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Ellie film image, director Fernando Bonelli

Ellie

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

Director
Cast

Verónika Moral, Jorge Kent, Liz Lobato, María Zuheros, Bernabé Fernández, Montse Pla

Credits
Country of Origin

Spain

Year

2022

Language

In Spanish with English subtitles

Film Contact
20 min

Featured in:

Mumu film image

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.

 

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Cutting Through Rocks
Cutting Through Rocks film image; person riding a motorcycle backlit by a sunset

Cutting Through Rocks

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VIFF Centre - Lochmaddy Studio Theatre

Train Dreams

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VIFF Centre - VIFF Cinema

Mr. Nobody Against Putin

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90 min

Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary, and Special Jury Prize Winner, Sundance, 2025, this exposé shot by a Russian primary teacher shows how the Putin propaganda machine works to militarize children.

VIFF Centre - Lochmaddy Studio Theatre

Spring After Spring

Dir. Jon Chiang
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VIFF Centre - VIFF Cinema VIFF Centre - Lochmaddy Studio Theatre

The Chronology of Water

Dir. Kristen Stewart
128 min

Kristen Stewart's fearless directorial debut is based on the best-selling memoir by Lidia Yuknavitch (Imogen Poots), a chronicle of her abusive childhood, traumatized adulthood, and escapes through swimming, drugs, sex, and ultimately writing.

VIFF Centre - Lochmaddy Studio Theatre
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Sound of Falling

Dir. Mascha Schilinski
149 min

A remote German farmhouse is the stage for the mundane and magical experiences of four girls who call the foreboding place home at various intervals over the course of a century. In turns delicate and devastating, this is cinema at its most experiential.

Image: © Fabian Gamper

VIFF Centre - VIFF Cinema

Credits

Producer

Elena Zabía, Miguel Ángel Larraya, Fernando Bonelli

Screenwriter

Fernando Bonelli

Cinematography

Enrique Silguero, Carlos Garcés

Editor

Ascen Marchena

Original Music

Juan Antonio Simarro, Fernando Bonelli

Art Director

Isi G. San Martín

Director

Fernando Bonelli headshot, Ellie director

Fernando Bonelli

Fernando Bonelli began his career leading Globo Media’s artistic department. In 2003, he founded Bonelli & Asociados, a company specializing in advice and legal support in the artistic field, and a few years later, Consuelo Films and Mayfield Pictures.