Cinéfest
| Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Frequency | 9 Days in September |
| Location(s) | Sudbury, ON |
| Years active | 25 |
| Inaugurated | 1989 |
| Attendance | 32,000+ |
| Website | |
| www.cinefest.com | |
Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival, also known as Cinéfest and Cinéfest Sudbury is an annual film festival in Sudbury, Ontario held over 9 days, each September. It is one of the largest film festivals in Canada
First held in 1989, Cinéfest quickly became a popular destination for Canadian filmmakers. Unlike the larger film festivals in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, Cinéfest offered filmmakers a chance to gain exposure among more typical film audiences in a city with no major venues for screening independent and non-mainstream films. Cinéfest presents an annual programme of over 135 films, both domestic and international, often screened towards English and French language audiences. Cinéfest also presents a large number of International films that include English and French subtitles.
What was at the time an unprecedented success for Canadian film, Patricia Rozema’s I've Heard the Mermaids Singing was presented in Sudbury in 1988 at a special test-screening. Planned as a onetime event, Sudbury was being used as a test market for alternative Canadian films in small communities. The result surprised everyone, with over 900 people attending the sold out screening. Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival was established a year later, in 1989 (as The Sudbury Film Festival) and despite some remaining skepticism, local citizens proved that a mining-oriented community could be receptive to repertory film culture, as approximately 9,000 cinema-buffs crowded theatres during the three-day event.
By 1993, Cinéfest evolved into a full-service film organization, with the Festival growing to include upwards of 60 films over 5 days. Cinéfest Sudbury has become recognized as one of Canada’s premiere film festivals. The Festival has developed a distinct identity and role within its community and the media arts industry,winning provincial and national acclaim. Expanding from a 5 day festival with 60 films, Cinéfest currently boasts a 9 day repertoire of extensive film programming for local, national and international guests. With the presentation of over 130 of the year’s top domestic and foreign films, as well as a significant portion of films from emerging artists, the Festival continues to bring the world to Northern Ontario. Cinéfest has always and will continue to shine the spotlight on Canadian talent, Northern Ontario focused films, and the fostering of both educational and industry initiatives.
...
Wikipedia