A Tournament of Champions
In 2015, the Fort McMurray Filmmakers Association decided to get the whole community involved by organizing a month-long “best of sixteen” elimination tournament, in which films of all genres were pitted against each other in a series of four rounds of intense competition.
Votes were tallied, and the Albertan film buffs showed their preference for scary movies, as the two finalists were Bruce McDonald’s Pontypool, and John Fawcett’s coming of age horror film Ginger Snaps, which ultimately won the contest, and was shown at the Keyano Theatre on CanFilmDay.
Tinseltown in Beaverton
The Town of Beaverton got really into the spirit of CanFilmDay in 2017, when they held six separate screenings at the Town Hall, including a historic film made in Beaverton in 1938.
The Mayor and members of City Council were in attendance.The evening gala of Edwin Boyd: Citizen Gangster was attended by locals who were actually present at the time of the real-life-Boyd Gang’s robberies! Another special guest was the widow of local Oscar-winning filmmaker Christopher Chapman, whose film A Place to Stand was made for Expo ‘67 and subsequently won the Academy Award for best live action short. She even brought the golden statuette, so that attendees could take pictures with it.
That Night in Toronto
In 2018, the Royal Cinema in Toronto screened the Tragically Hip documentary Long Time Running, complete with a pre-show live performance by all-female cover band BARBcaygeon. The house was packed for an emotional concert and screening experience.
Other Events
The Chili Cookoff
The Public Library in Flin Flon, Alberta, hosted a chili cook-off as part of their CanFilmDay celebration. Members of the community and staff brought their best recipes to the event, which was also attended by the Mayor and members of City Council. The chili was followed by coffee and treats, and proved to be an engaging and creative way to serve patrons a free dinner to go along with their screening of Guantanamo’s Child: Omar Khadr.
Accessibility Awareness
POW Hearing Solutions (a company that serves the Deaf and hard-of-hearing clients) in Toronto, Ontario, celebrated with a silent screening of Michael McGowan’s Still Mine, providing audiences with a unique opportunity to experience how hearing accessibility happens. The film was shown with video captioning, WiFi audio streaming, and FM devices, and was intended to foster awareness and educate business leaders on how to improve accessibility in the workplace.
Do-It-Yourself Drive In
The 20th Welland Scout group in Welland, Ontario organized a screening of the animated feature Snowtime! for Cub Scouts, but decided to make it extra special. The kids spent time making and decorating their own cardboard cars in order to turn the show into a very unique drive-in event!
RED CARPET TREATMENT!
Hundreds of retirement residences participate in CanFilmDay every year and frequently turn it into a party for their residents, with enhancements including movie-themed costumes, red carpets with glittering backdrops, popcorn machines, a resident walk of fame, homemade concession stands, ushers, custom-made movie signs. One home even invited a local musician!
More Fun Stuff
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Party Kit
You want fun? We’ve got fun! Printable photo booth props, celebrity facemasks, CanFilmDay popcorn boxes, games, quizzes, activities, and more!