Eliza (Michaela Kurimsky) lives around the bay in a tiny Newfoundland fishing village. She's a model citizen, a strong part of the community, with a number of friends. Her romantic life includes a discreet connection with the local queer diner owner (Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers) as well as a married man (Peter Mooney). What nobody knows is that she has a popular online persona, where she shares arty, frequently nude photos of herself perched against the rugged, elemental coastline.
Eliza's side-hustle is presented with a lot of tact and creativity — it's the kind of thing where if she lived in a city she'd be cheered on. In a town this size, when it's revealed, all of her relationships are put in jeopardy.
The schism between modern life online and more traditional small town values is a well-worn thread in Atlantic Canadian drama, but Melanie Oates has brought an entirely different spin on it with Sweet Angel Baby. Eliza may make a questionable decision or two, but there's no doubt where the hypocrisy lies in this patriarchal community, and that's what the filmmaker shines her light on.
NOTE: This screening will include a Q & A with director Melanie Oates.