Like a Thief in the Night

This is a film about children who thought they were "crazy." Who wanted to die. Who felt fear, anger and hopelessness. Four young people living with mental illness and their loved ones make the courageous decision to open up about their stories. Their voices are complemented by that of the director, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder as an adult and powerfully evokes the initial symptoms, which emerged in her childhood. Racing Thoughts skirts the specialists' debates in favour of a more personal tone, moving away from the alarming vocabulary of diagnoses and allowing viewers to discover the children affected.

How can children accept a parent's death when it is shrouded in silence, evasions and half-truths? The children live with a legacy of grief and guilt, feeling abandoned and always wondering, "Was it my fault?" Filmmaker Lisa Fitzgibbons grew up with the uneasy feeling that things were not as they seemed. Then she finally learned that her father had ended his life. Surprised to discover that she is not alone, she reaches out to other survivors and meets two people who also lost their fathers to suicide at an early age. Robert describes the 30 long years it took to force the truth into the open. Anne-Marie still regrets her refusal as a child to kiss her father goodbye before leaving for school that last morning. We listen to their stories, presented simply and compassionately against a background of poetic images. In speaking of their experiences, buried emotions resurface. Hope is reborn as all three come to terms with their fathers' death - and with their own lives. In French with English subtitles.

It's autumn in all its glory and Ludovic is playing in the park. To his joy, a teddy bear a little older than himself comes toward him. Ludovic happily thinks: "He wants to play with me!" But the big teddy bear knocks him down and runs away. Ludovic's troubles are not over yet. He will fall victim to the bully once again before he is rescued by a smiling little girl teddy bear. Her kind gesture suddenly transforms Ludovic's world. He and his new friend plan how to outsmart the bully. The whole park joins in their conspiracy: the leaves on the trees, the swings, and even the sand castle! When you have a friend, anything is possible! The little teddy bear's heart is filled with joy as he leaves the park only to meet up again with the bully. "He looks sad," thinks Ludovic and generously lends him his brand new kite. The bully is bowled over. The magic is still working. What a fantastical day it has been! Ludovic - Magic in the Air by Co Hoedeman, is a story full of charm and freshness about the magic of friendship between a child and his new friend. Daniel Lavoie's music enhances the images and imparts a magical quality to the film.