The highly anticipated world premiere of Banchi Hanuse's documentary feature CEREMONY is this Saturday, March 14th at SXSW in Austin, Texas with the team and subjects in attendance. The film began as a request from Nuxalk community leadership, with no parameters on what it should include. Once Hanuse started filming ten years ago it became a responsibility she couldn’t shake and here we are at the culmination of her dedication and brilliance from the film's debut. If you saw her last documentary, Aitamaako’Tamisskapi Natosi: Before The Sun, you know that Banchi's work is not to be missed.
"Incredible Must-Watch Story of Survival" - Collider
When the ooligan vanishes from Bella Coola, its absence remains like a scar, pointing to a history that reaches far beyond the river. From ramshackled Nuxalk Radio, voices rise through crackling airwaves to trace the forces no one was meant to uncover. What begins as a local broadcast becomes an awakening as testimony, watercolour animation and rare archival weave a story of survival, return and the quiet revolution of a Nation that refuses to disappear.
“Director Banchi Hanuse invites us into the ebb and flow of the Nuxalk people with the help of a radio station and a small, fatty fish. Together they operate as a gateway that bridges cultures and differences, bringing us into a people, a story, and hope that is deeply human.” - Lindsey Dunn, @1ofmystories
If you aren’t able to make it to the world premiere, CEREMONY will have a second screening on March 16th at @sxsw with more festivals to be announced.
#SXSW2026 #SXSW #documentary #WorldPremiere #PenderPR
The independent filmmaking world is extremely challenging. Especially in Canada. Here’s your gentle reminder to make sure you don’t forget a very important piece of the puzzle.
Don’t forget to put a realistic amount in the budget for PR. They are the key to exposing your film to the world.
Shout out to Nicola Pender @penderpr who works tirelessly to support Canadian independent Filmmakers. ⚡️
#indiefilmmakers #indieproducer #independentfilm #independentfilmmaking #vancouverfilm #wff25thanniversary #wff25 #whistlerfilmfestival
The powerful @natgeodocs feature documentary SUGARCANE is now playing in select theatres across the country. Co-directors Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie have deftly woven together multiple strands to form this compelling, heartbreaking narrative. SUGARCANE takes an unforgettable look at the devastating effects of Canada's residential school system from a very personal lens for NoiseCat.
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"Sugarcane, a quietly infuriating documentary, shows us what that story looks like from the perspective of those directly affected by that history, for whom it's not just a story. Co-directors Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie approach this painful conversation with the sensitivity and empathy it's rarely afforded, and their film shows how it is almost impossible to adequately speak to this trauma."
- Radheyan Simonpillai, @globeandmail
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Visit the link in our bio for the complete list of screenings and locations. @jnoisecat@emilykassie@films_we_like
TV SERIES REVIEW
All In
NR - 4 out of 5 stars
Genre: Documentary, Sports
Year Released: 2026
Runtime: 30m x 8 episodes
Director(s): Michael Bourquin, Ben Cox
Where to Watch: debuting May 14, 2026, on AMI-tv and AMI+
RAVING REVIEW: Eight episodes, thirty minutes each, and not a single second drags. ALL IN moves fast, but it never feels rushed, which is a harder balance to pull off than it looks. ALL IN builds its entire identity around that idea, and it’s what keeps the series from feeling like just another inspirational sports documentary. Tyler Turner isn’t chasing validation here. He’s chasing something unfamiliar, and that makes all the difference.
Instead of focusing on past achievements, the series keeps its attention fixed on discomfort. Each episode throws Turner into a completely new experience, often one that demands skills that don’t naturally translate from a post-amputee world. That willingness to look inexperienced, to struggle, gives the show an honesty that can’t be faked. It never feels staged, even when the setup is clearly structured.
What stands out most is how approachable the format is. The 30-minute runtime works in the show’s favor, keeping each episode concise without sacrificing substance. It doesn’t overstay its welcome, and more importantly, it doesn’t dilute its message by stretching moments longer than they need to be. You get the introduction, the learning curve, the friction, and the attempt to pull it all together, all without unnecessary padding. That makes it incredibly easy to keep going from one episode to the next without a second thought. While Turner succeeds for the most part, he also isn’t superhuman. His pedigree in physical activity shines, but so too does the reality that he can push himself as far as he can.
The freediving episode sets the tone early, not by going bigger, but by going inward. It’s less about spectacle and more about control, patience, and awareness. Watching Turner adapt to a sport that strips away externalities in favor of internal discipline reframes what the series aims for...
My full review on www.OHMR.us
#OverlyHonestReviews #allin
[CLOSED] Join us for a chance to win tickets to a special screening of Hearse Chasing!
The documentary follows Vancouver singer-songwriter Cassidy Waring and her brother as they return to Calgary to confront a family tragedy, uncovering long-buried memories along the way.
📅 When: Sunday, May 10 (Mother’s Day)
📍 Where: VIFF Centre
The event features a live musical performance by Cassidy and her band.
✨ How to enter:
1️⃣ Follow @peliplat and @viffest
2️⃣ Tag a friend in the comments (Each tag = one entry!)
🎯 Giveaway ends: Friday, May 8
📩 Winners will be contacted via Instagram DM
Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind evening. Tag your plus-one below and enter now! 👇
#hearsechasing #giveaway
We are pleased to share that the documentary feature HEARSE CHASING from award-winning director Teresa Alfeld (Doug and the Slugs and Me) is set to release in Vancouver at the VIFF Centre on Sunday, May 10th. The highly-anticipated special event screening will also include an intimate musical performance with the film's subject Cassidy Waring and her band as a part of the VIFF Live series.
HEARSE CHASING follows Cassidy Waring, a Vancouver-based singer-songwriter, as she returns to her hometown of Calgary with her brother Cooper to confront the unresolved family tragedy that shaped their lives. What begins as an attempt to better understand their mother’s death gradually gives way to a deeper reckoning, as long-buried memories surface and new questions emerge.
This TELUS Original documentary will also premiere on May 13th on TELUS Optik TV Video on Demand channel 8 and TELUS Stream+. Simultaneously, the film will premiere on the TELUS originals YouTube channel at 7 pm PT / 8 pm MT on the same day and be available until May 31st in honour of Mental Health Awareness Month.
“What keeps the film anchored is Cassidy herself. There’s nothing performative about her presence here. She doesn’t present herself as someone who has already done the work and come out the other side. Instead, the documentary captures her in the middle of processing, still questioning, still circling memories that don’t yet make sense. That choice gives the film a rawness that can’t be manufactured. It’s not about resolution. It’s about the act of trying to understand.” - Chris Jones @overlyhonestreviews
We hope to see you at the VIFF Centre on Mother’s Day for this very special event!
HEARSE CHASING arrives this May during Mental Health Awareness Month.
The short documentary, by director Teresa Alfeld, traces Cassidy Waring’s return to her childhood home, an intimate look at memory, grief, and the long path toward understanding.
On Sunday, May 10 (Mother’s Day), experience the film at the VIFF Centre, with a live performance from Cassidy and her band. Presented in community partnership with @wirthhats , who will be on-site sharing their work and offering hats for purchase, with proceeds supporting access to counselling.
Get your tickets at viff.org.
#mentalhealth #mentalhealthmatters #mentalhealthsupport #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthadvocate Mentalhealthawarenessmonth
✨🔁 @doxafestival 🎥 DOXA Documentary Film Festival presents its 25th edition in Vancouver, BC from April 30 – May 10, 2026!
✨🎟️🍿📽️🎞️✨ doxafestival.ca
#documentary #film #cdnfilmlove #indigenousfilm #cinema
“Growing up wearing hearing aids, I never saw films featuring character depictions of hearing loss outside of Deaf themes,” says Ceci. “While Deafness is certainly an important marginalized group, there is a gap between hearing and Deafness that is essentially voiceless, even in 2026. I know people like me want to feel seen, and of course heard.”
~ Brian Ceci, filmmaker ‘HEARD’
HEARD, a TELUS original film, will be available to watch free on demand on
TELUS Optik TV channel 8 and TELUS
Stream+ on April 21st, 2026
HEARD follows Hard of Hearing (HoH) filmmaker Brian Ceci as he grapples with accepting his own condition by connecting with other people on the HoH spectrum to create a small support community.
HEARD is a documentary that centres the collective experience of the space between hearing and Deafness. Hearing is a fundamental component to the way society is structured. We have built infrastructure, activities, culture and communication on the ability to hear. And on the other end of our spectrum, society has seen Deaf individuals develop a sophisticated language and culture built around Deafness. With this film Ceci dives into the gap between these two distinct cultures where many Hard of Hearing people live.
HEARD combines intimate vérité footage, archival family recordings and candid interviews to examine what it means to belong to a community defined not by a single experience, but by a shared spectrum of hearing loss and identity. According to Statistics Canada, more than one in seven Canadians live with some degree of hearing loss, yet the lived experience of partial or progressive hearing loss remains largely absent from mainstream storytelling. HEARD brings that experience into focus through a distinctly personal and community-driven lens.
“Ruckus Machine Pictures was founded with the purpose of telling impact-driven stories from underrepresented communities — not just occasionally, but exclusively,”
~ Jamila Pomeroy, Producer
HEARD is produced by Ruckus Machine Pictures in association with Transient Films & Windowbox Media.
The award-winning feature documentary THE ART OF ADVENTURE from director Alison Reid (The Woman Who Loves Giraffes) is launching in theatres across Canada starting today in celebration of Earth Month. The film will screen for audiences in Vancouver (VIFF Centre), Victoria (The Vic, Cinecenta), Toronto, Edmonton with more screenings in Ontario, Alberta, Halifax and Quebec and beyond.
THE ART OF ADVENTURE is an inspiring and deeply human documentary about the extraordinary lifelong friendship between world renowned wildlife artist Robert Bateman and fearless biologist Bristol Foster. Through their epic 1957 journey around the world - armed with a 16mm camera and an artist’s brush - the film opens a vivid window onto a planet once wild and unscarred and a bond formed through curiosity, courage and love of nature.
At its heart the film weaves together nature, art and activism showing how two very different men fought to protect the natural world: one thought art, the other through science. Now in their 90’s Bob and Bristol still find sanctuary in nature. Their story is a moving reflection on legacy, mortality and the wisdom of our elders - and a reminder that humanity and nature are inseparable. THE ART OF ADVENTURE invites us to listen, to learn and to embrace life with curiosity, courage and heart.
"The final chapter of The Art of Adventure is — how shall I put it? — a meeting with an old friend. It’s a conclusion both joyous and apt. The woman who (clearly) loves documentaries has done it again.” - Chris Knight @weareoriginalcin
Visit the link in our bio to find out where you can see this incredible film on the big screen!
#EarthDay #Theatrical #premiere #documentary #PenderPR #publicity