A Woman's Life

Strangeways: Britain's T... Twenty-five years after the biggest riot in British penal history, this film brings together the ringleaders of the trouble with the prison guards they battled with over three weeks of anarchy that brought Strangeways to its knees. For the first time, these events are told through unparalleled access to the people at the heart of the riot - ex-inmates, prison officers and the governor himself - createing a compelling story of the struggle for power between the authorities and the hardcore prisoners who ultimately took their protest onto the prison roof. The stand-off that followed is documented until the final moments, when the siege was ended in a dramatic takedown in front of rolling news cameras.

Masks The story starts with the birth of a baby, who starts crying as soon as he sees his father "in disguise." The infant is already expressing his desire for authenticity. By the age of three, he instinctively rejects conventions. He is taken to a psychiatrist, who finds him perfectly normal. When he starts school, he is offered another mask. Once again, he rejects it, and once again, he is led off to the psychiatrist. As a teenager he discovers his father's disguises and fills them with helium. As an adult, his creative attitude towards his work arouses the envy of his colleagues. At one of his last visits to the psychiatrist, he sees a young woman who seems to be experiencing the same problems he is. It's love at first sight. From their union is born a child who starts to cry as soon as he sees his father wearing a motorcycle helmet. The father quickly removes his "mask..."

Scant Sanity An exploration into the nature of the mind, the brain and reality. A person seeking job counselling receives psychiatric treatment instead, and thereupon becomes convinced of the reality of his own internal world. This may be the tale of an abused student, or the bizarre and unlikely reminiscences of an aging cowboy. On the other hand, it could be the musings of a bored actuary. By presenting the life of the filmmaker as multiple levels of insanity, this film challenges the commonsense interpretation of the universe.

Locked On the way to school, a boy is confronted by an enormous man whose hand grabs hold of his school bag and tosses it into the air. The hand pushes him towards a huge padlock, then forces him to enter through the keyhole: the schoolboy is imprisoned in a hazardous lock factory. Like all the other children inside, he finds himself forced to operate a high-speed punch press. Struggling to follow the movements of the machine, he makes a mistake and cuts off a finger. He then tries to run away, but is pursued by menacing metal lock parts. In fleeing, the boy falls and passes out. We see his memories of his playmates, the songs he played on his flute and his loving, attentive mother. But reality is more tragic. Recaptured, he finds himself back at the factory polishing locks. He starts to cough up blood after inhaling iron particles which will prove lethal: the child dies on the job.

My Soul to Keep Like many 9-year-old boys, Eli Braverman believes something menacing lives in his basement. When his older sister leaves him home alone one night, Eli discovers if this evil is real or all in his head. What Eli confronts may end up being far more terrifying than even his worst nightmare.

Quilt An abstract animated film, using computer and experimental techniques in choreographing quilt motifs and designs to music. A tribute to the unique and long-established art form of patchwork quilting. A film without words.

The Legend of the Flying... The time: New Year's Eve, late 1800s. The place: Gatineau Valley, Quebec. A group of loggers, working in an isolated winter camp, yearn to celebrate New Year's Eve with their loved ones. But the river is frozen, the sky is dark, and swirling snow makes travelling treacherous. If the men want to see their families, their only choice is to make a pact with the devil to ride in a flying canoe. While pacts with the devil are the stuff of legends from another time, the cautionary tale of The Flying Canoe has a resonance for modern life. Original music and bold animation preserve the spirit of this well-known Quebec legend derived from La Chasse-galerie, first published in 1891 by Honoré Beaugrand. Hand-drawn animation scanned and coloured on computer.

Ernie's Idea Ernie is a simple fellow who loves his job, but the blissful routine of Ernie's life is thrown into chaos when a pesky and persistent idea suddenly decides to follow him around, demanding attention in the most disruptive ways. Suddenly Ernie's job is in jeopardy. What do you do with an idea, when you've never had one before? How can you tell if it's worth keeping or just plain trouble?

Taa Tam Taa Tam of the Maha Tribe knew music before music even existed... or so this imaginary legend goes. He saw rhythm everywhere: in the flutter of the leaf, in the pounding of corn, in the pulse of the planet. One night, he dreams himself into a place where all he touches becomes an instrument. Wood and bone metamorphose into xylophone and rattle. Animal hide resounds with the deep voice of the drum. With his soul on fire, an exultant Taa Tam discovers his ability to bring alive the passion that has been locked inside him for so long. Volcanoes erupt and flames leap to the vigorous beat of the world's premier concert. Wrapped in luxuriant colours and a vibrant sound track, Taa Tam celebrates human creativity at a performance where music is the guest of honour. A film without words.

The Tournament A little deaf girl who plays against an arrogant boy in a chess tournament is unaffected by his scorn but responds warmly to the attentions of a young poet. Based on article 23 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, this film illustrates disabled children's right to enjoy a full and decent life. A film without words.