Cinéfest says it's doing something 'wild and wonderful' at 2019 festival

Sudbury's annual film festival is putting the final touches on its 2019 edition, in what executive director Tammy Frick is promising to be a "wild and wonderful ride."  

To capture the creative spirit of the event, Cinéfest enlisted the help of advertising agency 50 Carleton to come up with a suitable logo.

The result is an image distinctly northern, with a "kooky twist," Tony Jurgilas, the chief design strategist at the agency said.

"A lone loon carving a scant ripple across a pristine crystal lake lined with verdant conical spires."

"But the loon is being ridden by a cowboy. Hey, why not?" Jurgilas said. 

The event itself will feature The Last Full Measure at its gala presentation September 16.

The film, starring Samuel L. Jackson and Ed Harris, is the story of an American airman during the war in Vietnam.

The festival will also continue its traditon of featuring local stories. 

A notorious chapter in Sudbury's history will be screened at Cinéfest, festival organizers also announced today.

Prey, a film by Matt Gallagher, follows the trial of prominent Catholic priest Father Hod Marshall after charges of sexual abuse.

The film was named winner of the $50,000 Rogers Audience Award for best Canadian documentary at Hot Docs, North America's largest documentary festival. 

Gallagher said he is glad the film is being screened in two places—  Sudbury and Windsor—  where Marshall was accused of abusing boys.

"Marshall was actually a priest here at St. Charles school in the 60s and 70s, and he was abusing young people," Gallagher said. " And so that's what brought me to Sudbury as I started to reach out and talk to people who went to school at that time and realized that they were victims as well."

Gallagher said one of his friends was abused by Marshall, and was instrumental in getting the priest convicted. Marshall eventually died shortly after being released from prison in 2014. 

 "My friend who was the victim launched a civil suit and got some money a settlement from the church. But he was still not happy," Gallagher said. "He hadn't healed from the whole experience and so I started to wonder to myself, 'What are we doing wrong. What can be done better to find healing for these men?'"

For more information on the festival, you can visit the Cinéfest web page here.