Ages 10+

A twelve-year-old girl with boundless optimism and a refreshingly non-judgmental view of the world is inspired by the strange new boy at school to set out to mend her broken family — whatever it takes. This heartwarming and honest film, adapted from Barry Jonsberg’s young adult book, The Categorical Universe of Candice Phee, also isn’t afraid to take on subjects including depression, forgiveness and even the terrors of early teenage romance, but has lots of laughs, thrills and joyous cinematic surprises along the way as it captures the hope and occasional toughness of a Western Australian childhood. A debut feature for John Sheedy, winner of the 2018 CFFS audience favorite prize for his short film Mrs. McCutcheon.

** US premiere! **

** Content advisory: This film’s plot touches on a family’s grief over the death of a baby, which is recalled in a brief non-graphic but intense flashback scene. **

(John Sheedy, Australia, 2019, 96 min, live-action, in English)