Shorts Program: Take the Stage

Featuring: Shelf Life by Emmanuel Teji A man abandons his dream of music for a sales job, where he finds unexpected companionship in an eccentric co-worker. After hours, he is drawn to the warmth of a kind cashier at an Indian grocery store. But when the co-worker is dismissed and the cashier must leave the country, he is left alone with the silence of his forgotten ambitions. Purge by Andrew Hamilton Unable to cope with her depression, Gee takes an experimental drug called BriteNol, which makes her violently expel a black substance. With a new outlook, she's the person she always wished she could be, but this clarity might be short-lived, as Gee discovers a darker outcome of her medication. Frankie Wants Applause by Anthony Lee Frankie, an envious but mediocre musician, is asked by his talented rival Alex to look after his home. In the process, Frankie accidentally loses Alex's prized parrot, Stronzo. When Stronzo mysteriously returns, Frankie sees a chance to redeem himself—by impressing the bird with his musical talent. But the more he tries to control and outshine Stronzo, the more he reveals his own flaws, until Stronzo's final escape leaves Frankie alone, confronting the applause he craves but cannot earn. Four Four by Kent Donguines Lucas, a Filipino-Canadian dancer, is vying for a spot on a dance team that will soon be heading to nationals. Estranged from his disapproving grandfather and alienated from his culture, Lucas pushes his body to the breaking point to master Tinikling, a physically demanding Filipino folk dance, to gain the respect of his talented but demanding dance captain. It soon becomes clear, however, that he's exchanged one complicated relationship for another. Fine Black Frame by Leah Doz One man explores and defies the definitions of Blackness, queerness, and masculinity in a kinetic self-portrait. Honour of the Paintbrush by Louise Thomas Louise, an Anicinabe woman, found the strength to move on after the loss of her husband by devoting herself to the art gallery she opened in his honour. Through this process, she shows how healing can bring positivity and renewal.