Sudbury Downtown Indie Cinema Co-op is delighted to announce the 9th edition of Junction North International Documentary Film Festival running Thursday April 3 to Sunday April 6, in downtown Sudbury. This annual celebration of non-fiction cinema is possible due to the stellar support of keen Northern Ontario doc-lovers, filmmakers from around the world, patrons, sponsors and government partners.
Junction North brings Northeastern Ontario non-stop screenings over 4 days of outstanding stories from around the world. We select from multiple award-winners from top-tier festivals like Hot Docs, Sundance, TIFF, Berlinale to Junction North discoveries enjoying their festival premiere in Northern Ontario. From local to international, from hard-hitting issues to fascinating biographies, Junction North has it all.
Sudbury Indie Cinema 162 Mackenzie Street, Sudbury – laneway entrance. Free parking.
by Ryan Mah + Danny Berish
Thursday April 3 6:30 pm
2024 / Canada / 80 minutes
Arthur Erickson: Beauty Between the Lines offers an in-depth exploration of the extraordinary life of one of the 20th century’s most iconic and influential modernist architects. The documentary weaves personal anecdotes and professional milestones to uncover the untold stories of Erickson’s journey, from his celebrated public achievements to his private struggles. Known for his visionary designs and groundbreaking architectural philosophy, Erickson’s work profoundly shaped the modern landscape, but behind the accolades lay a complex individual grappling with triumphs and tragedies.
Through intimate interviews, archival footage, and a look at his most famous creations, the film reveals the delicate balance Erickson maintained between his creative genius and the challenges of his personal life, offering a deeper understanding of the man and the legacy he left behind. This documentary is not just a celebration of his architectural contributions but a reflection on the human experience of creativity, ambition, and the price of greatness.
by Oksana Karpovych
Friday April 4 4:00 pm
2024 / Canada, France, Ukraine / 95 minutes
Berlin winner-Ecumenical Jury Special Mention, and RIDM Grand Prize, plus 14 more wins/nominations
Ukrainian intelligence services have intercepted thousands of phone calls Russian soldiers made from the battlefield in Ukraine to their families and friends in Russia, painting a stark picture of the cruelty of war in a dizzying emotional tension. Juxtaposed with images of the destruction caused by the invasion and the day-to-day life of the Ukrainian people who resist and rebuild, the voices of the Russian soldiers—ranging from being filled with heroic illusions to complete disappointment and loss of reason, from looting to committing more horrible war crimes, from propaganda to doubt and disillusionment—expose the whole scope of the dehumanizing power of war and imperialist nature of the Russian aggression.
by Steve Pink
Friday April 4 7:00 pm
2024 / USA / 90 minutes
Displaying an unwavering commitment to putting country over self, Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger sacrificed his career and personal relationships by publicly demanding accountability for Donald Trump’s role in the January 6 insurrection. Filmed during Kinzinger’s final year in Congress, The Last Republican reveals behind-the-scenes insights into the explosive January 6 committee hearings while delving into what drove him to take a stand as well as the lasting impact of his decision.
by Johan Grimonprez
Friday April 4 9:00 pm
2024 / Belgium, France, Netherlands / 150 minutes
44 wins/nominations including 2025 Oscar Nominee, Sundance Special Jury Award
Director Johan Grimonprez’s sprawling documentary moves to a furious beat, laying out its thesis with an energy that’s as enthralling as it is thought-provoking. United Nations, 1960: the Global South ignites a political earthquake, jazz musicians Abbey Lincoln and Max Roach crash the Security Council, Nikita Khrushchev bangs his shoe, and the U.S. State Department swings into action, sending jazz ambassador Louis Armstrong to Congo to deflect attention from the CIA-backed coup. Director Johan Grimonprez captures the moment when African politics and American jazz collided in this magnificent essay film, a riveting historical rollercoaster that illuminates the political machinations behind the 1961 assassination of Congo’s leader Patrice Lumumba. Richly illustrated by eyewitness accounts, official government memos, testimonies from mercenaries and CIA operatives, speeches from Lumumba himself, and a veritable canon of jazz icons, Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat interrogates colonial history to tell an urgent and timely story of precedent that resonates more than ever in today’s geopolitical climate.
by Michael S. Koehler
Saturday April 5 2:15 pm
2025 / USA / 70 minutes
This film delves into the rich history of the oldest family-run business in Provincetown, Massachusetts, SPIRITUS Pizza and Ice Cream. It highlights the challenges and resistance faced by the business, the queer community, and the AIDS crisis, all against the backdrop of the conservative Puritanical attitudes in the town during the 1970s and 1980s.