The Long Weekend (2022)

In Canada's world-famous Algonquin Provincial Park, Labour Day Weekend is one of the busiest times of the entire year. And in 2021 - amid the frustrations and isolation of COVID lockdowns and restrictions - it may just have been the busiest weekend in the Park's history. But it's not just seasoned camping veterans making the journey to Algonquin Park - first time campers are flocking to the Park in ever greater numbers presenting challenges and opportunities for the custodians of the Park. "The Long Weekend" follows Zimbabwean-Canadian Gladys and her two children Rutendo and Tenaka as they try backcountry camping for the first time. From the start of prep in Toronto to the very last stroke of the paddle, we follow their journey from city to solitude, and from neophytes to seasoned campers. Meanwhile, the film also follows Luis and Shaun, two gay male immigrants who now make their homes in Toronto. Along the way, we'll uncover some of the ways in which LGBTQ+ people are newly claiming space in the natural world - a world they've often felt disconnected and even ostracized from. A celebration of diversity, the power of wilderness experiences, and the deep bonds of family and friendship, "The Long Weekend" is a delightful documentary about the changing face of the camping world.