Editor's Note: These are the top stories Stratford Today posted this year.
This time last year Leslie Marsh, Bruce MacInnis, and Craig Sangster didn’t have anything to do with films, festivals, or the arts.
Now, they are hosting the inaugural Stratford Winter Film Festival, which takes place Friday to Sunday.
“I think the thing we had in our favour is complete naivety,” Marsh explained in their “office” at Bentley’s Bar, Inn and Restaurant in the downtown. “A combination of naivety and just luckily having the personalities that are complementary to each other.”
Nine films will be shown across four different venues as part of the festival, taking place at Grayson Mills, Revival House, Copperlight, and Factory 163.
It was in an establishment not unlike Bentley’s that the three of them had the idea to run a film festival, to spread some life and light in a particularly dreary time of the year.
“This was not by accident,” MacInnis said. “It was by intent to see if we could stimulate some amount of buzz, if you will, or enthusiasm or just something to do this weekend that otherwise has nothing at all.”
Sangster said the group picked films that they thought were very interesting.
“In each of these areas that kind of straddled the balance between being esoteric enough that you probably haven't seen them, but accessible enough to have that very broad appeal.”
Mr. Jimmy, The Truffle Hunters, 32 Sounds, Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles, The Last Vermeer, All is True, The End of Time, Percy, and Have You Got It Yet are the films being screened.
All of them fit in the categories of food, music, and history and are relatively recent films that haven’t seen a wide release.
Like the film-choice, they picked the venues to create a unique experience. Stratford is not without its theatres, but they wanted to have a different atmosphere than one would normally expect from a film festival, transporting these known establishments into a "super cool little cinema for a few days," as Sangster explained.
The three were also pleasantly surprised by the community reaction. Not only were people receptive and excited, but different organizations were also keen to participate.
Establishments like the Relic Lobby Bar and Mercer’s Kitchener and Beer Hall are hosting special rates and events to pair with screenings this weekend.
The first year is the biggest hurdle, the three indicated, being the “proof of concept year.”
That being said, they are pleased with how the weekend looks and the level of excitement from the community.
The weekend won’t be a “Cineplex-experience,” the trio promised. Rather it will be evenings spending time with the community, bumping shoulders, and connecting during one of the dreariest times of the year.
“Take a bet on Stratford,” Sangster said. “Business in Stratford is a two-sided coin, right? There has to be a group like us that does the work to put something on, but it means nothing unless there's patrons that are going to come and attend … invest in Stratford and this experience and this is going to be something positive for the town.”
For a full list of showings and to purchase tickets, visit the festival’s website.
