Five years since it began, the Chatham-Kent International Film Festival is drawing a wide variety of submissions from across the globe.
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The event, which kicked off Oct. 5 and wrapped up Oct. 8, has had a growing response, not only from filmmakers, but also the public, organizers say.
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Co-founder Rob Bellamy said 41 films — including documentaries, fictions and shorts — were featured this year, mostly from North America, but some from places as far afield as India, France, Spain and Iran.
“The number of submissions this year, they went up about 35 per cent from last year,” he said. “When people enjoy a festival, they make sure their friends know they enjoyed the festival.
“There’s a couple (of submissions) that we know have distribution already, so it’s just a matter of time before they’re out.”
Films were screened at the Kiwanis Theater, which also hosted panel discussions.
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Bellamy said he was impressed with the quality of submissions, including those from first-time filmmakers, noting the care put into the productions.
“There’s amazing promise, because the first one is usually the worst,” he said. “And these are really good.”
Kristina Garant, festival co-founder, said a need was identified five years ago to provide a showcase for local and international talent.
“I think it’s great we can offer this,” she said. “This brings films from around the world to Chatham.”
From an audience point of view, Bellamy added there is always a need for more entertainment.
“We wanted things to do in Chatham,” he said. “We’re filmmakers ourselves, so that was a logical step.”
There were several special events during the festival, including a gaming session at the Game Masters Emporium, a meet-and-greet at the Jazzbah and a tour of the Chatham-Kent Black Historical Society and Black Mecca Museum.
Also featured Oct. 8 was a screening of The Crow, followed by a question-and-answer session with actress Rochelle Davis.
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