There’s a lot to love at this year’s Kingston Canadian Film Festival (KCFF).
On Jan. 29, the festival announced a lineup of over 100 individual films, including 34 Canadian feature films and documentaries screening in Kingston from Feb. 25 to March 1. Of these, nine made Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)’s Top Ten Canadian Features list. But KCFF isn’t just for cinema-lovers. Live music performances, comedy sets, and workshops with professionals round out a lineup Queen’s students won’t want to miss.
“A music festival is very easy to describe to somebody,” KCFF Executive Director Marc Garniss, ArtSci ’03, said in an interview with The Journal. “Everybody knows how they’re going to feel at a festival like that. Sometimes, film festivals are a little harder to describe.”
When he was a student at Queen’s, Garniss says, he felt like he wasn’t enough of a cinephile to appreciate KCFF. “But it’s really not at all like that,” he said, describing the festival. “It’s very approachable, really designed for the average moviegoer.”
For one thing, the lineup extends beyond movies. Canadian rock group Arkells announced a now sold-out secret show on Feb. 27 at the Broom Factory as part of KCFF’s programming. July Talk and Born Ruffians are performing the same night at the Kingston Grand Theatre.
There’s also Creative Industries Day, hosted for the third year in a row alongside the Queen’s Film and Media Department at the Isabel Bader Centre on Feb. 27. The free event is a “festival within a festival,” according to Garniss. “Whether you’re a film student or not, it’s a great way to meet heavy hitters in the industry,” he said, noting the high volume of Queen’s alumni expected to attend the event.
Garniss said that before KCFF’s founding, he noticed the film scene remained relatively small in Kingston. “There might be a bit more momentum for Kingston as a place to stay,” he said. “I feel like it’s an exciting time for film.” Creative Industries Day is a step toward establishing a creative hub in Kingston, outside major Canadian film outlets like Toronto.
But of course, at the center of KCFF is its multitude of Canadian screenings. Starting the festival strong on Feb. 25 is YOUNGBLOOD (2025), a thrilling sports drama from director Hubert Davis, who will attend the red carpet event and a Q&A session afterward.
“We saw it [YOUNGBLOOD] at TIFF, and I think we immediately knew it would be a bit of a crowd pleaser,” Garniss said. “We’re a Canadian festival, and what’s more Canadian than hockey?”
YOUNGBLOOD is a good entry point for students, Garniss said. “If you’re going to check out one thing at the festival, you couldn’t go wrong with this one.”
Overall, KCFF is an opportunity to explore different worlds, forms of art, and ways to connect. “If you go to a documentary film and watch somebody on screen for a couple hours, then see them come to the front of the room for a Q&A, it hits you almost the same way as seeing someone famous,” Garniss said.
Returning to the music festival comparison, Garniss a film festival can “definitely hit you and move you the same way. It’s really designed for more cultural enthusiasts, or people interested in entertainment or going out to events.”
“If you’re on the fence, you should definitely go check it out,” Garniss said.
Tags
cinema, comedy, Film, Film Festival, KCFF, Kingston Canadian Film Festival, Music
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