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Human Rights

  • Picture This
    Picture This
    Jari Osborne 2017 33 min
    What does it mean to be disabled and desirable?

    In Picture This, a new documentary by Jari Osborne, we meet Andrew Gurza, a self-described “queer cripple” who has made it his mission to make sex and disability part of the public discourse.

  • Birth of a Family
    Birth of a Family
    Tasha Hubbard 2017 1 h 19 min
    Betty Ann, Esther, Rosalie, and Ben were only four of the 20,000 Indigenous Canadian children taken from their families between 1955 and 1985, to be either adopted into white families or live in foster care. As the four siblings piece together their shared history, their connection deepens, and their family begins to take shape.
  • Holy Angels
    Holy Angels
    Jay Cardinal Villeneuve 2017 13 min
    In 1963, Lena Wandering Spirit became one of the more than 150,000 Indigenous children who were removed from their families and sent to residential school. Jay Cardinal Villeneuve’s short documentary Holy Angels powerfully recaptures Canada’s colonialist history through impressionistic images and the fragmented language of a child. Villeneuve met Lena through his work as a videographer with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Filmed with a fierce determination to not only uncover history but move past it, Holy Angels speaks of the resilience of a people who have found ways of healing—and of coming home again.
  • Paula
    Paula
    Scott Munn 2019 9 min
    Before her operation, Paula was the husband, father, son and neighbour known as Paul. Now, she’s the only transgender person her community has ever met.
  • this river
    this river
    Erika MacPherson  &  Katherena Vermette 2016 19 min
    This short documentary offers an Indigenous perspective on the devastating experience of searching for a loved one who has disappeared. Volunteer activist Kyle Kematch and award-winning writer Katherena Vermette have both survived this heartbreak and share their histories with each other and the audience. While their stories are different, they both exemplify the beauty, grace, resilience, and activism born out of the need to do something.
  • Beauty
    Beauty
    Christina Willings 2018 23 min
    Beauty explores the lives of five gender-creative kids, each uniquely engaged in shaping their own sense of what it means to be fully human. Whether it’s dealing with bullies, explaining themselves to their parents, or navigating the uncharted waters of relationships, Bex, Lili, Fox, Tru and Milo talk about their experiences and struggle to live in authenticity.
  • A Mother and Daughter on Abortion
    A Mother and Daughter on Abortion
    Gail Singer 1987 12 min
    This short film documents an intimate conversation between a mother and her adult daughter on the subject of abortion. They speak candidly about their personal experiences in trying to obtain the procedure, and how, in different decades – before and after the 1969 amendment to the federal law – each got caught up in the system and its rules. A useful discussion-starter on the complex issues relating to abortion.
  • 19 Days
    19 Days
    Asha Siad  &  Roda Siad 2016 26 min
    This short documentary follows several refugee families during their first 19 days in Canada, as they navigate an unfamiliar terrain that has suddenly become their home. Located in the quiet Calgary neighbourhood of Bridgeland, the Margaret Chisholm Resettlement Centre is the starting point for government-assisted refugees who arrive in the city. During the 19-day timeline established by the federal government, an initial assessment is done and refugees are assisted with everything from airport reception and orientation to referrals, documents, and counselling.

    19 Days reveals the human side of the refugee resettlement process. A unique look at the global migration crisis and one particular stage of asylum, it lays plain the realities faced on the difficult road towards integration.

  • Silence Is Gold
    Silence Is Gold
    Julien Fréchette 2012 1 h 17 min
    This feature documentary takes us through the twists and turns of judicial proceedings pitting Canadian mining companies Barrick Gold and Banro against author Alain Deneault, his co-writers and publisher Éditions Écosociété, following the 2008 release of the book Noir Canada, which raised troubling questions about the controversial practices of Canadian mining companies in Africa. Silence is Gold is a legal and political thriller that captures years of intense psychological tension.
  • Who Cares
    Who Cares
    Rosie Dransfeld 2012 1 h 19 min
    In this cinema vérité documentary, director Rosie Dransfeld captures the gritty and dangerous world of Edmonton's sex trade workers where, in a post-Pickton era, women now voluntarily provide police with DNA samples for future postmortem identification.
  • Triage: Dr. James Orbinski's Humanitarian Dilemma
    Triage: Dr. James Orbinski's Humanitarian Dilemma
    Patrick Reed 2007 1 h 28 min
    In this vérité feature documentary, we travel with Dr. James Orbinski from Toronto where he is a father, doctor and teacher, back to Africa where he spent years as a field doctor, as he embarks on writing a personal and controversial book about his humanitarian experiences. Dr. Orbinski accepted the 1999 Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) as their President, and was a field doctor during the Somali famine and the Rwandan genocide, among other catastrophes. In this film, and through his personal perspective, we look at the act of triage. Racing against time with limited resources, relief workers make split-second decisions: who gets treatment; who gets food; who lives; who dies. By the creative team behind the award-winning documentary Shake Hands with the Devil: The Journey of Roméo Dallaire.
  • Status Quo? The Unfinished Business of Feminism in Canada
    Status Quo? The Unfinished Business of Feminism in Canada
    Karen Cho 2012 1 h 27 min
    Feminism has shaped the society we live in. But just how far has it brought us, and how relevant is it today? This feature documentary zeroes in on key concerns such as violence against women, access to abortion, and universal childcare, asking how much progress we have truly made on these issues. Rich with archival material and startling contemporary stories, Status Quo? uncovers answers that are provocative and at times shocking.
  • Last Chance
    Last Chance
    Paul Émile d'Entremont 2012 1 h 24 min
    This feature documentary tells the stories of 5 asylum seekers who flee their native countries to escape homophobic violence. They face hurdles integrating into Canada, fear deportation and anxiously await a decision that will change their lives forever.
  • The Coca-Cola Case
    The Coca-Cola Case
    Germán Gutiérrez  &  Carmen Garcia 2009 1 h 25 min
    For decades, Colombia has ranked first among countries in the number of social leaders assassinated. From 2002 to 2009, more than 470 leaders were killed by paramilitary militias in the pay of companies ready to do anything to crush the unions. Among these unscrupulous corporate brands were bottling plants of Coca-Cola company products.

    These unpunished crimes spur U.S. activists Dan Kovalik, Terry Collingsworth and Ray Rogers into an ambitious crusade against the soft drink giant, accusing them of turning a blind eye to the misdeeds brought to their attention. By following the relentless efforts of this unshakeable trio, The Coca-Cola Case takes us on a fascinating legal road-movie, against a backdrop of denunciation campaigns claiming: Stop Killer Coke!

    After five years of struggle, will Coca-Cola yield in the end? And on the verge of a settlement, what will the victims choose—cash, or power and integrity?
  • Sisters & Brothers
    Sisters & Brothers
    Kent Monkman 2015 3 min
    In a pounding critique of Canada's colonial history, this short film draws parallels between the annihilation of the bison in the 1890s and the devastation inflicted on the Indigenous population by the residential school system.

    This film is part of Souvenir, a series of four films addressing Indigenous identity and representation by reworking material in the NFB's archives.
  • At the Beach
    At the Beach
    Jeremy Peter Allen 2015 5 min
    In this short documentary, burn victims get to enjoy a family day at the beach thanks to an outing organized by the Association des grands brûlés. Enduring the curious stares of strangers isn't easy, but the desire to lead a full life, especially on such a beautiful summer day, is simply too strong. By sharing the inspiring stories of these men and women, Jeremy Peter Allen's At the Beach invites us to embrace our differences.

  • Chile, Obstinate Memory
    Chile, Obstinate Memory
    Patricio Guzmán 1997 58 min
    In this feature documentary, a Chilean filmmaker returns to the motherland for the first time in 23 years. Time is passing. A generation of young Chileans has grown up with no knowledge of the facts surrounding the military coup of September 11, 1973. In his suitcase, The Battle of Chile his 3-part cinéma vérité chronicle of the political tensions in Chile in 1973 and of the violent counterrevolution against the democratically elected government of Salvador Allende. His documentary toured the world but was never seen in Chile. Discreetly, he shows it to his friends and a small group of students. After the screening, the young people are in a state of shock. They have an urgent need to know the truth, for it is they who must build the Chile of tomorrow. In Spanish with English subtitles
  • Hollow Water
    Hollow Water
    Bonnie Dickie 2000 48 min
    This documentary profiles the tiny Ojibway community of Hollow Water on the shores of Lake Winnipeg as they deal with an epidemic of sexual abuse in their midst. The offenders have left a legacy of denial and pain, addiction and suicide. The Manitoba justice system was unsuccessful in ending the cycle of abuse, so the community of Hollow Water took matters into their own hands. The offenders were brought home to face justice in a community healing and sentencing circle. Based on traditional practices, this unique model of justice reunites families and heals both victims and offenders. The film is a powerful tribute to one community's ability to heal and create change.
  • Fat Chance
    Fat Chance
    Jeff McKay 1994 1 h 12 min
    This documentary follows Rick Zakowich as he faces his lifelong struggles with his weight and body image. Child therapist by day and blues singer by night, Rick's charisma and talent are undeniable, yet he remains fixed within the definition of a narrow label. The film takes on appearance-based oppression and fat-shaming by examining the ways in which society treats people whose bodies don’t necessarily match a narrow, unrealistic ideal of attractiveness. Instead of losing weight, Rick gains valuable insight, transformative new friendships, and a profound sense of self-confidence.
  • Carts of Darkness
    Carts of Darkness
    Murray Siple 2008 59 min
    Murray Siple's feature-length documentary follows a group of homeless men who have combined bottle picking with the extreme sport of racing shopping carts down the steep hills of North Vancouver. This subculture shows that street life is much more than the stereotypes portrayed in mainstream media.

    The film takes a deep look into the lives of the men who race carts, the adversity they face and the appeal of cart racing despite the risk. Shot in high-definition and featuring tracks from Black Mountain, Ladyhawk, Vetiver, Bison, and Alan Boyd of Little Sparta.
  • The Colour of Beauty
    The Colour of Beauty
    Elizabeth St. Philip 2010 16 min
    Renee Thompson is trying to make it as a top fashion model in New York. She's got the looks, the walk and the drive. But she’s a black model in a world where white women represent the standard of beauty. Agencies rarely hire black models. And when they do, they want them to look “like white girls dipped in chocolate.”

    The Colour of Beauty is a shocking short documentary that examines racism in the fashion industry. Is a black model less attractive to designers, casting directors and consumers? What is the colour of beauty?
  • Totem: The Return of the G'psgolox Pole
    Totem: The Return of the G'psgolox Pole
    Gil Cardinal 2003 1 h 10 min
    This feature-length documentary traces the journey of the Haisla people to reclaim the G'psgolox totem pole that went missing from their British Columbia village in 1929. The fate of the 19th century traditional mortuary pole remained unknown for over 60 years until it was discovered in a Stockholm museum where it is considered state property by the Swedish government.

    Director Gil Cardinal combines interviews, striking imagery and rare footage of master carvers to raise questions about ownership and the meaning of Indigenous objects held in museums.
  • Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance
    Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance
    Alanis Obomsawin 1993 1 h 59 min
    In July 1990, a dispute over a proposed golf course to be built on Kanien’kéhaka (Mohawk) lands in Oka, Quebec, set the stage for a historic confrontation that would grab international headlines and sear itself into the Canadian consciousness. Director Alanis Obomsawin—at times with a small crew, at times alone—spent 78 days behind Kanien’kéhaka lines filming the armed standoff between protestors, the Quebec police and the Canadian army. Released in 1993, this landmark documentary has been seen around the world, winning over a dozen international awards and making history at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it became the first documentary ever to win the Best Canadian Feature award. Jesse Wente, Director of Canada’s Indigenous Screen Office, has called it a “watershed film in the history of First Peoples cinema.”
  • Cure for Love
    Cure for Love
    Francine Pelletier  &  Christina Willings 2008 59 min
    Cure for Love is a full-length documentary about a controversial evangelical movement that purports to convert gay people into heterosexuals. The film brings us inside this unusual Christian subculture and follows the lives of several young people whose homosexuality is at odds with their religious beliefs.
  • Four Women of Egypt
    Four Women of Egypt
    Tahani Rached 1997 1 h 29 min
    This feature documentary invites you to partake in a discussion between 4 Egyptian women of different political and religious stripe. Amina, Safynaz, Shahenda and Wedad are Muslim, Christian, or non-religious, but they are first and foremost friends. They listen to one another's views and argue openly, without ever breaking the bond that unites them. How do we get along with each other when our views collide? A timely question, and a universal one. Four Women of Egypt takes on this challenge, and their confrontation redefines tolerance.
  • Memorandum
    Memorandum
    John Spotton  &  Donald Brittain 1965 58 min
    This documentary follows a Holocaust survivor in 1965 on an emotional pilgrimage to Bergen Belsen, the last of 11 concentration camps where he was held by the Nazis. He and 30 other former Jewish inmates travel through the new Germany. Scenes still vivid in his mind are recalled in flashback. The memorandum of the title refers to Hitler's memo offering a "final solution" to the "Jewish problem."
  • The Tree That Remembers
    The Tree That Remembers
    Masoud Raouf 2002 50 min
    In 1992 a young Iranian student hanged himself on the outskirts of a small Ontario town. Having escaped the Ayatollah's regime and found a new home in Canada, he could not escape his past. In this film, Masoud Raouf documents the experiences of Iranian-Canadians - former political prisoners like himself - who were active in the Iranian democratic movement and continue to struggle with the past.
  • Everybody's Children
    Everybody's Children
    Monika Delmos 2008 51 min
    Monika Delmos's documentary captures a year in the life of two teenage refugees, Joyce and Sallieu, who have left their own countries to make a new life in Ontario. Joyce, 17, left the Democratic Republic of Congo to avoid being forced into prostitution by her family. Sallieu, 16, had witnessed the murder of his mother as a young boy in wartorn Sierra Leone.

    Delmos follows them as they bear the normal pressures of being a teenager while simultaneously undergoing the refugee application process. She shows how the guidance and support of a handful of people make a real difference in the day-to-day lives of these children.
  • Scared Sacred
    Scared Sacred
    Velcrow Ripper 2004 1 h 44 min
    Scared Sacred is a feature documentary that asks the question: Can we be Scared into the Sacred? The film takes us on a journey to the pivotal ground zeros of the world, places like Bosnia, Hiroshima, New York City and Afghanistan in search of stories of hope and meaning.
  • Jaded
    Jaded
    Cal Garingan 2010 14 min
    This sharp and funny mockumentary uses role reversal to illustrate the realities of overt and systemic racism in the workplace.
  • My Son Shall Be Armenian
    My Son Shall Be Armenian
    Hagop Goudsouzian 2004 1 h 20 min
    Exploring the question of Armenian identity, My Son Shall Be Armenian follows filmmaker Hagop Goudsouzian, who travels with five Montreal men and women of Armenian descent to the land of his ancestors in search of survivors of the 1915 genocide. Through interviews with elders and the touching accounts of his fellow travellers, Goudsouzian has crafted a dignified and poignant film on the need to make peace with the past in order to turn toward the future. In French with English subtitles.
  • Hannah's Story
    Hannah's Story
    Juanita Peters 2007 29 min
    At the age of 5, Hannah Taylor spotted her first homeless person in the back alleys of Winnipeg. This experience not only troubled her, but it drove her to do nothing less than change the world. The Ladybug Foundation, the charity Hannah helped establish, has raised over a million dollars to date. With her huge heart and can-do attitude, she preaches a simple message of "Share a little of what you have and always care about others." As this short documentary proves, we all have a lot to learn from Hannah's story.
  • For Angela
    For Angela
    Nancy Trites Botkin  &  Daniel Prouty 1993 21 min
    This short film portrays the experiences of Rhonda Gordon and her daughter, Angela, when a simple bus ride changes their lives in an unforeseeable way. When they are harassed by three boys, Rhonda finds the courage to take a unique and powerful stance against ignorance and prejudice. What ensues is a dramatic story of racism and empowerment.
  • Opre Roma: Gypsies in Canada
    Opre Roma: Gypsies in Canada
    Tony Papa 1999 52 min
    This documentary celebrates the vibrant culture and tenacious struggle of the Canadian Gypsy and introduces a new generation of Roma who claim their roots with pride. They call themselves by their rightful name, the Roma. Almost 80,000 call Canada home. Meet Julia Lovell, a passionate defender of Roma human rights, whose father is slowly gaining the confidence to reveal his heritage; and Karen Gray Boothroyd, a flamenco dancer just beginning to reclaim her Gypsy roots.