Rising international talents bringing their singular visions to the screen
Introducing a new wave of gifted storytellers to Canadian audiences, the films in this series reflect the well of ingenuity and cinematic prowess emerging from all corners of the world. Form, style and genre either blur, bend or extend in these works, weaving regional flourishes and breathing fresh air into familiar narratives. Or inventing entirely new ones. This is the place to surrender expectations and discover a hidden gem.
— Sonja Baksa, Vanguard Curator
Media Partner
Little Trouble Girls
A remote Slovenian convent is the backdrop of Urška Djukić’s lush and seductive debut that sees an all-girl school choir decamp for a weekend-long retreat, where 16-year-old Lucija experiences important awakenings.
Dance of the Living
An ode to the wrestling tradition practiced by the indigenous Canarians of Fuerteventura island, this elegant and layered father-daughter drama takes us into the heart of a family crisis brought on by the untimely passing of their matriarch.
God Will Not Help
At the turn of the 20th century, a Chilean woman shows up in a remote Croatian community of shepherds, claiming to be the widow of the family’s eldest son. Deeply buried tensions start to surface among the distrustful clan.
Image: © Kinorama
Thus Spoke the Wind
Set in the remote plains of rural Armenia, Maria Rigel’s sharp sophomore feature takes us into the lives of young Hayk, his aunt Narine, and Hayk's rebellious mother, who has returned from a long stay in the country, throwing things off balance.
Wind, Talk to Me
In this quietly affecting, deeply personal debut, Stefan Djordjevic subtly but notably occupies both sides of the camera, painting a delicate portrait of a young man processing the loss of his mother.