Everybody’s Couch

In both amateur and professional sports, being gay remains taboo. Few dare to come out of the closet for fear of being stigmatized, and for many, the pressure to perform is compounded by a further strain: whether or not to affirm their sexual identity. Standing on the Line takes a fresh and often moving look at some of our gay athletes, who share their experiences with the camera. They’ve set out to overcome prejudice in the hopes of changing things for the athletes of tomorrow.

One day, a tunnel opens up between Philippe's basement in Paris, Ontario and Paris, France. Here's a chance for Philippe, caught up in a midlife crisis, to escape his quiet life and go wild and crazy in the City of Light.

During a brief stay in Florence, Camille believes she's victim of an enormous flood. Urgently taken to a psychiatric hospital, she is diagnosed with the Stendhal Syndrome: a temporary psychological disorder well known to affect tourists who are too vulnerable to the beauty of art work. This disorder which is considered benign doesn't worry the medical staff who asks that she be sent back to her country. Back home, she has to come to terms with a tragedy she has wanted to flee: her mom had gone missing right before her departure. Convinced that she has to move on with her life for her mental sanity, Camille decides that it is time to accept the fact that her mother will never come back. But when she goes to Matane, the last place where her mother had been seen alive, Camille comes across many clues that will propel her into an emotional roller coaster.

This portrait of one of Canada’s most famous actresses was inspired by the filmmaking aesthetic of her friend, Michel Brault.

The Dollhouse is an unfolding paper world where 9-year-old Juniper begins to untangle feelings of guilt about how her family treated Magnolia, a woman who came from far away to work as a cleaner in their house. This animated interactive VR tale explores how power dynamics are born within the intimacy of our homes. While reenacting memories with her dolls, Juniper becomes ashamed of her actions and finds the courage to stand up to her parents and follow her heart. Will you help her ask for forgiveness?

Margot Swann, a professional surfer and Olympic hopeful, sees her life turned upside down after taking radical steps to preserve the wilderness of her native village on Vancouver Island.