Celebrating young talent and community in the suburbs: The evolution of Eric’s Backyard Film Festival

Look out TIFF, there’s a new GTA film festival on the rise...

By Sarah Grishpul

A packed audience stares at the projector screen as host Eric Génier kicks off the Winter Film Festival with a hilarious short flick. (Sarah Grishpul/CanCulture)

Eric Génier is a long-time Oakville resident and recent graduate of Sheridan’s Film and Television program. He also happens to be the founder of the “coolest thing to happen in Oakville,” Eric’s Backyard Film Festival.

“I started doing a film festival in my backyard just because I wanted to show off a short film I made during that weird area of COVID where restrictions were going on and off, and there were no places to show my film,” said Génier. 

“So, I thought we could all mask up and do it in my backyard, and then I had my friends also bring in their own films as well. And once it happened, the ideas just kept coming and coming. I kept having more ideas for decorations and how we could make it better. And it's been evolving like that ever since.”

The first Eric’s Backyard Film Festival in 2021 showcased over 16 short films from Oakville youth and brought in an estimated audience of 80 people. Since then, attendance has spiked into the hundreds. Génier claims positive audience reception to be a driving factor. 

“Word of mouth is crazy,” said Génier. “If you have something that people like, build a stadium, and people will come.”

By 2022, the festival premiered over 90 minutes of short films and included a live performance from the band, CONNIE. 

In the summer of 2023, Génier says he and his team received around 22 film submissions, many from people outside of his social circle.

“I feel like when I started programming for the September one, that's when it started feeling like this isn't just something me and my friends are doing, this is on its way to becoming something bigger than all of us.”

In December, Génier announced that Eric’s Backyard Film Festival would be returning for a special, elevated fourth installment: Eric’s Winter Film Festival. 

Génier welcomes the audience to the Winter Film Festival decked out in holiday attire (Sarah Grishpul/CanCulture)

What set this festival apart from the typical Eric’s Backyard events (apart from the obvious lack of a backyard setting) was the size. According to Génier, they’re painting the same picture, just on a bigger canvas. 

The Winter Film Festival took place indoors at Sheridan College in the school’s on-campus pub, The Marquee. Upon entry, attendees were invited to peruse around vendors selling homemade goods from local, small businesses and official merchandise for Eric’s Backyard Film Festival. 

Attendees explore the vendor tables and vintage clothing racks at Eric’s Winter Film Festival (Sarah Grishpul/CanCulture)

There was even a live band performance from Moss Lawn and BROTHER, inviting people to listen and dance along before the screening. 

And, of course, you simply had to check out the bathrooms.

The bathrooms at Eric’s Winter Film Festival are covered in slightly intimidating posters of Génier covered in… blood? Oh dear (Sarah Grishpul/CanCulture)

The event premiered an eclectic selection of 13 short films from young local filmmakers, spanning from one-minute visually experimental thrillers to endearing documentaries about Oakville’s local “Bark Bus” and a dynamic music video accompanied by the first-ever live performance of SEVI EAST. Many of the directors were in attendance to address audience questions in a lively Q&A. 

A group of local filmmakers answer questions from the audience after the first half of the screenings while Génier dons a festive Santa Claus costume (Sarah Grishpul/CanCulture)

For Génier, having community-oriented events that bring people together is important to cultivate, particularly in an area where socialization is often discouraged.

“Community is really important and we don't have it here in Oakville,” he said. “One of the biggest things I learned: it's really hard to make community in the suburbs. I'm hoping this is starting something to change that. Maybe this can eventually lead to something that can benefit not just my circle, but also Oakville.”

With the continued growth in attendance, Génier and his team are on the hunt for a new venue space for next year’s festival.

“I can't do it in my backyard again, unfortunately,” he said. “There's no way we can fit everyone into my backyard and it's not the best viewing experience either cause there's trees and a pergola in the way of the screen.”

Increasing the frequency of local film screenings is another goal of his. Génier hopes to utilize local movie theatres like Film.ca to build a bigger film presence in Oakville.

The festivals usually attract applicants around the age range of 18-25, but he would like to see more submissions from younger filmmakers in high school, particularly those who don’t typically create films as a way to promote amateurism.

“I'm more in the bank of ‘anyone can make a movie,’ and we have the tools that anyone can make a movie. So, I want to just see more of that.”

Génier hopes to continue to run and develop Eric’s Backyard Film Festival well into the future, but while this idea began as a fun way to reunite with friends and neighbours, he admits he can’t keep doing this for free forever.

“Hopefully you’ll see Eric’s Backyard incorporated, and I have 500 interns,” he jokes.

Breaking Barriers: Deaf Stories with a Loud Impact

Four short films created by Deaf filmmakers are paving the way for disabled creatives in Toronto 

By Atiya Malik

Illustration of two blue eyes each in a television. Above this, the flyer reads “Unify Deaf Film Festival” over a plum-coloured background.

Official Unify Deaf Film Festival poster (@alessioconvito.art via Instagram)

The Unify Deaf Film Festival, presented by TIFF Bell Lightbox and Undivided Productions, has carved a remarkable path for Deaf filmmakers and Deaf stories to be embraced and celebrated. This event is the first of its kind in Toronto and marks a significant step forward in recognizing talent and creativity within the d/Deaf community. 

On Oct. 13, the Unify Deaf Film Festival public screening presented four impeccable short films all created by Deaf filmmakers. The event was followed by two days of workshops and panels.

The festival was not only about showcasing Deaf talent but also fostering meaningful dialogue and creating a bridge between the deaf and hearing worlds. Panel discussions and a Q&A session with the filmmakers allowed for open conversation about Deaf culture, the language and the challenges of being a Deaf creative in a predominantly hearing world. 

The Power of Visual Storytelling: The Black Deaf Experience

His Hand, His Art, directed by Ebony R. Gooden, is a documentary on Ralph “Ralf” Newberry, a Black Deaf artist, and his compelling journey. This film depicts his sickening experiences with racism, ableism and how they have and continue to affect his life. His story engulfs viewers in feelings of confusion, pain and anger due to the lack of resources until he discovers the art of healing and forgiveness. 

“Creating this film was very personal for me, my goodness, it was extremely personal to me. Ralph was someone I wanted to see when I was growing up. To know that I wasn’t the only one and to know that our history existed,” said Gooden during the Q&A session. 

Gooden emphasized how being able to tell Ralph’s story in her documentary is a form of representation that is desperately needed in the film industry. She said the power of film goes beyond just the people who view it in the cinema when it’s released. You don’t know who you’re going to impact in future generations with these films. 

The Multi, directed by Storm Smith and Natasha Ofili, shared a different perspective from the Black deaf community. This film tells the story of an isolated Black Deaf woman who has constructed a world to keep a childhood trauma buried deep in her consciousness. This is until an unexpected series of events forces her to confront the demons from her past who threaten to destroy everything she has built.

According to a Forbes interview, Ofili says, "I remember feeling worthless, I remember feeling that I did not want to be here anymore, I was done, I felt done. In 2009, I had announced that I needed help, I started going to therapy, all of that did help me, it was a two-year journey, and I am now able to talk about it."

Ofili draws attention to the fact that not a lot of people speak about their mental health, especially not in the Black Deaf community. 

"There is a lack of conversation about our trauma, and I decided to include that in the script. We do not have enough of that on the screen. The Multi is inspired by my mental health," said Ofili in the Forbes interview.

Both The Multi and His Hand, His Art give voices to a marginalized community. They shed light upon varying perspectives and experiences. 

“There’s no one way to be Black, there’s no one way to be d/Deaf, you can’t paint everyone with the same brush.”
— Gooden during the Q&A session

Deaf Perspective on Sound

The film titled The 5%, directed by Alexandra Hickox and co-directed with Nathan Hughes-Berry, is a film that retells the true stories of Deaf individuals. It displays the intersection of three deaf people who have lived through shared experiences but are still living through different moments in their lives.

During the Q&A session, Hickox says she wanted to show how there isn't just one universal d/Deaf experience in the world, a common stereotype about the community. 

“It's a struggle to have representation within the film industry. Where is the Deaf community? There are not a lot of opportunities available,” said Hickox in a Zoom interview through a sign language interpreter.

In her film, Hickox strategically used the element of sound. When a deaf individual appeared on the screen, there was little to no sound and the film would often display the character's inner monologue through text. Whereas, when a supporting hearing character appeared on screen, there would be a variety of relevant audio.

“I played a lot with sound. We [deaf individuals] can’t hear anything but the other person can hear all these scenarios. I wanted to show the audience how it sounds different,” said Hickox.

However, as a Deaf person, it was difficult to explain the sound she wanted. “How do you explain a d/Deaf perspective on sound? How do you convey that through film? It was a challenge,” she said. 

Hickox emphasized that her team, composed of both hearing and deaf folks, was exceptional during this learning journey.  

“I wanted to create a space for deaf folks and hearing folks to be able to work together. This is what being ‘Undivided’ is. Breaking that barrier.”
— Hickox in an interview in sign language through an interpreter

Hickox is the founder of Undivided Productions, a Deaf-led initiative that showcases the richness of Deaf culture and Deaf talent through film production, art, poetry, theatre, comedy and more. 

Fatima T. Nafisa, an actor in Fable Deaf, explains how both cultures can thrive in unison. Fable Deaf is a film based on the magical story about an elderly Deaf archivist stubbornly rooted in history and tradition, whose rigid world is threatened by the arrival of a young traveller with an ancient map.

During the Q&A session, Nafisa said there are various ways a production team can work together. For example, her own team elicited support to cue each other. Instead of saying “action” to cue the beginning of a new scene, a team member would tap the actor's leg or use more visual forms of communication. She said there’s beauty and appreciation about adapting to the diverse backgrounds around you.

The Future for Deaf Creatives

The Unify Deaf Film Festival displayed four powerful and moving short films. His Hand, His Art, The 5%, The Multi and Fable Deaf are films whose messages will remain for generations to come. 

“We needed a starting place. ‘Oh, you can work with Deaf people?’ Of course you can! We hope to make creatives aware that this is a possibility. That's what I want for Undivided Productions and for the Unify Deaf Film Festival. For us to have more collaborations between hearing and deaf,” said Hickox.

The Unify Deaf Film Festival and Undivided Productions are breaking barriers. To current and up-and-coming Deaf filmmakers and creatives, this is just the beginning.