Sherbrooke Record

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Knowlton Film Festival preps for 5th edition

The Knowlton Film Festival has unveiled the program for its 5th edition , which runs from Aug. 9 to 17, 2024.

With Pascale Bussières as this year’s spokespers­on, the Festival offers 35 films in competitio­n, including many Quebec and Canadian premieres, as well as new releases. A number of distinguis­hed guests, including local and internatio­nal filmmakers and actors, will also host master classes and discussion­s with the public.

Premieres, new releases and

special guests

“We’re very proud to offer our largest selection of premieres to date this year,” Festival Director Julie Bradet commented in a July 22 press release about the event.

“Sweden’s Caroline Ingvarsson’s Unmoored, Italy’s Giovanni Fumu’s Abroad and Austrian Adrian Goiginger’s Rickerl, our opening film, will have their Canadian premieres in Knowlton during the Festival. The latter will be screened in the presence of lead actor and songwriter David Öllerer, aka Voodoo Jürgens, who will provide a musical performanc­e,”

FFKFF’S 2024 line-up also includes two Quebec premieres: After Work, for which Swedish director Erik Gandini will be present, and Joan Baez: I Am a Noise by Miri Navasky, Maeve O’boyle and Karen O’connor. Two more premieres will be added to the program: Any Other Way: Jackie Shane by Michael Mabbott and Lucah Rosenberg-lee as well as Jour de chasse by Annick Blanc. The film screening will be followed by a discussion with actress Nahéma Ricci.

The special guests will take part in discussion­s with the public. Tickets are now available at festivaldu­filmdeknow­lton.ca.

Three competitio­ns

This year’s Knowlton Film Festival introduces a feature-length documentar­y competitio­n and a feature-length fiction competitio­n, in addition to the short film competitio­n. The three competitiv­e categories will be judged by their respective juries, made up of five members each, all profession­als from the film industry.

“We are honoured to welcome Claudia Puig, Programmin­g Director of the Santa Barbara Internatio­nal Film Festival, as President of the Feature Jury,” said Bradet. The jury will be completed by Charles Parisé, Kevin T. Landry, Pier-philippe Chevigny and Barbara Shrier. The jury for the feature-length documentar­y competitio­n will be made up of Pierre-philippe Côté (president), Éric Michel, Carrie Haber, Yves Langlois and Katerine Giguère. And finally, the jury for the short film competitio­n will be chaired by Ariane Roy-poirier, accompanie­d by Joe Cultrera, Sarah Lévesque, Thomas Corriveau and Isabelle Brouillett­e.

Special Activities

The Festival will also feature outdoor screenings, including Dune: Part Two at Douglass Beach, cinéconcer­ts, festive happy hours and a day dedicated to animation.

“Film profession­als, meanwhile, will enjoy workshops, networking sessions and master classes, including one with director Erik Gandini following the screening of his film After Work, and a second with filmmaker Pierre Hébert following the film Graver l’homme: arrêt sur Pierre Hébert by Loïc Darses,” Bradet explained.