"Unlocked: A Flow of Colourful Connections in Lock down" is a short film/art video that captures the personal journey of eleven women from The Esplanade neighbourhood, downtown Toronto, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the Spring of 2020, eleven women were asked to express artistically how months of isolation has affected their sense of identity. In answering the question, “what is left of me,” each participant, multi-generational and all residents of the Esplanade community, was paired with a professional artist to assists them in the creation process.

An abstract symphony of thoughts, emotions, and reflection, Unlocked offers a window into the emotional lives of women. From isolated days that connected them with close family, to sleepless nights which drew them to take a closer look inward, to a new relation to time that led them to dive into forgotten interests, these stories invite the viewer to contemplate how the pandemic has impacted each of us differently.

Filmed entirely in the Esplanade neighbourhood - in the middle of the road, in a living room, under balconies, in the park - these interwoven stories express feelings of joy and comfort, melancholy and hope, loss and love through poetry, song, dance, sculpture, painting and photography.

A project produced in partnership with Canadian Stage, and supported by Canada Council for the Arts and Toronto Arts Council.

'Unlocked' is playing in YKIFF's Canadian Shorts Program.