Six short documentaries about life at the human scale

 

The Lines She Carries

Dir: Crystal Martin · 11 min · Canada

As Inuk filmmaker Crystal Martin prepares to receive her traditional tuniit, she reflects on womanhood, cultural erasure, and the act of carrying Inuit stories on the skin. A deeply personal documentary about reclaiming what residential schools tried to take away.

 

Free Fish

Dir: Bisan Owda · 23 min · Palestine

In Gaza, two brothers separated by siege and displacement keep returning to the sea, where fishing has become not just a livelihood but a way to endure. Filmed entirely in Gaza during one of the deadliest years in recent history, Free Fish follows Mohammad and Ahmad Kaloob alongside Mohammad's teenage nephew Rami, who lost his twin brother and now fishes alone. A portrait of survival, grief, and quiet defiance.

 

Motel Grand-Pré

Dir: Calvin Liu · 15 min · Canada

At a small motel in Gaspésie, Mr. Liu moves through repairs, cleaning, and routine while his visiting filmmaker son tries to understand him by staying close to the work. A quiet, often funny documentary about the delicate ways a father and son learn to share time together. Winner of the Canadian Society of Cinematographers Award and Air Canada Best Short Film Award.

 

Lorraine

Dir: Allison Basha, David Gosine · 15 min · NL

Lorraine Michael looks back on a life in politics, labour, and public protest while tracing the Lebanese-Newfoundland community that shaped her sense of justice. A locally-made documentary about the extraordinary career of one of Newfoundland and Labrador's most influential political figures.

 

No Matter The Weather

Dir: Florence Lafond · 15 min · Canada

When 83-year-old Renée breaks her ankle, her filmmaker granddaughter Florence steps in as caregiver. What begins as a practical arrangement becomes a tender and honest look at aging, dependence, and the short time a family has left.

 

If they're not dead, they're still alive

Dir: Maïka Hearson, Maïka Hearson · 10 min · NL

On Newfoundland's Port au Port Peninsula, storyteller Mark Cormier keeps francophone history alive by telling the stories of his heritage. A documentary portrait of linguistic survival, resilience, and pride on the margins of Newfoundland culture.