Tag: Short Film

Updates on What the Astronots Are Up To

Until a feature length film finally gets off the ground (pardoning the pun), the short film AstroNots is ready to launch on streaming platforms.

AstroNots keyart theatrical posterAstroNots is finally landing after playing at twenty more film festivals worldwide! Anyone who has not seen this hilarious short film at their local event or Fantasia Film Festival 2024 can now stream it through Film Shortage, beginning June 23, 2025. When I interviewed the creative team last year, producer Andrew Seaton said they want to make a feature film length version of this film. Although not much has progressed since, he confirmed writers Adam Dunn and Aaron Glenane are working hard on putting a script together.

He said, “We are excited about the prospect of taking these characters and their unique dynamic even further. What we love is that we have an odd couple road-trip movie, set in space. Something truly hilarious and unique.”

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The Qaqsoss naka Wahuntuhsis is More Than An Enchanting Fable

The Qaqsoss naka Wahuntuhsis is very easily the highlight of the Victoria Film Festival’s F1RST, A Celebration of Aboriginal Films. It’s an all-ages product that’ll entertain!

The Qaqsoss naka Wahuntuhsis PosterPlaying at F1RST FIlm Festival June 22, 2025
Moxy Fox Studio

The Qaqsoss naka Wahuntuhsis (which literally translates to Fox and the Tiny Demon) is a wonderfully animated film which is like a children’s graphic novel come to life. When Tara Audibert from the Tobique First Nation in New Brunswick came up with the idea about the struggles this animal has to face, I’m sure the decision on how to bring it to life and relatable to the human condition was tough. . She wanted the narrative to deal with mental illness, an idea reasonably well conveyed, and show how this critter can deal with those personal demons.

And when there’s a literal one appearing occasionally during this fox’s wanderings through a magical forest, the fact this young cub doesn’t always take notice is amusing. But at some point, this supernatural force will have to appear!

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Celebrating Spring Equinox with Five Animated Films

The best thing about Spring Equinox is not the longer days, but the times spent with family and friends, and there’s a few favourite films I like to watch too.

Spring Equinox at the Movie TheatreAs Spring Equinox is officially in full bloom, just what I want to view is not your regular fare. My recommendations better reflect the season than any spiritual aspect; my top five favorite animated works include more than just current movies. I have short films on this list too.

And so I’m not spending the entire time indoors, what can be viewed can be done in an evening while the afternoon is spent hunting for eggs. Unfortunately, no bunnies are on this list. For part of this Easter Sunday, I’ll be enjoying:

To Spring (1936)

Very few tales acknowledge Spring Equinox as passionately as this classic produced by Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising, and directed by William Hanna before forming his own studio. It’s a simple tale where gnomes are helping the world transition to the new season. But challenges are in store for them….

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TheNFB at Victoria Film Festival 2025, Incandescence Review & Much More!

As the Victoria Film Festival is in full swing, Incandescence is a film from Nova Ami and Velcrow Ripper leads the charge on what works produced by theNFB to watch.

National Film Board of Canada LOGOThe National Film Board of Canada always has a delightful range of films that’s set to debut at one film festival or another. And in Victoria, BC, this homegrown event will feature eight produced (or co-produced) TheNFB pieces featuring the work of talents who know what living in this country means. High on the list is Incandescence, a documentary by Nova Ami and Velcrow Ripper whose last work, Metamorphosis, was a potential game-changer. I interviewed them about why this work matters not only on a grander scale but also in what humanity can do to save the environment.

Incandescence Movie Poster
Playing on Feb 10, 5 PM Cinecenta Theatre (on UVic campus); for tickets, please visit this link.

Flash forward to now, those themes they’ve explored back then get revisited again in their latest. This time, the topic concerns wildfires and how they affect forested communities. What viewers should takeaway afterwards is how tragedy can bring some people together, but also bring about change.

Whether these accept the problems that can arise while living in the boonies, some folks are up to it and others not. This work delicately examines the pros and cons, and also considers the life cycle that occurs following the death of a forest and the renewal process afterwards. It’s a work that’ll get people talking. The footage used ranges from seeing how some fires can get out of control to showing how people feel about the attempts to save homes. It’s quite vivid, and I’d be scared too if I were a volunteer firefighter!

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Inkwo for When the Starving Return. When Indigenous Rights Matters in this Amazing Stop-Motion Epic! 

Inkwo for When the Starving Return is a brilliant short film that’s more about survival in the arctic! When confronting the self is just as important as dealing with the supernatural, is Dove Ready?

Inkwo For When the Starving Return PosterNational Film Board of Canada
Available Light Film Festival (Feb 7-16)
Victoria Film Festival (Feb 7-16)

After debuting at Sundance Film Festival, the short film, Inkwo, is headed to the Victoria Film Festival! It’s a beautiful film by Amanda Strong who has nicely integrated some folk tales into a battle about humanity versus self, and also nature! There’s some mention of industry, but it’s only implied than openly said out loud.

Not only will this work mesmerise not only its technical achievement as a stop-motion animated piece but also in telling folks it’s okay to be gender-fluid. Although this is not the primary message, that’s what I first recognized. When Dove (voiced by Paulina Alexis) is introduced as female, I’ll stick to this pronoun. During her excursions outside, she must face various arctic dangers. While some encounters are real, it is the ones she must face about herself that’s the most telling.

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Season Two of David J. Fernandes’ Creepy Bits is Here! Prepare for More Spooky Tales of the Unexpected!

And we have an episode guide too! Disclaimer: Creepy Bits is best experienced in the dark, with headphones. If only they were quadraphonic….

Creepy Bits Season Two PosterHollywood Suite Broadcast Premiere Nov 19 at 9pm ET. 

After Halloween, not everyone was preparing for The Day of the Dead. Some folks may have tuned in to view David J. Fernandes‘ Creepy Bits that debuted early in the month on VOD. But now, it’s more accessible on specific specialty networks! There’s no news yet for worldwide release, but in the meantime, for Canadians, they have early access.

It’s a wonderful series for those who want simple frights in a bite-size format. This Canadian series offers a contemporary take on some classic tropes, and will leave viewers in awe.

After the debut “Baby Face,” episode from season one, what makes this program special is that sets up the tension quite fast for the bogeyman style surprise! These shorts live up to its name for effectively creating that sense of unease, even as the last frames play out. Sometimes, the finale is not for the better, but is far, far worse, and leaves the aftermath for each viewer’s imagination to figure out.

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