The first ever St. Albert Film Festival takes place next weekend and organizers have bought our budding Kubricks a bit of extra time to create and submit their masterpieces.
Co-ordinator Tracy Aisenstat said that the deadline has now been extended to Monday evening. She encouraged everybody to consider how easy and enjoyable the process is meant to be. Films won't be judged on how expertly made they were.
“They don't have to be professional. I think people are getting scared,” she said. “I've approached a few people and they were like, ‘Well, I don't know…' You don't have to be a filmmaker like somebody in the industry.”
She added that it is simply an excellent opportunity for people to see their films on a big screen at the Arden Theatre. It's not the biggest screen that they have, she said, but a big screen nonetheless.
The festival will be broken into three sections, with movies for a general audience followed by more mature fare later on. A feature film presentation will cap off the affair.
“We are going to have one portion of it will be family friendly – like PG and under films. Then we will have an open submission area as well.”
That open submission section will allow for more adult themes. That means that coarse language, some violence and partial nudity would be permitted. Nothing that would get the festival presenters in trouble, she suggested.
“We don't have many guidelines on that one,” she said. “If Costco will develop it and let you pick up your photos, it's good enough.”
There will also be a feature screening of I Think I Do, a 2013 romantic comedy filmed in Edmonton two years ago. It features some local talent including Jesse Lipscombe on screen and Sam Reid and St. Albert Children's Theatre alumnus Justin Brunelle behind the scenes.
“I think people will see a lot of familiar faces in it,” Brunelle said, summarizing the movie as being about “love, marriage, family and everything that never goes as planned.”
He added that it has received a lot of international acclaim. It's been sold worldwide and dubbed into French and Spanish.
“It's a pretty big success for Canada. It's really cool to see such an internationally-recognized film that was filmed right here with our local talent … it's pretty humbling and an honour.”
This screening will mark its local premiere. Director Dylan Pearce will attend the event to participate in a Q&A afterward.
The festival follows on the heels of Prairie Tales 16, a touring collection of some of the year's best short films and videos created by some of the province's outstanding filmmaking talents. That takes place on Friday evening from 7 to 9 p.m. at the St. Albert Public Library. Filmmakers will be on hand to host and answer questions at the viewing. People are encouraged to reserve their seats by calling 780-459-1682.
Submissions are open to any Albertan but the film fest will specifically feature films shot in St. Albert and by St. Albertans from around the world. The selection committee will base its decisions on the strength of each film's connection to this city, as well as their entertainment and educational values.
Films can be submitted via Google Drive to [email protected]. Please include a short synopsis of the film and an image from the film as well. For more information, visit www.startsfest.ca
Preview
St. Albert Film Festival<br />Arden Theatre<br />Saturday, Sept. 27<br /><br />3 to 4 p.m.: Family Films (shorts submitted by the community that are suitable for all audiences <br /><br />5:30 to 7 p.m.: Open Submissions (shorts submitted that may not be suitable for all audiences) <br /><br />7:30 to 9:30 p.m.: Feature Film: I Think I Do (screening includes a talkback session with director Dylan Pearce)<br /><br />Attendance is free to all events. The festival is being held in conjunction with the city's StartsFest events as part of the province's annual Alberta Culture Days celebrations.
