Tia is a 10-year-old refugee from Syria, living in Montreal and struggling to make friends and feel comfortable in her new environment. While her parents are preoccupied with her mother’s pregnancy and the challenges of everyday life in a new place, Tia is left mostly to her own devices.

Everything changes when she discovers a magical portal that transports her to Igloolik, a community in the Arctic Circle. There she meets Piujuq, an Inuk girl who she quickly forms a deep bond with in spite of their cultural differences. Through their friendship, the stories of Piujuq’s grandmother, and their wanderings across the striking northern landscape, the girls are immersed in Inuit myth and magic.

2018. 80 min. Not Rated (family-friendly). English, French, Inuktitut.

Eleven-year-old orphan Félicie (Elle Fanning) has one dream: to go to Paris and become a dancer. Her best friend Victor (Dane DeHaan), a highly imaginative boy, has a dream of his own: to become a famous inventor. In a leap of faith, Victor and Félicie leave their orphanage in pursuit of their passions. But there’s a catch —Félicie must pretend to be the child of a wealthy family in order to get into a prestigious ballet school, where she quickly learns that talent alone is not enough to overcome the ruthless attitudes of her fellow classmates, led by Camille le Haut (Maddie Ziegler) and her wicked mother, Régine (Julie Khaner).

Determined to succeed, Félicie finds her mentor in the tough and mysterious school custodian, Odette (Carly Rae Jepsen), who, along with Victor’s encouraging friendship, helps her reach for the stars.

2016. 89 min. Rated G. English.

This touching documentary, narrated by Ryan Reynolds, tells the story of a young killer whale, Luna, who gets separated from his family on the rugged west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. As rambunctious and surprising as a visitor from another planet, Luna endears himself to the community with his determination to make contact, leading to many unexpected consequences.

The Whale charts the community’s struggle to deal with Luna, since whales who are separated from their pods rarely survive in the wild. Raising more questions than it can answer, the film is a truly compelling exploration of our relationship with animals.

“The issues surrounding the emotional lives of animals — and the often presumptuous assumption of humans that they comprehend them — are explored in The Whale with a quiet dignity and gorgeous images.” — Andy Webster, New York Times

2010. 85 min. Rated G. English.

Ten-year-old Teplupai has always wanted to be a spiritual leader, but nobody will take him seriously. When a tax collector takes away his village’s sacred treasure, he sets off on a quest to find and reclaim it. However, when he arrives in the big city, his world is forever changed as he witnesses the first arrival of Europeans to the continent, and the devastation that follows.

This beautifully animated adventure set hundreds of years ago in the Andean region is a thrilling and moving story that has resonated with young audiences around the world, and was nominated for a César award for Best Animated Film.

2018. 72 min. Not Rated (family-friendly). English, French.