Trouble in the Garden

Trouble in the Garden

Trouble in the Garden is a poignant drama about family, justice, and reconciliation, told through the lens of one woman’s struggle to reclaim both her identity and her voice. Directed by Roz Owen, the film explores the collision between personal redemption and Canada’s colonial legacy, offering a deeply human story grounded in empathy and social awareness.

The film follows Raven McTavish (Cara Gee), an Indigenous woman recently released from prison for protesting the sale of traditional land. Seeking refuge, she moves in with her estranged brother Colin (Jon Cor), who has built a comfortable life on that very property—unaware of the painful irony that his home sits on stolen ground. As tensions rise, Raven’s presence forces Colin and his wife to confront the truths they’ve chosen to ignore.

Premiering at the 2019 ImagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, Trouble in the Garden shines through its quiet intensity and emotional honesty. Gee’s commanding performance anchors the film, embodying both the pain of displacement and the resilience of survival.

With its restrained direction and evocative writing, Trouble in the Garden examines reconciliation not as an abstract policy, but as an intimate, often uncomfortable process of facing the past. It’s a story about belonging, accountability, and the courage it takes to stand one’s ground—in every sense of the word.

Q&A with Director Roz Owen

Born in the UK, based in Toronto, Roz is an award-winning filmmaker working in socially engaged drama and documentary. Trouble In The Garden is her first feature drama. She teaches film production at Ryerson University’s School of Image Arts.

Screening With:

RACHEL

Canadian Shorts Showcase

There’s no place like home. Unless you travel the world for 3 years and dread your return. Memories last forever but don’t lose yourself in them.

5 mins
Canada, 2018
Dir. David Latreille
Language: English

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