PEI

Local films screening outside Confederation Centre through the summer

A free outdoor series of film screenings in Charlottetown is expanding this year to include local productions. Nine local films will be play on rotation throughout the summer

Films will be projected on the side of the centre Tuesdays through Saturdays, starting at 10:15 p.m.

Screenings will begin at 10:15 p.m. from Tuesday to Saturday until September. One film tells the story of Rainbow Valley, a gateway to childhood memories for many Prince Edward Islanders. (CBC)

A free outdoor series of film screenings in Charlottetown is expanding this year to include nine local productions.

Last summer, a multimedia show that explored Canadian history was projected on the side of the Confederation Centre of the Arts.

This year, the centre and Discover Charlottetown are featuring local filmmakers. There are nine films that will play on rotation throughout the summer.

For instance, every Wednesday Rainbow Valley, a film that explores the feelings Islanders had and continue to have about the now-closed theme park, will be shown. 

On Fridays, two documentaries, Island Green and Lennox Island, will play back-to-back.

Heidi Zinn, executive director of Discover Charlottetown, said a soft launch began this week but the real kickoff to the summer film series starts this coming Tuesday when Bluefin will begin its weekly screenings.  

"It's an amazing opportunity to showcase what our local film industry has done, to our visitors," she said.

"But it's also a really unique setting for locals who, probably in many cases, haven't had the chance to see some of these films, and to see them in such a unique setting."

Zinn said people walking by are welcome to watch for a few minutes, but with relatively short films, she hopes many stay for the whole show.

John Hopkins' Bluefin recently won the award for best documentary feature at the California Film Awards. (Bluefin/Square Deal Productions)

For instance, Bluefin, a documentary shot in North Lake, P.E.I., about why the normally wary bluefin tuna no longer fear humans, is about 50 minutes long. 

"We hope that people bring blankets and bring little chairs … get a cup of coffee or a hot chocolate and kind of cozy up and enjoy the show," said Zinn. 

The films will run Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10:15 p.m. to 11 p.m. until the end of September rain or shine.

"We hope that everyone comes out and makes an event of it, or a date of it, and brings their chair and their coffees and takes in these amazing films," said Zinn.

For a full list of films, visit the Discover Charlottetown website.

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With files from Sarah MacMillan