Kory) KongsommartTwo unsuspecting friends tempt fate as they explore a derelict mansion harbouring a dark secret in its depths. By Any Means by Jamal OmarAli has 24 hours to fix a problem he believes is his to solve. After overhearing his mother&#39;s worry about their future, he tries to help the only way he knows how. Set in Jane and Finch, By Any Means is a story about pressure, choice, and chasing your dreams without losing yourself.

Shorts Program: Rebellion

A Somali youth-worker gets assigned to the case of an 17-year old Somali boy who wants nothing to do with her. Against all odds, she gets him and his loving but guarded family and community to open up to her, in order to help him and his case that&#39;s going to trial.

Lifeline

Adopted by a white family in Quebec, a young mixed-race filmmaker sets out to understand the painful legacy of being abandoned by her Haitian birth mother&mdash;who died before they could reunite. Haunted by unanswered questions and a deep sense of loss, she turns to home videos, personal stories, and the unspoken truths buried within her family to piece together a deeply layered narrative. What emerges is a lyrical and unflinching exploration of identity, race, and belonging where memory becomes resistance, silence speaks the loudest, and abandonment leaves an invisible mark that endures.

A Thousand Colors

Seventeen-year-old JR Sylliboy is summoned by the brother of his late father, recently released from prison, uncle Arty, and he is taken on an unforgettable summer road trip to the state of Maine. Misfortune, corruption, deception, and violence seem to greet them at every turn, until they finally make their way to the location of his late father&#39;s tragic death, years before, at the now-named Jeffrey&#39;s Turn

Jeffrey's Turn

When 18-year-old Gabe discovers his best friend stole his winning lottery ticket, he scrambles to assemble a crew for a chaotic weekend mission to steal it back. Set in a small town over one weekend, Lucky Weekend captures the restless energy of youth at a crossroads&mdash;where friendships are tested, new bonds are forged, and the line between loyalty and betrayal blurs. Both a heist comedy and a heartfelt coming-of-age story, the debut feature from Kevin Alves, Lucky Weekend, invites audiences to feel like one of the crew for a weekend full of bad ideas, close calls and unforgettable bonds

Lucky Weekend

After a breakdown, a Red River M&eacute;tis woman retreats to her ancestral home to rebuild her life, only to confront a grotesque creature manifesting beneath the floors. As her toxic sister threatens her recovery, she must hold herself accountable for her darkness before it consumes everyone in its path.

Ancestral Beasts

It starts like every great love story: eyes lock, sparks fly and the music swells. The future seems written in the stars. But First Comes Love: Nakabingwit lingers after the meet-cute, when conversations about race, class and difference enter the picture. For three Filipina&ndash;white couples, modern love means real romance, real love &mdash; and real-world problems. In the tender, inventive ways they learn to listen, repair and speak more honestly to one another, they find a truth that is deeply contemporary and enduringly romantic: that love can grow stronger when it meets reality.

First Comes Love: Nakabingwit

After his toddler son fights a lengthy battle with a rare cancer, a Ghanaian man living in Edmonton, Canada, has turned into an advocate for stem cell donation. With just a cheek swab, he goes from event to event, actively trying to get young Black Canadians to sign up for the stem cell database in hopes of saving more lives. But, at times, his efforts are met with resistance due to the deep mistrust in the medical system by Black communities.

The Perfect Match

Nick Young is a 20 something college dropout who&#39;s life is going nowhere fast. The only thing he has to look forward to in life is marrying his long time girlfriend, Deandre, and being one of the first to watch The Phantom Menace. On this particular day it all falls apart as he&#39;s called into work, Deandra breaks it off with him, and he loses a chance to be first in line.

Last Stop Video Rentals

In Venezuela, the heiress of a colonial cacao plantation and its entrenched guardians enter a duel for the land, where the only harvest left is violence.

Reelworld Screen Institute

Reelworld Screen Institute

Events

Events

Jersey Boy

Get your tickets

Shorts Program: Home & Family

Get your tickets

Shorts Program: Across Differences

Get your tickets

Shorts Program: Across Differences

Get your tickets

Shorts Program: Take the Stage

Get your tickets

Shorts Program: Rebellion

Get your tickets

Lifeline

Get your tickets

A Thousand Colors

Get your tickets

Jeffrey's Turn

Get your tickets

Lucky Weekend

Get your tickets

Ancestral Beasts

Get your tickets

First Comes Love: Nakabingwit

Get your tickets

The Perfect Match

Get your tickets

Last Stop Video Rentals

Get your tickets

Death Has No Master

Get your tickets

Powered by