Chris Mackie
2021
The Devout
Connor Gaston
Charlie Carrick, Ali Liebert
A story about the power of belief, The Devout follows Darryl Eckford during trying times: his 4-year-old daughter, Abigail, has terminal cancer with weeks to live. Abigail is obsessed with space, and she talks with extraordinary detail of the Apollo 1 space mission. After she admits her former name, Darryl researches the space mission and finds inexplicable coincidences. A devout Christian, Darryl faces a crisis of faith when he begins to believe that his daughter was an astronaut in a former life. This newfound belief instills hope in Darryl, because, if his daughter has lived before, she will live again. He must face his wife, community and his own faith as he seeks out truth, because, if his daughter has lived before, she will live again. Its intriguing story and meticulous direction from Connor Gaston makes The Devout one of the most impressive Canadian independent films of the year.
The Devout
My Son Johnny
Peter Levin
Michele Lee, Ricky Schroder
Anthony Cortino lives with his mother in a quiet suburb. His father is dead, and his violent criminal brother is a long way off, in the city, and if Anthony has his way, that's where he will stay. However, Johnny runs into trouble with the police in the city, and when he asks to come home, his mother agrees, despite Anthony's objections. A reign of terror begins for Anthony then, for as long as Johnny is around, Anthony is never safe, and never has been.
My Son Johnny
Two 4 One
Maureen Bradley
Gavin Crawford, Naomi Snieckus
When Adam helps his nutty ex-girlfriend Miriam artificially inseminate, it turns into a one-night stand-- and they both wind up pregnant. You see, Adam has been transitioning to living as a man. Now torn between his feelings for Miriam and his need for a masculine identity, Adam must figure out whether he's going to settle down and have a baby, or just try to be one of the guys.
Two 4 One
