Troy Shantz
In just its second year The South Western International Film Festival is doubling in size and once again bringing the world to Sarnia’s door.
This year’s festival includes 15 international and Canadian flicks, up from seven at last year’s launch.
“It has grown quite a bit,” said festival organizer Ravi Srinivasan, a Corunna native and St. Patrick’s grad.
“We’re on track to become a major festival in Ontario.”
Opening the four-day celebration of cinema is Nathan Morlando’s Mean Dreams, starring Bill Paxton and Stratford Festival favourite Colm Feore, with a Q&A to follow.
Closing things out is David McKenzie’s critically acclaimed bank robber story, Hell or High Water
SWIFF is also teaming up with Lambton College, which has a large number of Indian students, to present India In A Day, a crowd-sourced doc directed by Richie Mehta and produced by Google and Hollywood-titan Ridley Scott.
The film features a wide range of characters that share moments from one day in their life recorded on Oct. 10, 2015.
The playlist also includes the Swedish film Girls Lost and Gimme Danger, a documentary on legendary Punk rocker Iggy Pop, along with a Sarnia-first: the Canadian premiere of This Time Tomorrow, a Columbian film directed by Lina Rodgriguez.
After the projector is turned off and the theatre is empty, festivities will still be going strong. SWIFF is again presenting the music series CineGAZE with Empty Spaces. The two-day bill includes Canadian rockers The Sadies, who are headlining on Friday, Nov. 4. All the concerts will be held at 148 Front Street N.
There is also a workshop series for aspiring filmmakers.
To take advantage of the screenings and music, an all-access pass can be purchased for $65, or individually on a per-show basis.
Details are available at swiff.ca. and www.imperialtheatre.net/events.
IF YOU GO:
THURSDAY, NOV. 3
Mean Dreams, Canada 8 p.m.
Opening night party, 9:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, NOV. 4
Girls Lost, Sweden, 4 p.m.
Obit, USA, 1 p.m.
Gimme Danger, USA, 7 p.m.
Old Stone, China-Canada, 9 p.m.
SATURDAY, NOV. 5
Short Film Program, World, 11 a.m.
Fam’ Jam screening of Jumanji, USA, 1 p.m.
Angry Inuk, Canada, 4 p.m.
India In A Day, India-United Kingdom, 7 p.m.
Moonlight, USA, 9 p.m.
SUNDAY, NOV. 6
Short Film Program, Canada, 11 a.m.
This Time Tomorrow, Columbia-Canada, 1 p.m.
Godless, Bulgaria-Denmark-France, 4 p.m.
Hell or High Water, USA, 7 p.m.
WHERE: Screenings at the Imperial Theatre, 168, Christina St. N.
CineGAZE concert series at 148 Front St. N
TICKETS: Individual film passes and all-access passes at the Imperial Theatre Box Office or via imperialtheatre.net.