A young mother (Kaali) and her young son hear that a villager who returned home from abroad has brought them gifts. At first Kaali rejects this possibility outright. But a combination of poverty, desperation and hope eventually makes her walk miles to greet him. At the onset of winter with no contact from her husband – himself somewhere in Arabia – Kaali finds herself on the brink.
Nominee
Journey to Kailash
Here are a very old Korean mother and her son. They have lived together for over 45 years without a husband and father. 44 years after he died, they embarked on their first journey in 2014, when they headed for an old Buddhist monastery on the Himalayas. Then they had a pilgrimage for Mustang, the Buddhist kingdom and Myanmar. Finally, in 2017, when the mother got 83 years old, they embarked on their last journey for the sacred mountain, Kailash.
The Last Stitch
Born to a family of tailors, Tommy Sung grew up in the trade. When his father died, he and his wife Connie took over the family business. In 1996, facing the imminent handover of Hong Kong to China, the couple decided to emigrate to Canada. There, they successfully rebuilt their business making traditional Chinese cheongsam. Twenty years on, they’re ready to retire. But what of the skills that have been handed down in their family for three generations?
No Visible Trauma
In the midst of a global uprising against police brutality and systemic racism, NO VISIBLE TRAUMA is a searing investigation of the deeply troubled Calgary Police Service, which shot and killed more people than the New York or Chicago police departments in 2018. From the kidnapping and beating of a young African immigrant, to the fatal shooting of an unarmed man during a “wellness check”, the film exposes extreme police brutality and a justice system that refuses to hold officers accountable.
Her Stories
“Her Stories” narrates the struggles, successes, and dreams of three women from Syria. The unique storytelling technique delves into the challenges Fatma, Weam, and Malake had to face and the choices they were forced to take for their family, self, and land. From motherhood to abandoning families, disability and immigration, “Her Stories” discusses how the war moulded these women into revolutionary beings who defied cultural and societal barriers after living for ten years in a warzone.
The Khe Sanh Peace Garden
A touching and hopeful film about a medevac helicopter pilot who found peace within himself and with his mortal enemies when he tries to build a peace garden at the Khe Sanh Combat Base where he stationed during the Viet Nam war.