2021 ONLINE: CANADIAN FEATURES ANNOUNCED

Mar 31

With 40 feature films and 40 short films, our 2021 NorthwestFest International Documentary Festival is going online, armed with our strongest lineup yet. We can't wait for our Alberta audiences to discover their newest favourite doc!

Our full lineup will be announced on April 7th, but today we are thrilled to announce our incredible batch of Canadian feature films including three with direct connections to the Edmonton area and 4 incredible films from the National Film Board of Canada. All films will be streaming on-demand from May 6-16th, right here at https://www.northwestfest.ca/.

Without further adieu, here’s what we’ve got for you:

FANNY: THE RIGHT TO ROCK

Director Bobbi Jo Hart presents Fanny: The Right to Rock, revealing the untold story of the Filipina-American garage band that morphed into the ferocious rock group Fanny, the first all-female rock band to be signed to a major label. Featuring appearances by super fans like Bonnie Raitt and Joe Elliot, plus archival footage from their #1 fan, David Bowie, you'll wonder why Fanny didn't become rock superstars!

HELL OR CLEAN WATER

Hell or Clean Water tells the story of unlikely environmentalist Shawn Bath who quit his job as a commercial diver to devote himself to his passion: Clean Harbours. Clean Harbours is an initiative that patrols the coast, removing the bottles, tires, boat parts, and other assorted debris that litter the harbours of Newfoundland.

THE LAST VILLAINS: MAD DOG & THE BUTCHER

The Last Villains: Mad Dog & The Butcher is the larger-than-life story of the legendary professional wrestling Vachon family, as recounted by the only surviving family member, Paul “The Butcher” Vachon.

NO ROSES ON A SAILOR’S GRAVE

Royal Navy veteran Patrick Thomas is the last living survivor of a ship that vanished during World War II. In No Roses on a Sailor’s Grave, fate brings Patrick together with archaeologist John Henry Phillips. Fuelled by their unexpected bond and the rapid passing of the Second World War generation, John makes a shocking promise to find the ship and build a memorial, with Patrick by his side.

Watch the Trailer

LOCAL CONNECTIONS:

JOE BUFFALO

Director: Amar Chebib | 2021 | 16 min | Canada

Fresh from winning the Documentary Competition Audience Award at this year's SXSW Film Festival, this heartfelt short film tells the beautifully rendered story of Joe Buffalo, Maskwacis Cree Nation skateboard legend. Joe survived Canada's notorious residential school system as a child and battled a variety of demons en route to realizing his dreams of turning pro.

LOVE, ORAN

Director: Colin Scheyen | 2021 | 75 min | Canada

A secret letter hidden in a wall for seventy years sets off a miraculous chain of events that would change a family forever. Love, Oran demonstrates the power of unconditional love and the miracles that it can create—sure to be a timely, well-needed escape for audiences.

THE LINE

Director: Anthony Goertz | 2020 | 49 min | Canada

The crucial work of reducing Edmontonians' ecological footprint is done by some of the most marginalized members of our local community. At the city’s world-renowned waste management centre, a company called Quality One hires people with barriers to employment including those with criminal records, newcomer status, struggles with addiction, and disabilities of various kinds. The result: real community in an unlikely place.

SHORT FILMS

We are delighted to present a phenomenal selection of short films this year, including some absolute stunners from Canada. Short films can be viewed before select feature films, or as part of our various shorts packages.

SEAWOLF

GUARDIANS OF THE GRASSLANDS

GARDEN SHARK

COMPANY TOWN

PEKIWEWIN RELIEF & PRAYER CAMP

HOU'LEY

DEVIL'S GOLD

MEDDLE

HEARTS & STRIPES

THE WALKING MAN

THE RETURN

ELDERS' ROOM

Breanne Byrne