November is labour film month. NAJC is happy to host the Canadian Labour International Film Festival (CLiFF) in its 15th year of providing inspiring films about workers from the world. CLiFF holds free screenings across Canada and pays fees to the filmmakers.
[Added on November 22, 2023]
One more free screening on Saturday November 25. Access the link at 1pm (Pacific or 2pm Mountain, 3pm Central, 4pm Eastern). You have 26 hours to access the link and sign on, and then you have 24 hours to watch the films.
Here’s the link: https://watch.eventive.org/cliff2023/play/655cb513aa834700cdab7439
The English subtitles are fixed for Lentejas.
NAJC is hosting two free online 1.5 hour screenings.
November 14 at 6 pm (Pacific), 7 pm (Mountain), 8 pm (Central), 9 pm (Eastern)
https://watch.eventive.org/cliff2023/play/653d09ef518bc000b47b7495
November 18 at 1 pm (Pacific), 2 pm (Mountain), 3 pm (Central), 4 pm (Eastern)
https://watch.eventive.org/cliff2023/play/653d0ae894fce600268fa174
The links are available on the dates and times above. Once the link is available you have 26 hours to sign on and then 24 hours to keep watching.
Film Descriptions
A street view 14:17 min
In this slice-of-life drama, we spend one evening riding the streets of Madrid with a young female courier. During this time, we learn about her background, the job situation in the city for young university graduates, and the difficulties she faces navigating life and work.
Bergie 7 min
The term “bergie” is a South Africanism that refers to people that are homeless. This short film presents the viewer with a problem – a law enforcement officer has to remove homeless people sleeping on a path in the city in order to make way for a 10km fun-run. To do this, he has to wrestle with fundamental questions about the dignity of human life.
Dream (Puamun) 5:13 min
This short documentary, directed by an Innu filmmaker, features Jordan, a young french speaking, indigenous fisherman. As we spend a typical day on his boat fishing for whelk, he tells us the story of his journey towards becoming the captain of a fishing boat.
Lentejas 8 min
A humorous look at the gig economy and what work is like right now for many white collar workers who have to hustle for every contract and need multiple contracts to make a living. Workers can be anywhere – it just depends on the backdrop, and how long you can hold the illusion together.
“Lentils (Lentejas): if you want, eat them; if you don’t, leave them.”
Mindslip 5 min
A clever and quirky film about the Indian immigrant work experience in Toronto.
Not Another Ballet Story 11 min
Choreography is traditionally a male dominated occupation. In this inspiring documentary, a small contemporary dance company in San Francisco provides dancers, many of them female, with the unique opportunity to choreograph modern ballet productions. The hope is that this experience will give rise to more female creators, leaders, and choreographers.
Where are you from? 2.51 min
This film depicts a true story based on the producer’s life. A young woman goes to an interview and is asked a simple question – one commonly asked in Canada.
Her not so simple answer gives us a personalized glimpse into the often complicated histories, experiences, and identities of refugees, migrants, and immigrants.
Whitewash 31 min
Whitewash looks at the pressure felt amongst Iranian immigrants in Canada to change their given names to Western names to increase their chance of getting a job, and the consequences that develop due to this act of cultural and identity erasure.
The film examines the extent of discrimination against immigrants and asks how race can contribute to the rates of unemployment for some communities in Toronto and what it will take to create equality in the workplace.
