Nance Ackerman

This short documentary is a portrait of Stephen Reid, a man sentenced for 18 years for bank robbery. A notorious member of the "Stopwatch Gang," Reid who once lived out the crazy, frantic life of the outlaw bandit. Now confined to a prison cell, he has a lot of time to reflect on the journey that brought him to this moment, something that has made him acutely conscious of the here and now.

In this feature-length documentary, photographer Nance Ackerman describes the havoc prescription painkiller OxyContin wreaked in the already weakened Cape Breton town of Glace Bay. The film guides us through a culture of economic and social depression where we encounter men and women at different stages of dependency. Demystifying the world of the addict while showing us the complex social nexus that led to such despair, Cottonland emphasizes the importance of a collective approach to tackling addiction.

Conviction envisions alternatives to prison through the eyes of women behind bars and those fighting on the front lines of the decarceration movement. Not another ‘broken prison’ film, this collaboration is a ‘broken society’ film—an ambitious and inspired re-build of our community, from the inside out. The film compels viewers to examine why we imprison the most vulnerable among us, and at what cost.

This animated short, inspired by the Mi'kmaq legend "The Stone Canoe" explores Indigenous humour. We follow Little Thunder as he reluctantly leaves his family and sets out on a cross-country canoe trip to become a man.

Four Feet Up is an intimate portrayal of child poverty in Canada by award-winning photographer and documentary filmmaker Nance Ackerman. Twenty years after the promise of the House of Commons 'to eliminate poverty among Canadian children,' 8-year-old Isaiah contemplates what 'less fortunate' means as he finds his voice through his own magical drawings and photographs. Four Feet Up invites us into the lives of this determined family, revealing an intimate and touching experience of child poverty in one of the world's richest nations.

In all corners of the world, on the front lines of war, amidst climate catastrophes and on perilous migratory journeys, women are still giving birth. As fearless midwives risk everything to help mothers in dangerous circumstances, the gravity of their extraordinary and lifesaving work comes into sharp focus.

n The Quiet and the Dark follows one woman’s mission to save our remaining Eastern Hemlocks from an invasive, tree-killing insect (brought to North America by humans, of course). Captivating through its footage of lush, old-growth forests—a reminder of what’s at stake—this documentary from director Nance Ackerman offers a considered model for scientists working alongside Indigenous communities to prevent ecological catastrophe. It also prudently differentiates between the interference and involvement of humans in nature’s healing.