Happy Place

Happy Place

Happy Place is a tender, empathetic drama that examines healing, vulnerability, and the quiet strength found in shared pain. Based on Pamela Mala Sinha’s acclaimed stage play and adapted for the screen by Sinha herself, the film marks the feature directorial debut of veteran actor Helen Shaver.

The story follows a group of women recovering from trauma in a treatment center, each confronting her own grief, fear, and longing for renewal. As they share their stories and build fragile connections, the sanctuary they inhabit becomes both a refuge and a crucible—a space where wounds are exposed, but also where the possibility of hope begins to take root.

Premiering at the 2020 Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival, Happy Place is beautifully acted, featuring heartfelt performances from a strong ensemble cast that includes Clark Backo, Sheila McCarthy, Liisa Repo-Martell, and Pamela Mala Sinha. Shaver’s direction is intimate and sensitive, capturing moments of stillness and solidarity that feel both raw and cathartic.

With compassion and quiet intensity, Happy Place explores the universal need for connection in the face of despair. It’s a film about surviving together when survival alone feels impossible—and finding light, however faint, within the darkness.

Screening With:

Sprinkles

Student Shorts Showcase

Julianne, a 17-year-old girl, decides to take a pregnancy test while she’s babysitting Charlotte. The 7-year-old child interrupts Julianne before she can see the result and draws her into her naive and childlike universe.

9 mins
Canada, 2020
Dir. Laurence Girard
Language: French

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