Films by womxn with womxn at the forefront. These stories delve into the nuanced roles womxn take up to be resilient, resourceful, and responsive regardless of what comes their way.
BREAKAWAY
Jenny Lee-Gilmore • Canada • 2019 • 8:55 • English • World Premiere • Coming of Age
Set in 1970s Vancouver, 11-year old Sammy is a huge hockey fan. Despite having to deal with her bully of a brother and balancing responsibilities at home, she dreams of becoming a hockey player.
Jenny Lee-Gilmore* is an English-born writer and director. After moving to her mother’s hometown of Vancouver, she fell in love with filmmaking. She attended UBC’s Film Production Program earning her BFA, also taking classes in Asian Canadian & Migration Studies and Gender Studies. Lee-Gilmore hopes to tell stories that reflect her diverse and multiracial upbringing.
* In attendance
GAMERS
Searit Huluf • USA • 2018 • 9:43 • English • International Premiere • Drama
When Jamie gets an invitation from a pro Esports team to participate in their upcoming recruitment, she starts to question her own ability.
Searit Huluf* was born and raised in Los Angeles, and is a graduate of UCLA’s Theater, Film and Television School, concentrating on screenwriting and animation. Huluf has taken roles such as Production Coordinator for the Art and FX department on Incredibles 2 and directing a late night show called Talk of the Town that fundraised over $3000 for Oakland A’s Foundation. Huluf currently lives in Oakland, CA.
AS I HEAR
Rachel Chow • Canada • 2019 • 9:56 • English • World Premiere • Documentary
Experience a day in Rachel’s shoes as someone who has hearing loss.
Having spent half of her life in Canada and the other in Hong Kong, Rachel Chow has constantly been torn between two different cultures, lifestyles, and communities. Chow’s passion for film revolves around her experiences as a third-culture kid and struggles to live up to the high standards of being in a traditional Chinese home. As a filmmaker and artist, she hopes to inspire others with the stories she tells.
* In attendance
SIXTEEN
Maddy Chang • Canada • 2019 • 9:05 • English • World Premiere • Coming of Age
Nora is turning 16 which means party time. Except it doesn’t seem to feel that way when Nora feels caught between her parents and friends.
Maddy Chang* is a film student at the University of British Columbia. This is her first time directing a short film and had an absolute pleasure bringing Sixteen to life.
* In attendance
KNEELING SHEEP
Hai Rihan • China, USA • 2019 • 14:30 • Mandarin and Mongolian with English Subtitles • International Premiere • Drama
A Mongolian mother does whatever she can to try and save her son from being wrongly accused of a crime he did not commit.
Hai Rihan* is a multi-award winning LA-based Mongolian (Chinese minority) director. Film to her is more than entertainment. It is a comprehensive art form capable of carrying social responsibilities and promoting positive social changes. As an Asian female filmmaker based in LA, she hopes to bring deep and profound voices to the noisy world we live in.
* In attendance
SHADOW (SAYA)
Fawzia Mirza & Anam Abbas • Pakistan • 2019 • 7:25 • Urdu with English Subtitles • Toronto Premiere • Supernatural
A woman dismisses the warnings of her taxi driver to visit an abandoned building said to be haunted by Jinn.
Fawzia Mirza* is an actor, writer, creator, who believes in the power of comedy to tackle divisive topics & break down stereotypes. Her first feature, Signature Move, which she co-wrote with Lisa Donato, produced and stars in (starring Indian film legend Shabana Azmi), world premiered at SXSW, screened 150+ film festivals and won 14 awards. She wrote for the CBS drama series The Red Line, executively produced by Greg Berlanti and Ava Duvernay.
Anam Abbas runs Other Memory Media in Pakistan and Zunn Productions in Canada. She is a Locarno Open Doors 2017 alumni and Berlinale Talents 2018 fellow and currently in residence with Film Independent Global Media Makers. She is a founding member of the Documentary Association of Pakistan and creator of web-series Ladies Only. Abbas is the Producer and Cinematographer of feature documentary Showgirls of Pakistan, winner of the Hot Docs Forum in 2016 and scheduled to release in 2020.
* In attendance
MAY FLOWERS
Marianna Phung • Canada • 2018 • 6:33 • English • Other • Action / Comedy
A misunderstanding occurs when Jimmy goes to pick up an order for his boss at a flower shop.
Marianna Phung* is a Toronto-based director, writer and actor of Vietnamese descent. Phung’s mission as an emerging artist is to break boundaries and challenge the status quo in front and behind the camera, while telling stories that entertain and enlighten audiences.
* In attendance
CA$H (一万八)
Tan Wei Ting • Singapore • 2018 • 7:25 • English, Mandarin with English Subtitles • Other • Drama
Four cashiers decide to lock themselves in the grocery store as an act of protest when they find out they will be replaced by a self-checkout system.
Tan Wei Ting was first trained in storytelling in theatre but discovered the wonders of film in university, and has never looked back. Being slightly introverted, she often finds herself in the role of a writer and editor. Tan cares about telling honest local stories. CA$H is her directorial debut.
LOVE LETTERS FROM EVEREST
Celeste Koon • Toronto • 2019 • 7:25 • English • Toronto Premiere • Animation / Documentary
Uncovering the letters exchanged between her grandparents in 1956, Celeste retells an incredible love story that reaches even beyond Mt. Everest.
Celeste Koon* is a fun and adventurous filmmaker known for her creative mixed media style. She has written, directed, and produced a number of short narrative films screened in festivals across the globe including TIFF Kids, Clermont Ferrand, and Cinekid.
* In attendance