Breakout! The Power of One
(Canada 2008)
Grades 3-7

Breakout! The Power Of One focusses on 3 three remarkable Canadian activists who have made a difference in the life of thousands around the world.

Alaina Podmorrow, 11, from Kelowna BC started a group called Little Women for Little Women in Afghanistan. The organization has raised funds to pay salaries to hundreds of teachers so that little girls can go to school in Afghanistan.

Bilaal Rajan, 12, from Ontario started selling clementines at the tender age of 5 to help earthquake victims in India. He skyrocketed to attention when he raised millions for the Tsunami. Bilaal has travelled around the world to see the devastation caused by natural and man made disasters and has now documented his experiences in a book.

Craig Kielburger, was so moved by the issue of child labour that he started an organization called Free the Children at the age of 12 and today, it?s the largest network of children helping children through education.
Age is clearly not a criteria for the power of an individual to make a difference in the world as seen in the Power of One.

Screening together with Hannah's Story

Curriculum Connections: Social, science, language

Themes: Social consciousness, environment, earthquake victims in India, natural and man made disasters,children helping children, women in Afghanistan, child labour.

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Egon and Donci
(Hungary 2008) 72 min
Grades 3+

Egon, the slightly absent-minded, amateur astronaut and Dönci, his nosey parker, fumbler, overfed, cat-like partner are living together on a small planet far away from the Earth. One day an unidentified object crashes on their planet, and a disc blinks among the wreckage, with the message of mankind on it. Egon, with the excitement of the discovery, comes to the decision to get a hold of the civilization which has given information about itself. He gets down to work right away: he starts building a tin spaceship for the space adventure in his workshop. However, the big journey ends by far not here…

Curriculum Connections: Science, social, art

Themes: Solar system, time travel, space travel, environment, global warming, inventions, imagination

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Hannah's Story
(Canadian 2007) 29 min
Grades 3-7

Meet Hannah Taylor, who founded the Ladybug Foundation, a charity devoted to providing food and shelter for homeless Canadians, when she was only six years old. Five years later, Hannah travels across the country to speak to other children, and to government and corporate leaders to raise money and awareness. Hannah insists she's "normal," but her extraordinary achievements and dedication to others make her a truly inspiring role model.

Screening together with Breakout! The Power of One

Curriculum Connections: This is a film about social justice so it spans all curriculum areas

Themes: Homelessness, community service, friendship, social justice, kindness, love, hope, empowerment, poverty

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Laban the Little Ghost
(Animation, Sweden 2008) 44 min
Grades K-2
(With Reader)

A Swedish animation series for young children based on the classic books about Laban the Little Ghost written by Inger & Lasse Sandberg. Laban the Little Ghost is a very small ghost in a large castle. He lives there with Mother and Father Ghost and his little sister Labolina. His best friend is Little Prince Mischief - the youngest member of the Royal family that lives in the castle as well.

Each episode is an exciting, thrilling and at the same time funny little story.

Screening together with Willy and Wild Rabbit

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Lotte from Gadgetville
(Animation, Estonia 2008) 75 min (in English)
Grades K-2

Somewhere in Europe by a great sea stands a small village, where inventing all manner of domestic gadgets is held in great esteem. The villagers organize an annual competition of new inventions. One of the best inventors in the village is Oskar, the father of the energetic girl dog Lotte. His primary rival is Adalbert the Rabbit. Victory in this competition is very important as it would bring honor to the entire family.

Curriculum Connections: Science, social

Themes: Family, competition, inventions, creativity, pride, team work, relationships

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Sunshine Barry & The Disco Worms
(Animated- Denmark / Germany 2008) 78 min
Grades 2-12

It‘s not easy to be Barry. An earthworm gets no respect. He lives at the bottom of the food chain. He has the most boring job at the composting plant. He‘s all set for a dull life in the dark. But one day an old disco-record turns his life upside down. Suddenly he realizes his destiny: To be star of the world‘s greatest disco band: „Sunshine Barry & The Disco Worms“! Okay, he‘s got no arms, no rhythm and no band. But as Barry says: “We’ll do it anyway!”

Curriculum Connections: Social, science, drama, dance

Themes: Pursuing your dreams, perseverance, respect, discrimination, disco music and dancing!!

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Winky's Horse
((Netherlands 2005) 95 min
Grades 1-4

Winky Wong has just moved to a small seaside resort, where her parents have a Chinese restaurant. There is only one thing Winky wants: a horse. But horses are expensive. Winky is in luck though, as it is Saint Nicolas so she just asks a horse for Saint Nicolas. Then everything will work out all right. Or will it?

Curriculum Connections: Social, language arts

Themes: Adapting to a new life in a new and unfamiliar culture and country, love of horses, hardships, acceptance of friends, feeling 'different' and alone, dreams and goals, family, responsibility

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Where's Winky's Horse?
(Netherlands 2007) 83 min
Grades 1-4

Winky and her horse are back in a whole new adventure! Winky's favourite horse is Amerigo. Winky grooms and visits Amerigo every day with dreams of one day riding him. Finally Winky's parents decide she is old enough to start taking riding lessons. On top of that, she will be getting a new brother or sister! However, Winky learns she is too little to ride Amerigo and must take lessons on Naf-Naf the pony. Things are going smoothly until Winky decides to try riding Amerigo on her own and as a result Amerigo escapes. Where is Winky's Horse is a beautifully acted movie that charms you from the opening credits to its final scene.

Curriculum Connections: Social, language arts

Themes: Friendship, family dynamics, honesty, forgiveness, disappointment, passion for horses, acceptance, feelings of displacement with a new baby in the family

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Willy and Wild Rabbit
(Animated- Sweden 2007) 29 min
Grades K-2
(With Reader)

Willy is a pet rabbit who lives a safe and contented life on a farm. One day he takes advantage of an opportunity to explore the world outside his cage and his adventure begins. Lost in the forest he encounters Wild Rabbit. Will he answer the call of the wild or return to his old simple ways? Find out in this film created with an eye catching mix of classical animation, and live action film.

Screening together with Labou the Little Ghost

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Adina's Deck
(USA 2008) 81 mins
Grades 6-8

When Skye, the most popular girl in the 8th grade, starts to receive threatening emails, text messages and voice-mails, she doesn't know what to do. Her best friend Melody asks the tech-savvy Adina for help. When Adina says yes, her friend Clara is confused. Skye is stuck up, and has never been nice to them in the past, so why is Adina helping her? After an adventure, the girls learn about more than just the bullies identity they learn about friendship and growing up in the digital age of technology. Screening consists of 3 episodes of the series:

Episode 1- Skye’s Cyber Bullying Mystery
Curriculum Connections: computer science, language
Themes: bullying, misuse of internet, friendship, feelings, trust, bonding, solving mysteries, team work

Episode 2- The Case of the Online Crush
Curriculum Connections: Computer science, social
Themes: Friendship, trust, relationships, problem solving, truth/lies, team work

Episode 3- The Case of the Plagiarized Paper
Curriculum Connections: Language arts/English, art, music, friendship, trust, problem solving, cheating, truth/lies, team work

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Behind the Clouds
(Portugal 2007) 90 min
Portuguese with English Subtitles
Grades 7-9

Paulo is a 10 year old boy who lives in Lisbon with his mother. One day, he finds a bundle of photographs, which include pictures of the grandfather he's never met. He makes up his mind to go and look for him, even if he has to deceive his mother to do so. With one of the pictures as his guide he goes to the Alentejo and there, at last, meets his grandfather Miguel, an eccentric and solitary man. Together, they set off in an old car, which only their imagination is able to start, on a fantastic journey to unlock the family's secrets and sorrows...It's a film about redemption and family ties; a film for all ages able to dream.

Themes: Family, traditions, daring to believe and the power of believing, forgiveness, being accountable for your actions

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JUMP!
(US 2007) 85 min
Grades 5+

A rousing and fast-paced documentary about competitive jump rope, JUMP! follows five teams from around the United States who push their physical and psychological limits in pursuit of winning the World Rope Skipping Championship. The sport is part extreme athletics, part art form and the kids create masterfully choreographed moves that burst with rhythm, sweat and originality. Throughout drilling and mind-boggling performances, these unexpected trailblazers reveal what makes them tick and what sets each of them apart. In the end, determination, rivalry and collaboration converge with dramatic and unexpected results.

Special guests on Feb. 17th screening!

Curriculum Connections: Phys.ed, Health, social

Themes: Teamwork, perseverance, commitment, history of 'jumping rope', friendship,athleticism, competition, goal setting,

View Trailer | View Schedule | Film Website

Morrison
(The Netherlands 2008) 72 min
Dutch (English Subtitles) (With Reader)
Grades 5+

Nina, the mother of five-year old Morrison Glas is about to give birth. She is a vet. The father, Steven, has a small garage, next to their house. Nina and Steven love Morrison very much, but they are too busy to spend time with Morrison, because of their busy lives. When Morrison discovers that the new baby will get his room, he is afraid that he will have to move to tante Zuster, an aunt of his father. Now Morrison is determined, he will not move to tante Zuster! When the baby unexpectedly is about to be born a week early, Morrison has to be taken to tante Zuser in the middle of the night. Morrison thinks up a plan and gets away. He goes into hiding and a giant search is organized by the police and the villagers. When he also 'kidnaps' his newly born sister 'Simone', Nina and Steven have no clue what to do. How will this adventure end for Morrison and his little sister?

This heart warming story about Morrison will sure to have you leaving the theatre with a smile on your face. It's a wonderful story for the entire family and we are excited to have the International Premiere of this film from the Netherlands.

Curriculum Connections: Social

Themes: Family, responsibility, displacement, fears, anger, forgiveness, love, kindness, misunderstanding

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Sunshine Barry & The Disco Worms
(Animated- Denmark / Germany 2008) 78 min
Grades 2-12

It‘s not easy to be Barry. An earthworm gets no respect. He lives at the bottom of the food chain. He has the most boring job at the composting plant. He‘s all set for a dull life in the dark. But one day an old disco-record turns his life upside down. Suddenly he realizes his destiny: To be star of the world‘s greatest disco band: „Sunshine Barry & The Disco Worms“! Okay, he‘s got no arms, no rhythm and no band. But as Barry says: “We’ll do it anyway!”

Curriculum Connections: Social, science, drama, dance

Themes: Pursuing your dreams, perseverance, respect, discrimination, disco music and dancing!!

View Trailer | View Schedule | Film Website

Addicted to Plastic
(Canada 2008) 85 min
Grades 9-12

Addicted To Plastic is a point-of-view style documentary that encompasses three years of filming in 12 countries on 5 continents, including two trips to the middle of the Pacific Ocean where plastic debris accumulates. The film details plastic's path over the last 100 years and provides a wealth of expert interviews on practical and cutting edge solutions to recycling, toxicity and biodegradability. These solutions - which include plastic made from plants - will provide viewers with a new perspective about our future with plastic.

Curriculum Connections: Science, social, political science,

Themes: History of plastic and its uses, the environment, pollution, recycling or lack of, the uses/abuses of plastics in countries around the world, medical repercussions of plastic in our bodies and in the environment.

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Blindsight
(USA 2008) 104 min
Grades 9-12 (Mild Language Warning)

Set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Himalayas, BLINDSIGHT follows the
gripping adventure of six Tibetan teenagers who set out to climb the 23,000-foot Lhakpa
Ri on the north side of Mount Everest. The dangerous journey soon becomes a
seemingly impossible challenge -- made all the more remarkable by the fact that the
teenagers are blind.

Believed by many Tibetans to be possessed by demons, the children are shunned by their parents, scorned by their villages and rejected by society. Rescued by Sabriye Tenberken - a blind educator and adventurer who established the first school for the blind in Lhasa, the students invite the famous blind mountain climber Erik Weihenmayer to visit their school after learning about his conquest of Everest. Erik arrives in Lhasa and inspires Sabriye and her students Kyila, Sonam Bhumtso, Tashi, Gyenshen, Dachung and Tenzin to let him lead them higher than they have ever been before.

The resulting 3-week journey is beyond anything any of them could have predicted.

Curriculum Connections: Science, social, religion, phys ed.

Themes: Blindness, setting goals, overcoming obstacles, discrimination, rejection, perseverance, friendship, bonding, team work, hardships, Tibetan culture, relationships, inspiration

View Trailer | View Schedule | Film Website

JUMP!
(US 2007) 85 min
Grades 5+

A rousing and fast-paced documentary about competitive jump rope, JUMP! follows five teams from around the United States who push their physical and psychological limits in pursuit of winning the World Rope Skipping Championship. The sport is part extreme athletics, part art form and the kids create masterfully choreographed moves that burst with rhythm, sweat and originality. Throughout drilling and mind-boggling performances, these unexpected trailblazers reveal what makes them tick and what sets each of them apart. In the end, determination, rivalry and collaboration converge with dramatic and unexpected results.

Special guests on Feb. 17th screening!

Curriculum Connections: Phys.ed, Health, social

Themes: Teamwork, perseverance, commitment, history of 'jumping rope', friendship,athleticism, competition, goal setting,

View Trailer | View Schedule | Film Website

Morrison
(The Netherlands 2008) 72 min
Dutch (English Subtitles)
Grades 5+

Nina, the mother of five-year old Morrison Glas is about to give birth. She is a vet. The father, Steven, has a small garage, next to their house. Nina and Steven love Morrison very much, but they are too busy to spend time with Morrison, because of their busy lives. When Morrison discovers that the new baby will get his room, he is afraid that he will have to move to tante Zuster, an aunt of his father. Now Morrison is determined, he will not move to tante Zuster! When the baby unexpectedly is about to be born a week early, Morrison has to be taken to tante Zuser in the middle of the night. Morrison thinks up a plan and gets away. He goes into hiding and a giant search is organized by the police and the villagers. When he also 'kidnaps' his newly born sister 'Simone', Nina and Steven have no clue what to do. How will this adventure end for Morrison and his little sister?

Curriculum Connections: Social

Themes: Family, responsibility, displacement, fears, anger, forgiveness, love, kindness, misunderstanding

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One Water
(US 2008) 68 min
Grades 8-12

Water is essential to existence. Our bodies require it, as do our souls. It is the stuff of life and death, of sweat and tears, of need and wonder. One Water is a film that celebrates all the myriad ways water has touched human lives around the globe Ð and explores our changing relationship to water as it grows ever more perilously scarce. Filmed in 15 countries in both hemispheres, the film churns together stirring visual sequences, compelling expert commentary, hypnotic local music and a score performed by the world-renowned Russian National Orchestra to immerse audiences in a direct and exhilarating experience of all that water means to humanity.

Curriculum Connections: Social, science, art, film studies, language arts

Themes: Ecology, global warming, water and its importance to cultures in 15 countries, global crisis, an awareness of water as a precious resource, politics.

View Clip | View Schedule | Film Website

Screening Friday February 20th With:

The KOI
(Canada 2008) 29 min
Grades 8-12

The ups and downs of teen life are magnified by an all-girl high school rock band, led by reserved music prodigy, Shayna McAllister and her other band mates who are; the reluctant competitive soccer player Mallory, trendsetter Lauren and impressionable posh girl Gillian. School bullies, have it in for Shayna. Helping Shayna to keep it all together are her band mates and her new music teacher (Mr. James, who was a former rock start himself) who encouraged them to start a band and to compete in the schools 'battle-of-the-bands' type of an event- even though it would mean competing against the cool kids.

This short is a World Premiere. The film maker/producer, executive producer and cast member will be in attendance.

Sunshine Barry & The Disco Worms
(Animated- Denmark / Germany 2008) 78 min
Grades 2-12

It‘s not easy to be Barry. An earthworm gets no respect. He lives at the bottom of the food chain. He has the most boring job at the composting plant. He‘s all set for a dull life in the dark. But one day an old disco-record turns his life upside down. Suddenly he realizes his destiny: To be star of the world‘s greatest disco band: „Sunshine Barry & The Disco Worms“! Okay, he‘s got no arms, no rhythm and no band. But as Barry says: “We’ll do it anyway!”

Curriculum Connections: Social, science, drama, dance

Themes: Pursuing your dreams, perseverance, respect, discrimination, disco music and dancing!!

View Trailer | View Schedule | Film Website