Celebrating 10 years of supporting Western Canadian storytelling

Current Projects

TELUS originals is pleased to be supporting the following documentaries and docuseries. For festival programming and distribution inquiries, please contact production companies directly.
Recently greenlit
In production
Coming soon
Available now

Concrete Turned to Sand

Concrete Turned to Sand traces the environment of oyster farming in B.C. through temporal, ecological and scientific modes of perception.
Director: Jessica Johnson, Ryan Ermacora
Producer: Jessica Johnson, Ryan Ermacora
Production Company:
Slag Pile Films Ltd.

Run Time: 90 mins

HEARD

Searching for a sense of belonging, a Hard of Hearing (HoH) filmmaker journeys to find community and distinguish HoH as a culture of its own.
Director: Brian Ceci
Producer: Jamila Pomeroy, Brian Ceci, Nigel Edwards
Production Company:
Ruckus Machine Pictures

Run Time: 80 mins

Hearse Chasing

Follows singer-songwriter Cassidy Waring as she uses music to forge a path towards healing, nearly two decades after her mother’s death.
Director: Teresa Alfeld
Producer: Melissa James
Run Time: 20 mins

Kesar: Threads of Gold

After a destructive climate event wipes out their newly established saffron crop, a B.C. family rebuilds their livelihood and community.
Director: Elisa Gonzalez
Producer: Elisa Gonzalez
Run Time: 27 mins

Light Through The Blindfold

The story of a visually impaired, Iranian Paralympic goalball player following her athletic dreams and the path to regaining her eyesight.
Director: Alireza Kazemipour
Producer: Sepehr Samimi, Sina Nazarian
Production Company:
Understory Media

Run Time: 20 mins

Métis Scrip & The Otipemisiwak

Unveils dark history of the Métis Scrip system, exposing the fraud that ultimately lead to reunification and the formation of today's Métis Nation of Alberta.
Director: Sean Smith
Producer: Sean Smith, Scott Lepp
Production Company:
Stingray Pictures

Run Time: 90 mins

Our Ocean Table

On a journey inspired by iconic Korean seafood dishes, ocean filmmaker Sonya Lee and journalist Hannah Sung dive into our ocean to explore how culture inspires conservation.
Director: Sonya Lee, Jon Chiang
Producer: Joanna Wong, Sonya Lee, Priyanka Desai
Production Company:
JUGAAD Sisters

Run Time: 3 x 22 mins

Reckless Abandon

Follows the original group of self-destructive teens who, thirty years ago, championed snowboarding to change mountain culture, and now seek to change themselves.
Director: Clayton Larsen
Producer: Ryan Stutt
Production Company:
King Network

Run Time: 90 mins

Salvaged

Follows a groundbreaking cooperation between a Nuu-chah-nulth master carver and forest industry professionals to create an ethical supply of cedar for First Nations artists.
Director: Michael Bourquin
Producer: Carey Newman, Mike Wavrecan, Cody Graham
Production Company:
Taxam Films

Run Time: 80 mins

Shifting Horizons

Shifting Horizons is the story of the changing face of Richmond told through the people and history of its Asian-themed plaza malls.
Director: Karen Cho
Producer: Bob Moore
Production Company:
EyeSteelFilm

Run Time: 35 mins

təm kʷaθ nan Namesake

The Tla’amin Nation's name change request sparks the City of Powell River to explore Indigenous history, putting reconciliation into action.
Director: t̓agəm Eileen Francis, Dr. Evan Adams
Producer: t̓agəm Eileen Francis, Dr. Evan Adams, Peg Campbell, Angela Kendall, Claudia Medina, Davis McKenzie, Emily White
Production Company:
Tla'amin Nation

Run Time: 90 mins

The Lady Architect

Follows a groundbreaking female architect in the 1930s and her daughter, a cinematographer, as they navigate male-dominated professions.
Director: Moira Simpson
Producer: Moira Simpson, Christine McDowell
Run Time: 18 mins

The Perfect Match

A grieving father in Edmonton advocates for stem cell donation, facing resistance due to medical system mistrust in Black communities.
Director: Sandro Silva
Producer: Sheena Rossiter, Sandro Silva
Production Company:
Dona Ana Films

Run Time: 75 mins

The Tyee Club

As a fishing club celebrates its 100th year, members juxtapose tall tales with the reality of threatened fish stocks.
Director: Nate Slaco
Producer: Nate Slaco, Jevan Crittenden
Production Company:
Perpetuum Films

Run Time: 52 mins

Thunder of Clouds: What Women Can Do

Afghan Canadian activists support countrywomen arriving in Calgary while building an exhibit to immerse audiences in their fight for survival.
Director: Laura O'Grady
Producer: Laura O'Grady, Robina Hamdard, Jenny Steele
Production Company:
Snapshot Studios

Run Time: 75 mins

#skoden

From infamy to a viral phenomenon, #skoden tracks the story of how a photo became an iconic Indigenous meme and the man behind the image.
Director: Damien Eagle Bear
Producer: Damien Eagle Bear, Nilesh Patel
Production Company: Dirty Jacket Productions
Run Time: 80 mins

Peggy and Balmer: Two Journalists at the Edge of History

A filmmaker traces his family’s link to the Pulitzer-honoured Edmonton Journal, examining the evolution of media and its impact on democracy.
Director: Tom Radford
Producer: Tom Radford, Steve Glassman, Emma Radford
Production Company:
Lost Alberta Productions

Run Time: 80 mins

All 4 One

Advocating for mental health, four friends create a new kind of race – racing 16ft quad tandem bicycles against teams from around the world.
Director: Mark Adam Miller
Producer: Casey Dubois, Mark Adam Miller, Zac Hoffman
Executive Producer: Gordie Rogers
Production Company:
The Grove Films

Run Time: 50 mins

Butterfly Hunters

Butterfly Hunters exposes the reality of domestic human sexual trafficking in Western Canada.
Director: Viveka Melki
Producer: Viveka Melki, Debra Kouri
Production Company:
Melki Films

Run Time: 78 mins

Canadian Adobo

Tells the stories of Filipino-Canadian immigrant kids who are paying for their parent’s ambitions which led to estranged family relationships.
Director: Kent Donguines
Producer: Kent Donguines, Mack Stannard
Run Time: 70 mins

Constant Battles

Fighting familial expectations, fierce competition, and mental health issues, Nyousha trains to be the first Iranian-born female Olympic boxer.
Director: Mack Stannard
Producer: Mack Stannard, Sina Nazarian
Run Time: 80 mins

Fruit is Ripe

Over a year, a group of first-generation Chinese immigrants work together to develop traditional Chinese produce farming practices in Alberta.
Director: Yuqi Kang
Producer: Yuqi Kang, Yiqian Zhang
Production Company: Blue Goat Films
Run Time: 80 mins

Healing the Healers

An exploration of some of the remarkable healing treatments newly developed to address PTSD, led by healthcare professionals on Vancouver Island.
Director: Mike Bernard
Producer: Leah Mallen, Jess Fraser
Production Company:
All In Pictures

Run Time: 48 mins

NiiMisSak: Sisters in Film

Weaves the shared truths with the raw personal experiences of being an IsKweWak storyteller in the film industry.
Director: Jules Koostachin
Producer: Jules Koostachin, Patti Poskitt
Run Time: 70 mins

No Spiritual Surrender - Indigenous Voices of Hardcore

Blackfoot activists, artists and musicians examine the history of Indigenous people in the hardcore punk community in North America.
Director: Curtis Running Rabbit
Producer: Curtis Running Rabbit, Jay Lawrance
Production Company:
AM Entertainment Inc.

Run Time: 75 mins

Pain and Offering

Chronically ill and neurodivergent essayist Cynthia Decore connects with disabled artists making differences in their communities.
Director: Daniel Ennett, Frederick Kroetsch
Producer: Rebecca Campbell
Production Company:
Catapult Pictures Inc.

Run Time: 3 x 12 mins

The Exploitation of Dance: Reclaiming our Heritage

Educating Canadians about the history of African dance while inspiring the next generation of Black dancers to take control of their destiny.
Director: Sylvester Ndumbi
Producer: Wunmi Idowu
Production Company: Dedya Films Inc.
Run Time: 60 mins

Chef and the Daruma

Explore Chef Tojo's inspiring immigrant journey, blending culinary and cultural perspectives, while questioning the sacrifices of assimilation.
Director: Mads Baekkvold
Producer: Luis Guerra, Matt Dix
Production Company: Wallop Film
Run Time: 90 mins

Twindemic

Indigenous survivours of the opioid epidemic share inspirational stories of healing that provide pathways to understanding addiction.
Director: Denis Paquette, Carmen Henriquez
Producer: Denis Paquette, Carmen Henriquez
Production Company:
Real World Media Inc.

Run Time: 4 x 22 mins

ЇСТИ (to eat)

Shares Ukrainian culture through food while shedding light on the experiences of Ukrainians who have recently immigrated to Edmonton.
Director: Stephen Robinson
Producer: Stephen Robinson, Iryna Stryapunina
Production Company: Zipline Productions Inc.
Run Time: 6 x 10 mins

Aitamaako'tamisskapi Natosi: Before the Sun

Experience a young Siksika woman's preparation for one of the most dangerous races in the world, while celebrating the family and horses who sustain her.
Director: Banchi Hanuse

Producer: Mike Wavrecan
Executive Producer: Carey Newman, Izzy Pullen
Production Company:
Taxam Films

Run Time: 88 mins

Ari's Theme

Ari Kinarthy, an award-winning composer with type-2 spinal muscular atrophy, creates an original musical score based on his life story.
Director: Jeff Petry, Nathan Drillot
Producer: Jeff Petry, Nathan Drillot
Production Company:
Salazar Film

Run Time: 98 mins

Between Pictures: The Lens of Tamio Wakayama

Highlights the artistic journey of Japanese Canadian photographer Tamio Wakayama whose work was inspired by the 1960s civil rights movement.
Director: Cindy Mochizuki
Producer: Cindy Mochizuki
Production Company:
Mochizuki Studios

Run Time: 70 mins

Curl Power

Five friends are on the quest to the top of Canada's cult-favourite sport, curling.
Director: Josephine Anderson
Producer: Mike Johnston
Production Company:
Studio 104 Entertainment

Run Time: 86 mins

Delta Dawn

Delta Dawn explores the early life and career of Indigenous wrestling sensation Dawn Murphy aka “Princess Delta Dawn”.
Director: Asia Youngman
Producer: Mike Johnston
Production Company:
Studio 104 Entertainment

Run Time: 24 mins

Flashback

A legendary 80s nightclub, Flashback was a disco sensation and a haven for LGBTQ2S+ people in a city often hostile to queer culture.
Director: Peter Hays
Producer: Peter Hays, Mathew Hays
Production Company:
Tangerine Productions Ltd

Run Time: 91 mins

House Special

A five-part series about the Chinese Canadian experience told through the lens of small town Asian food joints and the families that run them.
Director: Danny Berish
Producer: Ryan Mah
Production Company:
Black Rhino Creative

Run Time: 5 x 22 mins

Iniskim: Return of the Buffalo

Iniskim: Return of the Buffalo, is an intercultural artistic response to the return of the buffalo, as wild animals, to Western North America.
Director: Leanne Allison, Peter Balkwill
Producer: Leanne Allison, Amethyst First Rider
Production Company:
Necessary Journeys Inc

Run Time: 39 mins

It Takes a Village

The transformative power of community, mentorship and basketball is explored by following stories of immigration in East Vancouver.
Director: Christopher Cho
Producer: Jonathan Mubanda, Christopher Cho, Stephanie Watt-Mubanda, 
David Mubanda, Wolfgang Klassen
Production Company:
Wolf and Blaze Productions

Run Time: 79 mins

Lessons from the Sunflower

A simple flower inspires life after illness for an artist and wellness advocate.
Director: Ava Karvonen
Producer: Ava Karvonen
Production Company:
Reel Girls Media Inc.

Run Time: 75 mins

Mareya Shot, Keetha Goal: Make the Shot

An intimate look at junior hockey in the Punjabi community in British Columbia where the stakes are high as players chase the dream of the NHL.
Director: Baljit Sangra, Nilesh Patel
Producer: Baljit Sangra, Nilesh Patel
Executive Producer: Selywn Jacob
Run Time: 60 mins

Not Quite That

Not Quite That tells the story of a nice, Jewish butch lesbian with a dangerous genetic mutation - one that might just allow her to be seen at last.
Director: Ali Grant
Producer: Cari Green, Ali Grant
Production Company:
On The Creek Films

Run Time: 43 mins

Not Your Butter Chicken

With her mother losing her memory to dementia, food and wine expert Shiva Reddy travels to Indo-Canadian communities in search of her roots.
Director: Priyanka Desai
Producer: Priyanka Desai, Joanna Wong
Production Company:
Jugaad Sisters

Run Time: 4 x 22 mins

Only a Ride

Anthony Boussetta, an endurance mountain biker, attempts a near impossible ride in the pursuit of mental health awareness.
Director: Gordie Rogers
Producer: Gordie Rogers, Zac Hoffman
Production Company:
The Grove

Run Time: 58 mins

Outside In

Rediscover the forgotten connections between nature and wellness in the places we call home.
Director: Danny Berish, Ryan Mah
Producer: Danny Berish, Ryan Mah, Leah Mallen, Amanda Palmer
Production Company:
Black Rhino Creative

Run Time: 60 mins

Physician Heal Thyself

A searingly intimate portrait of celebrated expert on addiction, stress and trauma, Dr. Gabor Mate.
Director: Asher Penn
Producer: Asher Penn
Executive Producer: Shannon Walsh
Run Time: 78 mins

Precious Leader Woman

World champion snowboarder Spencer O'Brien realises her Indigenous heritage holds more strength than she could have ever imagined.
Director: Cassie De Colling
Producer: Steve Henderson, Hayley Morin, Mack Stannard, Cassie De Colling
Production Company:
Kiddo Films

Run Time: 48 mins

Send Kelp

A bootstrapping seaweed nerd takes on climate change armed with nothing but determination and a dream to start a kelp farm.
Director: Blake McWilliam
Producer: Blake McWilliam
Production Company:
Back Road Productions

Run Time: 89 mins

Shut Out

Canadian women’s soccer icon Stephanie Labbé navigates mental health struggles in a sport shaped by men.
Director: Cassie De Colling
Producer: Stuart Gillies, Matt Lawrence Dix
Production Company:
Wallop Film

Run Time: 90 mins

Slides on the Mountain

Two young brothers from Lil'wat Nation ski the mountain on their traditional lands, pushing themselves and their culture.
Director: Seth Gillis
Producer: Aline Mayerhoffer
Creative Producer: Sandy Ward
Run Time: 30 mins

The Originals

Director and actor Niall McNeil explores his ever-evolving arts practice in homage to one of Canada’s most ground-breaking theatre companies.
Director: Niall McNeil
Co-Director: Mike McKinlay
Producer: John Dippong, Joan McNeil
Run Time: 45 mins

Union Street

Black Vancouverites are rebuilding a community that was destroyed in the ‘60s while redefining what it means to be African-Canadian.
Director: Jamila Pomeroy
Producer: Mack Stannard, Maddy Chang
Run Time: 60 mins

Your Cinema Needs You

An exploration of the storied history of Canada's oldest surviving, purpose-built movie theatre.
Director: Luke Fandrich
Producer: Luke Fandrich
Production Company:
Editing Luke

Run Time: 60 mins
A selection of TELUS original films are available to watch:
Film availability varies and may be limited to certain geographic regions.

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