Stratford Film Festival presents Best of the Fest Shorts program

NEWS RELEASE
STRATFORD FILM FESTIVAL
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The creative force behind the new Stratford Film Festival is Stratford residents Megan Smith-Harris and Bill Harris, an award-winning television and film production team with decades of experience. They are committed to bringing a world-class film festival to Stratford, celebrating excellence in film while fostering meaningful community connections year-round.

The monthly screening events launch this November and will continue throughout the year (except for January and February 2025), culminating in a four-day inaugural film festival in November 2025. This format will establish a year-round SFF Monthly Film Series, with the annual festival taking place each November in Stratford.

“We’ve showcased our own films and screenplays at festivals across North America,” says SFF Co-founder and Executive Director Smith-Harris. “Festivals can be exhilarating, inspiring spaces that bring people together. Bill and I are excited to make Stratford a year-round destination for filmgoers and filmmakers. It’s a dream we’ve worked toward since choosing this city as our forever home three years ago.”

Previously, the couple revitalized a struggling film festival in Ridgefield, Connecticut, transforming it into a flagship event that regularly earned a spot among Film Freeway’s “Top 100 Best Reviewed Film Festivals” worldwide.

“We plan to leverage our industry relationships to bring top-notch films, filmmakers, actors, writers, and film creatives to Stratford,” adds Smith-Harris.

The Stratford Film Festival is a 50/50 gender-parity festival, fully committed to inclusivity. The SFF team plans to collaborate actively with local non-profits and cultural organizations to craft dynamic film events.

“In a world saturated with content, people struggle to find something meaningful to watch. The Stratford Film Festival will offer engaging entertainment with depth,” says SFF Co-Founder and General Manager Bill Harris. “We aim to spark new ideas through our screenings, panels, filmmaker Q&As, and social gatherings.”

The SFF will enrich Stratford’s arts scene and boost the local economy, drawing filmgoers who will also enjoy local restaurants, galleries, shops, accommodations, and other businesses.

The 90-minute Best of the Fest Shorts program features films from Canada, France, England, Ireland, Iran, and the USA. Reserve your tickets to the November 16 “Best of the Fest Shorts” Community Screening on the Stratford Film Festival website.

Best of Fest Shorts Program

90 min / PG-13 Listed in Order of Appearance
    •    WILD ICE BACKCOUNTRY SKATING (Pending) USA – Documentary Short (3 min) Producers: Cale Green and Paxson Woelber Backcountry skating in Alaska on rivers, lakes, and glacial lagoons, showcasing Nordic bladers, hockey players, and figure skaters across various stunning locations.
    •    LEVEL 4 UK – Narrative Short/Comedy (4 min) Director: Charles Copsey Two first-time criminals face unexpected setbacks when their getaway car is clamped in a multi-story car park.
    •    THE NEIGHBORS’ WINDOW (®Oscar Winner) USA – Narrative Short (20 min) Director: Marshall Curry A middle-aged woman’s life is transformed by her free-spirited young neighbors. Inspired by a true story recounted on the podcast Love and Radio.
    •    CHRISTMAS GREEN Canada – Narrative Short (12 min) Director: Claire Altimas A woman’s complaint to her neighbor about marijuana smoking leads to an unlikely friendship. Featuring Stratford resident Sheila McCarthy.
    •    ARTIFICE USA – Narrative Short/Comedy (3 min) Producer/Director: Kevin Byrnes An absurd look at a relationship between an iPhone and an Amazon Echo, exploring technology’s grip on our lives.
    •    RUBY Ireland – Narrative Short (20 min) Director: Michael Creagh A couple’s anniversary celebration, with the wife hoping her husband’s gift will be “nice and normal.”
    •    GARDEN PARTY (®Oscar Nominated, Pending) France – Animation (7 min) Directors: Illogic Collective Amphibians explore a deserted mansion, discovering that something strange has occurred.
    •    REBOOT USA – Animation (4 min) Director: Ellen Osborne Earth is exploited beyond habitability, but finds peace when humans depart. Animated like an expressionist painting.
    •    ARE YOU VOLLEYBALL? Iran – Drama (15 min) Director: Mohammad Bakhshi Asylum-seekers and soldiers form an unexpected connection through volleyball. (subtitled)

LEARN MORE

For more about the Stratford Film Festival, a registered non-profit, visit: stratfordfilmfestival.com

SFF CREATIVE ADVISORS AND LOCAL VOLUNTEERS

Dan Mathieson, Don Shipley, Rosemary Dunsmore, Sheila McCarthy, Claire Bickley, Alix Grice, Deanna Horton, Wendy Wilkinson, Angie Dornai, Jeff Wood, Lorrie Adams, Jack Harris, Mackenzie Johnstone, Ariane Parlour-Grice, Shannon Stewart, Michaela Valiquette, Mark Yakabuski.