The Kingston Canadian Film Festival will host several world premieres for its 25th edition, including a sneak peek premiere of the locally-shot film Doom Boogie
KCFF is billed as the largest film festival dedicated exclusively to Canadian films, running from Feb. 26 to March 2 in Kingston, Ont.
Doom Boogie, directed by George Assimakopoulos (Orphan Black), is produced by Branded to Film (B2F), a Kingston-based prodco founded by CEO J. Joly (Den Mother Crimson), COO Assimakopoulos and CFO Brian Wideen (Wolfcop).
Entirely financed by B2F with an estimated budget of $853,000, Doom Boogie is written and executive produced by Joly. Other executive producers are Wideen and Neil Chakravarti. Mark Alleyne is the film’s producer. B2F is also handling sales, Joly told Playback Daily.
The film follows an indie band who travel to a cottage getaway to mend fences after they broke up, only to face a hostile stranger.
Doom Boogie stars musicians Hanorah Hanley (pictured), Ciara Roberts and Jonas Lewis-Anthony, as well as actors Tiffany Branton (Fear Thy Roommate) and Reece Presley (Can I Get A Witness).
Among the features making their world premiere at KCFF is Kingston filmmaker Evan Bard’s dramedy Masterpiece (Being There Films), his feature debut as writer and director. The film is produced by Bard and Carly Williams, who independently financed the film with support from the Kingston Film Office, according to Bard. Chris Ferrall, Kai Ferrall, Tove Steffensen, Melissa Eapen, Alex Jansen and Jess Dykins are executive producers.
Masterpiece stars Michala Brasseur (Shoresy) as a struggling artist who unwittingly reveals the long-held secrets of her wedding guests when the person she was having an affair with crashes her engagement dinner. The cast includes Brett Houghton (Locke & Key), Donald MacLean Jr. (Workin’ Moms), John Wamsley (Save the Date) and Jasmin Geljo (Cat’s Cry).
Next is Jay Middaugh’s feature Still Alive in Kingston (Happy Kid Productions). Produced by Kingston local Middaugh, Zane Whitfield, Al Bergeron, Josh Lyon and Anna Sudac, the comedy documentary film follows a washed-up former entertainment journalist played by former MuchMusic video jockey Bill Welychka as he interviews Kingston artists and bands.
Also starring in the film are Sudac (Live in Kingston) and Jesse MacMillian. The film, written by Middaugh, is a non-canonical sequel to his 2017 film Live in Kingston. Still Live in Kingston received support from the City of Kingston Arts Fund, Middaugh told Playback Daily.
Still Alive in Kingston will be preceded by the world premiere of the local short film Single Woman Seeking Child by Blain Watters, which was the winner of KCFF’s 25 Years 25 Minutes Pitch Competition.
Naomi Okabe’s mid-length documentary In Good Hands will have its world premiere at the festival as well. The Kingston-made documentary is produced by Okabe for her prodco Mad in Pursuit Productions with financing from the Canada Council of the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council.
The 45-minute documentary follows six people investigating the meaning of good work, care and gender roles.
Rounding out the world premieres is the festival’s Local Shorts program, which features eight shorts from local directors. All eight films will compete for the Best Local Short prize. The festival’s full lineup will be announced on Jan. 31.
Image courtesy of B2F