From February 28 – March 3, The Kingston Canadian Film Festival (KCFF) brings our city to life with film screenings, comedy shows, live music, red carpet events and parties. As the largest festival in the world dedicated exclusively to Canadian film, KCFF promises an unforgettable experience for movie enthusiasts. Check out the full lineup here, or the schedule here to plan your exciting, fun, film filled week.
I am fortunate to be hired by KCFF through Queen’s University Work Study Program and I love working for them! If you are eligible, I would recommend applying to the program and seeking part time employment in your field. I have found positions that allow me to use my background, education, knowledge, and creativity while gaining valuable industry experience. Along with KCFF, I have also worked for The Great Lakes Museum and Kingston Concert Promotions.
For this blog post, I will highlight two areas of KCFF I am most involved in.
- Part of my role with KCFF was to curate the Local Shorts Programs, Let’s Get Local screening Friday, March 1, at The Baby Grand, 9:30 pm (sold out) and The Local Motion, screening Sunday, March 3, at The Baby Grand, 10:00 am. What’s the inside scoop? We have some very talented locals! My expectations as a programmer were blown away by the number of strong submissions. As a result, the festival allowed me to expand the program into two very special screenings showcasing the creativity and diversity of our local film scene. Several of the films selected feature local crew and creatives (actors, musicians, artists, and Queen’s students/alumni) and many films are shot in Kingston or the surrounding area. The post-screening Q & A is often a highlight of the night. I love how each film chooses someone to represent their team (this might be the director, lead actor, writer, musician, or producer) to share their insights and passions with the audience.
- Excitingly, this year marks the inception of Industry Days, a collaboration between KCFF and Queen’s Film and Media. Taking place this Friday at The Isabel Bader Centre, Industry Days aim to provide invaluable opportunities for students, emerging filmmakers, and local industry professionals alike. With free workshops, panels, and a networking mixer, attendees can glean insights and forge connections to break into the industry. The panels and workshops cover a diverse range of topics including directing, documentary, acting, music breaking-in, and film criticism. I am moderating the Film Criticism Workshop with Rachel Ho in partnership with The Asian Cut. What makes this session unique is that participants will learn to write hard hitting commentary and then have the opportunity to write KCFF capsule film reviews for publication on The Asian Cut site. Don’t miss out—register and check out the schedule for Industry Days here.
Overall, I think this is going to be KCFF’s best year yet! If you love movies, comedy and music and want a study break, grab your tickets soon and I’ll see you on the red carpet.