Your destination for reviews of hidden indie gems, Canadian stories, and standout festival films.
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On its surface, The Heirloom may look like a conventional relationship drama, orbiting the ever-present possibility of a breakup. Beneath that, though, Petrie has crafted a nuanced film on obsession, control, and self-hatred.
When I sit down with Annie St-Pierre at the Epidemic Sound Filmmaker & Industry Lounge at SXSW, I don’t expect us to start talking about Reuben and the Dark. But within minutes, we realize we have something in common – her partner plays in the band, a group I’ve seen live multiple times back in Calgary. It’s a small-world moment, but fitting, considering the film we’re here to discuss.
Each year, the SXSW Film & TV Festival delivers a lineup that spans genres, tones, and styles, offering everything from bold directorial debuts to established voices pushing their craft in unexpected directions.
At the 2025 SXSW Film & TV Festival, I sat down with Emma Laird and Alex Burunova to discuss a film that hasn’t let go since I first saw it. Though it remains one of SXSW’s quieter releases, it feels like a film that won’t stay under the radar for long.
Few films capture the unhinged spirit of independent cinema quite like Dead Lover. The sophomore feature from Grace Glowicki, the film is a feverish blend of romance, horror, sex, and dark comedy.
What begins as an intimate exploration of identity and codependency rapidly spirals into unsettling territory as an enigmatic, unnatural force infiltrates their lives – and ultimately, their bodies.
If Boxcutter is anything, it is a film that could only exist in Toronto. Dahya captures the city's essence not just in its diverse locations but in its language, music, and references.
At its core, Death of a Unicorn takes a bizarre, high-concept premise and runs it through a mainstream filter. It has moments of gore and absurdity, but it never truly leans into its weirdness in a way that would push boundaries.
With O’Dessa, sound is everything. Right from the title card, Geremy Jasper and Jason Binnick’s score, coupled with a thundering sound design, announces that music is the heartbeat of this world.
At the heart of The True Beauty of Being Bitten by a Tick is Pete Ohs’ now-signature approach to filmmaking, a method he refers to as the “table of bubbles.”