Short Film Face Off: Halifax-made, Canada-wide

Halifax has a quiet claim to fame that comes back around every late summer: the city produces CBC's Short Film Face Off, and the 19th season kicks off on August 29. It is a simple premise that does a lot for Canadian film, and for a city that takes its screen industry seriously, it is one worth following. The show runs on Saturdays — August 29, September 5, 12, and 19 — at 8 p.m. ET, which is 9 p.m. Atlantic time here, and all nine films are available to stream on CBC Gem if you would rather catch up on your own schedule.

The format is built around a competition. Nine short films from across Canada are screened, and the audience decides the winner through an online vote. The prize is the Telefilm Canada Short Film Face Off Award, which comes with C$30,000 to put toward the filmmaker's next project — a serious sum for anyone working in shorts. Telefilm Canada, the Crown corporation headquartered in Montreal, backs the award as part of its support for Canadian filmmakers' careers. The winner is announced during the finale on September 19.

On screen, the show is presented by Amanda Parris, the nationally acclaimed writer and broadcaster, with a panel that includes CBC cultural commentator Eli Glasner, content curator Mohit Rajhans, and the National Screen Institute's Jessica Gibson. The whole thing is produced right here in Halifax, which is a nice detail to keep in mind when you are watching.

The films themselves cover a lot of ground. There is "After Prayer" by Usman Qazi, where a 10-year-old boy tries to get a girl's attention from the car next to his without his mother noticing; "Unit 303" by Beth Evans, in which Megan tries to sell Kyle on a future in Unit 303; "Pudding Chomeur" by Frank Tremblay, with a daughter recreating her father's iconic dessert on the day of his funeral; "Grief Dogs" by Jo Boland, where a miscommunication threatens a dog-grief support group; and "Terry." by Dylan Duff, about a man caught between his parents after an unexpected phone call.

Rounding out the list are "Hatch" by Alireza Kazemipour and Panta Mosleh, following a refugee boy trapped inside a water tanker; "Leili's Photo" by Maral Mostafavi, in which an eight-year-old struggles to get her family to cooperate for a school pinhole photo; "Happy Campers" by New Brunswick's Gordon Mihan, set on the last day of summer camp as boys in Calvin's cabin take turns wrestling under their teenage counsellor; and "Same Time Next Year" by Anushay Sheikh, with Safa caught between an overbearing family and an angry ex. Bill Niven, a veteran Halifax producer and founder of Idlewild Films Ltd, noted that the themes are universal and personal in their telling of family dynamics, love and inspiration, and reflect the changing nature of Canada's demographics. Whether you are a cinephile or just looking for something different to watch on a Saturday night, it is an easy way to catch a glimpse of what Canadian filmmakers are doing.