World Premiere
For too long, the past has been the exclusive domain of the white colonial power structure. The good news is, we are in the midst of a paradigm shift in consciousness when it comes to appreciating history from multiple viewpoints. In this zippy NFB documentary, Hayley Gray and Elad Tzadok survey the inspiring work of a handful of community archives across British Columbia. It’s an important and timely reminder that the model of a centralized repository of records and artifacts is highly problematic—indeed, the official version of our history as presented by the Royal Museum of BC, for example, has consciously or not served to propagate a white supremacist narrative.
In contrast, Gray and Tzadok talk to curators and archivists from groups traditionally marginalized or excluded communities: Indigenous, Queer, Trans, the Chinese Canadian Museum, the Tahltan Nation, the South Asian Legacy Project, and others. Along the way, we learn the secret, neglected, and untold histories of this place we only think we know.
Q&A Sept 30 & Oct 2
Media Partner
Canada
2022
English
Gender or Sexual Discrimination
Open to youth!
Book Tickets
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
Emergence: Women in the Storm
Stories of resistance and recovery, courage, creativity and community in the face of the climate emergency gleaned from women first responders and those impacted in Western Canada, particularly Lytton and the Fraser Valley.
Never Rarely Sometimes Always
In Eliza Hittman's powerful slice of social realism, 17-year-old Autum is unable to get an abortion without parental consent in Pennsylvania. She persuades her bff Skylar (Talia Ryder) to come with her to New York where she hopes it will be easier...
Muzizi
From the director of the award-winning film Union Street, Jamila Pomeroy, Muzizi embarks on a great culinary adventure through Vancouver’s African diasporic culinary scene. Muzizi explores powerful stories of immigration, resilience, and joy.
2026 Oscar® Shorts (Documentary)
Don't come to the program of Oscar®-nominated documentary shorts for escapism. But let's talk about the Canadian contender, Perfectly a Strangeness, featuring an abandoned observatory and three donkeys. More of this, please.
The Painted Life of E.J. Hughes
A beautiful portrait of E.J. Hughes, who quietly helped reshape the artistic landscape of British Columbia in the 20th century. This extraordinary documentary explores Hughes’s legacy not only as an artist, but as a devoted, humble human being.
Credits
Producer
Teri Snelgrove
Screenwriter
Hayley Gray, Elad Tzadok
Cinematography
Kaayla Whachell
Editor
Aynsley Baldwin, Elad Tzadok
Original Music
Edo Van Breemen, Johannes Winkler
Directors
Photo by Kristine Cofsky
Hayley Gray
Hayley Gray is a Vancouver-based director, writer, and producer. A graduate of Dalhousie University and Vancouver Film School, she has written and directed documentary, narrative, and commercial work. Gray’s films have screened at festivals around the world and aired on Telus Optik, the Knowledge Network, CBC, and Air Canada.
Photo by Collin Morrison
Elad Tzadok
Elad Tzadok is an award-winning director, producer, and editor with a background in development and marketing. Born and raised in Israel, Tzadok moved to Vancouver, where he graduated from the Film Production Program at UBC and co-founded Scopitone Films. He has produced, directed, and edited music videos, commercials, narrative films, and documentaries.