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Dufferin Film Festival showcases the best of new film talent

August 21, 2025   ·   0 Comments

By Joshua Drakes

As the Dufferin Film Festival kicked off last Friday (Aug. 15), guests were treated to a rich and diverse range of short films, ranging from comedy to political commentary.

The screenings started with The Trade, written by Ren Olivieri and directed by David Kalinauskas.

The film centers on Ray, a fantasy sports junkie who lives and breathes at his desk, obsessed with his fantasy lineup. Ray’s wife, Karen, calls a reluctant Ray to the kitchen to sit down. Karen explains, much like a manager of a sports team, that Ray isn’t “performing” well enough and will be traded to another wife in the area. Ray at first is confused, then angry, arguing that he’s devoted his best years to this arrangement, to which Karen counters that it just hasn’t been enough, and that his performance has actually degraded over time.

Karen continues by saying that she will be receiving Gary in exchange for Ray, who is younger and more compatible with her needs, and has Ray out the door with his bags already packed and ready to go.

This lighthearted comedy was short and straight to the point. Any viewer would expect Karen’s motives would have been confronting Ray about his addiction to fantasy sports and his lack of care and effort for their marriage. One would expect she would have presented him with divorce papers.

Instead, in rich irony, Ray found himself traded out in favour of a younger man and discarded without any care, just like an unpopular roster on his fantasy team.

What truly sells the plot is the casual attitude of the cast, treating this as a totally normal occurrence. Ray insists he deserves to stay on the team, not that he can save the marriage, and Karen treats this as a workplace dispute, with nothing personal between them.

Ewa’s Letter

Next up in the screening was Ewa’s Letter, written by Hunter Diletti and directed by Keaton James Browning.

The film follows a mother and son living in Poland during the later years of communism. Despite the harsh conditions, both politically and economically, the mother works hard to make sure her son is fed and comfortable, while also writing speeches for the Solidarity Movement opposing communist rule.

The pair leaves the house to collect food, and the mother leaves her son in line to go meet an underground contact, though she is noticed by nearby police. When she hands over her speech, the speaker suggests that next time, she perform it herself, though she declines.

Suddenly, police arrive and grab the man, forcing her to retreat and find her son, who, after being turned away from the food line, was given food by his uncle. This drives a wedge in the family, as the mother wants nothing to do with him, as he deals in illegal business. Before he leaves, he asks if they can trust the man who was arrested, and implies he might sell them out to the police, which the mother immediately rejects.

This proves to be a mistake, as later, the police arrive and seize her while her son hides away to avoid being taken as well. While she is released, it is a bittersweet moment, as her son greets her, now grown up and a man.

The film makes fantastic use of limited resources, recreating the brutalist architecture of 1980s Poland with exterior shots of Cambridge, Ont., and interior shots are full of small details that make the rooms feel real. Bookshelves aren’t just full of books; they have figures, models, toys, and the tables have coasters and mats.

The home of the mother and son feels lived in, and used, even dirty or worn down. You feel the weight of their plight, the minimal resources they have to live with.

Despite it all, however, we see a home that is one of love and support. The hope for better days ahead, for real change.

All of this is heartbreakingly shattered as police arrive and haul the mother away for crimes against the state. What crime? Writing speeches. She was just one of many –– numbers in the communist system, but real human beings with lives –– to be hauled away on trumped-up charges. A mother who was robbed of seeing her son grow up. A mother who is already losing her husband, knowing her son will now be alone, forced to survive on his own, and the state doesn’t care.

It is a timeless reminder that freedom never comes easy. It’s a perpetual fight, and it will always come at a cost.

Midnight Coachmen

The third film screened was Midnight Coachmen, written and directed by Enrico Ferri, a dramatic reimagining of the Cinderella fairytale.

Told from the perspective of a dog and a mouse, both in human form until midnight, Midnight Coachmen follows everything essentially not happening in the ball itself, but what is happening outside at the time, with only brief glimpses inside.

Both the dog and the mouse have uniquely separate journeys throughout the film. One struggles to make a connection with a woman, and the other explores his surroundings and indulges in his gluttonous side, downing desserts left and right. Both don’t seems too in touch with their human forms, but once Cinderella leaves the party, they immediately jump into action and go back to her.

This film was difficult to describe and even harder to write about. Visually, it is absolutely stunning. The night atmosphere is almost a perfect blend of peaceful quiet and an uncanny eeriness, with the perspective as a viewer skewed somehow, setting up the reveal that the pair of men we’ve been following aren’t quite normal.

Yet, from their perspective, all the humans seen in the film appear to be acting strangely, or acting how they perceive to be strange.

There are multiple flashbacks to the two men with Cinderella, either in a field, lying in some grass, or wandering. Early on, the viewer doesn’t understand the significance of it, and might even think it’s strange, but once they realize these men are the dog and mouse from the original story, pets and companions of Cinderella, it makes sense. They are simply spending time with her, as she lounges outside or explores the world.

A Good Day Will Come

The final entry in the mix was A Good Day Will Come, written and directed by Amir Zargara.

This powerful film follows Arash, an Iranian pro-wrestler, preparing to win gold at a tournament for his country. However, the country is in the middle of the 2018 protests, and he is constantly burdened by the suffering of his country, which distracts him from his career.

It all comes to a head when his own family is killed during the protests, leading to him arguing with his coach over what to do. His coach insists he focus on his career, and not get involved with politics. Arash, however, feels compelled to take a stand, and so after winning his match, he wears a shirt with a picture of his lost family and the date of their death.

Returning home, he struggles to focus on wrestling, as his political stance has incurred the wrath of the government, which is already watching him from the moment he arrives home.

He finally decides to use his fame to take a stand. Against the advice of his mother, he joins a protest, and as they march towards a confrontation with the military, he manages to dissuade angry protestors from resorting to violence and convinces the military to stand down.

Unfortunately, government enforcers were watching, and shortly afterward, he was arrested while leaving home, presumably never to return.

This film was, by far, the Citizen’s favourite screening of the evening. The acting was phenomenal; everyone portrayed themselves brilliantly, especially Arash’s coach. Despite being angry and against the idea of any political demonstrations, when Arash makes up his mind, his coach backs him up completely, no matter what his personal feelings are.

The atmosphere felt alive as well. Arash’s home was simple, but felt lived in. Little imperfections, home-cooked meals, nothing looked out of place or artificial. It was the home of anyone and everyone, a conduit for anyone to see themselves in his shoes.

The streets of the protests were also choreographed well. When you have a limited cast, but you want the impression of a big crowd, you mold the scenery to make it big. By using tight alleys and close up camera shots, you can give the impression of a much larger group without having to rely on large numbers.

Finally, the story is another reminder of the sacrifices made for freedom around the world. Arash is based on Navid Afkari, an Iranian wrestler who was arrested and executed under dubious charges of murder.

In stories like these, Arash represents everyone. The wrestlers, the shopkeepers, the students. Anyone who has a voice. Authoritarian regimes target anyone who speaks out, and it could happen to anyone.

Arash’s story reminds viewers of the precious privilege they have of living in a free society.

With that, the Dufferin Film Festival’s first night came to a close, leaving audiences with more than just an evening of entertainment –– they left with laughter, heartbreak, and reflection.  

From biting satire to historical struggles, surreal reimaginings to powerful political drama, each film offered a glimpse into the resilience, creativity, and bold storytelling of Canadian and international filmmakers.  

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