2024 Lineup Announcement!
WINNIPEG, June 29, 2024 — The Gimli International Film Festival (GIFF) is gearing up to welcome thousands to Gimli, Manitoba for its 24th year. From July 24-28, 2024, attendees will enjoy a lineup of local, national, and international narrative feature films, documentaries, and shorts. The festival also boasts the GIFF Global Industry Summit, special screenings (The 48 Hour Fest, RBC $10,000 Emerging Filmmaker Pitch Competition, Winnipeg Indigenous Filmmakers Collective Screening) and special events. The festival’s highlight, the RBC Sunset Beach Screenings, will take place every night, offering a unique cinematic experience under the stars. The festival aims to unite a global community of film lovers and share diverse stories through the art of cinema.
“Every year, GIFF continues its mission to inspire, educate, and empower audiences through our dynamic festival programming,” says Teya Zuzek, Executive Director of GIFF. “It’s an exciting time to be part of the Manitoba film industry. GIFF is here to amplify emerging and established filmmakers and really celebrate the amazing work that is being done regionally, nationally, and beyond.”
GIFF is proud to collaborate with multiple national-level organizations, bringing even more depth and excitement to the festival. These partnerships demonstrate the festival's commitment to fostering collaboration within the Canadian film industry, while also providing a platform for filmmakers to showcase their work to a broader audience.
Our Official Narrative Feature Films:
Áma Gloria (Dir. Marie Amachoukeli, France)
Atikamekw Suns (Dir. Chloe Leriche, Canada)
Close to You (Dir. Dominic Savage, Canada)
Daughter of the Sun (Dir. Ryan Ward, Canada)
Days of Happiness (Dir. Chloé Robichaud, Canada)
Finality Of Dusk (Dir. Madison Thomas, Canada)
Grand Finale (Dir. Sigurjon Kjartansson, Iceland)
Hailey Rose (Dir. Sandi Somers, Canada)
Handling the Undead (Dir. Thea Hvistendahl, Norway)
In Her Name (Dir. Sarah Carter, Canada)
Limbo (Dir. Ivan Sen, Australia)
My Mother’s Men (Dir. Anik Jean, Canada)
My Wonderful Stranger (Dir. Ninna Rún Pálmadottir, Norway)
The Old Oak (Dir. Ken Loach, United Kingdom)
We Grown Now (Dir. Minhal Baig, U.S.A)
With Love and a Major Organ (Dir. Kim Albright, Canada)
“This year, we received an impressive array of over 1,400 film submissions from 88 different countries,” says GIFF’s Head of Programming, Michael Barry. “In recent months, the programming team has meticulously curated an exceptional lineup for 2024 — showcasing the finest in Manitoban, Canadian, Circumpolar, and World Cinema. We hope each of these remarkable films resonate with you as deeply as they did with us during the selection process. My sincere appreciation goes to the Programming Advisory Committee, Executive Director, and the entire programming team for their dedication and invaluable support in crafting this year's outstanding program.”
GIFF’s Top Prize, The Alda Award, honours the cinematic achievements of a film industry veteran. This year’s winner is Canadian Inuk producer and director, Zacharias Kunuk. GIFF will be doing a retrospective of two Kunuk films, Angakusajaujuq: The Shaman’s Apprentice (2021) and Kivitoo: What They Thought of Us (2018) on Saturday, July 27th.
RBC Sunset Beach Screenings are one of the festival's standout free events. They take place every evening of the festival at 9:45 p.m. on Gimli Beach. This year's theme is "Chasing Adventure”.
Our lineup for this year includes (in the order they will be screened):
Barbie (2023, Dir. Greta Gerwig)
Summer Rental (1985, Dir. Carl Reiner) - Thursday night’s screening of Summer Rental will
celebrate the career of Canadian actor, John Candy, who passed away 30 years ago this year.
Thelma and Louise (1991, Dir. Ridley Scott)
Theater Camp (2023, Dir. Molly Gordon, Nick Lieberman)
Paddington 2 (2017, Dir. Paul King)
Our Official Documentary Features:
A New Kind of Wilderness (Dir.Silje Evensmo Jacobsen, Norway)
Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story (Dir. Michael Mabbott & Lucah Rosenberg-Lee,
Canada)
Every Little Thing (Dir. Sally Aitken, Australia)
Life Is Beautiful (Dir. Mohamed Jabaly, Norway/Palestine/Qatar)
Nice Ladies (Dir. Maëlle Guenegues, Netherlands/Ukraine)
Play Dead! (Dir. Matthew Lancit, Canada)
The Battle for Laikipia (Dir. Peter Murimi and Daphne Matziaraki, Kenya/U.S.A/Greece)
The Day Iceland Stood Still (Dir. Pamela Hogan, Iceland)
The Eternal Memory (Dir. Maite Alberdi, Chile)
These Four Walls (Dir. Branden Joseph DeFoort, Canada)
Wilfred Buck (Dir. Lisa Jackson, Canada)
Yintah (Dir. Jennifer Wickham, Brenda Michell, Michael Toledano, Canada)
The festival will also include a special screening of the 1976 Manitoban Film, Wilderness Trails (Dir. Gunter Henning). Long kept safe and unviewed in the Library and Archives of Canada, this retrospective follows local nature filmmaker George Cotter in a classic portrait of a filmmaker on the hunt for a great shot. Henning follows Cotter as he focuses on capturing Manitoba wildlife and local birds. This is a must-see screening! This event will start with a performance from local sound artist, Adara Moreau.
“It is certainly tough to pick which feature documentaries to select for GIFF every year, and even tougher to single out a few films as being better than any others,” says Documentary Programmer, Kevin Nikkel. “There are a couple films that I would recommend as personal favourites. Every once in a while you see a film that makes a deep impression on you, one that makes you think about your life and relationships to those you love. "The Eternal Memory" is a film like that—such a beautiful portrait of a couple dealing with dementia. Witnessing the ceaseless efforts of the wife as she cares for her husband moved me deeply. We will all reach this same stage of life, and films like this allow for a rehearsal of what is to come. A second film I’d recommend is a retrospective screening of a 1976 feature documentary, “Wilderness Trails”— a locally made nature doc in the spirit of David Attenborough, but shot all over Manitoba with filmmaker George Cotter filming on his trusty 16mm Bolex camera. A delight. It’s a great year for feature documentaries at GIFF 2024.”
“It's a big process to watch through the amazing documentaries of the year and select just a few of our favourites to share with the Gimli audience,” says Documentary Programmer Shira Newman. “We saw many really interesting themes come up this year, focused on human relationships with nature, human responsibility to nature, to the land, and to one another (Every Little Thing, New Kind of Wilderness). Particularly rich terrain as we explore questions of decolonization and struggle to understand exactly what that means (Battle for Laikipia, Yintah). These films truly show how documentary allows us to immerse ourselves in other people's lives and understand the world with fresh and varied perspectives.”
“I would also like to mention a couple of really wonderful films about two very different Canadian artists,” says Newman. “Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story beautifully and artfully explores the life of the highly-gifted transgender R&B singer who was a rising star in the 1960s. Play Dead! is a quirky, intimate autobiography by a French-Canadian filmmaker dealing with his increasing fears about the effect his diabetes will have on him and his family—obsessed with the body horror genre of his youth, he manifests his fears in all means of make-up and prosthetics, and plays out skits with his daughter as he works out his anxieties. I would say it's what might happen if David Cronenberg was a documentary filmmaker. Both films show the ways art and creativity can carry us through the most difficult and complex of times.”
Our Official Short Films:
27 (Dir. Flóra Anna Buda, France/Hungary)
Home Away From Home (Dir. Haley Charney, Canada)
A Crab In The Pool (Dir. Alexandra Myotte, Jean-Sébastien Hamel, Canada)
My Son Went Quiet (Dir. Ian Bawa, Canada)
Unibrow (Dir. Nedda Sarshar, Canada)
Les Lavandières (Dir. Laura Kamugisha, Canada)
Plaansh a Roo (Dir. Andrew Konoff, Canada)
Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying (Dir. Toby Gillies and Natalie Baird, Canada)
Healer (Dir. MacKenzie Leigh, Canada)
Shitty Little (Dir. Jeff McKay and Takashi Iwasaki, Canada)
The Conquest of Space (Dir. Albin Biblom, Sweden)
Wildmen Of The Greater Toronto Area (Dir. Solmund MacPherson, Canada)
Discordia (Dir. Rowan Gray, Canada)
Sirius (Dir. Jean-Bastien Niyigaruye, Canada)
Starbound (Dir. Madison Thomas, Canada)
Modern Goose (Dir. Karsten Wall, Canada)
Your Call Is Important To Us (Dir. Romy Boutin St-Pierre, Joe Nadeau, Canada)
The Landmarks of Memory (Dir. Christina Hajjar, Canada)
Tailor Made (Dir. Quan Luong, Canada)
Lullaby (Dir. Irène-Kimberley Valin-Awashish, Canada)
DRM1000: Intro To Performance (Dir. Ahlam Hassan, Canada)
Audio And The Alligator (Dir. Andrés I. Estrada, Canada/Venezuela)
Deep Rooted (Dir. Kyle McDonnell, Canada)
“The thing I love about the shorts program we put together this year is there's something for everyone. We've got a fantastic selection of documentaries, we've got comedy, we've got science fiction and films that dip into horror, and lots of wholesome coming-of-age content as well. I genuinely fell in love with every single short film in this program and I know that lots of people will feel the same,” says Assistant Short Films Programmer, Ellen Reade.
“Watching shorts always comes with a promise of surprise, and 2024 delivered with a clear-eyed sense of wonder,” says Short Films Programmer, Jon Montes. “Assured and quick-witted, filmmakers this year are confronting questions of how we relate to each other, from family dynamics and probing docs, to the complex ways humans encroach on decidedly non-human realities. Representing almost half of our slate, Manitoban filmmakers continue to shine brightly on every stage. Filmmakers here have always been concerned with stories and aesthetics that resonate far outside provincial boundaries, and this year we’ve programmed local films alongside Canadian and international offerings to truly reflect Manitoba’s contributions to global dialogues. We’re thrilled to continue our popular collaboration with the Winnipeg Indigenous Filmmakers Collective (WIFC). Winnipeg has long been a hotbed for Indigenous filmmaking talent, and the work of the WIFC is truly exhilarating. Likewise, we’re proud to celebrate some of our sister festivals in Manitoba with our Best of Manitoba Festivals screening which brings some of the highlights from this past year to Gimli. A grab bag of unexpected delights, this international program shines with cinematic appeal.”
Additional Programming:
The festival will have a range of activities to create a memorable summer experience for patrons and filmmakers alike. Attendees can join free events such as our Industry Sessions (GIFF Global Industry Summit), The 48 Hour Film Screening, the $10,000 RBC Emerging Filmmaker Pitch Competition, and the Winnipeg Indigenous Filmmaker Collective Screening.
GIFF Global Industry Summit coincides with the festival; all events are held at Johnson Hall (Waterfront Centre - 100 - 1st Street, Gimli, MB). These industry-focused sessions and workshops are open to the public, providing invaluable insight into the film industry as well as networking possibilities. There will be 9 sessions total, including:
Financing Your Project (brought to you by RBC)
The Art of Adaptation
In Conversation... (Brought to you by Directors Guild of Canada x International Cinematographer
Guild 669)
Masterclass with Lisa Jackson (director of Wilfred Buck)
Working with the National Film Board
1:1 with National Film Board Producers
Masterclass with Karsten Wall (director of Modern Goose - Brought to you by DOC Manitoba and
Canada Media Fund)
Film Training Manitoba’s S.W.I.F.T Presents: Pathways to Success!
Live Read and Writers’ Talk (Brought to you by ACTRA Manitoba and Writers Guild of Canada.
Information regarding speakers, panelists, and presenters is available on the Gimli International Film Festival website and program.
The highly anticipated 13th Annual RBC $10,000 Emerging Filmmakers will take place at the Gimli Theatre on the morning of Saturday, July 27th. On Screen Manitoba, RBC, and Gimli International Film Festival will announce the competitors in early July – submission deadline is July 2, 2024. Don’t miss the chance to see talented filmmakers pitch their ideas and compete for prizes such as production funds, mentorship, equipment grants, and more!
Additional programs available to attendees:
Young Filmmakers Program – A screening of short films by students in selected high school film & video production programs from across Manitoba. Come watch and cheer on the future of Manitoban filmmaking! This event is sponsored by Manitoba Hydro.
Winnipeg Indigenous Filmmaker Collective (WIFC) Screening – A screening of short films by members of the WIFC. This program, sponsored by Warner Brothers Access Discovery Canada, will give the best of the program a prize.
Best of Manitoba Festivals Program – A screening of award-winning short films from the many niche film festivals in Manitoba! See what has been making an impact in those communities, as festival organizers gather to network and promote their events.
48 Hour Film Competition Screening – Filmmakers were given the task to create a film in 48 hours or less. The entrants of this exciting competition will go on to compete at this screening. A favourite amongst GIFF patrons, see who will win a chance to screen their winning short at the Toronto International Film Festival in September.
Awards Reception
GIFF will host its 2024 Awards Ceremony on Saturday July 27th, 2024. Along with the coveted Alda Award, GIFF and its sponsors will be presenting a variety of awards to emerging and established filmmakers. Winners will be announced the night of the event. This awards include (in no particular order):
Alda Award
New Voices Award (Sponsored by Warner Brothers Discover Access Canada)
Audience Choice Award (second screening of this film will take place on Sunday, July 28th).
Grand Jury Prize
Best Manitoba Director (Sponsored by Directors Guild of Canada)
Indigenous Spirit Award (Sponsored by APTN)
2 x Best Performance (Sponsored by ACTRA)
The Betty Schwartz Volunteer Award (Sponsored by David & Diane Johnston)
Best Manitoba Short (Sponsored by Manitoba Film and Music
Best Canadian Short (Sponsored by Payworks)
Barry Lank Award (Sponsored by DOC Manitoba)
Best International Short Film Award
The full for all festival news and ticket sales. Experience the power of cinema and join us at GIFF, bringing festival schedule is now live on gimlifilm.com. Visit the Gimli International Film Festival’s website together filmmakers, enthusiasts, and audiences alike. Prepare to be inspired, entertained, and transported to new realms of imagination. Don't miss out on this unforgettable celebration of the art of cinema.
About this organization
Since 2001, The Gimli International Film Festival (GIFF) has welcomed thousands to the shores of Lake Winnipeg for its various film screenings of local, national, and international feature films, documentaries, short films, and experimental media; not to mention the festival’s premiere event – the RBC Sunset Beach Screenings which take place every night of the five-day festival and have drawn people from all over the world to take in one of Manitoba’s most unique summer experiences. To learn more about The Gimli International Film Festival, please visit: www.gimlifilm.com
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Facebook: www.facebook.com/gimliIFF
Twitter: @GimliFilm
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For more information, please contact:
Cassidy Burak Communications Coordinator Phone: (204) 894-6815 Email: media@gimlifilm.com
