The Labour and Employment Law Society Hosts 2024 Canadian Labour International Film Festival
Did you know November is Labour Film Month?
On November 28, 2024, the Labour and Employment Law Society (LELS) presented its first-ever screening of the Canadian Labour International Film Festival (CLiFF). Showcasing a diverse selection of short films exploring the achievements and challenges faced by workers across Canada, the event welcomed both students and members of the community. Attendees had the chance to learn about recent developments in the Canadian and international labour movements, consider broader issues concerning workers’ rights, and simply relax and enjoy good films with a bag of buttery popcorn.
The CLiFF is a national, publicly attended film festival which made its debut in 2009. Founded by social justice, community, and trade union activists, the CLiFF shares the stories of unionized and non-unionized workers seeking workplace justice. It provides opportunities to workers and filmmakers to reach a greater audience across Canada, drawing attention to past and current labour issues.
CLiFF 2024 featured 14 short films, covering a diverse range of genres, from documentary and drama to animation. Five selections from CLiFF 2024 were showcased at the screening hosted by the LELS.
Adidas Owns Reality by Keil Orion Troisi & Igor Vamos showcases the collaboration between trickster activists “The Yes Men”, the Clean Clothes Campaign, and fashion designers in Berlin to organize an elaborate hoax announcement at the Berlin Fashion Week, addressing poor labour conditions faced by garment workers in the Adidas supply chain. The “performance-intervention” is a piercing critique of Adidas’ manufacturing practices that are far from ethical and sustainable.
The Canadian Dream by Ilse Moreno follows the journey of a migrant worker whose pursuit of the Canadian dream veers into a horrifying discovery of exploitation and grim working conditions in Ontario’s agricultural industry. The film exposes the injustice experienced by Ontario’s migrant farm workers and at the same time celebrates the resilience of workers fighting for safer and just working conditions.
Bargaining Forward by Colleen Butler illustrates strategic mobilization and collective bargaining efforts of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) representing 22,000 public sector workers in New Brunswick, Canada in their strike against wage suppression in 2021. The documentary highlights the history of CUPE’s public sector negotiations in New Brunswick and derives lessons for unions and workers, emphasizing solidarity and organization.
Counting Days by Hiromu Yamawaki tells the story of Ayano, a migrant worker from Japan, struggling to make a living in Canada against rising costs and the vulnerability she feels as her VISA expiration date approaches. With beautiful cinematography and subtlety of dialogue and direction reminiscent of Japanese films, Counting Days captures the reality of working in Canada as a temporary foreign worker.
Time of Insurrection by Gabriel Fernández-Gil is a modern take of Miguel de Unamuno’s 1930 novel San Manuel Bueno, Mártir. At his annual shareholder’s meeting, the CEO of a global dairy corporation begins to discuss corporate responsibility and environmental impact—topics which greatly discomfort shareholders. The uneasiness created by the CEO, amped up for dramatic effect, unfolds an intriguing series of events for the audience.
Each film was distinct, highlighting various labour issues in domestic and international spheres. Occupational safety and living wage were common themes throughout the screening. A mix of documentaries and fictional dramas provided viewers the opportunity to learn and entertain themselves at the same time.
One of the student attendees described their CLiFF 2024 experience as emotionally captivating and inspiring: “After watching the films at the Canadian Labour International Film Festival 2024, I was truly impressed by how well they captured the struggles and resilience of workers. Each film not only highlighted important social issues but also brought to light the often overlooked stories of everyday people fighting for their rights.”
In 2025, the LELS aims to organize a number of events for students interested in the field of labour and employment law in addition to law firm tours, panels, and the Hicks Morley Moot. Missed CLiFF 2024? This fall, CLiFF 2025 will return with brand-new labour films to indulge in! For more information about the CLiFF, check out their website at https://labourfilms.ca/
Make sure to follow @lels.uoft on Instagram for the latest information on labour and employment-related events happening at the Faculty of Law.
Editor’s Note: Yena Kim (1L) is a member of the Labour and Employment Law Society.