World Premiere
In 1999, 11-year-old Nisha Platzer lost her older brother, Josh, to suicide. Twenty years later, her search for a specialized medical treatment leads her to the door of someone who was once exceptionally close to Josh. And so it is that she finally has the chance to truly know her brother through his chosen family. Captured over five years in which synchronicities continually manifested, Platzer’s documentation of these encounters gently asserts that both grieving and healing are meant to be communal experiences.
The resulting back home includes candid interviews, lyrical visuals, evocative motifs, and segments in which filmstock has been hand-processed in seawater, plants, soil, and Josh’s ashes. Eloquently edited, the film establishes a meditative pace that allows a viewer space to reflect upon what’s being imparted and draw parallels to their own experiences. And, as it builds to a quietly staggering close, Platzer’s film instills in a viewer a desire to connect with those they hold dear.
Q&A Sept 30 & Oct 2
Presented by
Media Partner
Nisha Platzer, Swan, Sara Kendall, Sam Bligh, Zac Bligh, Rebecca Bligh
Canada/Cuba
2022
English
Self Harm, Flashing strobe lights
Book Tickets
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
Palimpsest: The Story of a Name
Drawing on home movies and diaries from the 1930s, 40s, 50s and 60s, Canadian filmmaker Mary Stephen (Eric Rohmer's editor for many years) investigates the origins of her surname. After all, she was born in Hong Kong to Chinese parents. Or were they... ?
Schindler Space Architect
RM Schindler is now recognized as one of the most important modernist architects of the era, the man who laid the groundwork for what is now considered the epitome of California indoor-outdoor living. This doc sheds light on a previously unsung genius.
Out of Sight
Adapted from Elmore Leonard's novel about the mutual attraction between an escaped bank robber and the FBI agent on his tail, Out of Sight is sexy and romantic, cosmopolitan, and full of Soderbergh's sleight of hand, shuffling time like a card sharp.
Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World
Sasha Waters' documentary takes us through the life of America's best-selling late twentieth century poet, a private woman who shared her innermost thoughts and made them indispensable.
The Big Lebowski
The Coens' whacky, warped slacker generation riff on Raymond Chandler, a shaggy dog story which delights in going sideways at every turn. Jeff Bridges is the Dude, and what he really wants is to get his rug back...
Searching for Satyrus
Award-winning filmmaker and photographer Rena Effendi embarks on a quest to track down the very rare Satyrus Effendi, a butterfly discovered by her father in the mountains of Aberbaijain. But what she finds is altogether more personal, and more upsetting.
Credits
Executive Producer
John Bolton
Producer
Joella Cabalu, Nisha Platzer
Screenwriter
Nisha Platzer, Jenn Strom
Cinematography
Suzanne Friesen, Flávio Rebouças
Editor
Jenn Strom, Milena Salazar
Production Design
Alexander Nolan
Original Music
Todd Macdonald – Norvaiza
Director
Photo by Erika Lind
Nisha Platzer
Nisha Platzer (she/her) is a queer artist and filmmaker from Vancouver, Canada. Her last short film, Vaivén (2020) won the Best Film Award at aluCine Latin Film & Media Arts Festival and competed at Raindance Film Festival, Festival du Nouveau Cinéma, International Documentary Film Festival of Buenos Aires (FIDBA), and Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival. Platzer studied at the Escuela Internacional de Cine y Televisión (EICTV) in Cuba. She teaches handmade film workshops and is a member of Iris Film Collective. back home, her first feature documentary, was recently presented at the Canadian Docs-in-Progress Showcase at Cannes Docs.