Ultimate Guide to Cinéfest's 30th Anniversary Celebration

This month Northeastern Ontario is proud to host the 30th anniversary of the Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival from September 15-23 at Cineplex SilverCity Sudbury.

After it was created 1989 Cinéfest quickly grew in popularity, and by 1993 it transformed into had full film festival, which included more than 60 films over 5 days. This festival has continued to grow rapidly and this year it is presenting 135 films over nine days, which are largely screened in French and English. Both international and domestic programmes are included in the lineup, and furthermore Cinéfest takes pride in showing full-length feature films, shorts, documentaries, and animated productions. This is strong evidence to show that Cinéfest has quickly grown to be one of the largest and most successful film festivals in Canada.

Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival works tirelessly to promote and encourage film making in Northern Ontario and the surrounding areas. The festival also takes advantage of this high-profile platform to support the distribution of Canadian and international films throughout Northern Ontario while working to further develop the artistic and film culture in this area.

Keely and Du sponsored by Northeastern Ontario Tourism. 

Event Detials

As previously mentioned, all films and events are taking place at SilverCity Sudbury, which is located at 355 Barrydowne Road.  For a complete schedule of all films and their respective receptions throughout the festival, follow this link where you will also discover more information and a synopsis of the individual films. Ticket prices vary depending on what kind of experience you are looking for. Different levels include film tickets, gala access including après-film cocktail receptions, and VIP access to special services.  Ticket information and prices can be found here.

What makes Cinéfest different from larger film festivals in Montreal, Vancouver, and Toronto is that intimacy that you feel here.  By travelling only four hours north of Toronto, you get to experience the best in film and entertainment in a real community atmosphere.

Festival Highlights

With so many spectacular films covering such wide-ranging topics, it is difficult to single out specific productions or days that are more special that others, but it is definitely important to highlight the strong presence that Northern Ontario has in this festival.  This year the Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival is excited to be showing four short films, all directed by students from Canador College’s three-year digital cinematography program.  This is a big deal for the industry in the North, and shows that there is a strong and bright future here.

Another thing that is sure to get visitors excited about this year’s festival is the incredibly unique virtual reality experience that is being paired with a film called Ferris’ Room directed by Ryan Mains. This documentary follows artist Sarah Keenlyside as she works to recreate and pay tribute to the classic comedy Ferris Bueller’s Day Off; by taking on this journey she was able to create something special. On Tuesday  you can see the film and then take in the VR experience that gives you a surreal opportunity to step inside Ferris’ very own bedroom where every detail has been perfected. 

There is much more to do over this weeklong event than just take in the feature films.  Each night of the week there is a Gala Presentation and reception in the evening at different local spots across the city. Guests will be given special access and perks plus catering from great local restaurants will be provided.

The 30^th Anniversary of Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival promises to be the biggest and best yet, with over 135 films and an expected attendance of over 34,000.  This is a fantastic opportunity for the film world to see what Northern Ontario has to offer and how passionate we are about film and arts culture. For visitors coming from out of the region, this will open their eyes to all that Sudbury has to offer and give them a taste of the booming film industry in Northeastern Ontario.

Find more things to do and places to stay in Sudbury!

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