Skip to main content
Uncommon Ground film image; woman scared in woods

Uncommon Ground

VIFF Short Forum

Canadian Premiere

In the year 2171, Tawni and her aunt live in the Shadowlands. While on a journey to the capital for medicine, Tawni discovers a plane crash survivor and risks her own safety to treat him.

 

Supported by

    

Media Partner

Community Partner

Director
Cast

Leenah Robinson, Malcolm Sparrow-Crawford, Quelemia Sparrow

Credits
Country of Origin

Canada

Year

2024

Language

English

Film Contact
18+
20 min
Action BC Spotlight Family Relations Horror & Thriller Indigenous Cinema Shorts Women Directors
Imoto Productions, Halo Halo Productions

Credits & Director

Executive Producer

Stephanie Rennie, Amanda J Strachan

Producer

Mik Narciso, Makenna Jow, Phil Planta, Nightingale

Screenwriter

Faith Sparrow-Crawford, Bruce Crawford

Cinematography

Kaayla Whachell

Editor

Kevin Ang

Production Design

Jane Li

Original Music

Justin Delorme

Faith Sparrow-Crawford headshot; Uncommon Ground director

Faith Sparrow-Crawford

Faith Sparrow-Crawford is an early-career writer, director, and producer from the Musqueam Nation in Vancouver, BC. She was raised in her community by generations of storytellers and artists and has always had a love for sharing the stories of her people. She has devoted herself to creating meaningful work that creates space for Indigenous peoples and people of colour in film. In 2024, Faith completed her first short film, Uncommon Ground.

Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre

2026 Oscar® Shorts (Documentary)

Dir. Various
157 min

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.

VIFF Centre - Lochmaddy Studio Theatre VIFF Centre - VIFF Cinema

Sirât

Dir. Óliver Laxe
115 min

A desperate father (Sergi Lopez) searchers for his missing daughter through the spiritual wasteland of the Moroccan desert. An unforgettable sensory powerhouse, Sîrat will have you riveted and rattled for hours after the end credits have rolled.

VIFF Centre - VIFF Cinema

2026 Oscar® Shorts (Live Action)

Dir. Various
119 min

This year's contenders in the Live Action category include comedies, drama, an experimental musical, and a dystopian fantasy; films from the UK and the US, France and Israel.

VIFF Centre - Lochmaddy Studio Theatre VIFF Centre - VIFF Cinema

H is for Hawk

Dir. Philippa Lowthorpe
114 min

Based on naturalist Helen MacDonald's memoir (scripted by Emma Donoghue), H is for Hawk follows Helen (Claire Foy), who, after the sudden death of her father embarks on an intense relationship... with a goshawk.

VIFF Centre - Lochmaddy Studio Theatre

Emergence: Women in the Storm

Dir. Velcrow Ripper & Nova Ami
85 min

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.

VIFF Centre - VIFF Cinema VIFF Centre - Lochmaddy Studio Theatre

2026 Oscar® Shorts (Animated)

Dir. Various
83 min

The nominees for Best Animated Short Film include The Girl Who Cried Pearls, a fable from Canadian filmmakers Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski, narrated by Colm Feore.

VIFF Centre - VIFF Cinema VIFF Centre - Lochmaddy Studio Theatre