Centrepiece Gala Presentation: SUNBURN

Canada202682 minEnglish, with English Subtitles Comedy, Drama, Live ASL Interpretation, Open Captions

It’s the hottest day of the year. The popsicles are dripping, the pimples are popping, and the power is out. Best friends Vince and Shay wander outside, looking for shade in their Toronto St. James Town neighbourhood. Family, friends, and crushes are all outside, too. The vibes are immaculate.

Taking a classic "day-in-the-life" form, we are treated to vignettes and conversations that on their surface seem ordinary but build to reveal each young character’s anxiety about the clash between their carefree present and uncertain future.

Joining the (recent) tradition of shining a light on underseen pockets of Toronto, Serville Poblete’s Sunburn is a reverent ode to his vibrant neighbourhood and a breezy tribute to those days you wish would never end, tinged with the wistful knowledge that they always will.

– Aram Siu Wai Collier