Info
VIEWING REGION: Canada & USA, FREE ADMISSION
See our film guide here!
Tuesday, SEPT 27, 9:00am | United Church Hall | 90 mins
This special free-admission presentation was curated with the students of Bluenose Academy in mind, but is open to everyone!
Lunenburg Doc Fest is delighted to present a collection of short fact-based films that entertain, educate and inspire. These documentaries are sure to spark awareness and engage youth and community through the discovery of diverse subjects, issues and cultures from Canada and beyond — an opportunity to ‘see the world’ from our seats in town!
See below for additional information on the shorts program.

FLOWING HOME (Như một dòng sông)
Director: Sandra Desmazières
Two sisters grow up in Vietnam and are separated by the war between North and South. After the fall of Saigon in 1975, Thao, in her teens, must leave the country with her uncle. Her sister Sao Maï, only a little older, remains with their parents, hoping they will soon be reunited. But their separation will last nearly 20 years, and the letters they exchange are their only way to connect and relieve their loneliness. Thao and Sao Maï write about their everyday lives, their memories, the war, and its ghosts.

THE FLYING SAILOR
Directors: Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby
Two ships collide in a harbour, an explosion shatters a city, and a sailor is blasted skyward. With ears ringing, blood pulsing and guts heaving, he soars high above the mayhem and towards the great unknown. A bold blend of comedy, suspense and philosophy, The Flying Sailor is an exhilarating contemplation of the wonder and fragility of existence.

ICE BREAKERS
Director: Sandi Rankaduwa
Josh Crooks is a young, gifted African-Canadian hockey player in an overwhelmingly white sport. In its intimate story of transgenerational identity, Ice Breakers reveals the buried history of how Black athletes helped pioneer modern hockey, as Crooks discovers that his passion is tied to a remarkable heritage.

BALAKRISHNA
Directors: Colin MacKenzie and Aparna Kapur
When an extraordinary new resident – Balakrishna, an Indian elephant – arrived in the town of East River, Nova Scotia, in 1967, no one was more in awe of the creature than young Winton Cook, who became inseparable from his mammoth new friend. Using painterly animation, photographs and home-movie treasures, Balakrishna transmits the wistfulness of childhood memories, while evoking themes of friendship and loss, and issues of immigration and elephant conservation.

THE NOVA SCOTIA ACADIANS
Director: Will Cyr
This animated clip illustrates the lives and realities of Nova Scotia Acadians. It comes from the game Ta parole est en jeu, which playfully explores the richness and variety of the French language in Canada.

SHAMAN
Director: Echo Henoche
Shaman is a first collaboration between the National Film Board of Canada and Labrador Inuk artist—and first-time animator—Echo Henoche. The short brings to life Henoche’s favourite legend, told to her by her grandfather in her home community of Nain, Nunatsiavut, on Labrador’s North Coast. It is the story of a ferocious polar bear turned to stone by an Inuk shaman. Hand-drawn and painted by Henoche in a style all her own, Shaman shares with the world her perspective on this Labrador Inuit legend.

MORE THAN I WANT TO REMEMBER
Director: Amy Bench
One night at her home in southeastern Congo, 14-year-old Mugeni awakes to the sounds of bombs. As her family scatters to the surrounding forests to save themselves, Mugeni finds herself completely alone. From there, she sets out on a remarkable solo journey across the globe, determined to reunite with her lost loved ones and lift up the Banyamulenge people. Despite unimaginable obstacles, Mugeni’s story is ultimately a portrait of hope, love, and family bonds.

KANAAN
Director: Meaghan Wright
Kanaan McCabe (they/them) is a queer Indigenous artist and mental health advocate. Kanaan struggled with self-identity and self-worth from a young age when members of their faith didn’t support their sexuality. Looking for ways to express themselves, they found a sense of calm through painting, spending time deep in the wilderness, and respecting how sacred water is in their life. Not taking access to water for granted, Kanaan connects to water by advocating for its protection and clean water for all communities through their artwork.

KING COVID
Director: Lulu Keating
King Covid describes how humans and viruses have interacted since the beginning of time. Now he wants credit for stopping humans before they destroy our shared habitat.