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Come and mingle with the ‘film set’

TORONTO – In its second year, the Niagara Integrated Film Festival is proud to play host to a hugely-talented bevy of VIP guests, en route to the Niagara region from around the world. Film buffs, foodies, and wine enthusiasts will enjoy an unparalleled experience, meeting and mingling with the directors, actors, writers, producers, and industry insiders, who will be on hand at NIFF this year.

The opening night film TESTAMENT OF YOUTH will see Director James Kent in attendance, supporting the launch of his first narrative feature. Kent is an awards podium veteran, whose 90-minute TV Special HOLOCAUST: A MUSIC MEMORIAL FILM won a BAFTA (a British Oscar). His acclaimed television dramas include THE SECRET DIARIES OF MISS ANNE LISTER, The BBC’s INSIDE MEN, THE WHITE QUEEN a flagship BBC historical drama, and THE THIRTEENTH TALE (starring Vanessa Redgrave and Olivia Colman) for BBC and Heyday Films.

Bel Powley – who has been generating buzz with her breakthrough star turn in THE DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL – will be in Niagara for this must-see Canadian premiere. One of the most anticipated films of the summer, THE DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL also stars Kristen Wiig, and Alexander Skarsgård.

Also in attendance, the multi-talented Jacqueline Kim, who stars in and co-wrote the film ADVANTAGEOUS. The film, which won a special jury prize at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, will make its Canadian premiere at NIFF. She also did double-duty as the film’s music composer and is the lead singer/songwriter for the band, This I Heard.

Epicures owe it to themselves to make a date with documentary film-subject and Master Chef Curtis Duffy for the Niagara premiere screening of the foodie feature doc FOR GRACE. The film’s co-director Kevin Pang will also be in attendance.

NIFF is also proud to host director Lulu Wang at her Canadian Premiere screening of POSTHUMOUS, a sweet love story set in Berlin starring Jack Huston, Brit Marling and Lambert Wilson.

Film aficionados will thrill to the memories of longtime New York Daily News film critic Kathleen Carroll, who will be at NIFF for a special screening and In Conversation session for the film NETWORK. She’ll discuss her on-set experiences from that film – including interviews and visits with actors Faye Dunaway and William Holden and director Sidney Lumet. Kathleen will also engage the audience with tales of close encounters with a galaxy of stars from her three decades on the job.

The Niagara premiere screening of the eco-event HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD, will feature a visit from the queen of green, activist Emily Hunter, the daughter of Greenpeace founder, and subject of the film, Bob Hunter.

The British-Invasion homage THE COCKSURE LADS MOVIE will be in Niagara, along with the film’s amazing musical cast and creative talent, led by Murray Foster and Mike Ford (two former members of the Canadian band Moxy Fruvous from the late ’80s). Murray also plays bass in the band Great Big Sea. The Cocksure Lads band will be performing live following their screening at NIFF.

NIFF will also host an anniversary screening of FESTIVAL EXPRESS, the documentary record of Canada’s own superstar train tour from 1970, a rolling rock event that included the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, The Band and The Flying Burrito Brothers. Rayburn Blake from the Canadian hitmakers Mashmakhan (As Years Go By) will visit the festival to speak about this weird performance experiment that embodied the era.

Acclaimed director Sergio Navarretta and writer Alessandra Piccione will introduce their film THE COLOSSAL FAILURE OF THE MODERN RELATIONSHIP, and be joined by a number of the Canadian stars of the film including Krista Bridges, Brooke Palsson, Becky Dalton, Frank Deluca and Alvaro D’Antonio.

Award winning media artist and filmmaker Adrian Thiessen, a son of the Niagara Region, will be on hand to present his feature THE HOTEL DIEU.

Director Mann Munoz – of the Niagara-based production house Moon Brothers – will introduce their fourth feature film LOST PENNY. Moon Brothers’ previous triumphs include Under Jakob’s Ladder (2012 Best Film – Period Piece + Best Actor for Jeff Stewart), and Lazer Us (2013 Best Adventure Film).

From the Film Shorts program we have 2014 NIFF winner Jason Lupish back with a short he directed titled STRANGER that stars the wonderful Erica Sherwood (Jason and Erica won the very first Niagara Rises best feature and actress award in 2014) they both will be at NIFF again. Kelso Steinhoff, Director of PITKA KOIRAT: A HORSE IN THE FOLDS, will also be on hand, as will Director Andrea Conte who will be in attendance to promote HENNY’S OPUS IN B MINOR. Kevin McGuiness, director of DOWN BY THE WATERSIDE and HIGH T.N.T. will be proudly presenting his two films, and director Michael Pohorly of MADE IN BALI, will be at the festival with his terrific offering, along with Curtis Harrison with his wonderful film, THE DAY SANTA DIDN’T COME, starring Tara Spencer-Nairn and Gabriel Hogan.

For more info on festival please visit website.