Two Canadian documentaries are among 19 features making their world premieres at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) next month.

The lineup includes 45 world premieres overall, with features and shorts appearing from 48 countries between Feb. 7 to 17, according to a news release.

Among the two Canadian docs making their debut appearances is Send Kelp! (pictured) from writer-director-producer Blake McWilliam.

The project is a Telus original, and follows a seaweed enthusiast who attempts to start a kelp farm in a bid to tackle climate change and global food insecurity. It is produced by McWilliam’s Edmonton-based banner Back Road Productions, with Germany’s Rise and Shine World Sales handling international sales.

Send Kelp!‘s original score is by Jonathan Kawchuk, and was created with the use of wild bull kelp harvested off the coast of Vancouver, and fashioned into instruments, according to McWilliam. Johnny Blerot handles sound design.

The second Canadian world premiere doc is The Movie Man, directed by Toronto filmmaker Matt Finlin.

The doc explores how Keith Stata, owner of Highlands Cinema in the village of Kinmount, Ont., endeavoured to keep his 40-year business alive in the face of the overwhelming odds of a global pandemic.

The Movie Man is produced by Karen Barzilay of Toronto’s Door Knocker Media with Ed Robertson of the Scarborough, Ont. band Barenaked Ladies and Paul Atkinson serving as executive producers. Kevin Drew of the Toronto indie rock band Broken Social Scene composed original music for the film, and will be attending the festival with Finlin for a post-screening Q&A.

The team is seeking a U.S. distributor while at SBIFF. The film will be released theatrically in Canada in spring, according to a news release, but the Canadian distributor has not been announced as of press time.

A number of Canadian films will also make their U.S. debut at SBIFF. They include Whistler favourite Atikamekw Suns (Les Films de l’autre) from director Chloé Leriche; FIPRESCI Prize winner Seagrass (Experimental Forest Films, Ceroma Films) by Meredith Hama-Brown; Christian Sparkes’ drama The King Tide (Woods Entertainment, Sara Fost Pictures); and the documentary I’m Just Here for The Riot, directed by Asia Youngman and Kathleen Jayme, and produced by Michael Grand and James Brown.

Rounding out the Canadian features making their U.S. bows are writer-director Maya Gallus’ doc Crush: Message in a Bottle (Red Queen Productions); Chloé Robichaud’s drama Days of Happiness (Item 7); James A. Woods and Nicolas Wright’s comedy French Girl (Caramel Film); Nathalie Saint-Pierre’s drama On Earth as in Heaven (Sur la terre comme au ciel), produced by Nicolas Comeau; and Linsey Stewart and Dane Clark’s dramedy Suze (Wildling Pictures).

Image courtesy of Back Road Productions