10th Annual DocFest goes virtual

By Adam Gray

Every March swarms of film lovers fill the streets of downtown Belleville for an all-you-can-eat buffet of documentary films presented by Belleville Downtown DocFest. Passes for the event sell out each year in advance of the festival. DocFest screens outstanding documentaries from Canada and around the world, plus a selection of must-see films made right here in the Quinte region.

In 2020 the 9th annual festival drew some of the biggest filmmakers in the country to present their films in-person and engage audiences in Q&A sessions. Notable guests included Daniel Roher director of Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band, Peter Raymont director of Margaret Atwood: A Word After A Word After A Word Is Power, Kevin Hearn (of Barenaked Ladies) a central player in the doc There Are No Fakes. Nearly 5,000 seats were filled over the festival weekend and theatres were packed to capacity.

Since March, theatres across the country have closed their doors and many film festivals cancelled their events in the wake of the pandemic. The film industry came to a screeching halt. But to coin a cliche, the show must go on.

“It’s been truly inspiring to see film festivals move online to continue presenting the films their audiences love,” says DocFest Chair, Holly Dewar, “TIFF, the Sudbury Cinéfest, and Hot Docs all presented their films online and featured absorbing Q&As and virtual live events.”

The 10th annual Belleville Downtown DocFest will follow in the successful footsteps of other film festivals pivoting to online formats. DocFest’s 2021 film line-up and special live events will be available through a new easy-to-use online platform. Audiences will have longer to watch an incredible selection of documentaries from the comfort and safety of their living rooms. Another bonus: the extended Festival schedule means viewers won’t have to make tough choices between four to five DocFest films all playing at the same time.

About moving DocFest online, Dewar says, “We have a deeply passionate audience and tremendous support from our community. Even though the 2021 Festival can’t be the same, we felt we owed it to our loyal audience who look forward to binging on docs each year. The DocFest team is excited to present its first ever online film festival and to once again show important and engaging stories that celebrate life and human dignity.”

downtowndocfest.ca