For Julia, facing life after the loss of her partner seems like an impossible task. But León, their son, is the fuel to keep going. Nothing is easy after Barby’s death, between the return of León’s biological father, Barby’s mother’s distant attitude, and the struggle to keep their restaurant open. Outstanding performances by a talented ensemble of actors add complexity and honesty to their roles, enhancing a well-crafted narrative. Directing duo Andi Nachon and Papu Curotto bring us a story about love, grief, and a little bit of family chaos. León is a tale about the joyous and difficult task of loving and understanding one another.

Canadian Premiere

Suellen, a Brazilian toll booth attendant and mother, is willing to do almost anything to keep her family afloat. When the opportunity to case drivers passing by her toll booth presents itself, she falls in with a gang of thieves promising a chance at a better life. Suellen’s idea of a better life, however, does not align with that of her very assured teenage son, Antonio. Convinced she is doing what is right for her family, she invests in an expensive gay conversion workshop led by a renowned priest; an investment that threatens both her relationship with her son, as well as her freedom.

The First Women follows a group of women nearing their 60s who live in the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro and share a common past: they were a part of the first ever women’s soccer team in Brazil. However, travelling around the world playing football in the 1980s and ‘90s did not guarantee them any notoriety. Today, most of them make their living from informal jobs, such as street vendors, Uber drivers, chefs, and construction workers. The film intimately reflects on the past, while following present day routines alongside consecutive matches played by the Brazilian men’s team in the World Cup. What is revealed is the incredible, and previously ignored, history of the first female national team to represent the country of football.

North American Premiere