The Shortest Day event banner

The Shortest Day returns for a second year across the country on December 19, 20 and 21, with an outstanding program of new, classic, and award‐winning shorts by some of Canada’s most talented filmmakers.

This year’s free event, a fun way for families and film lovers to celebrate the lead-up to the winter solstice on December 21, the shortest day of the year, features 27 shorts organized into three programs: Kids Under 8 (56 minutes), Family (88 minutes), and Comedy (13+, 99 minutes).

The free screenings will be held in over 60 venues across Canada, not only in movie theatres but in cultural centres, community spaces, schools, hospitals, and public libraries—making the event accessible to as many cinemagoers as possible.

Sunday Punch
[Sunday Punch; Comedy program]

Exhibition partners include the Halifax Central Library, Carlton Cinema (Toronto), Metro Theatre (Edmonton), Pacific Cinematheque (Vancouver), the Association des propriétaires de cinémas du Québec, and the Corporation des salles de cinéma du Québec.

The Shortest Day was launched in 2011 by the Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée (CNC) in France to celebrate an art form that has moved in exciting new directions in an age of YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and other popular mobile and social media platforms.

Presented in over 50 countries, the event is sponsored in Canada by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB), Quebec’s Société de développement des entreprises culturelles (SODEC), and Telefilm Canada.

Infanticide
[Infanticide!; Comedy program]

“We are incredibly excited to be ambassadors for this year’s English‐language films in The Shortest Day,” said actors/filmmakers Michael Seater (Bank$tas, Life with Derek) and Paula Brancati (Being Erica, Degrassi: The Next Generation) of BrancSeater Productions.

“Our experience at Telefilm’s Not Short on Talent program at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, where we screened our first short, Sly Cad, shed light on the vast talent of up-­and-­coming filmmakers that Canada has to offer. We are delighted with the variety of this year’s group of films and can’t wait to meet the filmmakers and celebrate the importance of this art form.”

The films come from all regions of the country, from Newfoundland and Labrador to British Columbia. From stop-­motion animation to live action and experimental works, new releases to Oscar-­winning classics, this year’s The Shortest Day program offers a rich and diverse selection of films guaranteed to entertain and delight.

Godhead
[Godhead; Family program]

A few key highlights include:
Godhead, Victoria, B.C.
Writer/director Connor Gaston’s dramatic comedy about a mute boy with a powerful gift (a 2014 Toronto International Film Festival premiere)

Infanticide!, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador
Writer/director G. Patrick Condon’s award­‐winning comedy about a couple looking for that perfect family was the winner of the Best Atlantic Short Award at the 2013 Atlantic Film Festival

Josef and Aimée, Toronto
Directed and co-­written by Ben Shirinian, this magical childhood love story about two children sent into hiding in the south of France during WWII is currently making the film festival circuit

Little Brother [Petit frère], Quebec City
Director Rémi St-­Michel’s comedy about a troubled 14-­year-­old boy premiered at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival Critic’s Week

A Mile in Those Hooves (Comedy program)
[A Mile in Those Hooves; Comedy program]

In Vancouver, The Shortest Day will take place at the following venues:
– Pacific Cinematheque, 1131 Howe Street
– Pacific Center, 701 West Georgia Street
– Studio 16, 1555 West 7th Avenue

Follow the action on Twitter using event hashtag #ShortestDay

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