Creative Resilience

Creative Resilience: Stories about Artists and the Power of Art

After Heather DIRECTOR: Clint Butler . NL . 22 minutes Before suffering a severe traumatic brain injury overseas, Heather Williams was a rising Canadian dancer. This poignant documentary reveals a portrait of Williams’ lifelong love of dance, her resilient creative spirit, and her journey towards healing and recovery with the support of family friends.

Dandelion DIRECTOR: Wendy Wang . United States . 4 minutes In this heart-warming film, Kelvin Jackson turns the inside of the Ze Mart store where he works into a photo collage of customers. Residents of this Southside Syracuse community have been stigmatized by crime and violence, but through the store's photo collage, Jackson reminds residents to see themselves, and connect to one another, as community members.

Lessons from the Loom DIRECTOR: Amanda Dorothy Jean Bulman, Rodrigo Iñiguez Becerril . NL . 7 minutes Modern life has seen traditional weaving fall by the wayside, but in Newfoundland and Labrador a new generation of artists is working to revive the craft. Lessons from the Loom follows two younger loomers as they weave strands of the past and present together through mentorship and connecting to older generations.

Mi’kma’ki: Gwitna’q (Land of the Mi'kmaw: Travel by Canoe) DIRECTOR: Wendell G. Collier . NL . 22 minutes Modern life has seen traditional weaving fall by the wayside, but in Newfoundland and Labrador a new generation of artists is working to revive the craft. Lessons from the Loom follows two younger loomers as they weave strands of the past and present together through mentorship and connecting to older generations.

The Gaze DIRECTOR: Stacy Gardner . NL . 9 minutes Through the eyes of painter Ginok Song, viewers travel from her girlhood in Pusan, South Korea to Petty Harbour, Newfoundland. Song’s paintings draw on Atlantic Realism to push against the gendered confines of realist convention and explore representations of women’s ways of seeing. The Gaze highlights Song's unique blend of aesthetics, attention to the female gaze, and importance as a contemporary artist.

Women of This Land: Jennie Williams DIRECTOR: Stephanie Joline . NL . 21 minutes "Women of This Land" is a captivating short documentary about the life of Inuk artist and teacher, Jennie Williams. With the vibrant cityscape of St. John's, Newfoundland set as its backdrop, the film considers the challenges urban Inuk individuals face in preserving their cultural identity and connection to the land. The documentary celebrates Jennie's multifaceted approach to preserving Inuit culture, and her commitment to fostering a sense of unity among those who share her journey.