Winter Kept Us Warm
A screening that leaves room for the unexpected: the programming team saves this slot to present a film chosen at shorter notice, in response to current events, to seize an opportunity, or simply on a whim.
Restored version (2024) from Canadian International Pictures
Leaving his small town to attend the University of Toronto, introspective freshman Peter finds a campus steeped in tradition waking up to the radical politics of the 1960s. Following a disastrous first encounter, he connects with handsome and cocksure sophomore Doug, who quickly indoctrinates him in city and college life. But as their bond grows, Doug's girlfriend Bev feels increasingly cast aside and begins to question the nature of the friendship. Tensions come to a head when Peter starts dating Sandra, forcing Doug to confront his true feelings and desires.
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Image from Winter Kept Us Warm by David Secter. Courtesy of Canadian International Pictures.
The first LGBTQ+ film to screen at the Cannes Film Festival
Often described as the first LGBTQ+ film ever to screen at the Cannes Film Festival, this was one of the first Canadian feature films to attract international acclaim with its lovingly observed portrait of a burgeoning queer romance, at a time when homosexuality was still illegal in the country. A milestone in independent film production, David Secter’s debut would go on to influence a wide range of Canadian auteurs, most notably David Cronenberg, who cites Winter Kept Us Warm as the film that inspired him to become a filmmaker. (Canadian International Pictures)
