OCan23

The audience at 2023 OCan FilmFest has voted 'Life After…' the Audience Favourite. Congratulations to director Stephanie Lalonde and the creative team!

“Stephanie directed and starred in an intensely personal film about a woman leading a support group for those dealing with a devastating loss. The film made an impression with our jury and it is clear from the reaction at screening, Q&A, and discussions following the screening, that it resonated with the audience as well. Congratulations, Stephanie." — Jith Paul, OCan Film Fest Co-founder

It was great to return to Bytowne Cinema for a second year. Thank you to the City of Ottawa and Bourk’s Complete Car Care for your financial support and thanks to all of the local businesses and other non-profit film festivals for expanding our reach by sharing details about our screening. Thanks to local directors, Stephanie Lalonde, Jane Gurr and Maissa Houri, directors Karolyne Natasha, Samuel Dayomi and actor Dylan Harman who travelled to Ottawa to introduce their films, provide context, and answer questions from the audience and at the festival and at post-festival events. Thanks to other members of the creative teams behind the films for attending and for their support. Special thanks to members of our board and volunteers who worked behind the scenes to make this year’s festival a success, and to everyone who attended.

Circle the early November 2024 in your calendars. We’ll be back. Our call for submissions for our 2024 festival opens on FilmFreeway in January.

About OCan:

The Ottawa Canadian Film Festival is a cultural, not-for-profit organization that celebrates Canadian film. Our mission is grounded in the belief that Canadian film and filmmakers are distinctive and vital to our country’s culture and the development of the local economy. This artist-run organization is composed of a volunteer board of directors and jury members. We believe in programming and content that provides Ottawa audiences with entertaining and high-quality independent films, information, activities and events. Our festival, events, online presence and resources aim to encourage collaboration, artistic innovation and creativity while providing access for a broad audience segment.

Contact:

• Email: media@ocanfilmfest.ca
• Instagram: @ocanfilmfest
• Facebook: @ocanfilmfest

Life After... Audience Favourite Award winner, OCan Film Festival 2023

Bytowne Cinema Marquee during OCan23

City of Ottawa

Ottawa Film Office

Ottawa Festivals

Downtown Rideau BIA

Irish Film Festival Ottawa

Canadian Film Institute

Bourk's Complete Car Care

Bytowne Cinema

Theo Ottawa

Carleton Film Society

Broken Waters / Brise glace , Karolyne Natasha (she/her), (Ottawa, ON) [ Feature-length | Narrative ]

Ottawa, 1983. When an ambitious anti-pharma psychiatrist sets out to cure a serial baby-snatching patient, her unconventional methods and unexpected pregnancy combine to unravel every part of her life.
Ottawa, 1983. Une psychiatre fonceuse entreprend de guérir une femme récidiviste de vaines tentatives d’enlèvements d’enfants, selon une approche à contre-courant qui met en péril sa carrière et sa grossesse inattendue.

Karolyne Natasha has felt a life-long pull between her inclination for science and her love for the performing arts. Reflecting her own cultural heritage, BROKEN WATERS is Canada's first bilingual drama featuring female Franco-Ontarian characters.
Au cours des ans, Karolyne a interprété des rôles à l'écran et au théâtre, et acquis ses connaissances en production cinématographique en participant à des ateliers à Montréal, Ottawa et Toronto offerts par le Canadian Screen Training Centre. BRISE GLACE est son premier long métrage.

More info: Trailer | Facebook | Instagram | X

"Through a thought-provoking screenplay, engaging acting, and a evocative musical score, ‘Broken Waters’ is an immersive account on the shared struggles of trauma, healing, and being a woman." - Bernice De Gracia, film613 review: Broken Waters

The Fire Dancer, Agnieszka Pajor, Lancelot Burton (Whitehorse, YT) [ Short | Documentary | Dance ]

Audrey Gallibois transforms into a fearless fire deity, delicately balancing her feminine beauty, passion, and the dangerous art of flowing fire just a hair's breadth away from what most people would consider safe.

Based in Whitehorse, Yukon, Lancelot Burton & Agnieszka Pajor are artists adept in photo, video, sound, and animation. Lance, a musician & painter; Agnieszka, veteran photographer; thriving as documentary filmmakers since 2017.

More info: Web | Facebook

The Gentle Waltz, Yann-Manuel Hernandez (he/him), (Montreal, PQ) [ Short | Experimental ]

A young Caribbean-Canadian woman enters a jazz club, she sits at the bar and listens to the pianist. The music brings back memories of her father, who was a pianist, and of her visits to his apartment to help him when he was frail.

Yann-Manuel Hernandez is an award-winning screenwriter/director known for “Déserts”, “Les Évaporés”, “Lucioles”, and several music videos and contemporary dance shorts. He is currently preparing his next feature entitled “Entre la vie et la mort”.

More info: Trailer | Instagram (lesmainssalesfilms) | Instagram (yanncine)

Her Ordinary World, Samuel Dayomi, (Brampton, ON) [ Short | Documentary ]

A window into the world of a young mother of two.

Samuel Dayomi is a short-form filmmaker who admires fiction and non-fiction films. Over the last few years, COVID-19 notwithstanding, he has produced several short films centring on topics about family, community and world events.

More info: Instagram

IDOL, Kris Fleerackers (Gibsons, BC) [ Short | Narrative | Puppetry | Poetry | Live Animation ]

Disenchanted with the women around him, a loner falls madly, hopelessly in love with his own vision of the perfect female. A solo live-action puppet film, shot on a kitchen table, that re-examines the ancient story of Pygmalion through a modern lens.

Kris Fleerackers is a Flemish-Canadian puppetry artist and an award-winning filmmaker with extensive experience in video and television. He creates and performs original puppet productions under the umbrella of his company Fallada Puppetworks.

More info: Trailer | Web | Facebook

"IDOL with its live-action-puppetry brings to its viewers a tale as old as time–with a twist–to explore contemporary issues such as objectification, media culture and the hikikomori syndrome." – Siddhi Shukal, film613 review: IDOL

Impuse Control, Sarah Marks (she, her), Mikey Tachuk (he, him) (Ottawa, ON) [ Short | Narrative | Comedy ]

A young woman undergoes sporadic moments where she loses all control of her actions. As she struggles to negotiate with her intrusive thoughts, she learns that sometimes, that little voice in your head might be worth listening to.

Mikey Tachuk and Sarah Marks are a creative duo from Ottawa and Oakville, Canada. Sarah is an ACTRA actor with years of experience in theatre, film, and commercial. Mikey is a Creative Producer specializing in Directing, Cinematography and Editing.

More info: Trailer | Instagram (tachukmedia) | Instagram (mikeytachuk) | Instagram (sarahcmarks)

Laundry, Victoria Zubick (she/her), (Torongo, ON) [ Short | Narrative ]

Lisa’s dirty laundry builds as she grieves the loss of her mother. She realises that if not dealt with properly, the laundry will consume her.

Victoria Zubick is a Toronto-based director, screenwriter and actor. After studying classical theatre, Victoria decided to pursue her passion and explore the world of film and television. 'Laundry' will be the first out of many stories she aspires to tell.

More info: Instagram

"The actual laundry we see throughout the film comes across as a visual metaphor for all we try to get done as humans." - Randy Kakegamic, film613 review: Laundry

Leo & Chester, Andrea Wing (she/her), (Golden, BC) [ Short | Documentary ]

Alienated from his rock and roll lifestyle, Leo Downey sought a different way of life. He left California for the Canadian Rockies, where he learned to become a buffalo rancher and redefine himself through his relationship with the herd.

Andrea Wing is a Squamish-based commercial director. She is currently the Director of Video + Content at Origin, an outdoor-focused agency and is one of the founders of Well Travelled Collective, a female-led production company.

More info: Trailer | Instagram (originoutside) | Instagram (andrea_wing) | Instagram (alienaline_) | Instagram (mediabadboy)

Life After..., Stephanie Lalonde (she/her), (Ottawa, ON) [ Short | Narrative ]

A woman leads a support group for those dealing with a loss. A loss that should never have happened. She comes to the realization that life after will never be the same.

Born and raised in Ottawa, a mother of three and married to her best friend, Stephanie Lalonde has always had a passion for storytelling. She has been fortunate to do just that through films for the past eleven years.

More info: Trailer | Instagram | Facebook

A love letter, Thaïs Despont (she/her) (Toronto, ON) [ Short | Narrative | Romance | Queer | True Story ]

"A love letter" is a visual poem based on the real first love letter actress Tamara Appleton wrote to director Thaïs Despont.

Thaïs Despont is a French filmmaker who explores concepts half-way between documentary and experimental. After years working on set as a 3rd assistant director, she recently decided to focus on her desire to bring her own stories to screen.

More info: Trailer | Instagram | YouTube

"Director Thaïs Despont delivers us A love letter: where the simplicity of a handwritten letter invites viewers together through evoking a raw, honest, and relatable intimacy" – Bernice De Gracia, film613 review: A love letter

Lunch at the Rideau, Jane Gurr, Kent Newson (Ottawa, ON) [ Short | Documentary ]

The film captures a moment in time of Ottawa’s beloved Rideau Bakery lunch counter. Opened in 1965, its simple offerings of kosher soups and sandwiches fed the bodies and souls of customers for decades, building community, but now gone forever.

Jane Gurr is an Ottawa-based producer, writer, and director of documentary films, and an associate of Kublacom Pictures. Her work focusses on human rights issues, gender justice, and violence against women, and is inspired by the power of documentary film to inform and spark action for positive social change. Her documentary credits include, Partners for Peace, How Can a Boy, This is My Witness, One of the Last, and Lunch at the Rideau. She is currently in post-production on a feature documentary, Bridge to Uluru. Kent Newson’s career in the entertainment industry spans 25 years and includes programming for radio, producing/directing/editing documentaries, music videos and corporate advertising for television, and producing large-scale musical events. Kent wrote, directed, and edited A Fistful of Pasta, a Spaghetti Western parody and Unearthed, a short mystery drama. And he edited two projects about Ottawa’s Rideau Bakery, One of the Last and Lunch at the Rideau.

More info: Trailer | Web | Facebook (Kublacom Pictures) | Facebook (Jane Gurr)

"The personal accounts of the regular customers added a deeply emotional layer to the film, making me feel like I want to be a part of that camaraderie and conversation." – Siddhi Shukal, film613 review: Lunch at the Rideau

Margot's Sister (La Soeur de Margot), Christine Doyon (she/her), (Boucherville, QC) [ Short | Narrative ]

Margot, a pre-teen who struggles to find acceptance at school is challenged by the arrival of her intellectually disabled sister in the after-school program. Margot initially struggles to keep her worlds separated.

Writer, Director and editor, Christine Doyon has a Baccalaureat in “Histoire de l’art” and Cinema at the UQAM. Deriving from her direct cinema influences, Christine is mostly interested by inspiring human stories of resilience.

More info: Trailer | Web

The Mess We're In, Jamie Lam (she/her), (Vancouver, BC) [ Short | Narrative ]

Still living in the hoarder’s house she grew up in, young adult Dara contemplates moving forward in life.

From Richmond, BC, Jamie Lam is an emerging filmmaker of Hong Kong descent. Her work aims to explore the nuances in how human connection is pursued, built, and undone. Her latest short, "The Mess We're In" has played at festivals such as TIFF Next Wave.

More info: Trailer | Instagram

Pen Pals, Lucas Frison, (Regina, SK) [ Short | Narrative ]

A young man with Down syndrome pursues a romantic relationship with his pen pal.

Lucas Frison is a Canadian Screen Award nominated writer, director, and producer. His credits include the 2017 Telefilm Talent to Watch comedy 'Talent', and the 2019 CBC documentary 'Humboldt: The New Season'.

More info: Trailer | Web | Instagram | Facebook | X

RESTE, Ginger Le Pêcheur (she/her), (Saguenay, PQ) [ Short | Narrative ]

On a summer morning, boredom meets the unwelcoming apartment where 6-year-old Chichou is playing by herself. In the remnants of violence, RESTE brings to light what can be the daily life of a child with candor and bitterness.

Ginger Le Pêcheur is a young French director who moved to Montreal in 2017. She graduated from the University of Montreal with a Bachelor's degree in Film Studies with honors.

More info: Trailer | Facebook (restefilm) | Instagram | Facebook (ginger.lepecheur)

A Simple Mix-Up, Maissa Houri (she/her), (Ottawa, ON) [ Short | Narrative ]

Jessica and Ben just want to enjoy a quiet morning in their perfect neighbourhood. But all anyone wants to talk about is the murder.

Maissa Houri is an Arab-Canadian independent filmmaker and actress based out of Ottawa, Canada, who attended Montreal’s Vanier College Theatre and Film Program. She has released an award-winning web series and a number of award-winning short films.

More info: Trailer | IMDB | Instagram

"Gossiping wives, cul de sac meetings, murder and martini glasses. Who’s to say the suburbs are a bore?" - Randy Kakegamic, film613 review: A Simple Mix-Up

Tiny, Ritchie Hemphill (he/him), Ryan Haché (he/him), (Victoria, BC) [ Short | Documentary | Stop Motion Animation ]

Tiny is a contemplative stop motion film which tells the story of ‘Nakwaxda’xw Elder Colleen Hemphill’s childhood. The film aims to celebrate the life and identity of Colleen by sharing the gift of her presence and stories with audiences.

Ritchie Hemphill and Ryan Haché co-founded the award winning stop motion animation film studio Bronfree Films in 2015. Since then they have produced a number of short films that have included Indigenous legends and Elder storytelling.

More info: Trailer | LinkTree | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

The Trapline, Andrea Wing (she/her), (YT) [ Short | Documentary ]

A Yukon trapper, in the twilight of his career, passes along his ethos and his trapline to a young woman determined to carry on his work.

Andrea Wing is a Squamish-based commercial director. She is currently the Director of Video + Content at Origin, an outdoor-focused agency and is one of the founders of Well Travelled Collective, a female-led production company.

More info: Trailer | Instagram (wearewelltravelled) | Instagram (andrea_wing) | Instagram (zannyvenner)

"I recommend watching this film for its breathtaking visuals of snow-capped mountains and a story that makes you want to pursue a passion of your own!" – Siddhi Shukal, film613 review: The Trapline

This year, the Ottawa Canadian Film Festival is thrilled to welcome viewers back at the Bytowne Cinema for their 7th annual event. The 2022 festival season was successful in raising awareness for Canadian film - with one festival film, More Than Hair by Fitch Jean, having been showcased on the latest season of CBC’s Short Film Face-Off since then. Last year’s ‘Audience Favourite’ file, Tehranto by Faran Moradi, is now available to stream on-demand on AppleTV, YouTube and the Cineplex Store.

From November 2nd-4th, the spotlight will be on the Ottawa community, as the “curtains rise” on a cinematic experience that celebrates the brilliant and inspiring work of local filmmakers, as well as other proud Canadian filmmakers.

From comedy, to drama, to animation, this year’s film festival program showcases 18 Canadian-made films (five by Ottawa filmmakers), spanning many different styles and genres. OCan’s 2023 film lineup includes:

• Lunch at the Rideau [ Documentary ] Jane Gurr, Kent Newson, Ottawa, ON

“The research for this film was a revelation, uncovering layers of rich history and profound meaning way beyond what, on the surface, seemed like a simple lunch counter. We knew it would be a wonderful story.”  — Jane Gurr

• Impulse Control [ Short | Narrative | Comedy ] Mikey Tachuk, Sarah Marks, Ottawa, ON

“During the production of Impulse Control, we learned that a wacky concept may not always be enough to justify and carry a film. That said, a funny idea for a project, and thoughtful characters who experience growth, do not need to be mutually exclusive.”  — Sarah Marks and Mikey Tachuk

• Life After... [ Short | Narrative ] Stephanie Lalonde, Ottawa, ON

“My motivation behind making this film was knowing people who have faced a loss to suicide. Having experienced the fear dealing with my own suicidal teen, I can't and don't want to ever know the grief of the other side. I told my son that if he kills himself then he kills me too. He hung on to that.There is so little said about the pain and suffering those left behind have to deal with. I felt a light needed to be shed on that side of the subject. Conversations about mental health and prevention is a big topic now. Let's break the silence on the reality that exists in life after..”  — Stephanie Lalonde

• A Simple Mix-Up [ Short | Narrative ] Maissa Houri, Ottawa, ON

“I love filmmaking and the creative process behind it. The most important part of filmmaking is gathering a great team and having fun because a director is nothing without the team behind them. My team was no exception - they are all so talented. And just a side note, a lot of emerging filmmakers want to make something serious but I just want to make people laugh and break some filmmaking rules.”  — Maissa Houri

• Broken Waters / Brise glace [ Feature-length | Narrative ] Karolyne Natasha, Ottawa, ON

“I was told to pick a language and stick to it. Hearing that took the wind right out of my sails. That's when I knew -marketing disaster or not- I was going to make a bilingual film or no film at all.”  — Karolyne Natasha

and much more.

"We are returning to the Bytowne Cinema again this year for another in-person experience. I am particularly proud of the fact that five of the films selected by our jury are from teams with ties to Ottawa and the surrounding area.”  — Jith Paul, Organizer of the Ottawa Canadian Film Festival

About OCan:

The Ottawa Canadian Film Festival is a cultural, not-for-profit organization that celebrates Canadian film. Our mission is grounded in the belief that Canadian film and filmmakers are distinctive and vital to our country’s culture and the development of the local economy. This artist-run organization is composed of a volunteer board of directors and jury members. We believe in programming and content that provides Ottawa audiences with entertaining and high-quality independent films, information, activities and events. Our festival, events, online presence and resources aim to encourage collaboration, artistic innovation and creativity while providing access for a broad audience segment.

Contact:

• Email: media@ocanfilmfest.ca
• Instagram: @ocanfilmfest
• Facebook: @ocanfilmfest

OCan23 Promotional Video

OCan23 Day 1: Nov 2 at 7 PM

OCan23 Day 1: Nov 3 at 7 PM

OCan23 Day 1: Nov 4 at 9 PM

City of Ottawa

Ottawa Film Office

Ottawa Festivals

Downtown Rideau BIA

Irish Film Festival Ottawa

Canadian Film Institute

Bourk's Complete Car Care

Bytowne Cinema

Theo Ottawa

Carleton Film Society

The Ottawa Canadian Film Festival (OCan) presented episodes from locally shot short-form dramatic series “Chateau Laurier” and “No Regrets” on June 22nd at the Bytowne Cinema in Ottawa.

Ottawa Film Commissioner Sandrine Pechels de Saint Sardos, Directors Deidre J. (No Regrets), James E.D. Stewart (Chateau Laurier), and members of the cast and crew of both series were in attendance and participated in a Q&A / discussion after the screening.

Chateau Laurier, James E.D. Stewart (Toronto, ON) [ Narrative | Series ]

Edwardian newlyweds Hattie and Vivian navigate their lives on the other side of happily ever after and learn that life as heirs to the grand Chateau Laurier hotel comes with slings, arrows, enemies, opportunities, and strife.

More info: Trailer | Behind the Scenes | IMDB | Facebook

No Regrets, Deidre J. (Ottawa, ON) [ Narrative | Series ]

Bianca Harrison seems to be living the dream, she works for one of the top fashion magazines in town and is married to wealthy divorce attorney Andre Harrison. Her life takes a sudden turn after an unexpected encounter with her ex-fiancé.

More info: Trailer | Behind the Scenes | IMDB | Facebook | Instagram | Daytime Ottawa Interview

We gratefully acknowledge support from our friends at:

Kino Ottawa

Ottawa Film Office

Irish Film Festival Ottawa

Ottawa Black Film Festival

Ottawa Festivals

Downtown Rideau BIA