Tag: Film Festivals

Victoria, BC’s Bathing in Summer Bliss with the Free-B Film Festival

 

Free-B Film FestivalThe organizers behind Victoria Film Festival is pleased to announce that the Free-B Film Festival is back in business! (under current BC Health Guidelines). It’s changed location so everyone can enjoy a clear view of the screen, and make out behind the bleachers (for those who are vaccinated) like Danny and Sandy from the movie Grease–the ultimate Summer movie–and have fun in the final days of summer. The new venue is at the Royal Athletic Park at 1014 Caledonia Ave.

Summer lovin’ is a blast, but to be safe, the company suggests bringing a blanket and booking a space well in advance. There’s only 500 seats available. Doors open at 8 pm.

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It’s no ‘Brain Freeze’ that Montreal’s Fantasia’s Going Digital for a 2nd Year

Fantasia is proud to be opening its upcoming edition with the World Premiere of a major Québécois genre feature – Julien Knafo’s Brain Freeze.

Fantasia International Film Festival (@FantasiaFest) | TwitterThe Fantasia International Film Festival will be celebrating its 25th edition as a virtual event accessible to audiences across Canada, with a dynamic program of scheduled screenings and premieres, panels, and workshops running from August 5 through August 25, 2021, once again using the leading-edge platform created by Festival Scope and Shift72.

As the summer approaches, the festival will be following advice from local health authorities, with the possibility of also adding a range of flagship physical events to the lineup.

Last summer’s virtual edition was a phenomenal success, screening to 85000 spectators and amassing a record amount of media coverage, with 475 accredited journalists from around the world covering Fantasia and its titles. The lineup showcased 104 features, a quarter of which were World Premieres, with the majority securing distribution out of the festival, with highlights including The Block Island Sound selling to Netflix, Come True to IFC, The Paper Tigers to WellGo USA, Anything for Jackson to Shudder, PVT Chat to Dark Star, and Minor Premise to Utopia.

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The Vintage Tempest’s Picks of the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival

“2020 marks the 50th anniversary for visual communications,” said Francis Cullado, Executive Director of Visual Communications. “The organization was born because our founders began searching for visual resources to build a greater consciousness of Asian Pacific history in America ….

Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film FestivalBy Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Runs Sept 24 to Oct 31

The complete lineup of the 36th Annual Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival is here! The list is extensive and to figure out what to see for its virtual event took more than days to figure out. Because of this event being region specific, most of these movies are geolocked to those residing in the county to see. However, with a lot of film festivals offering an online component, it’s safe to assume that these films will become available for another region in no time. Failing that, some works are already available on home video for purchase in the country it was made.

Over 225 filmmakers will be featured in the five weeks which starts very soon! There’s three feature film world premieres and plenty of shorts to see.

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Capital City Comic Con in Victoria, BC Postponed! and The Ongoing Covid Situation

capital_city_comicon_eventBy Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

With no surprise, Capital City Comic Con in Victoria, British Columbia, is postponed. Tickets will be honoured for those willing to wait and for wanting a refund are advised to contact Ticket Rocket at either 1-855-842-7575 (toll-free) or at support@ticketrocket.co

No new date is likely to be announced until the coronavirus situation is in control. This news follows in a huge string of announcements from major shows (Emerald City Comic Con, South by Southwest, Tribeca Film Festival and etc) that are not even local. With one case confirmed on the island, it’s enough reason for the organizers to act.

They also cited the Screen Actors Guild advising its members “that it would be in their best interest to cease flying for the foreseeable future.” Until the coronavirus threat is in control, nearly all events this month and perhaps next are not likely to take place.

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Who Needs YouTube when you have Cat Video Fest?

Cat Video Fest Promotional PosterPlaying at
The Vic Theatre
808 Douglas Theatre
Victoria, BC

Fri | March 13 | 5:30 PM
Fri | March 13 | 7:45 PM
Sat | March 14 | 3:00 PM   ALL AGES
Sat | March 14 | 5:30 PM

Please check local listings for a feline time at a venue near you. This event has over 80 theatres joining in the fun!

Just when the Internet cannot offer enough of the felines being too cute for viewing at home, the Victoria Film Festival crew operating The Vic Theatre is upping the ante and working in partnership with Cat Video Fest to display them on the big screen this weekend for special screenings. A portion of ticket sales will be donated to Cat’s Cradle Animal Rescue to help support cats in need.

This event is not limited either. Please check local listings to the finest of curated cat videos to aww at. Michael-san (of What’s Michael) and Garfield need not be jealous. Instead of the finest celebrity cats, we are getting a curated collection of submitted works and well-known shorts to go meow with.

Tough TIFF Picks for Future Festivals to Consider…

Image result for bombay rose Movie posterBy Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Plenty of eyes and ears were on the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival, and with it now over, I’m hoping for a certain selection of films will screen at upcoming events, namely the Vancouver International Film Festival coming up (I’m not looking online to cheat) or next year in my hometown’s own, the Victoria Film Festival.

It’s a safe bet that The Lighthouse will be coming. This title is already confirmed for the mainland show. As for other titles, that will be up to event programmers and whether the distributors involved have submitted for my local shows. Failing that, a lot of movies will be picked up for Art house screenings or eminent release in the next ten or so months.

My picks include:

Bombay Rose

Inspired by true events, Gitanjali Rao’s debut feature weaves together the experiences of several denizens of India’s largest city: A sweetly singing flower seller constructs garlands while dreaming of a fairy tale romance. A little girl befriends an orphaned deaf boy who has lost his job. Police conduct raids on businesses they suspect of hiring children. An English teacher prepares food and sets a place at the table for her long-dead husband. A troupe of dance-bar workers consider unionizing. A young Muslim man from Kashmir explores the metropolis he believes holds the key to his destiny — and finds himself falling for a Hindu woman, believing that true love trumps the confines of faith. These and other stories are connected by a single red rose.

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