Reel World Festival kicks off April 11
(Canscene) — Tonya Lee Williams the Canadian woman who won fame, fortune and a pair of Emmys starring in the U.S. soap opera The Young and the Restless has during the past seven years put her Canadianism on the line by creating the unique Reel World Film Festival.
Tonya Lee’s objective has been to present films and events highlighting the creative achievement of men and women of Third World origins and the festival’s growth and prestige have become of major importance among Canadian artistic festivals.
The 7th festival runs this year from April 11 to 15 at the Rainbow Cinemas in Toronto’s St. Lawrence Market district.
The international festival offers this year more than 100 features, documentaries, animations, shorts, panel discussions and forums and will this year feature Jamaica Spotlight, showcasing seven films and a forum
Jamaica’s Frances-Anne Solomon has two entries: A Winter Tale, a feature set in Toronto’s Parkdale district starring Jamaica’s “first lady” of film and theatre, Leonie Forbes and a documentary on the life of the late ”Miss Lou,” author, poet and comedienne Louise Bennett. ”
A Winter Tale receives a gala premiere on the festival’s opening night.
Bolly Double offers a Bollywwod-style romantic comedy tale in a Toronto setting and
features stars of the Indian screen.
Among the Canadian documentaries is Lalita Krishna’s Shooting for Change. Some time ago I told you about Regent Park Focus, a successful youth program at the Toronto housing project that’s too often labelled as a drug-based haunt of gangsters, ignoring the thousands of hardworking, decent people who live there.
Canadian filmmaker Krishna, an international award winner who excels in documentaries featuring young Canadians has filmed the story of how Regent Park Focus helps counter negative labelling by inspiring youngsters to take part in the annual Regent Park Film Festival.
Funded by the OMNI Independent Producers Initiative, Shooting for Change premieres at noon on Saturday, April 14 at Rainbow Cinema
For ticket information to all events phone (416) 598-7933
Reel World’s website is at
www.reelworld.ca
April 15th, 2007 at 12:03 pm
Just watched “Shooting for Change” which was part of the 2007 Reelworld film festival. It was fantastic! Can’t wait for it to air on national tv.
April 15th, 2007 at 12:08 pm
HI TYRONE,
LALITA AND I AND ALL INVOLVED WERE ECSTATIC OVER THE RECEPTION. HAVING BEEN FUNDED BY OMNI TV INDEPENDENT PRODUCERS’ INITIAIVE IT WILL APPEAR ON THAT STATION SOMETIME IN THE FUTURRE. MAY I SUGGEST YOU CALL SANDY ZWYER TO SEE IF YOUCAN GET SOME IDEA OF THE DATE.
SANDY IS AT (416) 260-3590
THANKS,
BEN VCCARI