It’s Friday, April 3. In Calgary, there’s a fresh layer of snow falling that might be pretty if it was still February, but weeks into social distancing and 15 days into spring, it’s more than a little disheartening.

It’s easy to get into a mental rut at times like this, but what’s art for if not to work through just those kinds of moods? With that in mind, here’s a short playlist for a snowy Friday afternoon. Films about distance, connection, loneliness, warmth, and freedom. Hope you enjoy.

Bottle, dir. Kirsten Lepore (2011)

Before her Adventure Time episode, before “Hi, Stranger” went viral and got parodied on Colbert, Kirsten Lepore won over audiences with this heartwarming story of connection over vast distances. Bridging snow and sand, and exploring feelings of loneliness and longing, it’s a perfect place for us to start.

Two Films About Loneliness, dir. William Bishop-Stephens and Christopher Eales (2014)

Because being alone is difficult, and the online world only goes so far. This stop-motion short looks at two people (well, one person and one giant hamster) living lonely lives in two apartments. Both are seeking connection through the internet, in very different ways. 

Patouille, dir. Clémentine Campos (2016)

Calgary is overly gray right now, so a little vicarious joy is in order. In Patouille, a bored child wanders outdoors and soaks up the colours of nature. The drawings are simple but the emotion beams through. Something to look forward to when the weather finally breaks.

Migration, dir. Fluorescent Hill (2014)

We’ll wrap things up with Fluorescent Hill’s imagined documentary on a strange migration, an awkward, ungainly creature finding its way to where it belongs. It’s a slow starter, but the feeling it builds to, of running free in a joyful crowd, is positively magical.