A favorite among Canadian film-lovers for its laid-back atmosphere and pretension-free parties, the Atlantic Film Festival this year promises an eclectic array of films and programs for filmmakers and buffs alike as it celebrates its 20th anniversary in Halifax, Sept. 15-23.

Fresh from its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, the Opening Gala is Kathryn Bigelow’s The Weight of Water, starring Sean Penn, Elizabeth Hurley and Sarah Polley. The International Gala screens Declan Lowney’s u.k. film Wild About Harry. Rosemary House’s Violet will be featured at the Atlantic Gala, with Anne Wheeler’s Marine Life showing at the cbc Gala.

The Anniversary Gala will offer up a screening of The Adventures of Faustus Bidgood, from the sibling directing team of Andy and Michael Jones. The film, which took 10 years to make, was first screened in 1986 and features the Canadian comedy troupe Codco in their prime together. The festival’s Closing Gala is La Veuve de Saint-Pierre (The Widow of Saint-Pierre), from director Patrice Leconte.

The Atlantic Focus program, featuring films made on the East Coast or by Atlantic region filmmakers, includes Deeply from Sheri Elwood; The Bingo Robbers from the directing/writing team of Lois Brown and Barry Newhook (also the film’s stars); and Fairy Faith, directed by John Walker for the National Film Board.

Also in the program are Parsley Days, Andrea Dorfman’s feature debut; Black Swan from Wendy Ord; the feature documentary The Prince and the Grail from producer/director Robert Hutt; and Camp X, written, produced and directed by Jeremy McCormack. Produced last year, Camp X remains the highest-rated documentary to have ever aired on History Television.

Films in the aff’s Canadian Perspectives include Denys Arcand’s Stardom, Colleen Murphy’s desire, Robert Lepage’s Possible Worlds and Clement Virgo’s Love Come Down, among many others.

These films will be showcased amid many live-action and animated short films, as well as a smattering of retrospectives, including a series of nfb docs made over the last 18 years.

McDonald, McKellar, Girard

In the Canadian Directors Series, directors Bruce McDonald and Francois Girard will be interviewed by filmmaking colleague Don McKellar before presenting two films of their choosing to the festival audience. Girard (The Red Violin) will present Wong Kar-Wai’s 1994 Cantonese film Chongqing senlin (Chungking Express), and McDonald (Hard Core Logo, Roadkill) will present George A. Romero’s 1968 horror classic Night of the Living Dead.

Another feature, added just days before the festival, will see producer Camelia Frieberg (The Sweet Hereafter, The Five Senses) leading a conversation with Canadian director and Oscar-winner Norman Jewison. The public chat will take place Sept. 21 at the Academy Lunch as part of the Industry Series.

Other key dates for the Industry Series are Sept. 17 for Scripts Out Loud, when Maritime actra members will read selected scripts before an audience, followed by a q&a session; and Sept. 19, when the Atlantic Canada Forum discusses the ‘state of the region.’ Cyber Kids: Getting Their Attention!, a Sept. 20 session, is hosted by Claire Dion, associate director of the Independent Production Fund. The New World of Cyber Distribution session will take place on Sept. 20 as well, and will focus on the future of web distribution.

One of the big draws for the Atlantic Film Festival over the last three years has been its Strategic Partners conference dedicated to fostering coproduction between Canadian producers and foreign filmmakers. This year, Halifax will be flooded with u.k.-based producers looking to make deals and discuss the business. The two-and-a-half day event, Sept. 17 to 19, will feature seminars, one-on-one meetings and speeches.

Sessions, seminars and schmoozing aside, the aff is about its films. Among the categories in which the films will compete are best short film, outstanding writer, best first-time direction and the Rex Tasker Award for best documentary. Awards will also be given for best Canadian feature and best Canadian short, as well as the People’s Choice Award for Best Feature. The awards will be presented at a luncheon on the festival’s final day, Sept. 23.*