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Dufferin Film Festival to feature top local talent on the big screen

July 18, 2024   ·   0 Comments

By Constance Scrafield 

The Dufferin Film Festival (DFF), running Aug. 9 and 10, is set to be another fabulous part of Dufferin’s arts attractions. Art and film patrons in the area will have the opportunity to support this inaugural year for the DFF to ensure such an innovation continues.

Kelly McDowell, DFF Festival Director, spoke with the Citizen earlier this week about the festival and how important it is to promote the film industry here in Dufferin.

Born and raised in Caledon, Ms. McDowell said, “[I] travelled around the world and came back to Orangeville because I love it.”

She told the Citizen, “My partner Nick Rose and I operate Rose Digital Media Group, a film production company, in Orangeville, Ont. We try to stay local, including actors and crew, as much as we can.”

One day, it just made sense when they said to each other, “Why not have a film festival in Dufferin?”

This is a vibrant arts community and when Kelly McDowell mentioned the idea to the executive at Theatre Orangeville, they were very supportive. It was viable and what people wanted locally.

“From the initial start,” she related, “when I went to Council, they seemed excited to have the festival as part of our local events.”

Staged in the Opera House, converted as a film theatre over Aug. 9 and 10, with a different screen and sound, a red carpet opening begins the festival Friday evening, Aug. 9. Photos of patrons on the red carpet will be taken, matching the vibe of Canadian independent film festivals. 

There will be 16 films of comedy, mockumentary, drama, in fact, a fair mix of films, Ms. McDowell told us, each running about six to 20 minutes make up the menu. The DFF put out a call to filmmakers across Canada that brought many entries, of which 14 were chosen. Based on certain merits, all the submissions are currently in the hands of their critics to receive awards.

Locally, DFF ran a screenwriting competition in two categories based on age, and there were two winning films. In the Youth Category, Danielle Hawkins took the ribbon with her film Lakeweed.

For the Adult Category, co-winners were James Gerus and Liam Gillespie with Handsy. Conceived by teenage Liam as a ghost story, his idea caught Gerus’ imagination, who proposed they work together.

The schedule of film showings, combined with events in other venues, takes place over the Friday evening and all day and evening on Saturday. The last two films to be shown on Friday are Lakeweed and Handsy. Each of the showings will be followed with a Q&A.

Eager to see more films made in Dufferin and Orangeville, Ms. McDowell noted this is actually perfect as an area, plus there are tax discounts for filmmakers.

Such a diversity of locations is here.

“We’ve worked with different locations here, and everyone is so kind and easygoing. They have even let us use their homes,” she commented.

The plan for the DFF is to find funding sources, with the goal for larger bodies to fund and drive the festival.

There are ideas for running workshops for all ages, youth and adults year-round, working with people in the film industry.

The Dufferin Film Festival “is essentially having a party with film people. This is really a buzz in itself. Nick, myself and Christine Hann, whose film company is All Hanns On Deck, are the Board of Directors.”

Kelly McDowell said she is so grateful to the volunteers and managers who have come on board in the festival’s first year.

There are other firsts joining the DFF. Friday evening after the film screenings, Blue Bird Restaurant is having a backyard party, a Friday Night Social, the first of its long history. The Shallow Wells Band is providing entertainment.

Saturday morning, opening at 8:30 a.m. on the red carpet at the Opera House, Moccaberry is doing a barista party before the 9:30 a.m. film showing. Time for a little networking over coffee.

Mill Street library is hosting a ticketed speakers’ “fire side chat” with film professionals. Lunch will be served. Registration is at 11:30 a.m. for a start at noon. Back to the Opera House, come for the last of the films.

In the evening, in keeping with Film Festival protocol, is the VIP cocktail event at Greystones, as the restaurant’s first such event within the community.

“The Award ceremony is there,” McDowell told us.

Naturally, organizers are hoping for full houses and tickets are selling. Tickets are to each film session or as multi passes to all three screenings. Tickets for the various events are also available.

“If the community supports this, there can be funding for future festival,” McDowell told the Citizen.

To have a wonderful time supporting the first Dufferin Film Festival and have more things to do in town; for supporting Canadian films are reasons to come.

McDowell said, “Too much money and support has gone to American and International filming making, when we have amazing talent in Canada. These films, I’m extremely proud of them. People will get to sample a lot of different film work.”

For details and to purchase tickets, to www.dufferinfilmfest.com.

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