Canadian Premiere
The daughter from a man’s first marriage feels left out and misunderstood at a birthday celebration for her younger stepsister. This is a beautifully made family relations story about a child’s insecurities and a father’s failure to recognize his daughter’s needs in a difficult situation. Reminiscent of Catherine Breillat’s emotionally rich works minus the sexual identity aspects, the film captures the mood and feelings of awkward belonging and frustration the daughter is overwhelmed by. Baby stems directly from the director’s experience growing up and exposes the difficulties and confusion children may have when parental relationships change.
Community Partner
Maria José Quintero, Rashed Esteffen, Juliana Bustillo, Mariana Tallaferro
Colombia
2022
In Spanish with English subtitles
Featured in:
International Shorts: Family Ties
The bonds of family form the basis of this program of short films. Bonds with history and responsibility—sometimes close, sometimes strained—now and for the future.
Missing VIFF? Check Out What's Playing at the VIFF Centre
Shadow of a Doubt
In our latest film studies series, FRAMEWORK, Michael van den Bos explores the work of Alfred Hitchcock across four monochrome masterworks. This week: smalltown US thriller Shadow of a Doubt (1943), one of the director's personal favourites.
La Bola Negra
A big, old-school historical melodrama gets a thrillingly modern, queer makeover from Spanish duo Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, who artfully juggle three gay protagonists across stories set in 1932, 1937, and 2017. Winner: Best Director, Cannes. Screening on 35mm.
The History of Concrete
After attending a workshop on pitching saccharine Hallmark movies, John Wilson tries to apply all the same best practices to his documentary about concrete. Frequently absurd and endlessly entertaining detours, asides, and digressions ensue.
NAZA
NAZA is a codeword euphemistically used by Israeli intelligence to indicate the number of civilians it expects will be killed in an airstrike. This chilling documentary exposes the policy and process of state-sanctioned mass killings.
The Best Years of Our Lives
One of the finest films to come out of WWII, The Best Years of Our Lives sympathetically conveys the difficulties returning veterans faced in readjusting to life at home. It won 7 of the top Academy Awards including Best Picture, Director and Actor.
Ray Gunn (Special Advance Screening with Brad Bird)
In an alternate future as seen from 1939, a private eye (Sam Rockwell) is drawn into a case involving aliens, murder, and a multimedia star (Scarlett Johansson). Followed by a moderated discussion with director Brad Bird (The Incredibles, Ratatouille).
Credits
Producer
Duván Duque Vargas, Natalia Barriga, Jaime Sánchez, Cristina Sánchez Salamanca
Screenwriter
Cristina Sánchez Salamanca
Cinematography
Luciana Riso
Editor
Ana Benzal
Production Design
Sofía Reyes
Original Music
Valeria Oggioni
Director
Cristina Sánchez Salamanca
Cristina Sánchez Salamanca is a Bogotá-based director and screenwriter specializing in fiction and commercial content. After studying Film and TV Direction at the ESCAC in Barcelona, Sánchez Salamanca returned to Colombia in 2016. Her short film Baby had its world premiere at Tribeca Film Festival’s Official Selection. She has worked as an Assistant Director and a Second Unit Director for Star+ and Disney+. Since 2022, Sánchez Salamanca has been the Head of Development at Vista Productions. She is currently developing her first feature film.