Four Haikus

"Taniel" looks at the last months of poet Taniel Varoujan's life, who was murdered in the Armenian Genocide of 1915. The film's narrative is heard in poetry and seen through Film Noir images.

The story of three women searching for more potent, meaningful lives. Each is alive at a different time and place, all are linked by their yearnings and their fears. Their stories intertwine, and finally come together in a surprising, transcendent moment of shared recognition.

A short film written by Hussain Manawer about 2020 and mental health.

A Middle-Eastern medical school student, new to Montreal, puts his relationship with his father at risk when he forfeits his education after being forever changed by two young women who help him see his destiny.

An exploration of love and loss in Paris.

A short animation based on the poem "Onion" by Wislawa Szymborska.

Gus Van Sant tells the story of a young African American man named Jamal who confronts his talents while living on the streets of the Bronx. He accidentally runs into an old writer named Forrester who discovers his passion for writing. With help from his new mentor Jamal receives a scholarship to a private school.

This 11 minute homage to the male member shows its subject in the various stages of erection. The voice-over poem by James Broughton includes the line "This is the secret that will not stay hidden."

Martin (Joe Newton) is a casualty of society. He is under appreciated and overworked as a salary man in the city. With mounting pressure on his shoulders, he experiences a breakdown at work and loses his job. After visiting his childhood home to collect some possessions, he opts not to go home but instead chooses to live off grid in the vast woodland. Here he attempts to survive, to try and find himself again, through being amongst nature and his love of writing poetry.

A modern reimagining of Edgar Allan Poe's classic poem "The Raven."

Veteran catcher Crash Davis is brought to the minor league Durham Bulls to help their up and coming pitching prospect, "Nuke" Laloosh. Their relationship gets off to a rocky start and is further complicated when baseball groupie Annie Savoy sets her sights on the two men.

A writer in self-exile is haunted by the memory of his long-lost love. Mysterious events and an unexpected visitor are about to offer him a chance to relieve his pain. Based on the famous poem of Edgar Allan Poe: The Raven.

The story of the famous and influential 1960s rock band and its lead singer and composer, Jim Morrison.

This short film offers a picturesque tour through the maple-wooded hills alongside Québec's Lièvre River in autumn to the accompaniment of acclaimed poet Archibald Lampman’s poem Morning on the Lièvre. Trees are ablaze with colour, and their splendor is reflected in the mirrored surfaces of the water, offering a glimpse of the landscape Lampman knew so well through the poet’s eyes and words. Lampman’s poem is read by broadcaster and poet George Whalley, with accompanying score by composer Eldon Rathburn.

William Thatcher, a knight's peasant apprentice, gets a chance at glory when the knight dies suddenly mid-tournament. Posing as a knight himself, William won't stop until he's crowned tournament champion—assuming matters of the heart don't get in the way.

Based on the Edgar A. Guest poem of the same name, this is photographic ode to the American South, featuring representative scenery. Mendelsohn's "Spring Song" is the musical theme throughout, and Al Shayne sings an original song based on Guest's poem.

Another entry in the Edgar A. Guest's Poetic Gems Series.

A poetic Gem from Edgar A. Guest. This film features Al Shayne singing A Real True Pal by Frank Loesser and Lou Herscher.

An Edgar A. Guest Poetic Gem featuring the song Down the Lane to Yesterday with a vocal by Al Shayne.

An Edgar A. Guest Poetic Gem. Al Shayne sings the Loesser & Hersher song Don't Grow Any Older.