IndieFilmTO Festival celebrates diversity through screening of films
The IndieFilmTO Festival has launched its premiere of films celebrating diversity from around the world.
There will be no crowds, celebrities or screenings taking place in the city due to COVID-19 restrictions shifting the festival online- welcome to the pandemic edition.
Festival-goers at home had access to the live screening on Youtube at 6 pm EST. The screenings featured some of the best, short-produced films, directed and shot by Torontonians. The festival has also been dedicated to the screening of student films', allowing many to produce unique work of their own and have a place to shine.
Eight films were screened, consisting of short films, documentaries and narratives.
Augustus, directed, written, and produced by Jon Alston, was the first film to kick off the festival officially. It places viewers in the shoes of an escaped slave disguise as a free man in Masschesutes before the civil war who is tormented by nightmares of his son's death and the horrors of future America reflecting the hardships of his own past.
Other screened films included Funny Business that follows a Toronto comedian, Jordanne Brown, who struggles to pursue her dream career while paying rent in an expensive city.
The year's lineup also screens a film that received a lot of recognition for its creative story idea. Exit Package, directed by John Gray, uses COVID-19 to tell an interesting story. The Black-comedy portrays a ZOOM meeting for a corrupt investment company that goes wrong.
The most captivating part of the film is that it takes place entirely over ZOOM, where all the actors worked from home.
"I was very frustrated at not being able to make a movie during the pandemic shut down, so I came up with an idea to do a murder mystery with some humour off ZOOM, and the actors were able to perform from their own homes," said Director John Gray.
This film was screened separately from the others as it received a special distinction.
More than 130 films are being hosted each year.
IndieFilmTO, organized by Festival Director Sen Katpaganathan and Head of Programming Curt Jaimungal, has partnered with the City of Toronto to finish a complete list of all the 130 active film festivals this year. Apart from TIFF and Hot Docs, festivals range from Toronto's Queer to food films.
Due to COVID-19, hundreds of films and documentaries will continue to be premiered on Youtube free for families to enjoy from the comforts of their homes.
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