Keywords: Relationships, trauma, addictions, isolation, terminal mental illness, grief

Featured artists: TK Workman, Gavin Seal, Serena McCarroll, Ace Kazkayasi, Andrea Thompson, Brian Demoskoff, Ishaa Vinod, Zan Redcrow, Emmanuel Teji

Our annual short film program celebrating films by Workman Arts’ member artists! 

“Poetic Proclamations’’ features nine films exploring a wide palette of creations including documentary, fiction, animation, spoken word and 360-degree cinema. An all-encompassing range of poetic, personal and transformational expressions that not only disrupt common narratives around mental health they also embody the connections of what it means to connect, critique and commiserate in a mad world.

KEYWORDS: Addiction, harm reduction, drug use

Comme entendre à travers une feuille de métal offers a sensitive and intimate look at the complex world of injection drug use, through the experiences of Marianne, M. and Lion: a wander through the rituals of daily life, the interstices of the city, and the confines of memory.

KEYWORDS: Rehab, insurance fraud, addiction, recovery

Shot over the course of three years, Shuffle follows three individuals whose lives depend not on getting into addiction treatment, but on getting out alive, and in the process, shines a light on the insurance-fueled cycle of rehabilitation fraud spreading across the USA. With the filmmaker serving as narrator, and using his own experience as a roadmap, these personal stories provide an upsetting framework for a more public investigation with the help of an FBI informant, an insurance analyst and the former Director of a Philadelphia-based treatment facility. Shuffle unravels a web of public policy and private interest preying on a desperate population for the sake of profits.

KEYWORDS: Internet culture, houselessness, addiction, systemic racism

#skoden tells the story of Pernell Bad Arm, the Blackfoot man behind the infamous “Skoden” meme. What started out as a social media post to bond Indigenous people across Turtle Island over rez slang and relatable uncle material opened our eyes to something much more: a man whose life on the streets became a mockery to some and a figure of Indigenous empowerment to others but was most beloved by those who knew him personally. Damien Eagle Bear’s heartfelt and compassionate documentary humanizes the man behind the image, sharing stories from Pernell’s family and friends about his life and struggles, and serves as an anecdote to a bigger issue — the harsh reality of street life for many Indigenous people living in urban centres across so-called Canada.

WITH SHORT FILM ——— The Fourth World Problems Collective—— Kira Doxator | 2024 | Canada | Fiction | 7 minutes | English

On a cold Toronto night, a tight-knit collective of friends embark on an unusual mission—tapping maple trees in their neighborhood. A simple act becomes a reflection on belonging and tradition.

Kira Doxtator is an Anishinaabe, Oneida, and Dakota filmmaker exploring Indigiqueer identities, land relationships, and Indigenous futurisms through impactful storytelling and industry advocacy.

Please join us at our first Rendezvous spoken word and open mic event as part of our Shine ; Together year!

We are excited to feature esteemed writers Ghadeer Elghafri and Kelly Rose Pflug-Back – see their biography and contact details below! The event will also feature open mic from Workman Arts writers each sharing 5 minutes of writing with our audience – sign up for the open mic begins at 1:30 PM and continues until the 12 slots are filled. Tickets are available at the door or in advance – pay what you can and no one turned away!

This event follows the Workman Arts short film program. 

Any questions please contact info@workmanarts.com.

The Infernal Grove is an unsystematic structural analysis of drug use, addiction and recovery (and not necessarily in that order). This free online user group is an unstructured meeting where people are encouraged to talk about their relationships with drugs/alcohol and sobriety.

All are welcome. No particular topic, except the ones participants wish to bring to the virtual table. 

User Groups are informal meetings where participants share their experiences and perspectives on drugs/alcohol, addiction/sobriety and everything in between. All are welcome to join the conversation. This month, we’ll open with a short presentation on the sensibilities and principles that have animated our work so far, and how we hope the project will unfold going forward.

Join us for this special edition of User Group as part of the Rendezvous with Madness Festival!

For more information about The Infernal Grove please visit www.theinfernalgrove.com

GENRE: Experimental Fiction (feature)
TYPE: FILM | IN-PERSON
KEYWORDS: Rehabilitation, Addiction, Recovery, Hybrid film

Bionico (Manuel Raposo) and his closest pal Calvita (El Napo) live their lives on the wild side, driven by their insatiable desire to get high, no matter the cost. Early on in the film, Bionico decides to turn his life around. He’s a romantic at heart, and he wants to clean up his act before the love of his life La Flaca (Ana Minier) completes rehab. To begin this new phase of life, he must find a job, buy an engagement ring, and find a nicer place to live. But making life-changing plans is easier said than done, as Bionico struggles to detox while facing an endless parade of temptations.

WITH SHORT FILM ——— CHRYSTALLID —— Esteban Powell | 2023 | Canada, Mexico | Experimental documentary | 7 minutes | Spanish with English subtitles

GENRE: Documentary (feature)
TYPE: FILM | IN-PERSON
KEYWORDS: Addiction, Recovery, Music, Documentary

Opening Performance: Contemporary Dance | We Lost You A Long Time Ago | Nicole Decsey Dance Projects | 2023 | 25 minutes

GENRE: Documentary (feature)
TYPE: FILM | IN-PERSON
KEYWORDS: Homelessness, Addiction, Graffiti, Punk

Hanna Finn’s talent and charisma were undeniable from an early age. By the time she reached preschool, her creativity and sharp sense of humour were on full display. Now a young adult known as Psykos, she exists on the fringes, describing her life as one in a “parallel society.”  Ribe’s documentary Ink, Blood and Socks chronicles Psykos’ struggles with addiction and her journey toward recovery. Keywords:  Homelessness, Addiction, Graffiti, Punk

WITH SHORT FILM ——— Off Suit —— Lou Estores & Brian Demoskoff | 2018 | Canada | Documentary | 3 minutes | English | Directors in attendance

GENRE: Documentary (feature)
TYPE: FILM | IN-PERSON
KEYWORDS: Indigenous documentary, Family, Trauma, Addiction

A National Film Board of Canada Production

Dr. Jules Arita Koostachin’s deeply personal documentary WaaPaKe (Tomorrow) asks the difficult question: “Who are we without our pain?”

For generations, the suffering of residential school Survivors has radiated outward, impacting Indigenous families and communities. Children, parents and grandparents have contended with the unspoken trauma, manifested in the lingering effects of colonialism: addiction, emotional abuse and broken relationships.

In her efforts to help the children of Survivors, including herself and her family, Koostachin makes the difficult decision to step in front of the camera and participate in the circle of truth. She is joined in this courageous act of solidarity by members of her immediate family, as well as an array of voices from Indigenous communities across Turtle Island. Moving beyond burying intergenerational trauma, WaaPaKe (Tomorrow) is an invitation to unravel the tangled threads of silence and unite in collective freedom and power.