Guelph Film Festival returns to the Civic Museum with two documentary screenings. This year’s festival focuses on igniting conversations about our world and relationships, sparked by the themes of resistance, inclusion, and care.

Tickets available at https://guelphfilmfestival.ca/

11:30 a.m.- Wilfred Buck

Lisa Jackson ⋅ CANADA ⋅ 96 min ⋅ Captions

Elder Wilfred Buck overcame a harrowing history by reclaiming ancestral star knowledge. He moves between earth and sky, past and present, bringing to life ancient teachings of Indigenous astronomy and cosmology to tell a story that spans generations, inviting us on an inspiring journey to the space beyond, and to the spaces between us all.

2:30 p.m – Short Series: Plant Perspectives

A series of short documentaries spotlighting the influence of plants.

CANADA ⋅ 76 min ⋅ Partial Subtitles

Directors talkback with David Hartman and Claire Sanford will follow the screening.

The Mini Forest

David Hartman ⋅ CANADA ⋅ 20 min

Terrell Wong is about to plant 100 trees in her small Toronto backyard, building a dense mini forest. What at first seems like a simple act soon evolves into a complex story about dirt, lawns, fungus, wildlife, native species, and finally the human brain.

The Everlasting Pea

Su Rynard ⋅ CANADA ⋅ 17 min

An enchanting exploration of plant life that blends scientific inquiry with ancient ruins and mysterious dreamscapes. Through the eyes of a scientist questioning plant consciousness, this unexpected narrative invites a profound reimagining of our relationship with the vegetal world.

Twig

Claire Sanford ⋅ CANADA ⋅ 39 min

Ochre streams of sand flow across the dunes in the Kubuqi Desert of Inner Mongolia, where 81-year-old Ambassador Kwon aims to plant one billion trees with the help of students. Can these unlikely forests face the harsh winds, and fight back desertification, to hold the desert in its place?