Highlights from Windsor International Film Festival’s 20th Anniversary

October 31, 2024

WIFF Executive Director and Chief Programmer Vincent Georgie welcomes the crowd on opening night

The Windsor International Film Festival (WIFF) is becoming an annual pilgrimage for member of the Toronto Film Critics Association and friends in the media. WIFF, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, boasts a jam packed line-up that runs from 9:00 AM to midnight daily with Canadian films, including an emphasis on Quebecois titles, alongside Oscar contenders and local fare.

This year’s edition saw Meryam Joobeur’s feature debut Who Do I Belong To? score the annual WIFF Prize in Canadian Film, which carries a cash purse of $25,000. Joobeur’s film, a continuation of her Oscar-nominated short Brotherhood, offers a meditative portrait of a family fractured by loss during wartime. The trauma-informed film proved one of the festival’s talking points between TFCA members who were scurrying from screening to screening catching up on CanCon. Also screening in competition where Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story, Hunting Daze, Lucy Grizzli Sophie, On Earth as in Heaven, Paying for It, Really Happy Someday, Russians at War, Sharp Corner, and Universal Language.

Last year’s WIFF winner, Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person, scored a nomination for the TFCA’s Rogers Best Canadian Film Award and won director Ariane Louise-Seize the Stella Artois Jay Scott Prize for an emerging artist. Fellow Rogers Award nominee Solo also screened in WIFF’s competition, as did TFCA winner Blackberry. Could any of this group’s future winners be hiding in WIFF’s 10-film competitive slate?

Here are some highlights from the 2024 Windsor International Film Festival.

The TFCA’s 2023 WIFF report on display in a gallery exhibit of the festival’s first 20 years

The WIFF elevator pitch

Windsor has over 200 films in a variety of genres, from big buzzworthy international titles to exceptional Canadian films. Film buffs can pack their entire day(s) with films at the fest and attend the Q&As with filmmakers. Meeting other film enthusiasts, filmmakers, and jury members adds to the experience. Also, with Executive Director and Chief Programmer Vincent Georgie is warm and welcoming. He can recommend any movie for moviegoers, having seen all the films at the fest. – Marriska Fernandes

My Friday early afternoon screening of Lucy Grizzli Sophie was moderately attended, and because of that, actress Lise Roy decided to sit on the edge of the stage for the film’s Q&A rather than standing on the stage a few feet away from the audience. Roy encouraged the remaining audience members to gather in closer to her and, along Vincent Georgie, an intimate conversation began about the film with people speaking freely and discussing, at length, the themes of the movies and their relevance in the real world. It was a unique and extraordinary post-screening Q&A and one indicative of the festival as a whole. Without the chaos of, say, TIFF, film buffs can actually absorb and process the movies they watch, and be among a crowd of fellow cinephiles anxious to exchange ideas. WIFF attracts the most ardent and intelligent film-goers who are ready to engage with movies in a meaningful and thoughtful way. – Rachel Ho

Windsor has so much to offer in such a small space. With just four screens in three venues (all walking distance to one another) it’s easy to navigate, yet there is so much to see — 213 features over the 11 days in 2024. And if you’re into French-language film, it’s a particular treat, as more than 25 per cent of the offerings this year were in French. Of the six films I chose based solely on what sounded good, five turned out to be French-language Canadian films, including the excellent Shepherds (which won the best Canadian film at TIFF) and Universal Language (Canada’s Oscar submission this year). It’s also easy to get to if you’re based in Toronto – a four-hour VIA train ride or a ridiculously short flight. (I prefer the train – slower but very relaxing, and just five minutes by car from the heart of the festival once you arrive.) – Chris Knight

So, my elevate pitch for WIFF is generally: “It’s TIFF without the bulls**t.” That’s not a knock on Toronto—I (mostly) love TIFF and all the stars and parties and chaos and fatigue it brings. Instead, the comparison hopes to convey how WIFF delivers a buffet of movies, but without all the noise that’s entailed with being the biggest film festival in North America. From casual moviegoers to pros in the media, everyone can enjoy the movies without hundreds of people jockeying for their attention. WIFF is a laid-back vibe. It’s the festival where everybody knows your name. It’s friendly, the people are talkative and approachable, and the audiences are really engaged in the movies. I find there’s a better sense of overall curation, too, which is perhaps something I notice more easily given the comparatively relaxed nature of the festival even though I’m watching more or less the same number of films per day. And the new A/V upgrades at the Capitol Theatre this year were notable and bring the screenings on par with premium venues. – Pat Mullen

 

Best of the fest

Universal Language. I watched it again at Windsor and loved it just as much. Also, The Substance: it’s such a fun experience watching this one with an audience. Special mention: Pablo Larraín’s Maria. Angelina Jolie is spectacular and I was glad to see it among the first Canadian audiences to catch the film. -MF

Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story: I actually watched this film during Hot Docs earlier this year and as the months have gone by, my love and admiration for this movie has only increased. I was really excited to see it included in WIFF’s programming this year, and also nominated for WIFF’s Prize in Canadian Film. Considering how much Canada loves to raise up Canadian talent, it’s almost unbelievable that an artist like Jackie Shane had gone under the radar for so long. Any Other Way brings to life a magnetic personality and soul under challenging circumstances given the lack of archival material available of Shane during her heyday. Using rotoscope, directors Michael Mabbott and Lucah Rosenberg-Lee create an elegant solution that lends the film a vibrancy in keeping with Shane’s style and music. Any Other Way didn’t walk away with the big prize during WIFF’s opening weekend, but it’s certainly one of the best Canadian films this year. –RH

My favourite film at WIFF this year was Universal Language from Winnipeg filmmaker Matthew Rankin. It’s an absurdist comedy set in a near-future Winnipeg in which Canada’s official languages are now French and Persian. (There’s still Tim Hortons, however, its “Always Fresh” logo crafted in Arabic lettering in the chain’s signature colours.) The films pokes fun at bureaucracy, government and of course Winter-peg, where the city’s districts are all named after the drabbest colours imaginable. – CK

Of the “new to me” movies at WIFF, my favourite was again the festival’s opening night film Shepherds after The Taste of Things kicked off last year’s festival and ended up being by favourite film of the year. The film follows Montreal ex-pat Mathyas (Félix Antoine-Duval) as he quits the rat race and becomes a shepherd in the French Alps. The film’s two act structure offers a somewhat chaotic first half as Félix learns that shepherding is tough work, but it segues to find serenity in the latter act as Mathyas finally lives his dream of leading sheep to graze high in the picturesque mountains. There’s something palpably therapeutic about director Sophie Deraspe’s change of pace between acts and the opening up of the visual plane as Mathyas soaks up the fresh mountain air. It’s a wonderfully refreshing film. I also managed to see all 10 of the films in the Canadian competition between WIFF, TIFF, and Hot Docs (read the rundown here) and my top picks were Really Happy Someday, Any Other Way, and Universal Language in a strong field.  – PM

 

Best thing to do between screenings

A walk by the waterfront and talking to locals is such a treat in between screenings. Everyone is so friendly and happy to talk movies and why they love their city. Also, Windsor is a stone’s throw away from Detroit so that quick shopping trip to the States is always a plus. -MF

I still don’t quite understand “Windsor pizza,” but thanks to a recommendation from Brian (WIFF’s transportation extraordinaire), Pat and I had some New York-style pizza at Terra Cotta Pizzeria, a great spot right across the street from the Capitol Theatre. Downtown Windsor may seem unassuming in its culinary pursuits but there are plenty of yummy restaurants, diners, and coffee shops to provide the much-needed fuel in between screenings. The Coffee Exchange becomes a part of the morning routine for lush coffee and pastries, A Dog’s Breakfast serves up a delicious brunch to start the day off on the right foot, and on Saturdays, a farmer’s market takes over Pelissier Street at Maiden Lane, which is a fun way to get some fresh air and sun. The food scene is definitely up and coming, and there are some excellent choices around the downtown core no matter your poison. – RH

I’m not much of a foodie, but I do like a good morning walk, and in Windsor you can grab a coffee from the Tim Hortons on Church Street and then amble for several kilometres from the festival’s epicentre along Riverside Drive, whose footpath is festooned with memorials and public art, not to mention a view of downtown Detroit across the river. Of course, it also helps when, as was the case this year, the city is enjoying warmer than usual end-of-October weather. – CK

Last year, I recommended coffee at the Coffee Exchange and cocktails at Maiden Lane, and would stick by those recos, so this year I’ll share the advice I got from Rachel: the pickle popcorn. We were running from the screening of On Earth as in Heaven to Hunting Daze, but, unfortunately, a schedule switcheroo with Russians at War meant we were flanked by cops who informed us we were at the wrong movie. Fortunately, though, they let us into the Armouries venue, anyway, when they realised we weren’t going to bomb the place. That access saved the day, since the venue is the only WIFF theatre that sells the local What’s Poppin’ popcorn that Rachel had been raving about all weekend. We cleared the concessions stand out of their HUGE bags of cheddar dill popcorn and it lived up to the hype. My advice is to plan your schedule to see movies at the Capitol since it’s the best venue, but pop over to the Armouries between shows to fill up on popcorn. You’ll need a decently sized tote for sneaking in contraband though. -PM

 

What could other festivals learn from WIFF?

Windsor is the biggest fest in Canada in terms of French-language titles and other festivals can learn to incorporate more francophone and international films into their programming. – MF

Unlike other regional festivals that can often feel like TIFF impersonators, WIFF’s selections feel like a curated affair. Of course there’s some overlap between WIFF and TIFF and the other big festivals, but the programming in Windsor feels distinctly its own. It’s an obvious strategy to take for smaller festivals, but not one that many execute well. Windsor, though, has found its sweet spot and delivers a slate filled with emerging Canadian talent, indie hits, and retro classics that has clearly been painstakingly selected.  – RH

That bigger may be better, but small doesn’t have to skimp. WIFF can seem tiny next to the behemoth that is the Toronto festival, and which it follows every year. There aren’t as many big stars or fancy cars. But there are oodles of friendly, helpful volunteers and a whole lot of civic pride. During the opening night film, for instance, festival head Vincent Georgie asked those in the packed, 1,100-seat Chrysler Theatre to stand if they’d ever volunteered, donated, or otherwise assisted in the festival, which turned 20 this year. People all over the auditorium stood up, some a little shyly, to a hearty round of applause. Then, before the film began, we watched a two-minute trailer crafted out of bits and pieces of most if not all the festival’s offerings this year. I never got tired of it upon subsequent screenings, and I eventually tracked down the editor who created it: Maria Cusumano. From Windsor, of course. – CK

Other festivals can follow WIFF’s lead and learn to lighten up. I’m echoing my first response a bit, but there’s just an overall relaxed character to the festival that works to its advantage. It’s nice to stop and chat with people about movies instead of waving “hullo!” while frantically dashing by them. But the relaxed vibe also comes with the laissez-faire attitude to premiere status that overwhelms other festivals. I get why, say, TIFF should care about premiere status if it’s also a market, but a lot of regional festivals (ex: Whistler) often backfire by favouring premiere titles over good ones. The three years I’ve attended WIFF have delivered a reliable batting average thanks to the festival’s sense that it’s better to show the best movies than to be the first to screen whatever offered a world premiere. – PM

WIFF runs through Nov. 3.