The Pendance Film Festival Announces 2025 Selections

Toronto, ON – The Pendance Film Festival is gearing up for its 8th edition with over 70 films from around the world. The lineup features several World Premieres and Canadian Premieres across many genres and is sure to captivate audiences. Pendance runs from February 27th to March 2nd, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario. 

Nine exciting feature films are vying for this year’s top honours, including the opening night film Duino, a poignant LGBTQ+ drama from directors Juan Pablo Di Pace and Andrés Pepe Estrada. The film, which FILMINK (Australia) describes as having the same “bicurious wavelength” as Call Me by Your Name and Pain and Glory, promises to be a memorable start to the festival.

On Friday, Stampila, Moldova’s Oscar submission for 2025, takes centre stage. Directed by David Larson, the film follows a middle-aged woman who decides to take on the powerful oligarch running her country. David will be in attendance for the Canadian Premiere, offering audiences a chance to meet the visionary behind this gripping political drama.

Saturday’s lineup is packed with noteworthy features. Let Them Be Naked, a daring documentary from Jeff Garner, investigates the toxic chemicals lurking in our everyday clothes, challenging viewers to think twice about the garments they wear. Jeff will be present for the Canadian Premiere, along with some of the individuals featured in the documentary.

Also on Saturday, Almost 40, a delicate exploration of love and loss by director Koto Nagata, will be paired with The Ugly Chickens, a 29-minute short by Canadian director Mark Raso. The day’s programming continues with the International Premiere of The Last Night in the Life of Death, a gripping film about grief and family by Isaiah Brody, who at just 16 years old directed the film, making him the youngest director ever selected by Pendance. Isaiah will be in attendance for the Q&A following the screening.

The evening will close with the World Premiere of Crossing Duty, a clever coming-of-age comedy directed by Mikey Smith about a crossing guard who stumbles upon a dark conspiracy. Mikey will join the audience for his film’s World Premiere on Saturday night.

On Sunday, Pendance shifts gears with a sports documentary double-feature, kicking off with The Last Game by Jon Alpert. The film, which makes its World Premiere, explores how climate change is threatening the future of hockey, spanning five continents and bringing global perspectives to the fore. It’s paired with the Canadian Premiere of Basketball State: The Land of 10,000 Hoops, a captivating 45-minute documentary by Gabe Hostetler that celebrates the rise of basketball in Minnesota. Both filmmakers are expected to be present for the screenings.

Sunday continues with Cu Li Never Cries, an exquisite arthouse film by Pham Ngoc Lan that won the Panorama: KWFF Best First Feature Award at the 2024 Berlinale International Film Festival. The festival will also present a special out-of-competition screening of Booger, a body horror film by Mary Dauterman that premiered at the Fantasia Film Festival.

In keeping with its roots, Pendance continues to champion short films, with 61 selections this year, including 28 international entries from Spain, the USA, France, Germany, Iran, Austria, and South Africa. There are also 22 Canadian short films in competition, setting a record for the festival, with seven of these films coming from Pendance alumni. Some familiar names include Amelia Moses (Bleed With Me), Erica Orofino (She Keeps Me), Ryan Terk (There’s Nothing You Can Do) and Mark Raso (Under).

In the non-competition section, Pendance is proud to present 11 exceptional short films from both emerging and established filmmakers, including the highly anticipated Dammi by Yann Mounir Demange, starring Riz Ahmed. Additionally, the Emerging Talents Showcase on February 28th will feature the World Premiere of Within The Leaves by Noah J. Brown, the director behind Wireman (Pendance 2021).

“We are absolutely committed to our filmmakers and audience,” says Robert Misovic, Co-founder and Director of Pendance. “Our seventh edition sold out, and we’re expecting the same for this year’s edition. Before the pandemic, Pendance was one of the fastest-growing festivals globally, and we’re excited to continue proving that a winter festival can thrive in Toronto.”

The 8th Pendance Film Festival takes place February 27th through March 2nd, 2025, primarily at the Carlton Cinema. Details about the event and tickets can be found on www.pendancefilmfestival.ca

Contact for festival media inquiries:
Maria Sokolowski
programming@pendancefilmfestival.com

That’s a Wrap on Pendance 2024 as the Accident Takes Top Prize

L’Indidente (Italy) by Giuseppe Garau grabs the Best Feature Film Award while Santiago Requaejo’s powerful drama 24/Siete becomes the fourth Spanish-language short film in seven years to win Best Short Film.

Una Gunyak is awarded Best Director for her powerful directorial debut, Excursion, and Montreal’s Victor Saucier-Magistry takes home Best Canadian Short Film honours for Jester’s Flamin Hot Mac n Cheese.

THE ACCIDENT & JESTER’S FLAMIN HOT MAC N CHEESE

On the surface, L’Incidente and Jester’s Flamin Hot Mac n Cheese are polar opposites. One film follows a female tow truck driver through the underworld of Italy, is shot on film, and features a slow-burn pace where the camera is locked off to almost exclusively focussing on the character’s profile.

The other is infused with snappy editing, quick witted zingers, a frenetic pace and action-packed-sequences as a young man falls into a series of situations, each more unrealistic than the last. However, at their core, they’re quite similar. They’re both comedies following extremely likeable and well-written characters as they descend into a world beyond their scope or understanding. There are a thousand ways to tell a story and these were two of our favourite films in Pendance history.

24/SEVEN WINS BEST SHORT FILM

Spanish films seem to dominate the awards at Pendance. From Emma (2017) to Cerdita (2019) to Tundra (2022), from Uruguay to Spain to Cuba, there seems to be a strong support from Spanish filmmakers towards Pendance, and 24/Siete may well be one of the best short films in our seven-year history.

Featuring an excellent and heart-breaking script to commanding performances from Manuela Veslasco and Ramon Barea, this film left the audience stunned and speechless. It headlined one of our strongest international shorts competitions ever, featuring Paris 70, Linda 4-Eva, Roped, and the chilling Serbian drama 5/3/0/ 

UNA GUNYAK WINS BEST DIRECTOR FOR EXCURSION

We started our tradition of Best Director awards in our first edition with Qiu Yang, and then Peter Brunner in 2019 for To the Night. in 2021. Sabrina Doyle took home the prize for Lorelei and most recently Laura Lehmus won the award for her comedy Sweet Disaster . It’s an award we give to a director whose vision and presence most elevated the project.

In introducing the film, festival director Robert Misovic called Una Gunyak one of the most important emerging directors in the world.  And to that end we see no one more clearly deserving of our 2024 Best Director award than Una Gunyak for Excursion. 

Pendace Announces 2024 Festival Lineup

The 7th Annual Pendance Film Festival features over 40 incredible films, workshops and a bevy of live events for filmmakers and guests. Pendance will take place Feb 22nd through Feb 25th, 2024 in downtown Toronto at the Imagine Cinema Carlton, located at 20 Carlton St. 

TICKETS & PASSES NOW AVAILABLE VIA FILMFREEWAY

Individual short films and features links and descriptions will be posted within the next 48 hours.

ARARAT   FEB 22ND, 2024, 7PM (Canadian Premiere)

PENDANCE MIDNIGHT s  FEB 23rd, 2024, 10PM

Put the kids to bed. It’s not about gore and shock value. These shorts haunt on a deeper level. Mystery. Suspense. We’re all alone in the end.

THROUGH HER EYES SHORTS FEB 24TH, 2024, 1:30PM 

8 Stories about women, by women. From childhood to old-age, this block encapsulates the complex, varied role that women play through time and space.

Co-presented with Girl North Studios

• ONLY UNTIL DAWN by Eliza Godlewska, Alan Ruczyński
• MARUJA by Berta Garcia-Lacht
• A Very Sick Man by Bronwen Spolsky
• JULIE BABY by Emily Grooms
• LITTLE BOY by Sophie Horry
• PACHO’S VISUAL ARCHIVE by Blanca Marcela Lopez
• MY OLD GALS by Natasza Parzymies

$$$  FEB 24, 2024, 3:30PM (Canadian Premiere)

Director: Jake Remington
Languages: English
Q&A with director in attendance
Paired with* AT LITTLE WHEELIE THREE DAYS AGO by Andrew Stephen Lee

CHECK TICKETS

LMFAO Shorts  FEB 24TH, 2024, 5:30PM

8 of the funniest short films from Canada and around the world. You will laugh. A lot.

• A CONVERSATION IN PASSING by Matthew Segal
• TESTING by Andy Reid
• LAUNDRY DAY by Justin Diezmo, Christian Bunea
• JESTER’S FLAMING HOT MAC & CHEESE by Victor Saucier-Magistry
• BACK TO THE CLOSET by Gerald B. Fillmore
• WEDDING SONG by Clara Altimas
• LETHAL SHOPPING Mahay Alayón
• LINDA 4 EVA by Sophie Somerville

CHECK TICKETS

THE EXCURSION  FEB 24TH, 2024, 8PM (Candian Premiere)

In Sarajevo, a teenager seeking validation claims that she had sex for the first time during a game of “truth or dare” among middle schoolers. Trapped in her own lie, she invents a pregnancy and becomes the center of a controversy that spirals out of control.

Director: Una Gunjak
Languages: Bosnian
Notable Festivals: Locarno Film Festival (Jury Mention), Sarajevo Film Festival 

Robert is a Serbian-Canadian writer and director, the founder of the Pensare Films Studio in Toronto, and the festival director for the Pendance Film Festival.

Mayonnaise, Buffaloed, Mid90s Now on Pendance Library

Four incredible films have just been released on the Pendance Library, including two of our favourite short films from the 2023 lineup, and two of our favourite features of the past decade.

MAYONNAISE

Directed by Eli Speigel, Mayonnaise follows a quirky production assistant as he goes about the meaningless day-to-day grind of coffee runs and long drives home. One night after wrapping, he’s tasked with driving home one of the producers, an eccentric young woman who might have all the answers he’s looking for.

MONKEY-LOVE, PLEASE HOLD

Directed by Greg Fox, this 23-minute indie short is equal parts laughs and cries. A lonely young man named Ben receives a mysterious delivery package which sends his life spiralling out of control. The film was a huge hit with the audience, and was truly one of the best films from our 2023 lineup. Interesting editing choices, witty dialogue, a tense pace to the cinematography, bolstered by two remarkable lead performances. Read Greg’s interview with Director’s Notes here. 

MID90S

Directed by Jonah Hill, Mid90s is a coming-of-age tale set in 1990s Los Angeles. A 13-year-old spends his summer navigating between a troubled home life and a crew of new friends he meets at a skate shop. The film marks a remarkable directorial debut for Jonah Hill. A heartfelt love letter to his own childhood and ours.

BUFFALOED

Directed by Tanya Wexler, Buffaloed is a film about a homegrown hustler who decides to become a debt collector in a desperate bid to escape her own money problems and her hometown of Buffalo, New York. It’s funny, creative, and all sorts of memorable.

You seriously can’t go wrong with any of these films. Check out the 100+ titles now streaming at the Pendance Library, including dozens of past selections and incredible features from around the world. 

Submissions Open & 2024 Dates Announced

The Pendance Film Festival’s 7th edition will take place February 22-February 25, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario. The planned venues include TIFF Bell Lightbox, Isabel Bader Theatre and the Carlton Cinema. After two years of virtual events and a scaled down 2023 event with a smaller program, Pendance returns to a full-form event. The event will feature p

anels, workshops, various socials, and industry events.

Submissions are now open for the 2024 festival exclusively via FilmFreeway.

*FOR PENDANCE LIBRARY RULES, PLEASE SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM*

MAIN COMPETITION RULES & SUBMISSIONS GUIDELINES
1) Only films completed after January 1st, 2021 are eligible for the festival.

2) Pendance maintains strict premiere requirements for features. Feature films which have previously screened in Ontario are not eligible to screen at Pendance. There are currently no premiere requirements for shorts.

3) STUDENT FEES are only for current film school students or filmmakers who made films while enrolled in film school. In order to qualify for a student fee, please be sure to upload a clear copy of a student ID on the attachments section of your filmmaker profile.

4) Please do not change the screener link address or password of your submission. If you do, please notify us immediately or you risk your film not being previewed and thus considered for the festival.

5) Films in a language other than English must be subtitled in English. We prefer subtitles be burned into the submission copy.

6) Pendance requires DCPs for exhibition. In the event that one is unavailable, we request a PRORES screener link so that we may create a DCP on your behalf.

7. All submission fees are non-refundable. If your film does not fit our submission guidelines, it will be disqualified.

8. Press Kits are requested, but not required. Trailers are however required. If your film is selected, and a trailer is not available, Pendance may, on your behalf, create a clip no longer than 60 seconds for promotional purposes only.

9. The final date to withdraw a selected film from the festival is January 10th, 2024. This is to clear up any premiere conflicts. After this period, you may not withdraw the film for any reason, including disputes over screening fees. If a selected filmmaker is unresponsive, Pendance cannot guarantee that this will result in automatic disqualification and the film may still end up screening.

10. Films must not be available online or be publicly available in the United States or Canada during the week leading up to the festival. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the film may have screened online as part of another festival. Due to the pandemic, exceptions will be made for short films that are available via paid streaming services.

11. If a selected film does not submit materials in time, and materials are not available, Pendance may opt to select the film but not screen it.

Filmmakers are encouraged to attend the festival if we’re allowed under Canadian guidelines to have a live event.

In the event of a live event, if you’re selected and intend to attend the event, please get in touch with us as soon as possible so we can arrange for complimentary passes and gala tickets. The festival provides 2-nights stay at a hotel downtown to short filmmakers selected, and a limited airfare credit as well as 2-nights stay for features filmmakers.

PENDANCE LIBRARY RULES & GUIDELINES

The Pendance Library is a tightly curated online library of some of the best independent films from around the world. New in 2022, filmmakers can submit directly for a library selection through FilmFreeway. All films officially selected to Pendance are automatically eligible for the Pendance Library once they become publicly available.
Check the library here: www.pendancefilmfestival.ca/pendance-library

A) There are no completion date restrictions for Library selections. Any film under 200 minutes is eligible for the Pendance Library.

B) All library selections must be available via a direct link to a vimeo screener. The screener must be made public, and cannot be password protected while the film remains in the Pendance Library.

C) Pendance requests all film stay on our library platform for a minimum of a year.

D) Films selected to the library are not eligible for official selection to the festival.

BY SUBMITTING THE MATERIAL, THE APPLICANT HEREBY AGREES TO INDEMNIFY, HOLD HARMLESS, AND DEFEND THE FESTIVAL, ITS EMPLOYEES, DIRECTORS, REPRESENTATIVES, AND AFFILIATES FROM ANY LIABILITY, CLAIMS, AND DAMAGES IN CONNECTION WITH THE SUBMISSION AND FROM ANY FEES AND EXPENSES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO REASONABLE ATTORNEYS’ FEES, THAT ANY OF THEM MAY INCUR IN CONNECTION THEREWITH.

Additional Information

We strongly encourage filmmakers to submit their film only after it is fully finished and will judge each submission as a completed work, whether it is or not. Once a film is entered, we will not update the submission with a more recent cut. That said, because Pendance’s focus is primarily on story and writing, minor technical changes will not affect the final decision of any film. Should the film be accepted to play during Pendance, the filmmaker will have the opportunity to supply the festival with their most recent version.
*PENDANCE PRESS: We are often asked for private screeners to review ahead of and after the screenings to generate positive publicity. The list of media are widely known and reputable. If you do not wish for your screener to be reviewed by the press via private link, or if you’d prefer to handle publicity on your own film, please specify this upon selection.
*GENRE RESTRICTIONS: While we’re open to all genres, if your film features excessive violence, gore, nudity or sexuality, please email to the festival before submitting to confirm it is eligible.

Pendace Returns to LIVE Screenings May 12-14th

The 6th Annual Pendance Film Festival features a return to in-person screenings. Pendance will take place May 12th through May 14th, 2023 in downtown Toronto at the Imagine Cinema Carlton, located at 20 Carlton St.  After two years of virtual screenings, we’re very excited to welcome back live audiences to our temporary home in the heart of downtown. Pendance’s sixth edition will feature 20 film selections from 2023, and 8 films from our 2022 lineup which are being given a live screening for the first time. TICKETS & PASSES NOW AVAILABLE VIA FILMFREEWAY

Browse individual short films here and features here.

NORTHERN LIGHTS MAY 12TH, 2023, 6PM 

STORY OVER EVERYTHING  MAY 13TH, 2022, 3PM

8 short films which will surely rock your senses from our 2022 lineup, including Best Short 2022 Winner Tundra by Jose Luis Ferrera, and Best Canadian Short Winner She Keeps Me by Erica Orifino.

ASTRAKAN MAY 13TH, 2023, 6PM (Canadian Premiere)

Directed by David Depesseville. Samuel is a wild-looking twelve-year-old orphan who has been placed with a nanny, Marie, for several weeks. Marie, who is struggling between her feelings and her need for money, is married to Clément with whom she has two sons, Alexis and Dimitri. Very quickly Samuel will have to get to know this new family and their possible secrets. Paired with School Photo by Jonathan Norberg.

AS WE KNOW IT  MAY 13TH, 2023, 8PM (Canadian Premiere)

Josh Monkarsh’s feature film starring Pam Grier, Chris Parnell, Mike Castle, Oliver Cooper and Taylor Blackwell is a funny, action-packed film about love, friendship and the end of the world. Set in Los Angeles, James Bishop, a struggling writer deals with a messy break up with the help of his best friend while trying to finish his latest book before the impending nuclear-zombie apocalypse. Paired with Monkey-Love, Please Hold by Greg Fox.

CHECK TICKETS

CONTEMPLATING THE WORLD  MAY 14TH, 2023, 2PM

6 brilliantly crafted short films from around the world that perfectly encapsulate what we mean when we say “cinema”. From the French masterwork from Antoine Delelis Suicide Club’ to Pendance alumni Nikola Polic’s daring and unnerving Take Me, Anyplace, this block of shorts is sure to make you think and feel. This block is less about words, and more about the art of moving images.

• From Fish to Moon by Kevin Contento
• Take Me, Anyplace by Nikola Polic
• Daysleeper by Enzo Smits
• Night Stroll by Ori Birger
• Night Visit by Mya Kaplan
• Suicide Club by Antoine Delelis

CHECK TICKETS

EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE LOVED  MAY 14TH, 2023, 5PM

In honour of Mother’s day, we present one of the most beautiful feature films of the year, in Katharina Woll’s Everybody Wants to be Loved. A blisteringly hot summer day. Psychotherapist Ina notices something is wrong with her. But she doesn’t have time to worry about it: Patients are waiting at the practice, her daughter is threatening to move in with her father, her boyfriend wants to emigrate to Finland, and her self-centered mother is celebrating her 70th birthday. Ina wants to please everyone. But then everything changes. The film is paired with two brilliant short films; Junior’s Giant by Paula Brancati starring Canadian screen icon Eric Peterson, and one of the best-acted short films we’ve ever programmed, Off Side by Sophie Martin.

Robert Misovic is a Serbian-Canadian writer and director, the founder of the Pensare Films Studio in Toronto, and the festival director for the Pendance Film Festival.

How a Canadian Filmmaker Made an Award-Winning 26-minute short for $3500

Ahead of the release of his short film ‘There’s Nothing You Can Do’ on the Pendance Library, we caught up with Canadian filmmaker Ryan Terk to ask him a few questions about his 26-minute self-funded short film which won Best Canadian Short Film at the Pendance Film Festival in 2021.

Q: You approached this film with some very unique lens and camera choices. Talk about crafting the visual world of your short, and how you chose your equipment.

A: For me, it’s important for the look of a movie to reflect the world it takes place in, and for me the world is catalyzed by character. Like Ronny, it was important that everything looked a little murky and rough, like what Vilmos Zsigmond did with Altman for McCabe & Mrs Miller.

Chromatic aberration was something I obsessed over. My DP happened to own a vintage TV zoom that had the EXACT look I was going for, so we used that for exterior daylight scenes.

For everything else, we used vintage Nikon primes with similar but sharper characteristics. We also used a 7.5mm Laowa for the money montage, so we could get as close to the actors as possible while keeping a busy frame.

Q: $3500 isn’t a lot to shoot a 26-minute short. But in what ways did financial limitations force you to be more creative?

There were two big factors: one was writing the script being fully aware of the tight budget, finding the small bubble on the Venn diagram where creativity and practicality merge.

The other was involving very selfless people who would donate their time to a movie that could potentially suck. Every single name in the credits is a person I am very lucky to know. I only paid one of my crew members more than $400, and for 6 days of work. I think I paid a total of $300 to all the actors. Most of the money went towards locations, transportation, equipment and food.

Q: Was there ever a scene where an extra $5000 might have made a very big deal?

The restaurant scene and the club scene, for sure. The club scene is simple, we had to pay a big chunk of our budget per hour, and we only had 4 hours to shoot.

Everybody was drunk and rowdy, and to this day I’m surprised we got enough coverage to form a coherent scene. For the restaurant, we scored the location for free. I had done some work for a fucking awesome chef named Joe Mercuri, and in exchange for some of his recipes, a restaurant called Fiorellino let us use the second level of their dining room for a day.

However, there was a lot of background and foreground choreography, we had zero rehearsal time prior to shooting, and we only had 8 hours to rock n roll.

We spent the first quarter of our allotted time rehearsing (0 actors in that scene, all friends & family friends), so filming had to be a bit rushed, therefore sacrificing a lot of coverage. Fiorellino was great about it all things considered. My legendary PA unplugged all of the restaurants phones so they wouldn’t ring during filming, and the owner didn’t beat him up.

Q: What was your goal with this film and did you accomplish it?

A: I just wanted to make a movie, and learn as much as possible while making it. I learned a lot about films and filmmaking on my own time, but I had never actually made a movie. A lot of my friends suggested I make something very simplistic and short, but I did the complete opposite.

I knew if I tackled something complicated and on a ridiculously low budget, the learning curve would be a lot steeper, and I would have a lot more problems to solve. Reflecting on creative decisions I made, I would’ve done almost everything differently, so I take that as growth and a lot of lessons learned. Creatively and practically.

Q: Talk about writing Ronny. Inspirations, challenges, regrets.

A: Writing Ronny is so much fun. I say is because I still write short stories about him here and there. There is no clear logic or patterns in his decision making, everything he does is catalyzed by warped emotional motivations, and that’s what makes him so fun to write.

My only regret is I rushed to pre-production, so I didn’t have time to write out his entire history since age 1. It’s my favourite part of the writing process, and pretty critical to loosening my head up when writing.

Q: What are the pros and cons of wearing so many hats on your film? Acting, directing, handling post can’t be easy. Would you do it again?

A: Kinda the same answer to question 1. Very steep learning curve, and very informative to me as a filmmaker. When I eventually hire more crew, I’ll have a way better idea of what to look for, supply them with, and reasonably ask of them throughout production.

Would I do it again? I would prefer not to, but I will if I have to.

Q: How did you approach the festival process and do you have any advice for filmmakers who make shorts longer than 20 minutes?

A: Submit to Pendance.

You can now watch There’s Nothing You Can Do for Free Via the Pendance Library for free here.

Luzifer Takes the Top Prize at Pendance 2022

Luzifer (Austria) by Peter Brunner grabs the Best Feature Film Award while Jose Luis Aparicio’s Cuban fever-dream Tundra becomes the third Spanish-language short film in five years to win Best Short Film.

Laura Lehmus is awarded Best Director for her incredibly hilarious and sweet feature directorial debut, Sweet Disaster, and Toronto’s Erica Orofino takes home Best Canadian Short Film honours for She Keeps Me.

LUZIFER WINS BEST PICTURE

What this film does to you cannot be understated. And how rare this is can also not be understated.

To the gruelling process of shooting, intense preparation and work in preproduction to the sheer commitment to honesty in the script and performances.

Our sincere congratulations to the entire team that made Luzifer possible. From the lead performances by Franz Rogowski and Susanne Jensen to the brilliant camera work by Peter Flinckenberg. It was a true team effort.  Watch the Trailer Here

TUNDRA WINS BEST SHORT FILM

This is only the second ever film from Cuba to be selected to Pendance joining Alberto (2020) and the first ever to be awarded a prize.

We salute commitment with all of our awards. And it’s hard to imagine someone more committed to their art, their story and their cause than Jose Luis Aparicio. Tundra is a masterpiece. We don’t use this word lightly. Watch the Trailer Here

LAURA LEHMUS WINS BEST DIRECTOR

We started our tradition of Best Director awards in our first edition with Qiu Yang, and then Peter Brunner in 2019, and last year with Sabrina Doyle for Lorelei . It’s an award we give to a director whose vision and presence most elevated the project.

And to that end we see no one more clearly deserving of our 2022 Best Director award than Laura Lehmus for Sweet Disaster. Watch the Trailer Here

SHE KEEPS ME WINS BEST CANADIAN SHORT FILM

The Best Canadian Short film is a staple at Pendance which started with Kalainithan Kalaichelvan‘s Inland Freaks and extended to last year’s win for Ryan Terk with There’s Nothing You Can Do.

It’s an award which celebrates daring storytellers who’ve put to the screen something pure and honest and we’re proud to add another brilliant Canadian to this list.

We salute Erica Orofino and her team. This film was a goldmine of emotions and depth and we couldn’t be prouder to award it.

Pendance Announces 2022 Schedule

61 Films Coming to Ontario, Canada at the Pendance Film Festival March 10-13th, Virtually

Feature Films Lineups 

The features programme at Pendance 2022 features a diverse range of genres and languages; films from the United States, Japan, China, Germany, Austria, Italy and the Netherlands make up the nine selections, six of which are making Canadian Premieres

• Cannes standout Striding into the Wind by Wei Shujun 
• Locarno hit Luzifer by Peter Brunner 
• Japanese cult-sci-fi film Extraneous Matter by Kenichi Ugana
• Dutch Oscar entry for 2022, Do Not Hesitate by Shariff Korver 
• Raindance comedy Sweet Disaster by Laura Lehmus 
• Sundance hit Superior by Erin Vassilopoulos 
• The critically acclaimed Marvelous and the Black Hole by Kate Tsang 
• Austin Film Fest selection The Grand Bolero by Gabriele Fabbro
• Oldenberg Award-winner and indie darling Anchorage by Scott Monahan 

Short Films Lineups 

The short film lineup features fifty-two incredible films from around the world divided into eight screening blocks.

LMFAO Shorts‘ hilarious lineup starts with Carlos Gomez Trigo’s sci-fi comedy Survivers and Daniel Christpherson‘s Swan Song and ends with Dominik Hartl’s Austrian comedy The Washing Machine, and Nash Edgerton’s Shark, starring Rose Byrne.

Through Her Eyes is a section by female directors. The block features work by prominent emerging talents Erica Orofino, Pom Bunsermvicha, Mya Kaplan, Huma Hussain, Zou Jing, and Isabella Margara.

Cinema Mon Amour features the world premiere of Hanna Jovin and Adrian Morphy’s The Middle, Joe Perry‘s stunning Nobody’s Boy, We Won’t Forget by Lucas Eberl and Edgar Morais, and Jose Luis Aparicio’s Tundra which screened at Sundance 2022 among several other incredible films.

Copenhagen to Vienna is a short block featuring three longer shorts from Austria and Denmark. The block celebrates three of Europe’s brightest female voices; Julia Reiter, Lisa Hasenhutl, and Tone Ottilie.

So Much Drama features three incredible Canadian talents showcasing their work; Barbara by Aidan Lesser, Louise from 9 to 5 by Julien G. Marcotte, and The Way of Mourning by Matthew Segal. Joining the Canadian films are Nestor Ruiz Medina’s El Metodo, Adrian Moyse Dullin’s The Right Words, and Oscar nominee The Letter Room by Elvira Lind.

StoryOverEverything features documentaries and animated shorts, including Adjusting by Dejan Petrovic, Naya by Sebastian Mulder, and two excellent animated entries from Canada; Memory Makers by Mark Pagliaroli, and Forgotten by Mawrgan Shaw.

Pendance Midnight features Cutter by Dan Repp and Lindsay Young, All Night Long by Eric Scabar, Wild Will by Alan King, Visitors by Kenichi Ugana, My Condition by Coke Arijo, Behind by Yili Li, and a sci-fi film by Adnan Siddique, Last and First Woman.

Finally, New Voices is Pendance’s out-of-competition selection, showcasing emerging talents from around the world. Canadian talents Francesco Filice, Melisa Sahin, James Salmon and Luisa Maria Gonzalez join international filmmakers from Spain, the United States and France.

Workshops and Panels

Pendance will feature over 50 speakers live appearing for Q&As and to lead workshops and speak on various panels. All events are broadcast live on YouTube and are free to attend from around the world.

Read about them here. 

Straeon Acting Studios founders Isabel Farias and Jock MacDonald lead a workshop on Directing Actors, Sasha K. Gordon discusses overcoming PTSD through Art and the situation in Ukraine, and Carlota Pereda deconstructs her Sundance 2022 standout feature film Cerdita. 

Scott Monahan and Dakota Loesch discuss how they made a festival-winning feature in 5 days, Ethan Eng discusses how he became the youngest filmmaker selected to the features competition at Slamdance in 2022 with Therapy Dogs, and Erin Vassilopoulos and Chris Mutton lead a panel on film editing.  

Here’s the schedule 

Check Feature Films Here

Check Short Films Here

Check Festival Teaser Here 

Here’s a quick way to see what’s coming

A Simple Guide to Pendance 2021

We were having a conversation today with a pass holder who said they got a headache trying to pick which films they wanted to watch. “Nothing’s bad, everything’s interesting, and there’s no Brad Pitt so I have no idea how to pick”.

The bigger we get, the less comprehensible we get. That’s been true every year. It takes a rare person to unpack 54 films and 20 live events across a three-and-a-half-day window. So we had an idea—why not simplify Pendance?

So below, we’re going to give you our top three picks for every genre and taste imaginable. Just go to your mood and check out our suggestions. Who better to guide you through Pendance than the programmers who picked the films? Consider this our version of Vimeo Staff Picks.

FILMS BY WOMEN

Lorelei by Sabrina Doyle | March 28, 8pm

Through Her Eyes Shorts Showcase | March 27, 5pm

Toprak by Sevgi Hirschhäuser | March 28, 1pm

HORROR FILMS

My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell it To by Jonathan Cuartas | March 26, 9pm

Bleed with Me by Amelia Moses | March 27, 11pm

Pendance Midnight Shorts | March 26, 11pm

DOCUMENTARIES/WORLD ISSUES

The Bears on Pine Ridge by Noel Bass | March 28, 12pm

StoryOverEverything Shorts | March 26, 2pm

The State of Texas Vs. Melissa by Sabrina Van Tassel | March 26, 4:30pm

SOMETHING FUN, LIGHT OR FUNNY 

Dinner in America | March 26, 7pm 

Show Me the Money Shorts | March 27, 9pm

Le Cafe de mes Souvenier (The Cafe of my Memories) by Valto Baltzar (World Premiere) | March 28, 5:30pm 

ARTHOUSE

Cinema Mon Amour Shorts | March 28, 3pm

The Trouble with Being Born by Sandra Wollner | March 28, 10pm 

Window Boy would Also Like to Have a Submarine | March 27, 2pm  

I WANT ONE FILM!

Fine. Paper Spiders by Inon Shampanier | March 27, 7pm

RELEVANT LINKS

Get Passes
Check Out the Full Event Schedule
Free Workshops & Panels
Check Out All the Feature Films
Check Out All the Short Films

HOW TO EVENTIVE

Pricing

*There are effectively 2 passes at Pendance 2021 right now; 5 for 5 ($25) and All-Access ($50). The Pendancer Pass for ($125) comes with a #StoryOverEverything sweatshirt but effectively is the same pass as the $50 all-access.

Tickets for individual screenings are

$3.99 for documentary features

$8.99 for short blocks

$8.99 for features.

How Passes Work

5-for-5 unlocks any 5 screenings for $0, and All Access and Pendancer pass unlocks all screenings for $0.

Once you have your pass, you can begin adding screenings through the ‘virtual festival portal’. You’ll see 11 features, 1 re-screening, and 5 short blocks listed. Make sure you’re logged into the eventive account (and same email) your pass was issued to. You should see a $0 charge next to the pre-order now button.

How a Screening Works

2 Things matter here: Unlock time, and watch window. Let’s use Dinner in America as an example. It can be pre-ordered now, but won’t officially ‘unlock’ until March 26th at 7pm. From the second it unlocks at 7pm (EST) you will have exactly 2 hours to begin watching the film. From the point you unlock, within that 2-hour window, you will have exactly 8 hours to finish watching the film.