This week, cinephiles celebrate as the 23rd Gimli International Film Festival presents a full five-day schedule with over 90 films offered as part of the organization’s mission to inspire, educate, and empower audiences, while celebrating the art of film and the film community here in Manitoba.
“There’s a palpable energy,” says executive director Alan Wong. “People are just raring to go for this festival.”
Having been appointed to the role during the pandemic in 2021, this year marks Wong’s first opportunity to put together a full slate of programming without the restrictions, regulations and hesitancies of years past.
Ranging from local indie productions to international blockbusters, roughly 30 feature films and over 60 shorts present a wide array of movie offerings to audiences.
“We really try to highlight local, Canadian talent but also stuff from international markets that you wouldn’t normally get to see,” says Wong, noting productions from Iceland, Ukraine and more.
GIFF also presents 12 industry sessions – including the Winnipeg Indigenous Filmmaking Collective Screen, Outreach Programming, MB Shorts in Competition, the RBC $10,000 Pitch competition – spread out over the five-day festival.
“This is for anyone interested in the craft and the business of filmmaking,” explains Wong.
A highlight each year is the “RBC Sunset Beach Screenings” in which an 11-meter-tall film screen stands in the waters of Lake Winnipeg.
“It’s become a very unique, Manitoba summer tradition for a lot of people,” says Wong.
This year, GIFF presents: Champions starring Woody Harrelson, the award-winning animated film Song of the Sea, the original musical The Greatest Showman, the Hollywood blockbuster Top Gun and the documentary Buffy Sainte-Marie: Carry It On.
Films commence at 10pm every night of the festival (except Sunday) pending weather conditions.
For more details, visit: www.gimlifilm.com