Eleven year old Aaliyah is excited to see another face of colour at her all white camp. Desperate to make a friend, she attempts to fit in with the cool girls and must decide if shaving her peach fuzz lip should be a term of fitting in. A complex look at self-love and the pressures of adolescents.
A young shaman must face her first test: a trip underground to visit Kannaaluk, The One Below, who holds the answers to why a community member has become ill.
In the streets of Finland, a couple discuss the trials and tribulations of their relationship while moving a bed and its frame across the city. Over the course of this unorthodox journey, they learn quite a lot about one another.
Thirteen year old, Parsa, is hiding something from his parents. As the lies spin and the truth emerges, it seems that the truth may not be the truth at all and everyone is hiding something.
Violet, who is as bold as can be, crosses path's with the more timid, Blue, who is in the midst of coming to terms with their identity. Exploring this unexpected new connection, a queer surf-romance builds, inviting reflection on the nuance of gender and the refuge found in being truly seen.
It’s almost time to go back to school and Camélia, 15, has a peculiar favor to ask Salah, her childhood best friend: she would like to practice french kissing before the end of the summer. Tender and direct, these subtle and delicate performances envelop the screen.
The greatest life lessons are learned through simplest of experiences. Behold, your regular kitchen turns into your biggest classroom and Mom serves up a plate of wisdom.
Visiting his grandmother in a rural Italian village, young Giulio wants to play with the neighbourhood kids, but he's a little too young to make friends easily. Imitating the neighbour as he watches on, a new game emerges and he begins to make new discoveries and new friends.
Attempting to play matchmakers on the last day of school, Mia, Natalie and Jabari frantically try to set up Ms. Cheryl for a love connection. Afterall she is the most beloved bus driver of all time!
Ball culture originated in African-American, Latino, gay, and transgender communities of 80's New York. A dip, a shablam, a death drop, is when a dancer strikes a pose and dramatically falls onto their back. Rich and bright hand-drawn animation celebrate the drama and comedy of the ethos "the higher the fall, the spicier the dip."
Unbeknownst to Eloise, the man she asks for a ride into town in a relative stranger. On the other hand, he knows something she doesn't and over the course of the car ride they learn some dark truths about each other.
The scenic salt pyramids of India are home to two young girls of different caste who are forbidden to play together. Where the bounds of society unravel one pebble at a time, friendship endures all social odds.
Looking back on the childhood teachings from her father, a woman from Lac Seul First Nation passes on the message of generosity, giving and community that have guided through a life of compassion.
After a late night at their high school graduation party, Chantal and Delphine find themselves walking home alone in the dark. Lost in the forest, their long night walk is punctuated by carelessness and an irrepressible desire to exist.
A dusty old motorcycle sits in disrepair, but for little Qinghe a world of imagination connects him to the stoic and revelrous spirit of his grandfather. A gentle and quiet film that honours tradition and family.
In a whimsical world a cheerful young girl decides to help a little bird by investigating where all the eggs are disappearing to. An imaginative mystery with a unexpected ending!
After the war in Vietnam, with a baby on the way, a young refugee couple tries to find their place in a new country. A family history shared for the first time, which shines a heartfelt and honest light on Vancouver's migrant and Indigenous experience in 1960s.
On Christmas eve in 1983, rural Quebec, Santa is late for the party and papa Denis sits alone in his car. Older sister, Julie, bears witness to her family with a new lens and must decide how to honour this new information and what feels right. A brilliant depiction of stepping into adolescent growth.
While his mother is busy hunting, a young wolf finds himself lost, alone and frightened. Jeanne, Gaston and Louis, the wolf hunter's children, decide to keep the pup safe––but a wolf cannot live in the shed forever.
The spirit of an Ojibwe fancy shawl dancer finds strength amidst loss, ignited by a warrior story shared by her Mishomis as she finds her place within the generational line.
João is a delivery man who dreams of having a motorcycle. He was told that everything would be like a musical film, yet the political and class realities on Brazil hang heavy for those in the food delivery sector.
Recently moved to a new home near an ancient cloud forest, Nicolas’ curiosity lures him into a world unlike his, against his parents wishes. Underscoring the importance of balance between the natural and human made world, this gorgeous animation from Colombia honours life in all its mysterious glory.
Oskar is on the night train, heading home from Stockholm. With a long night ahead, his wandering glances connect with the gentle eyes of Ahmad. For the first time, he meets the gaze of someone who feels the same desire as he does. Will he find the courage to act on his desire?
Felix has broken the rules once again and the director is threatening to deny him further access. Frantic, his mother is concerned for his emotional state and barrels in to offer support given that his grandmother is unable to anymore.
In Cree and English we hear the premonitions of an Elder as they relate to Treaty 6, while images of a changing landscape are visualized and animated into something far from its original state.
A young dinosaur enthusiast is thrilled to discover her favourite show has announced a feature film! But when the day comes for her to see the film, Clíodhna learns that the UK has entered lockdown.
For Leo, a cassette tape Walkman acts as a conduit to connecting with his grandpa. It transports them to another realm full of fun and hugs, in which his grandpa hasn't yet lost his speech or mobility.
Living with his boisterous grandmother in a remote village, deep in the snowy mountains of Kyrgyzstan, Orozbek, is a joyful boy who loves to draw. We are invited to glimpse his daily journey to school, life in his far away classroom, and the wonder of love in his world.
Twelve-year-old footballers Viggo and Noel explore the limits of their masculinity in the shower. But when a sudden stop to an innocent game interrupts their curiosity, questions what a male friendship is allowed to be arise.
Wandering London, a young man happens upon a young woman absorbed in practicing classical ballet. Moved by her performance, he returns with some moves of his own, much to the dismay of his unapproving father.
In the twilight of summer, a family must come to terms with the reality that their son will be away at school for the next year. Full of love, this a gorgeously animated tale of letting go in the best possible way.
During Léo’s birthday party, a valuable toy disappears and the children look for a culprit. A complex story of assumption and suspicion predicated on unexamined bias.
Traversing landscapes and seasons, connecting us to the land, filmmaking sisters Tracey and Angie Richard evoke a sense of nostalgia and home with found objects and imagination.
As the frame literally expands, more of the scene becomes apparent. An ode to simple life and appreciation of routine, this charming and patient animation offers a slice of rural country living in Japan.
Driven to be the best player in the league, Dominique focuses on not only winning, but meeting her father's intense training expectations. When she secures a coveted trophy, whose win is it really?
Separated not only by distance, but also circumstances, two lovers threatened by violence defy the Russian constitution to express their passion for one another.
Reel 2 Real International Film Festival for Youth 225 West 8th Ave. Vancouver, BC V5Y 1N3