Canadian talent shines in films about dark family secrets, cringy crushes, nuclear fallout and clones

A dark family secret that derails a budding romance. A summer in the life of an unsure (but brave) writer who can’t quit one of Montreal’s most ridiculous men. A depraved and egomaniacal publisher who steamrolls boundaries for fame. An old man, working overtime to shake off his mortal coil, does incomprehensible damage to his troubled adult children with a jaw-dropping revelation that belongs in a science fiction novel. 

These are just four films with Canadian connections (two are entirely Canadian productions) that recently premiered at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival. 

Here’s a look at some CanCon (or CanCon-ish) fare we’ve enjoyed so far this TIFF: 

Egghead Republic

Starring: Ella Rae Rappaport, Tyler Labine, Arvin Kananian and Emma Creed

While this somewhat dystopian film, adapted from Arno Schmidt’s 1957 novel of the same name, was produced and filmed in Sweden, one of the lead roles is played by Tyler Labine, a Canadian-American actor best known for Tucker & Dale vs. Evil and beloved Canadian sitcom Breaker High (which also starred Ryan Gosling).

When director Pella Kagerman was asked what inspired the casting during a Q&A, she said she saw Labine on–of all places–Cameo, a website that lets fans hire celebrities to deliver personal messages (often birthday greetings). His birthday wishes piqued her interest and she cast him as Dino Davis, an obnoxious, unethical and predatory publisher who runs a Vice-like media empire called the Kalamazoo Herald. Gritty and audacious without crossing the line into unbelievable parody, the film, set in an alternate reality in which a nuclear confrontation between Russia and the United States leaves a radiated wasteland in Kazakhstan that’s rumoured to house mutated, mythical creatures, explores something truly real: The inexplicable human drive to please and impress someone who repeatedly behaves boorishly and abusively Wildly original with standout performances from everyone, this is a film we all can drink to (but hopefully not as much as Dino). 

Blood Lines

Starring: Dana Solomon, Derica Lafrance, Mélanie Bray and Gail Maurice

A Canadian drama that first appears to be about the budding lesbian romance between Métis store clerk and journalist Beatrice (Mississauga-based actor Dana Solomon) and new-to-town summer ranch worker Chani (Derica Lafrance), a woman searching for her birth family, turns into an often touching family drama that explores addiction, adoption, forgiveness and the complex relationships between mothers and daughters. While the film feels somewhat choppy in the first half, hindered more than once by clunky dialogue, it finds its groove when it delves into the trauma and hurt of a childhood marked by parental absence. The film, perhaps unintentionally, puts more onus on Beatrice (the child) to forgive than on Leonore (the mother) to make amends. Still, director Gail Maurice’s drama shines when confronting the fallout of family separation. We all need parents, but we don’t get to choose them and sometimes, we have to grapple with a tough decision: accept them as they are (or were) or make peace with the heartache alone. 

&Sons

Starring: Bill Nighy, Noah Jupe, George MacKay, Johnny Flynn and Imelda Staunton

This film, made in both Canada and the UK and co-written by Canadian filmmaker and actor Sarah Polley, stars the always enjoyable Bill Nighy as a reclusive writer who’s actively drinking himself to death while working up the courage to share an unbelievable (truly, it beggars belief) piece of information with his estranged adult sons. Based on David Gilbert’s 2013 novel, the film, directed by Pablo Trapero, takes viewers on an absolutely wild ride through the dilapidated estate (and life) of a once-successful author who, despite seeking a second chance in the most otherworldly way imaginable, can’t quite grasp that redemption requires having just a smidge of self-awareness with, perhaps, the tiniest dash of shame. Totally original, this moving and perplexing tale of a man incapable of loving anyone but himself will sit with you long after the credits roll. 

Mile End Kicks

Starring: Barbie Ferreira, Devon Bostick, Stanley Simons, Juliette Gariépy and Jay Baruchel

If you’re nostalgic for 2011 (and I definitely am), this journey into the early aughts provides a ton of delights. Written and directed by Burlington-raised filmmaker Chandler Levack, this somewhat autobiographical film transports viewers back to the height of the hipster era in Canada (Montreal specifically) when aspiring music journalist and author Grace Pine (Barbie Ferreira) decides to spend a summer in la belle province. Ambitious and bold, Pine has no trouble approaching band boys, but has a lot of difficulty tackling her other goals (like finishing her book on Alanis Morrisette’s Jagged Little Pill, learning French and having real sex, to name a few).

The movie doesn’t shy away from its protagonist’s flaws, but treats her with incredible fairness and compassion. Women face unique battles and are, like men, vulnerable to youthful mistakes (in her case, losing a job and running out of money because an obnoxious indie singer looked too good performing a wild, gender-bendy number at a loft party). Grace fumbles, falls, learns and grows, and her relentlessness and drive make it impossible not to root for her. Sometimes, feeling like Girls in its authentic representation of messy female youth, the slice-of-life dramedy is moving, funny, and a standout piece of cinema that showcases Canadian filmmakers as ones to watch.