The Milton Film Festival is going virtual.
2020’s festival was one of the final major events to be held in Milton before the pandemic began, with residents showing up to watch films in the theatre – a fun thing that we actually used to do, believe it or not.
The Director of the Milton Film Festival, Jennifer Smith, says the shift had to be done because of COVID-19.
The online service that the Milton Film Festival is using is called ‘Eventive’. It was used recently by film festivals in Oakville, Sudbury, and London to rave reviews. Smith hopes that Milton residents will also find it easy-to-use.
She says it’s unfortunate that the change had to be made; however, there is one nice advantage for being available online.
The shift to online also extends the reach that the Milton Film Festival will have in 2021.
The lineup for 2021 was announced recently. Smith announced the return of several old friends and familiar faces, including Milton director Jawad Mir, whose hugely popular documentary ONLY 78 had its Ontario premiere at the 2018 Festival. This year, Mir is back with a new feature documentary. CITIZEN OF MORIA follows the travels of Ahmad Ebrahimi after he is forced to leave Afghanistan by the Taliban and winds up in Europe’s worst refugee camp – Moria.
Another returning filmmaker is Oakville’s Paul Saltzman, who showed his documentary THE LAST WHITE NIGHT at the very first Milton Film Festival in 2014. This year he returns with MEETING THE BEATLES IN INDIA, in which he retraces his journey of over 50 years ago when he spent a life-changing time with the Beatles at the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s ashram on the banks of the Ganges River and took some now-iconic photographs.
Fittingly, Ron Base, Milton author and former host of the Milton Film Festival, will also be returning to discuss the film with Saltzman.
The other feature films included in the lineup are:
- ANOTHER ROUND – a comedic drama about the benefits and pitfalls of perpetual inebriation that reunites Danish director Thomas Vinterberg and actor Mads Mikkelsen (The Hunt, Hannibal).
- JASMINE ROAD – a heartwarming and magical film from Alberta about a clash of cultures between a family of refugees from Syria and the recently widowed rancher who takes them in.
- BLACK BEAR – an audience and critics favourite when it premiered at Sundance, this offbeat psychological drama is being hailed as one of the finest performances of actress Aubrey Plaza’s career.
- HONEYLAND – one of the most highly awarded documentaries of the past 20 years, this fascinating film from North Macedonia explores the world of one of the last wild beekeepers of Europe.
- NO ROSES ON A SAILOR’S GRAVE – a documentary about the friendship between an aging WWII Navy veteran, and a young archeologist trying to fulfill a promise to find his lost ship that was sunk on D-Day.
- THE CLIMB – one of the funniest films of the year puts a refreshing twist on the buddy comedy when two best friends have their relationship strained after a surprising revelation.
- GIRL – a gritty thriller filmed near Sudbury, Ontario abut a girl seeking revenge on her estranged father, starring Bella Thorne, and Mickey Rourke in a powerful and menacing performance.
- NO ORDINARY MAN – one of the most acclaimed documentaries to premiere at TIFF this year takes an in-depth look at the life of jazz musician and trans culture icon Billy Tipton.
- NADIA, BUTTERFLY – a compelling drama from Quebec filmmaker Pascal Plante about an Olympic swimmer making a painful decision to leave the sport that she loves.
- UNDINE – a gorgeous, romantic modern re-telling of a myth about a mysterious water sprit, from German director Christian Petzold (Traffic), starring Paula Beer and Franz Rogowski
- NO VISIBLE TRAUMA – a timely and thought-provoking documentary about racism, brutality, and abuse of power on Calgary’s police force, from directors Marc Serpa Francoeur and Robinder Uppal.
The full film announcement and festival launch video can be seen here.
The Milton Film Festival will take place across five days, January 27th – January 31st, in 2021.
Find more details here.
