GEORGE’S BROOK-MILTON, N.L. – In its third year, the Smith Sound Film Festival is returning to where it started, at the Community Cultural House in George’s Brook-Milton.
Stephen Bonnell told The Packet this past week he, along with fellow organizers Justin Hannam, Shelly Adams-Smith and Bernice Vey, are very excited for this year’s festival.
“This year we’re screening 17 films,” said Bonnell. “We’re probably going to get six visiting filmmakers.”
The films, gathered using applications from the Film Freeway site, are from Newfoundland and Labrador, Toronto, Edmonton, Montreal and Vancouver — along with international submissions from Germany, Rhode Island and Iran.
They cut the list from 221 submissions down to the 17 films. The 17 short films total one hour, 58 minute runtime for the one-night festival.
All individual films are under 15 minutes.
Bonnell said one of the films featured is fittingly about the late actress Janet Edmonds, who actually performed with New Curtain Theatre in the same building the festival will be taking place. The documentary on Edmonds is called “Life's Short. Wear the Sparkly Earrings.” directed by Heidi Coombs-Thorne out of St. John’s.
Bonnell says the return to the venue in George’e Brook-Milton is an appropriately sized space, with food and drink service within.
He’s hoping to have a long-term arrangement at the Cultural House since it’s such a good fit.
Bonnell also noted the Clarenville Heritage Society is tied to the event, in their efforts to promote the arts and give back to the community.
This location is not the only change to the fest this year. Instead of the usual fall date for the event, they’re looking to take advantage of the summer weather, tourism and buzz in the local area.
“I think we’re at the last leg of it now. I know the Town of George’s Brook-Milton is very pumped up about it,” said Bonnell.
“I think this is going to be our best one yet.”
The festival is Friday, Aug. 16. Doors open at 7 p.m., show beginning at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 and are available in advance or on the door. All proceeds will be donated to the local food bank.
For more information, go to www.smithsoundfilmfestival.ca.
Twitter: @jejparsons
The 2019 Smith Sound Film Festival lineup:
• The Day of Reckoning - Directed by Graham M. Sheppard (Toronto, Ontario)
• The Brunette - Directed by David Latreille (Montreal, Quebec)
• Dead Meat - Directed by Jake Delaney (St. John's, NL)
• Last Stand to Nowhere - Directed by Michelle Muldoon (Vancouver, BC)
• Hope - Directed by Ethan Bickford (St. John's, NL)
• River of Fire - Directed by Andrea Cass (St. John's, NL)
• Life's Short. Wear the Sparkly Earrings. - Directed by Heidi Coombs-Thorne (St. John's, NL)
• Trap Fishing - Directed by David Helfer Wells (Providence, RI, USA)
• Crush - Directed by Kerry Gamberg (St. John's, NL)
• Five Course Meal - Directed by James Cadden (Edmonton, Alberta)
• Magical - Directed by Bahador Adab (Islamic Republic of Iran)
• Because We Were - Directed by Lucas Wilson (St. John's, NL)
• The MatchStick - Directed by Burcu Yildiz (Hamburg, Germany)
• Two - Directed by Angie Sutherland (St. John's, NL)
• Opioid Scare - Directed by Stephen Cadigan (St. John's, NL)
• Some Saturdays - Directed by Steve Cochrane (St. John's, NL)
• Te Quiero - Directed by Tamara Segura (St. John's, NL)
• Man and The Sea - Directed by Patrick Müller (Frankenberg, Saxony, Germany)
• Stolen - Directed by Ian Vardy (St. John's, NL)
