5th Annual TBFF Program 2016

Thursday July 7, 4 PM - Friday July 8, 1 PM
Friday July 8, 4 PM - Friday July 8, 7 PM


Thursday July 7, 4 PM

Fox Theatre Toronto
2236 Queen Street East - Google Maps

The Fox Theatre is the Official Media Sponsor of TBFF!

FoxBeaches

Thursday, July 7, 2016, 4 PM - $ 12 each :


Moments *World Premiere
07:43 min - Drama, Fantasy, Farming, Aging, Death
Dir. Rodrigo Zanforlin - United States

The death of an old farmer takes him to a place of joy and reconnection with himself.


1-bobbybuck

The Bobby Buck Show *Canadian Premiere
22:50 min - Mocumentary, Comedy, Canoeing, Wilderness, Biography, Land Conservation, Nature
Dir.John Stead - Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Bobby Buck (played with gleeful silliness by Toronto’s Jean-Michel Le Gal) can canoe dangerous rapids, ride a monster bull and ski off a 50 foot cliff…in his mind. He’s is so enthusiastic, that along with his amazon sidekick, Angela, and his mischievous dog, Spinner, he’s created his own ‘reality show’ about everything outdoors. The problem is he has no idea what he’s talking about. Well known Hollywood stunt coordinator, Joel Harris (Pacific Rim, White House Down, Life of Pi, Degrassi: The Next Generation, Nikita, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse) guest stars as Bobby’s expert in this hilarious send-up of Saturday morning access television sporting shows.

Director website: www.johnstead.com


1-far-afield

Far Afield: A Conservation Love Story *Canada Premiere
35:00 min - Documentary, Biography, BirdWatching, Land Conservation, WildLife, Nature
Dir. Jennifer Tennican - United States

Bert Raynes, a boy from the “mean streets” of New Jersey discovers the two great loves of his life: nature and Meg, his wife and muse. Drawn to the natural beauty of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Meg and Bert foster a community of wildlife lovers, motivating them to become a force for nature. With a keen intellect, sharp wit and twinkle in his eye, this 91-year-old inspires young and old to observe and care about their wild neighbors.

Website: http://www.jentenproductions.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BertFilm


1-islenos

Delta Justice: The Islenos Trappers War (featuring James Carville) - *Canadian Premiere
40:02 min - Documentary, History, Louisiana, Politics, Class System, Spanish Settlers
Dir. David DuBos - Metairie, Louisiana, United States of America

True story about the violent fight over land rights in St. Bernard Parish in the mid-1920s between notorious politician Leander Perez and the Islenos people, the original Spanish settlers in South Louisiana. Featuring the “Ragin’ Cajun” - Politician James Carville.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Delta-Justice-The-Islenos-Trappers-War-1600052450218311/
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/156543868


Friday July 8, 1 PM

Fox Theatre Toronto
2236 Queen Street East - Google Maps

The Fox Theatre is the Official Media Sponsor of TBFF!

FoxBeaches

Friday, July 8, 2016, 1 PM - $ 12 each :

1-bonnie

My Bonnie - *Canadian Premiere
Dir. Hannah Quinn
12:28 min, Ireland
Synopsis: Two people at sea, trapped between a rock and a hard place, must face the distance between them in this beautiful ode to the sea and Ireland.

Keyword: Short Film, Love, Romance, Relationships, Sea Life, Ireland


1-sharkies

Don’t Mess With The Sharkies *Canadian Premiere
24:20 min - Horror, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery
Dir. Claudia Rabelbauer - Switzerland

How would we humans react to being pushed to the brink of extinction by a higher developed species? This is the premise of ‘Don’t mess with the Sharkies’. Many horror films depict sharks as monsters, which has resulted in their killer image. Unfortunately, this is an injustice to these fascinating animals because far more deaths and accidents are caused by snakes than sharks. Even worse. Humans are responsible for the fact that annually and worldwide, a hundred million sharks end up dead in nets, are slaughtered and hunted. It is only a matter of time until we will have exterminated the species that has existed for millennia.

‘Don’t mess with the Sharkies’ is a short film pretending to be a horror movie, which in fact it is not. Initially using the spectator’s expectation that is typical of this genre, it turns into a satire. ‘Don’t mess with the Sharkies’ attempts to answer the question whether sharks really are what they are made into in such films. At best, it will make the audience reflect on the loss for our planet if these wonders of nature were to disappear forever because of man.

Website: http://www.sleepingcat.ch
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/136823681


1-standingwater

Standing on Water *North American Premiere
65:00 min - Documentary, Sport, Adventure, Surf, Paddling
Dir. Peter Alsted - Denmark

Casper Steinfath grew up traveling the world with his mom, dad, and younger brother. He was always on a beach somewhere, playing by the waterside and tandem-surfing with his dad. However, as a child Casper developed a phobia of water, especially of his head being submerged. When the family settled down they chose a small fishing village in the north of Denmark called Klitmøller, not suspecting that this isolated community so close to the sea ironically held an even greater fear - parents refused to let their children play in the untamed power of the Nordic sea, in case the waters would claim them. Now at 21 years of age, Casper Steinfath has become the only Danish professional stand up paddle surfer and waterman, a 2-time ISA SUP world champion and surfing for a living. Follow Casper’s journey from taking the first steps in his childhood, through youth and adulthood on to a professional career in surfing. Standing On Water - the tides that shape a life. Directed by cinematographer Peter Alsted.

Website: http://www.standingonwaterfilm.com/


Friday July 8, 4 PM

Fox Theatre Toronto
2236 Queen Street East - Google Maps

The Fox Theatre is the Official Media Sponsor of TBFF!

FoxBeaches

Friday, July 8, 2016, 4 PM - $ 12 each :

1-freemorgan

I Am Morgan - Stolen Freedom *Canadian Premiere
4:33 min - Documentary, Biography, Captivity, Animal Rights, Animal Freedom, Oceanography, Marine Life, Sharks, Whales
Dir. Heiko Grimm, dir. Carlos Godó Borrás, dir. Irene Buesa García - Tutukaka, Northland, New Zealand

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to see the world from an orca’s point of view? Find out in 4+ compelling minutes in this short film by independent directors. Who is Morgan..? In 2010, a young female orca was spotted swimming alone in the waters of the Netherlands. Although emaciated, she was free-swimming when she was captured by a local theme park (Dolfinarium Harderwijk).

Unfortunately, the theme park never fulfilled the ‘rehabilitation and release’ part of their capture permit. Instead, Morgan was trained tricks and kept in a small concrete tank for 18 months before she was transferred to another theme park, Loro Parque in Spain. To this day her plight continues.

Website: http://www.freemorgan.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/freemorgan.org
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Free_Morgan
Film Freeway: https://filmfreeway.com/project/iammorgan


1-lobster

Cute Little Lobster *Canadian Premiere
5:47 min - Short Film, Marine Life, Preservation, Seafood, Animal Activism
Dir. Nic Bello - Los Angeles, California

Melody, an 8 year-old girl, wants to save a lobster from being cooked in a seafood restaurant. Her activism ignites a sense of responsibility and pride in her distant father.

Website: http://www.nicbello.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cute-Little-Lobster/445626702278556?fref=ts


1-shark-lion

Shark and Lion *Canadian Premiere
6:57 min - Short Film
by Behind the Mask - dir. Florian Fischer, dir. Michael Kugler - Germany

Synopsis: The venomous Lionfish was introduced by accident into the Caribbean. It populates too much, disturbs the balance of the local marine eco system and causes immense damage on the reefs. By telling a symbolic story, ‘Shark & Lion’ shines a light on this ecological problem.

Website: http://behind-the-mask.com/sharkandlion/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/behindthemask.divestories


1-orilla

En la Orilla (At the Edge) *Canadian Premiere
13:00 min - Documentary, Family, Biography, Fishing, Mexico
Dir. Liza Hoos, dir. Xavier Basurto - US/Mexico

Gaspar and his family live in Agua Verde, a 256-person town on the eastern coast of the Baja Peninsula in Mexico. Day by day, they struggle to catch enough fish and make enough money to pay for the things they need, living at the edge of their means. Fishing is getting harder every year, but Gaspar still has faith that with enough patience and time, he can maintain his family’s quality of life. Gaspar knows that his might be the last generation that can manage this balancing act, so he and his wife Silvia work hard to ensure their children will lead a different life from theirs - one that does not depend solely on fishing.

Website: http://www.enlaorillathefilm.com


1-galapagos

Above & Below Galápagos National Park *Canadian Premiere
34:18 - Documentary, Oceanography, Marine Eco Systems, Marine Biology, Fish, Sharks, Drone Photography, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
by Behind the Mask - dir. Florian Fischer, dir. Michael Kugler - Germany

This film from the young film makers crew ‘Behind the Mask’ tells about a 14-day dive expedition to the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador.

In this travel and wild life documentary The audience is taken to different spots of this trip which shows the beauty and the biodiversity of the ecosystem ‘Above & Below Galápagos National Park’. ‘Behind the Mask’ is a project about passion for nature, where filmmakers and adventure crews dive, fly and shoot film.

Website: http://behind-the-mask.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/behindthemask.divestories


1-drifters

Drifters *Canadian Premiere
45:25 min - Documentary, Coastal Cities, Sea Life, Beach Culture, Nature, Woodworking
Dir. Hani R. Eskander - Cairo, Egypt

The story of an orthopedic surgeon from Agami and how his close relationship to the sea, philosophy of life, firm principles and passion for woodwork led him to rediscover his true potential away from what most societies call success routes. On his journey he encounters kindred spirits who flock together in pursuit of happiness, freedom and self-expression.

Website: http://drifterfilms.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drifterfilms/


Friday July 8, 7 PM

Fox Theatre Toronto
2236 Queen Street East - Google Maps

The Fox Theatre is the Official Media Sponsor of TBFF!

FoxBeaches

Friday, July 8, 2016, 7 PM - $ 12 each :


1-dancing-corn

Dancing Through Corn *Canadian Premiere
Dir. Thomas Florek
3:21 Min, USA

Synopsis: For those mid-west dudes who long to be popular on the dance floor. (a musical work from Tom and Doug..who host the nationally syndicated ‘Tom and Doug Show’)


1-soul-tree

The Soul Of A Tree *Canadian Premiere
16:46 Min, USA / Japan
Dir. Mari Walker

Synopsis: World famous woodworker George Nakashima’s path crosses twice with a man from Eden, Idaho named Bill Vaughn: once when George was interned during World War II… and decades later, when Bill picked up the book ‘The Soul of a Tree’… This story is not only about the incredible furniture Mr. Nakashima created during his lifetime (his work was featured across the world and he was regarded as one of premiere woodworkers in the U.S.), it proves the necessity of resilience and finding creative inspiration during unimaginable circumstances. A story of chance encounters and the forces in life that unite us, The Soul of a Tree pays tribute these two great men.

Cast: Bill Vaughn, George Nakashima and Mira Nakashima-Yarnall

Key Words: Asian American, Japan, Japanese Art, Japanese Artist, Minidoka Japanese – American Internment Camp, Eden, Idaho, #internment, #freedom, #civilliberties, #woodworking, #architecture, #WWII

Website: http://www.mariwwalker.com/soulofatree/


1-dutchmen

The Flying Dutchmen *World Premiere - *Official Closing Film
84:03 min - Documentary, Comedy, Drama, Motorcycles, Road Trips, Aging, Buddy Movie
Dir. by Kendal Miller - United States

Perfect plans erode into chaos when a chronic optimist seeks affirmation by planning a surprise cross country road trip on an experimental motorcycle in a desperate effort to give his mentor, a salty realist, the lasting memory of seeing the Pacific Coast before he loses the remainder of his vision to a rare eye condition.Jon and his salty older friend and mentor Daryl have always talked about taking a road trip to the Pacific Northwest. Plans are delayed and pushed aside, but a rare degenerative eye condition is robbing Daryl of his remaining vision at an ever increasing rate and Jon decides to make that dream a reality. Jon scrambles to build an experimental motorcycle with attached side car for Daryl, planning every detail of the trip. His view of the trip is a nostalgic one- they will ride off into the sunset, destined to share an experience that is at once profound, life-changing, and bound to bring them closer together. Jon’s perfect plans go awry, and when the two of them don’t see eye to eye, Jon’s expectations are challenged and he must painfully recognize that sometimes life is most meaningful when allowed to take its own course.

Website: http://www.flyingdutchmenfilm.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flyingdutchmenfilm