The 2019 Windsor International Film Festival will reverse the trend of fewer Canadian films at the festival. The 2019 version has an advantage with extra time: a 10-day festival to celebrate its 15th anniversary.
The festival will feature Canada's entry for Best International Feature Film (Antigone); both of the 2019 Cannes Film Festival major debuts (A Brother's Love, Matthias et Maxime); French-Canadian Best Picture contenders from the 2019 Canadian Screen Awards (A Colony; Genesis); and the opening night of the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival (Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band), which is the closing night film in Windsor.
Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band from director Daniel Roher has a Windsor connection since Windsor native Stephen Paniccia was a producer on the film. Most of the opening and closing night films in this festival are not necessarily Canadian. Trigger was the 2010 closing night film.
The list includes some TIFF 2019 favourites including There's Something in the Water; White Lie; And The Birds Rained Down; Jordan River Anderson, The Messenger; and Murmur.
Canadian film review: Fall of the American Empire
The newest Denys Arcand film The Fall Of The American Empire is also playing. We reviewed the film earlier this year.
The Canadian film total had gone from 31 (2016) to 20 (2017) to 16 (2018). The 2019 version has 35 regular films, 5 co-productions, and 8 local films.
The 2019 version is much longer with 10 days in film so the numbers should increase.
WIFF is having its initial Prize in Canadian Film award. The prize will be announced on closing night. The film will get the honour and a $10,000 cash award.
The film winner will be chosen by an external jury that includes director Joshua Riehl (The Russian Five).
The festival also got funding from the province of Ontario to the tune of $50,000.
These are the Canadian film contenders for the Prize in Canadian Film award:
And The Birds Rained Down; Antigone; Castle in the Ground; Easy Land; Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mind; Jordan River Anderson, The Messenger; Kuessipan; Matthias and Maxime; Prey; and Willie.
Antigone is Canada's entry to the Oscars for Best International Feature Film
2019 TIFF Rising Stars
2019 TIFF Canadian film wrapup
2019 TIFF preview
2019 TIFF Canadian film preview
Here is the list of regular Canadian films coming to WIFF 2019:
- Acquainted
- And The Birds Rained Down
- Antigone
- Before We Explode
- A Brother's Love
- A Colony
- Compulsive Liar
- Conviction
- The Fall Of The American Empire
- The Far Shore
- Final Offer (1985)
- Follow Me
- For Those Who Don't Read Me
- Genesis
- Goalie
- I'm Going to Break Your Heart
- Jeune Juliette
- Jordan River Anderson, The Messenger
- Killing Patient Zero
- Lie Exposed
- Matthias et Maxime
- Murmur
- nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up
- Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band
- One Day In The Life Of Noah Piogattuk
- Pipe Dreams
- Slut in a Good Way
- There Are No Fakes
- There's Something in the Water
- We Are Gold
- White Lie
2018 Windsor International Film Festival preview
CanadianCrossing.com film coverage
Co-productions are Call of the Forest: The Forgotten Wisdom of Trees; City Dreamers; Push; Toxic Beauty; and Willie.
Local films are Boys vs Girls; Ghost Artist; Go-Boy! Memories of a Life Behind Bars; Last Call; The Lower Plateau; Prey; The Quick and Dirty (preceded by Finding Feather Hat Guy); and That Is All.
The 2019 Windsor International Film Festival runs extra long to celebrate its 15th anniversary. The festival runs November 1-10.
logo credit: Windsor International Film Festival
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