Josie’s mundane life changes when mental illness drives him to Queensland’s rainforests. Shot on super-8, this playful diptych shifts from dark comedy to transformation alongside its protagonist.

An eccentric documentary crew treks across the vast roadways of Alberta, Canada, to document monuments, museums, and other roadside curios. Armed with only a loose idea of the project’s final form, the wayward director struggles to manage a slew of messy personal entanglements and rivalries embroiling her collaborators. They look for meaning in the landscape, but their search turns inward as they’re inspired to reckon with their own lives. Directed with a light touch, this charming cross-country odyssey is part revisionist Western and part road movie. Punctuated by moments of extraordinary tenderness and unexpected violence, it invokes poetry, magic, and prayer to imagine a radical, caring form of wildness on the Canadian frontier.

A deeply moving, multigenerational drama, All That’s Left of You follows a Palestinian teenager who gets swept into a protest in the Occupied West Bank and experiences a moment of violence that rocks his family. The film unfolds as his mother recounts the political and emotional threads that led to that fateful moment. Spanning seven decades, the film traces the hopes and heartaches of one uprooted family, bearing witness to the scars of dispossession and the enduring legacy of survival. Jordan's Official Selection for the 98th Academy Awards.

In an underwater city, a young girl takes care of a large egg she holds carefully in her arms – a treasure that she believes is an angel’s egg. A boy with a gun arrives in search of a bird he saw in his dream. At first it seems as if feelings of sympathy are developing between the two. Then, one night, the boy crushes her precious egg. Forty years after the film’s original release, GKIDS is proud to present an all-new 4K restoration of the film, which is being supervised by director Oshii, in cinemas nationwide for the first time. First released directly to home video in 1985, the film is a creative collaboration between internationally acclaimed director Mamoru Oshii (Ghost in the Shell), who wrote and directed the feature, and revered artist Yoshitaka Amano (Final Fantasy, Vampire Hunter D). The film beautifully intertwines Oshii’s thematic reflections on philosophy and theology, with Amano’s distinctive ink painting style, culminating in an arrestingly beautiful hand-drawn allegorical fantasy.

In a dystopian future, a group of students from a Japanese high school are forced by the government to compete in a battle, killing one another until only one is left standing. Content warning: This film contains scenes of violence and gore. Bikini Drive-In is a semi-monthly screening series examining horror films through a feminist lens curated and introduced by Cinematheque Film Programmer Olivia Norquay. Generously sponsored by IATSE 856 Manitoba.

On behalf of “oppressed bugs everywhere,” an inventive ant named Flik hires a troupe of warrior bugs to defend his bustling colony from a horde of freeloading grasshoppers led by the evil-minded Hopper.

The Winnipeg Film Group presents a program filled with lots of fun and dynamic animated short films for growing minds! This program is rated G. The Dreamer, Dir. John Paizs, 1976, Canada, 3 min The dreams of a frightened baby elephant, animated in the old Disney style, with the music of the Electric Light Orchestra. A Small Misunderstanding, Dir. Leslie Supnet, 2008, Canada, 1 min A hungry bird mistakes a piece of yarn for a worm entangled in the hair of a young man, which leads to a terrible accident. Automoto, Dir. Neil McInnes and Cathy McInnes, 2007, Canada, 5 min A tour de force, stop-motion animation re-imagining of the filmmaking process, Automoto takes place inside the ornately mechanized cinematic workshop of a wooden skeleton. Shot entirely using stop-motion animation, the film follows the movie-making travails of the skeleton. When he runs into a bad case of writer's block, only one of his factory workers can help him get back in touch with his muse. Seasick, Dir. Eva Cvijanovic, 2013, Canada, 3 min Soaking in the sand, a forlorn figure seeks the refuge of the sea. Drifting in the current, he enters an ethereal underwater world. Eva Cvijanovic's pen-and-ink drawings subtly conjure a dreamlike ambiance that pulses like a quiet tide in this animated maritime escapade set to traditional Croatian music. Sijjil, Dir. Yasmin P. Karim, 1995, Canada, 3 min This animation celebrates the dot. The Importance of Dreaming, Dir. Tara Audibert, 2017, Canada, 12 min Owl dreams of having his own family. He finds a skulk of foxes. Owl thinks they are beautiful and watches over them for many days and nights. One unique Fox notices Owl and watches him. Their forbidden love drives Fox and Owl away to try to find happiness together. Face | Time, Dir. Anita Lebeau, 2019, Canada, 3 min A study of the cyclical nature of time, as seen through portraits and the hands that create them. Walter, Dir. Curtis L. Wiebe, 2015, Canada, 5 min The Christmas misadventures of tiny Sasquatch extraordinaire, Walter! Baked Goods For Norman, Dir. Cooper D. (Roger) Wilson, 2015, Canada, 4 min Baked Goods For Norman was created to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of NFB filmmaker Norman McLaren. The film's unique colours and textures were created through the process of soaking the film in a variety of concoctions and then baking it in the oven. Gerald The Genie, Dir. Patrick Lowe, 1997, Canada, 8 min A cartoon about getting labeled. When Gerald innocently bounces into view, a group of off screen voices try to figure out who he is. Chroma-dance, Dir. James Pomeroy, 2007, Canada, 4 min Chroma-dance is a short abstract film that is an experiment in colour rhythm and movement, referencing both the visual music and materialist/conceptualist traditions in avant-garde filmmaking. Once Upon A Weiner, Dir. Adam Fuchs, 2000, Canada, 2 min A cartoon dog named Fred tries to catch himself a steak by using a fishing rod but instead his line gets caught on a truck. After getting dragged through town, he flies through a deli window and gets turned into a weiner. Cattle Call, Dir. Mike Maryniuk and Matthew Rankin, 2008, Canada, 4 min Cattle Call is a high-speed animated documentary about the art of livestock auctioneering. Structured around the mesmerizing talents of 2007 Man-Sask Auctioneer Champion, Tim Dowler, and using a variety of classic and avant-garde animation techniques (including stop-motion, cut-outs, open-exposures, hole-punching and rubbing lettraset directly on the celluloid) filmmakers Maryniuk and Rankin have tried to create images as dazzlingly abstract, absurd and adrenalizing as the incredible language of auctioneering itself. It is our hope that the film will induce near-bovine levels of dumbfoundedness in all those who gaze upon it.

When the young orphan boy James spills a magic bag of crocodile tongues, he finds himself in possession of a giant peach that flies him away to strange lands.

As Stitch, a runaway genetic experiment from a faraway planet, wreaks havoc on the Hawaiian Islands, he becomes the mischievous adopted alien “puppy” of an independent little girl named Lilo and learns about loyalty, friendship, and ʻohana, the Hawaiian tradition of family.

One of the most eccentric comedies of the 1980s, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure is a pop-culture touchstone that helped make a manic oddball named Pee-wee Herman—the creation and alter ego of actor-comedian Paul Reubens—into an icon for outsiders of all ages. It also established the distinctive style of director Tim Burton, whose eye-popping visual sense is already on full display in this, his first feature film. Following the gleefully irreverent Pee-wee as he embarks on a road trip to recover his beloved stolen bicycle, the movie unfolds with the antic invention of a live-action cartoon, combining a gallery of memorably wacky characters, colorful, kitschy Americana, and surreal flights of fancy into a joyously uninhibited paean to creativity and the spirit of childhood. “It’s basically a John Waters movie for kids.” - Sean Burns, WBUR’s Arts & Culture

Cursed by the evil fairy Maleficent when she was a baby, Princess Aurora is sent into hiding under protection from three good fairies. As she grows up far away, Maleficent becomes increasingly determined to seal the princess’s fate.

This February, from the visionary pioneer of animation, Max Fleischer, enjoy a collection of family-friendly restored animated romantic classics just in time for Valentine’s Day. Featuring Betty Boop & Bimbo the dog, Popeye the Sailor Man and more! Newly restored in high definition, these cartoons will look beautiful on the big screen! This program is rated G. Dancing on the Moon (1935, 7min) Honeymooning couples of various animal species take a rocket ship excursion to the moon. Spectacular lunar scenery. A Date to Skate (1938, 7min) Popeye takes Olive roller skating in a rink. She’s never skated before, so he has to teach her, and she’s not a quick learner. Before long Olive ends up outside the rink, rolling wildly out of control. Dizzy Red Riding Hood (1931, 6min) Betty Boop goes to Grandma’s through the woods despite wolf warnings; but Bimbo follows and gives the old story a new twist. Musical Memories (1935, 7 min) An elderly couple recall their life while listening to music on the radio. Koko’s Courtship (1928, 7min) Koko the Clown and Fitz the dog escape into the live-action world. Mask-a-Raid (1931, 7min) Betty Boop is queen of the Masquerade Ball where, among other antics, Bimbo and a lecherous old man vie for her affections. Poor Cinderella (1934, 11min) In the only Betty Boop color cartoon, Cinderella (Betty) goes to the ball thanks to her fairy godmother. Later, only her foot fits the glass slipper. Jack and the Beanstalk (1931, 7min) Bimbo climbs a beanstalk to find Betty Boop captured by the giant.

In a time of superstition and magic, a young apprentice hunter, Robyn Goodfellowe, journeys to Ireland with her father to wipe out the last wolf pack. While exploring the forbidden lands outside the city walls, Robyn befriends a free-spirited girl, Mebh, a member of a mysterious tribe rumored to have the ability to transform into wolves by night. As they search for Mebh’s missing mother, Robyn uncovers a secret that draws her further into the enchanted world of the Wolfwalkers and risks turning into the very thing her father is tasked to destroy.

Ramona works in a concert agency and is sent after the rock band 'Children of Paradise' who have disappeared. Since she can't drive, she has to take the train and bus and eventually hitchhike. On her way through the Canadian back country she meets the weirdest people - and learns to drive, which leads to... roadkill. A rock'n'road movie about a girl who learns to drive. Welcome to Cult-O-Rama, our monthly screening series exploring beloved sleaze, trash, and underground cinema! A celebration of bad taste curated and introduced by Cinematheque Film Programmer Olivia Norquay. Presented in partnership with Sookram’s Brewing Co. Generously sponsored by IATSE 856 Manitoba.

The narrative directorial debut of Penelope Spheeris (Wayne’s World, The Decline of Western Civilization), Suburbia will kick your ass. Made for Roger Corman’s New World Pictures after Spheeris’ phenomenal success with Decline, this nuanced look at a patchwork family of punks banded together against their bad parents and shitty authority figures is made even radder by hammering live sets from SoCal hardcore squads D.I. and TSOL. Fuck the world. Content warning: This film contains scenes of violence, racism, and animal cruelty. Welcome to Cult-O-Rama, our brand-new monthly screening series exploring beloved sleaze, trash, and underground cinema! A celebration of bad taste curated and introduced by Cinematheque Film Programmer Olivia Norquay. Presented in partnership with Sookram’s Brewing Co. Generously sponsored by IATSE 856 Manitoba.

What happens when a young and curious filmmaker challenges his creativity with the limitless possibilities of a fake A.I.? A surprising mix of various stories, from new and old times, about the original myth of Dracula: a vampire hunt, zombies and Dracula crashing a strike, a science-fiction tale about Vlad the Impaler’s return, an adaptation of the first Romanian vampires novella, a tragic romance, a vulgar folktale, A.I. generated kitsch stories... and much more! Content warning: Very vulgar and violent!

As he mulls over the budget for his new film, director-gangster Clem sends his artist cronies after an old comrade rumoured to be a leaker.

A teenager at Rushmore Academy falls for a much older teacher and befriends a middle-aged industrialist. Later, he finds out that his love interest and his friend are having an affair, which prompts him to begin a vendetta. Join us for McDonald at The Movies, where comedian, star and co-founder of Kids in the Hall, Kevin McDonald presents a film handpicked from the archives of comic history. Generously sponsored by IATSE 856 Manitoba.

The Winnipeg Film Group is pleased to announce that Ian Bawa is the recipient of the 2024 MFM Manitoba Film Hothouse Award for Creative Development. Ian Bawa is a South Asian filmmaker from Winnipeg, Manitoba. He’s best known for his films Offline, The Champ, Missing Toes, Imitations, and Tapeworm. His short Strong Son premiered at 2020 Toronto International Film Festival. His last film, My Son Went Quiet, premiered at the 2024 Slamdance Film Festival and 2024 Fantasia Film Festival. Ian is the director and host of SuperChannel’s feature documentary, Seeking Fire, and the CBC Gem documentary series Finding Diamond, which also stars and is co-hosted by Ian’s dog, Diamond. In 2024, Ian won the Hot Docs/Doc Institute Breakthrough pitch contest for his feature documentary, Brown Envelope, which also awarded him a development deal with CBC for the film. Ian is an alumni of the 2021 TIFF Filmmakers Lab, 2021 ReelWorld E20 Lab, 2021 Netflix’s Diversity of Voices Initiative, and in 2023 completed his residency at the Norman Jewison Canadian Film Center – Director’s Lab. Ian’s latest short film, The Best, had its world premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. He is the recent recipient of Telefilm’s Talent to Watch program, supported and partnered with Winnipeg Film Group, OnScreen Manitoba, and the Toronto International Film Festival. The Talent to Watch program awarded Ian funding for his first feature film, Strong Son, set to shoot in the winter of 2025.

In 1974, acclaimed photographer Peter Hujar describes the routines and rituals that define an artist's life to his friend, the writer Linda Rosenkrantz, capturing a single day's activities in touching and funny detail: from interactions with cultural icons of the day, including Allen Ginsberg, William S. Burroughs and Susan Sontag, to the texture and energy of downtown New York in its heyday. Ben Whishaw and Rebecca Hall star in the elegant and intimate new piece from filmmaker Ira Sachs (Passages) — a dazzling showcase for the two performers at its centre — that is both a masterful portrait of a time & place and a captivating film about the way art emerges from the intimate details of everyday life.

In a future where humanity has surrendered its ability to dream in exchange for immortality, an outcast (Jackson Yee) finds illusion, nightmarish visions, and beauty in an intoxicating world of his own making. A work of staggering imagination from visionary Chinese director Bi Gan (Long Day’s Journey Into Night), Resurrection conjures vast and ever-shifting worlds on the brink of collapse in an era-spanning journey through our deepest and most human desires.

Uniting from across continents to bring representation to the sport they love, Indigenous Rising laces up their skates to claim their space on the roller derby track. Indigenous Rising is the first team in roller derby history to break the barriers of representing a single country at the Roller Derby World Cup – igniting a movement that pulsates throughout the sport and within each other. Rising Through the Fray follows the team as it welcomes a new generation of players set on changing the face of roller derby – a sport that champions female empowerment and inclusivity but lacks diversity. With a compassionate and candid lens, filmmaker Courtney Montour weaves energetic on-track game play with tender moments in teammates’ daily lives as skaters from over 30 Indigenous Nations navigate and learn each other’s play styles at tournaments and find strength within each other to compete and skate onto the track with pride. Intimate portraits of teammates Sour Cherry, Krispy and Hawaiian Blaze reveal stories of displacement and disconnection from their culture and identities and the journey of finding belonging within team Indigenous Rising. Rising Through the Fray offers a poignant exploration of resiliency, healing and reconnection of a roller derby family with a bond that goes beyond sport.

3 Hours of Retro Cartoons, Commercials and PSAs – and all the cereal you can eat! Remember Saturday mornings? Kids today may not realize the significance of the Saturday morning ritual, but once upon a time, we had to wait a whole week to get our cartoon fix, and when we got it, we tended to binge. Well – welcome to the Saturday Morning All-You-Can-Eat Cereal Cartoon Party - that special time when kids and kids-at-heart get to relive the exciting Saturday Morning ritual of non-stop retro cartoons, and binge on the multi-colored sugary cereals that used to be a part of every “balanced” breakfast! The cartoon lineup is always a mystery, but expect to see monsters, sci-fi, sleuths, superheroes and all kinds of 2D silliness, both faves and obscurities spanning the '50s through the '90s, all punctuated with vintage commercials, PSAs and station IDs for a 3-hour trip down memory lane! So get ready for a sugar rush and an explosion of nostalgia all wrapped up in one candy-coated package. Dairy free options available! Curated by David Bertrand

The Red Shoes, the singular fantasia from Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, is cinema’s quintessential backstage drama, as well as one of the most glorious Technicolor feasts ever concocted for the screen. Moira Shearer is a rising star ballerina torn between an idealistic composer and a ruthless impresario intent on perfection. Featuring outstanding performances, blazingly beautiful cinematography by Jack Cardiff, Oscar-winning sets and music, and an unforgettable, hallucinatory central dance sequence, this beloved classic, dazzlingly restored, stands as an enthralling tribute to the life of the artist. Join us for our Staff Picks series, where our Winnipeg Film Group staff select and introduce new and old favourites. This month’s selection was chosen by Distribution Director Jillian Groening. Generously sponsored by IATSE 856 Manitoba.

A poetic story of growth, death and the choices that define us, The Business of Fancydancing reunites Spokane Reservation best friends Aristotle Joseph (Gene Tagaban) and Seymour Polatkin (Evan Adams, Smoke Signals) sixteen years after their high school graduation.

Jeanne, a 15-year-old orphan, witnesses the shoot for a film adaptation of the fairy tale The Snow Queen, and she becomes fascinated by its star, Cristina, an actress who is just as mysterious and alluring as the Queen she is playing.

In 1897, in an alleyway located in the sordid neighborhood of Pigalle, an old chapel converted into a performance space was transformed into a theater steeped in naturalism, controversy, and macabre spectacles. Over the next 65 years, the Grand Guignol would provoke both repulsion and celebration in equal measure. Narrated by Barbara Steele and featuring state-of-the-art visual effects, Theatre of Horrors chronicles the sociocultural impact of France's most infamous creation. Plays with The Occupant of The Room Dir. Kier-La Janisse 2025, Canada, 31 min A school teacher's late-night arrival without a reservation at a hotel in the Alps leaves him with no other option than to accept the room of a missing guest, leading to a sleepless night full of strange and mysterious occurrences.

There, There tells the parallel stories of Ruth, an elderly woman with dementia obsessed with feeding the neighbourhood birds, and Shannon, her young homecare worker who is pregnant and has been deserted by the baby’s father. The two women find comfort in one another at these very different stages in their lives.