Abbey Jean Cowan, Luxton Handspiker, Antonina Battrick, Paul Gordon
Canada
2021
English
Featured in:
VIFF Short Forum: Program 5
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Sentimental Value
A once-revered director crashes back into his family’s lives, eager to recruit his daughter for a film role. When she declines, he finds a new muse in an eager but unpolished Hollywood star, sending his botched reconciliation spiraling into chaos.
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.
Cutting Through Rocks
Winner of Sundance's World Cinema Documentary Grand Jury Prize, Cutting Through Rocks follows Sara Shahverdi — motorcyclist, midwife, and first-ever councilwoman elected in her Iranian village. A vérité triumph by Sara Khaki & Mohammadreza Eyni.
A Poet
When embittered poet Oscar Restrepo takes a job at a local high school, he meets Yurlady, a talented student from a poor background. Seeking to help her cultivate her art, he draws her into the poetry world — to disastrous and comedic results.
Mr. Nobody Against Putin
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.
Cousin Harley + Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
Come join Local Hillbilly heroes Cousin Harley, for a night of traditional Rockabilly, Western Swing and early Rock n Roll before reveling in the rock n roll biopic excess of John C Reilly as the legendary Dewey Cox!
Credits
Executive Producer
Nicholas Bradford-Ewart, Jessie Posthumus, Sarah Quan
Producer
Sarah Quan
Screenwriter
Jessie Posthumus
Cinematography
Benjamin Wong
Editor
Andrea Ziedenberg
Production Design
Mel Wright
Original Music
Kyle McCrea
Director
Jessie Posthumus
Jessie Posthumus is a Canadian writer, director, and editor working in both documentary and narrative film. Her short films have premiered in festivals such as Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, Inside Out, and Frameline, and have collected a number of Audience Choice and Best in Show awards. In her work, you will find a deep understanding of world-building, as well as a keen sense of humour. Her latest directing work includes a series of short documentaries about Canadians who are bad at their hobbies, as well as the short narrative film Rocket Fuel.


