A-Z Short Films
These films were selected for our in-person festival scheduled for April 2020, has been cancelled. To view our November 2020 Online Edition’s programming, click here.

Living in a small village in Iran, Azadeh wants to hop on a bus to see her father in the hospital, in what might possibly be the last visit. When her mother and brother forbid her from leaving the house, she must take matters into her own hands to outwit her domineering family. In this emotionally poignant drama, issues of control and perseverance define the resolve of two siblings who have the right to say goodbye.

Eleven year-old Sammy, the youngest sibling in her Chinese-Canadian household is obsessed with hockey. Inspired by her idol, Barry Wong, the first professional player of Chinese descent, she dreams of playing for a Vancouver team someday. However, her responsibilities at home and annoyingly childish older brother’s bullying get in the way—not to mention hockey is mostly reserved for boys, not girls!

Two Wotjobaluk Elders have begun teaching their grandson the vitally important lessons that will equip him with the necessary tools to maintain the survival of his culture. His classroom is the expansive country of his ancestors. Is he ready for this challenge, and will he know what to do when the time comes?

Deep in a Norwegian forest there is an old man living an orderly and quiet life. Closed off from the rest of the world, he spends his days with his lifelong friend, a troll. The folklore of the northern trolls dates back thousands of years. Gentle and delightful to watch, Forget-Me-Not evokes a warmth rarely enjoyed in the cinema.

Sufjan Stevens’ “The Hidden River of My Life” sets the scene for an experimental music video which uses elements of 2D animation, rotoscope, and live action to illustrate a cosmic, yet deeply intimate exploration of humanity: our past, our present, and the places we might go—all in the span of a few minutes.

Summer is coming to an end and Léa needs space to grow and breathe to find her own identity. Yet her brother's heart condition constantly reminds her that life hangs by a delicate thread. Marking one year without their father, the family is challenged to find the space to move on. Director Emilie Mannering returns to R2R after co-directing last year’s award winning Mahalia Melts in the Rain.

Inspired by her architect mom, a precocious young girl with a creative spirit is determined to build great things. Joined by her pup, the little girl sets out to make the most magnificent thing for her best friend – a dog house. However it may not be as easy as she thinks. This is a timeless tale about perseverance and hard work, and provides a perspective on the power of love and selflessness.

In Rapid Lake, Quebec, Darius Matchewan plays his drum and spends most of his days riding his bike with his friends. In this intimate and self-directed doc we are offered a glimpse into how the Algonquin culture brings Darius joy.

On a day like any other, a young girl spins her loom. When an apple falls from the tree, she bites into it, finding a tiny worm inside. Pitying the poor creature, she rests it on her wheel. The worm begins to spin by doing a magic dance, creating abundance for the girl. When her father discovers this secret, he exploits the worm’s magic for his personal gain and a power struggle ensues. This tale has many versions and reaches to the Persian dynasty of the third century C.E. It is thought to tell the story of Persia’s affluence derived from its silk-making secrets.

When internationally renowned Haida carver Robert Davidson was only 22, he impacted the history of his people forever. With help from his family, he carved a totem pole in Old Massett. It was the first in almost a century. On the 50th anniversary of the pole’s raising, Haida filmmaker and R2R award winning alumnus, Christopher Auchter revisits that day in 1969, when the entire village and three generations of Eagle and Raven clan gathered to celebrate the event that signaled the rebirth of the Haida spirit. Resplendent with animation, emotional interviews, and original archival footage, Now Is the Time captures the iconic pole raising in the old way.

Upon hearing a myth about falling stars, young Amna’s curiosity is sparked. When night falls on her Qatari village, she secretly sets out on her father's boat despite the fact that girls are forbidden to do so. With the assistance of her older brother, Sultan, Amna will take a risk to chase the fabled comet.

When Sherry and Larry find each other, a romance fit for a storybook begins. They get married, buy a house, and settle into their new found happiness. Then, one day, a peculiar woman informs Sherry that her happily ever after will grow by one: a son! Nine months later, it’s not a boy but a girl who appears, adding so much joy to their fanciful life...until she doesn't. At 10 years old she proclaims that she is not a she at all. The admission leaves Sherry and Larry reeling, feeling as though they've lost their only child. Will they find the courage to live beyond the classic narrative and write a new story… one of love and acceptance?

World-renowned animator Regina Pessoa recounts a personal letter she wrote to her uncle, proclaiming her love and appreciation of the eccentric man who became her artistic inspiration. Uncle Thomas, set in Portugal, is also a moving tribute to a poet of the everyday who was obsessed by numbers and calculations. This is Pessoa’s most personal work to date. An important film that celebrates love and difference, it is also shortlisted for an Oscar for Best Animated Short.

Nalvana believes all of her friends have some type of superpower. She has friends with super speed, friends who can jump so far she thinks they can fly, and friends who are better than her at a million other things. As Nalvana tries out each of her friends’ superpowers with no success, she wonders if she might be the only kid in town without a special talent. But then her mom shows Nalvana that she is unique and special—and that her superpower has been right in front of her all along.

The cycle of life and death plays out amongst a cast of unique porcelain puppets in a dense forest, reminding us that life exists by merely a thread. In this film's strange beauty also lives the magic of filmstock's grain, a rare treat for stop-motion aficionados, which also references Estonian and Mexican folklore. The story is universal and timeless.

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