TorontoFilmFestivalReviews.com: Canada First! Programme Films

Canada First!

Canada First! recognizes and celebrates Canadian talent. The programme focuses on relatively new feature filmmakers as well as more well-known filmmakers.

This year’s Toronto International Film Festival presents many excellent titles including Carolyn Combs’s Acts of Imagination, a film revealing the mystery that lingers over the childhood memories of Katya (Stephanie Hayes) and Slawko (Billy Marchenski). With their parents murdered in Ukraine, Katya lives her adult life in between the past and present as she tries to uncover the truth of the murder. With only each other, Katya and Slawko find comfort and security.
Acts of Imagination focuses on our relationship to our history.

Watch Acts of Imagination on Wednesday September 13th at 6:15 p.m. in Cumberland 1 and Friday September 15th at 3:15 p.m. in Varsity 3.

Another film in the Canada First! showcase is Andrew Currie’s Fido, a story of a young boy, Timmy Robinson who wants a pet and gets his wish—Fido. Fido, however is not the typical pet—he’s a six-foot zombie played by Scottish comedian Billy Connolly. Set in Willard, the town confined in the stereotypical “happy 1950s” world, the dead comes back to life. In response to this catastrophe, super powerful corporation ZomCon produces a “domestication collar” preventing zombies from craving to eat brains to useful members of the community as gardeners or milkmen. As the biggest-budget independent movie produced in British Columbia, Fido combines satire and gore with sentiment.

Watch Fido on Thursday September 7th at 9:15 p.m. in Ryerson and Saturday September 9th at 3:45 p.m. in Paramount 2.

In Camelia Frieberg’s A Stone’s Throw—set in a small town in Nova Scotia—the film exposes the fortunes of the Walker family. The family’s business strengthens the town’s economy but their contentment wanes as a family member arrives and opens past wounds. A Stone’s Throw evokes many questions regarding economy, family and the global industry as the family’s youngest son falls subject to the traveling family member’s influence, becoming erratic and dangerous. Delivered by a great cast, A Stone’s Throw has been described as courageous and intelligent.

Watch A Stone's Throw on Wednesday September 13th at 8:15 p.m. and Friday September 15th at 12:30 p.m. in Varsity 3.