Thanks to all the visiting celebs that have brightened our red carpets over the years, but their dazzling smiles are hardly needed now that Atlantic Canada has its own sizeable stable of filmmaking talent. Excuse us while we name-drop just a few of the humble artists behind this year’s Atlantic Shorts screenings. Jeff Wheaton blends […]
Atlantic Film Festival
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Buying Sex
“It’s not about sex, it’s about power.” That’s how Trisha Baptie, a prostitution abolitionist and former sex worker, reframes the issue in Teresa MacInnis and Kent Nason’s documentary Buying Sex and how easily the complex issue can get bare-boned. Interviewing a range of people from pro-decriminalization lawyer Alan Young, brothel owners in New Zealand, sex […]
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Anatomy of Assistance
You may know him as Cory from the Trailer Park Boys, a role he’s been playing for years, but Truro’s Cory Bowles’ true passion lies behind the camera. Anatomy of Assistance is his third go at directing a short film and follows the spunky young black student Talia (beautifully acted by Keeya King) as she […]
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AFF by day
THURSDAY I’ll hear no fancy shoe complaints from you yet, we’ve just begun. Break out the good ones and head to Don McKellar’s The Grand Seduction (7pm, Park Lane) and kick off AFF with hunky Taylor Kitsch before whooping the Monday away at the opening night gala (9pm, Cunard Centre). FRIDAY Kelsey Thompson’s short Paddle […]
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33rd Atlantic Film Festival program announced
Atlantic Film Fest’s 33rd year program was announced in the Lord Nelson Hotel, amid a sea of croissants and audio problems (prompting some entertaining movieoke from program director Jason Beaudry). Fill your dance cards, folks. The Atlantic Gala features All the Wrong Reasons directed by Gia Milani, tells the tale of “four troubled young adults […]
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Atlantic Film Festival unveils Atlantic Focus early
It’s been a big day for Canadian movie news, with first the Atlantic Film Festival then the Toronto International FF unveiling parts of their lineups. As is its wont, TIFF waved around a big old deck of major movies—Life of Crime with Jennifer Aniston, 12 Years a Slave with Brad Pitt, Jason Bateman’s Bad Words—making […]
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Outdoor Film Experience proclaims this summer the Summer of Spielberg July 19-August 23
First it was Bill Murray, then it was Johnny Depp, now Steven Spielberg joins the crew of men honoured at the Outdoor Film Experience (rebranded after 12 years from alFresco filmFesto). While I’ve no doubt that Spielberg will bring out the punters (I’ve been watching a lot of Kitchen Nightmares lately), in light of this […]
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Atlantic Film Fest guide
Click here for all our Atlantic Film Festival coverage on one handy page. Check The Scene blog September 13-20 for daily reviews from the fest.
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Atlantic Film Festival’s full screen
Film fans take note: the 32nd Atlantic Film Festival line up has been announced, giving you under a month to create your elaborate spreadsheets for optimum viewing capability (shuffling briskly from Mike Birbiglia’s Sleepwalk With Me to Seth Smith’s Lowlife, for instance). Running September 13-20, the fest kicks off with an opening gala screening of […]
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alFresco filmFesto’s #SummerofJohnny keeps rolling
alFresco filmFesto brought together an impressive selection of local musicians (Rich Aucoin, Cory Bowles, Margot Durling, Jenn Grant, Daniel Ledwell, John Mullane, In-Flight Safety, Mo Kenney, Natasha Peach, Gabrielle Papillon, Stewart Legere, Gordon Campbell, Luckas Cardona) on a sunny day in the park to record an ode to their 2012 alFresco filmFesto star, Johnny Depp. […]
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AFF gives out major prizes
Hey guys, Here’s the list of prizes handed out yesterday at the little awards shindig. Best Atlantic Short ($3,000 in film stock)Sponsored by Kodak Canada Inc. and open to all Atlantic work under 60 minutes.Like Father – Jesse Harley Michael Weir Award for Best Original Screenplay ($1,500)Sponsored by Michael Weir Foundation of ArtsWhirligig – Michael Amo Rex Tasker Documentary Award ($2,500 towards next film project)Sponsored by the National Film Board of Canada and open to all Atlantic documentary films and videos.The Man of a Thousand Songs – William D. MacGillivray Ed Higginson Cinematography Award ($10,000 equipment & service)Sponsored by Sim
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AFF Day 10: Wrap-up
Well, another festival in the books. I saw many solid features and a great slab of short films too. Kudos to the organizers, sponsors and volunteers. Aside from someone sleeping in and not making it to the Park Lane to let us in for the media screening of Barney’s Version on Thursday morning (it started an hour late as a result) the Empire Theatres folks should be complimented as well. I will say, the festival did feel a little more low-key this year, and I’m having trouble putting my finger on why. The selection of films were solid, the opening
