Life in a middle-class neighbourhood in present day Recife, Brazil, takes an unexpected turn after the arrival of an independent private security firm. The presence of these men brings a sense of safety and a good deal of anxiety to a culture which runs on fear. Meanwhile, Bia, married and mother of two, must find a way to deal with the constant barking and howling of her neighbour’s dog. A slice of ‘Braziliana’, a reflection on history, violence and noise.

WINTER is a dangerous, sexy, poignant and at times darkly funny story about two people who desperately want intimacy but have fashioned lives of reclusivity and emotional fracture which ultimately spells the doom of their great love. WINTER begins with Michael, in his mid forties, suicidal about his writing career, which once flourished and now is on a downturn. He leaves his home in New York and goes to Paris in hopes of igniting his passion for writing and life. He also has a penchant for S and M. Soon after is arrival he meets Sophie, a sexy, smart, soulful, nurse who helps dying people transition to the after world. She and Michael instantly have chemistry albeit combative. Sophie has a secret. Her other job is being a dominatrix. Throughout the film, Sophie is nursing a little girl, Anais, who is dying of leukemia. Written by Anonymous (IMDB.com).

Falling Overnight tells the story of twenty-two year old Elliot Carson on the day before he has risky surgery to remove a brain tumor. Facing what could be his last night, Elliot’s path intersects with Chloe Webb, a young photographer who invites him to her art show. Elliot welcomes the distraction and as the night descends, Chloe takes him on an intimate and exhilarating journey through the city. But as morning approaches, and Chloe learns of Elliot’s condition, the magic of the evening unravels, and they must together face the uncertainty of Elliot’s future.

THE WHALE tells the true story of a young, wild killer whale – an orca – nicknamed Luna, who lost contact with his family on the coast of British Columbia and turned up alone in a narrow stretch of sea between mountains, a place called Nootka Sound.

A plot to overthrow the United States government is uncovered in New York City in the summer of 1919 when William Flynn, a field agent for the Bureau of Investigation, is sent to investigate a bomb threat that has targeted some of America’s most powerful politicians and leaders of commerce, New York millionaire John D. Rockefeller, Sr. among them. Flynn’s investigation takes him on a journey into the underworld of homegrown terrorism and introduces him to a competitive culture of violence and murder. Greed, power, and politics are at the center of the story and Flynn must distinguish the villains from the merely discontented. Along the way, he discovers that terrorism has many faces and that a determination of guilt or innocence often lies in the psychology of fear that constricts individuals at every level of society. Sedona International Film Festival.

The story of an adult and a teenage couple during a brief summer holiday by the sea. While Nic’s parents remain trapped in a precarious mutual dependency despite repeated attempts at reconciliation, their 12-year-old son tries to come to terms with his father’s traumatizing violent outbursts in games with other children. He tries to teach Marie, who is of his age and suffers from her own relationship with her father, to feel nothing. In fact, both of them are transformed by their experience of the joys and pains of first love.

A new feature documentary from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Passion Pictures and Red Box Films. Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007. Directed by Stevan Riley (Fire In Babylon), Everything or Nothing focuses on three men with a shared dream – Bond producers Albert R. Broccoli, Harry Saltzman and author Ian Fleming. It’s the thrilling and inspiring narrative behind the longest running film franchise in cinema history which began in 1962

Detroit’s story has encapsulated the iconic narrative of America over the last century – the Great Migration of African Americans escaping Jim Crow; the rise of manufacturing and the middle class; the love affair with automobiles; the flowering of the American dream; and now… the collapse of the economy and the fading American mythos.

In 1945, Japan surrendered to the United States and the Second World War was over. Right? Wrong. For eighty percent of the Japanese community in Brazil, Japan had won the war and defeat was nothing more than American propaganda. The few immigrants that accepted the truth were persecuted. Some were hunted down and assassinated – by their own countrymen – causing the start of a new, private war. Dirty Hearts is a thriller and love story told by the wife of one of the fanatics dedicated to preach Japanese victory. Little by little, she watches her husband, a hard-working immigrant, become an assassin and their love story fade away.

A simple can of ravioli propels this spectacular 30,000-kilometre, eight-country journey through all phases of food production and the far flung sources of international ingredients. A dream-like voyage with glimpses of disconcerting realities, the story begins with a single mother toiling in one of the biggest open pit mines in Brazil and ends on the shelf of a grocery store in Finland. Along the way, the workers whose calloused hands mine, raise and harvest each ingredient reveal their dreams and hopes, like the Danish pig farmer who loves his sows but longs for a girlfriend, and the Portuguese tomato picker who wants to stay healthy long enough to pay her daughters way through university. Sumptuous photography and impressive sound design make an eloquent statement about our modern, globalized world, making us aware of the hundreds of invisible people who prepare the food we eat every day. -Gisèle Gordon (HotDocs.ca)

Good Girl Bad Girl tells the story of Rihanna, and her triumphant journey from poverty and obscurity on the Caribbean island of Barbados, to becoming a worldwide pop sensation.

The Joffrey Ballet: Mavericks of American Dance, narrated by Mandy Patinkin, tells the full story of this groundbreaking company, from their founding in 1956 to the present.

The documentary intersperses archival footage with first-person interviews with disability rights activists who fought discrimination such as Fred Fay, I. King Jordan, Judi Chamberlin and Judith Heumann, and with legislators who helped draft and secure the passage of the ADA, including Tony Coelho and Tom Harkin. From the beginnings of the disability rights movement, when veterans with disabilities returning home from World War II began to demand an end to discrimination and for better access to employment and other social opportunities, Lives Worth Living traces the history of the movement in the United States in roughly chronological order. The film documents how, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, activists with disabilities began to adopt the some of the tactics and strategies used by civil rights activists a decade earlier, including marches, protests, and civil disobedience.

James and Carl were only 10 years old when they kidnapped and murdered 3 year old David McClendon. They were caught, tried, convicted and placed in separate juvenile facilities. At 18-years old, both are given new names and released back into society – much to the horror of the nation. They can have no contact with each other or with their past friends or relatives. The story follows the lives of these two boys as they try to start over, escape the past and survive the growing outcry following their release.

Tells the story of the Kung Fu sub-culture from its ancient Peking Opera origins to its superhero-powered future. From Enter the Dragon to Kung Fu Panda and everything in between, “Films of Fury” features the genre’s greatest on-screen warriors, and reveals the legend, the lore, and the loony of the Kung Fu film genre like it has never been seen before.

The story is set 70 million years ago, when dinosaurs ruled the Korean Peninsula the same way they ruled the rest of the earth. Spotty is a curious and playful Tarbosaurus child, and along with his mother and siblings, he lives happily in the forest. One day the cunning One-eye, an older Tyrannosaur looking for a new home, attacks Spotty’s herd and separates Spotty from his family. Alone, he befriends another lost girl Tarbosaur who becomes his friend and constant companion for two decades and the mother of his own children. But Spotty’s troubles with One-eye are not over, and revenge, death, fear, and sadness are all in Spotty’s future―as is happiness and hope.

A personal exploration into the life of America’s controversial former CIA Director told through the eyes of his wife and filmmaker son, Carl. Through extraordinary events in twentieth century history, this consummate soldier/spy stood at the center of the Agency’s most clandestine activities and operations. The film reveals the ‘cover life’ of this CIA operative, who followed orders and took on the dirtiest assignments until the Nixon Administration ordered him to ‘stonewall’ Congress about the CIA’s past abuses, but he refused. This film reveals why, for the first time, he could not obey.

Nicky’s Family is a gripping documentary from the International Emmy Award winning producers Patrik Pass and Matej Minac about a rescue operation of the “British Schindler” – Sir Nicholas
Winton who will celebrate this year 103rd birthday. His story has no parallel in modern history. Dramatic reenactments, some of the archive footage never seen before, rescued “children” together with Mr. Winton himself recount this unique story which even after 70 years continues to inspire people, especially children, to make this world a better place. World personalities His Holiness Dalai Lama and Nobel Prize winner Elie Wiesel also took part. ( – from the film’s press kit)

José Henrique Fonseca crafts an ambitious and long overdue homage to a central icon in Brazil’s 20th century history. Reminiscent of film noir classics, the biopic tells the glorious and tragic story of the legendary football striker Heleno de Freitas. The sumptuous black and white cinematography reflects the chic life of Rio de Janeiro in the 1940s as it fell under the spell of sports royalty. Heleno was no doubt one of the most popular players of his time for his bravura in the field and magnificent goal-scoring that lead the Botafogo team to the top and himself into a vicious downward spiral.

The husband-and-wife team of Charles and Ray Eames were America’s most influential and important industrial designers. Admired for their creations and fascinating as individuals, they have risen to iconic status in American culture. Eames: The Architect & The Painter draws from a treasure trove of archival material, as well as new interviews with friends, colleague, and experts to capture the personal story of Charles and Ray while placing them firmly in the context of their fascinating times.

A tabloid reporter makes a shocking cryptozoological discovery while investigating a recent rash of Bigfoot sightings in this comedy featuring beer, bikinis, and the wildest party animal you’ve ever met. Harlan James (Chase Carter) doesn’t believe in Bigfoot. He’s determined to disprove his existence when he heads into the woods, and starts to interview witnesses. Much to Harlan’s surprise, he finds that Bigfoot is no forest-dwelling menace, but a mischievous Sasquatch with a taste for beer, and a love of beautiful women. Unfortunately for the fun-loving creature, vengeful redneck Chester Scroggins (Ron Blackwell) and some villainous bounty hunters are more interested in capturing Bigfoot than sharing a brew with him. Now, with the clock ticking, Harlan enlists the aid of the local sheriff (David Novak) and a pretty television reporter (Nicole Parsneau) in getting the story of a lifetime, and protecting the beast who only wants to party.

The story of the battle to free Debbie Peagler, an incarcerated survivor of brutal domestic violence. Over 26 years in prison cannot crush the spirit of this determined African-American woman, despite the injustices she has experienced, first at the hands of a duplicitous boyfriend who beat her and forced her into prostitution, and later by prosecutors who cornered her into a life behind bars for her connection to the murder of her abuser. Her story takes an unexpected turn two decades later when a pair of rookie land-use attorneys cut their teeth on her case — and attract global attention to the troubled intersection of domestic violence and criminal justice.

Catherine and Blake just tied the knot. Samuel and Catherine have a long and intimate history which is significant to the fact that Samuel and Blake are best friends. When Samuel decides not to attend their wedding under some pretense that no one believes, he invites the newlyweds to Nadi Vineyards for a week-long party in paradise to make up for his absence. Records spin, wine flows, and bottles pile up. What unfolds over the course of this week will rearrange the geometry of Samuel, Catherine, and Blake’s relationships and test the boundaries of their complicated, revolving love for one another.

The true story of lifelong criminal and serial killer, Carl Panzram who wrote his autobiography for a jail guard in 1928. Carl Panzram was a lifelong prisoner and a hate-filled serial killer. Brutalized in and out of various U.S. state prisons during 20th century America, Panzram unleashed a rampage of revenge that resulted in over 20 murders and countless acts of violent sodomy. A single act of kindness, by prison guard Henry Lesser, sparked a friendship that eventually influenced Panzram to write his autobiography. In 1930, Panzram was hanged for killing a laundry foreman at Leavenworth prison.

The story of John Goodnight continues.

Tells the story of an African immigrant surviving on the fringes of New York City where music is his passion, life is a hustle and falling in love is his greatest risk.

In the city of 9 Million people everyone is engulfed in the everyday rat race chasing that almighty dollar. This movie tells the story of one of its own ‘Carter Blanche’. Carter has staked his claim to the American dream. But history teaches us that behind every wealthy empire is a major crime; and Carter’s rise to power is no exception. Trying to go legit, he is faced with deception, betrayal, and self serving agendas from those closest to him and must maneuver his way through all those who want to crumble what he has built. As he determines who’s friend or foe. The decisions Carter makes can, and will cost lives.

The story of four high school boys whose undefeated basketball season and friendship are threatened after a drive-by shooting leaves one of them in a coma and one of them with a secret. Brent Fencett, Jed Bracken, and T.J. Lewis are star players on the Charlevoix High School Basketball team; Jackson Carlson is their most obnoxious fan. They are unbeaten on the court and inseparable off it – until Brent gets caught up in his older brother’s mixed up life. The consequences of Brent’s choice leave T.J. in the hospital, and Brent’s soul in turmoil. Written by Frontier Boys

SOMETHING FROM NOTHING: THE ART OF RAP is a feature length performance documentary about the runaway juggernaut that is Rap music. At the wheel of this unstoppable beast is the film’s director and interviewer Ice-T. Taking us on a deeply personal journey Ice-T uncovers how this music of the street has grown to dominate the world. Along the way Ice-T meets a whole spectrum of Hip-Hop talent, from founders, to new faces, to the global superstars like Eminem, Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg and Kanye West. He exposes the roots and history of Rap and then, through meeting many of its most famous protagonists, studies the living mechanism of the music to reveal ‘The Art Of Rap’. This extraordinary film features unique performances from the entire cast, without resorting to archive material, to build a fresh and surprising take on the phenomenon that is Rap.

Two American teenagers in search of cheap drugs, trespass into the seedy town of Barrio, Mexico. What they find instead is a disturbed story teller and three tales filled with blood, witches and a cannibalistic taco chef.

When a producer suggests that screenwriter Grace Mitchel pen a horror story set in an old hotel, the lond-abandoned Lyndora seems theperfect inspiration. The turn-of-the-century hotel is known for its rough and seedy past – the doors to its rooms sealed 50 years ago following a series of gruesome murders – and local lore says it’s haunted. Despite the reservations of family and friends, an undaunted Grace takes up residence in the eerie inn to immerse herself in writing … But now that the doors are open, the secrets of the past begin to emerge. As disturbing, but seemingly explicable, events begin to escalate, Grace struggles to define reality from insanity and begins a descent into darkness from which some will never return.

The tragicomic story of lone rebel Boddi Steingrimsson who lives in a small town in Northern Iceland. Boddi hates materialistic modern society in its entirety and on his blog-page he comically criticizes everything and everyone. Before long he has become an outlaw in his own hometown, just like his viking hero, Grettir. After a series of dramatic mishaps, he snaps and goes riding down south to the big city on his sturdy steed Nietzsche. He’s got a gun in his pocket. He’s ready for the revolution.

Three chords, three countries, one revolution…PUNK IN AFRICA is the story of the multiracial punk movement within the recent political and social upheavals experienced in three Southern African countries: South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

Based on found footage, the story centers on four friends in their early 20s. Last year, on the night before Halloween, they decided to go on a self made tour of famous Hollywood murders and celebrity haunted houses. The tour led them to a house known as 1666. They have been missing ever since. Written by Anonymous (IMDB.com)

Director Julien Temple (The Great Rock ‘n’ Roll Swindle, The Filth and the Fury) surveys the past century of London’s tumultuous history in this vibrant documentary. (TIFF)

The inside story of the 1998 HIV outbreak that tore through the San Fernando Valley adult film industry told by the people who experienced it. Using archival footage and exclusive, original interviews with such recognizable adult performers as Ron Jeremy, Ginger Lynn, Marc Wallice and Tricia Devereaux among other, the film goes behind the scenes of the porn industry as it confronted a deadly disease which was a threat to it’s very existence.

Family film based on the much loved picture book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler. ZOG is the story of a keen young dragon who wants to learn how to fly, roar, and breathe fire in his first years at Dragon School. He is desperate to impress his teacher and win a golden star, but he’s accident prone and each year he has to be helped by a kind young girl who patches up his bumps and bruises. Then in Year Four, he has to capture a princess – can the young girl help him with his trickiest challenge yet? A Christmas viewing treat for all the family from four-time Oscar-nominated producers Magic Light Pictures.

Story of a woman who seeks revenge on the Russian Mob for the death of her father. She battles her way up in the underground mixed martial arts fighting world to find those responsible and avenge his death.

The dramatic story of US marines in training, in combat and in love during World War II. The story centres on a major who guides the raw recruits from their training to combat. Based on the novel by Leon Uris.

The story starts because of one journey. Seven people who have never met before climb aboard the same ride that goes into a seemingly endless tunnel. Despite the countless trials, corpses that mysteriously appear, past acquaintances that returned from the dead and an unseen danger threatening to swallow them whole, it’s as if they are trapped in an enclosed space where there is no escape.