Barrie Film Festival

COMING HOME - 7PM
2015-11-05 19:00 (America/Toronto) | Annual Barrie Film Festival
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Coming Home
Screening:
November 5, 2015 – 7pm
Location: Uptown Theatre, 55 Dunlop Street West, Barrie
Directed by: Zhang Yimou
Cast: Gong Li, Chen Daoming and Zhang HuiwenDrama, PG for mature themes, 109 minutes, Mandarin with English subtitles (China)
“Emotionally Powerful. Richly Nuanced.” – Didi Kirsten Tatlow, THE NEW YORK TIMES

In the aftermath of the Cultural Revolution, an amnesiac woman struggles to regain her memory and reconnect with her long-imprisoned husband, in this enthralling and emotional drama from Chinese master Zhang Yimou (Raise the Red Lantern, Hero). Feng Wanyu (played by superstar Gong Li) is a teacher whose husband, Lu Yanshi (Chen Daoming) falls afoul of the authorities in the early 1970s. He’s sent away for “re-education,” leaving Feng alone with their only daughter, a spoiled ballet student named Dandan (Zhang Huiwen). When Lu escapes and attempts to make his way home, Dandan – who had been denied the leading role in a new production due to her father’s branding as an ideological outcast – commits a heartbreaking betrayal. Re-teaming with Zhang after their celebrated collaborations on such classics as Red Sorghum, Ju Dou, and Raise the Red Lantern, the luminous Gong expands her remarkable range even further with her performance as a woman pushed to the brink of mental collapse. For his part, Zhang masterfully balances intimate drama and political allegory within his deceptively simple story, demonstrating once again that his creative fire remains undiminished.

Sponsored By:

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Tickets: Adults $10, Seniors/Students $8
(prices include HST)
Advance tickets available two weeks before each screening at Uptown theatre and MacLaren Art Centre, or day of screening. Box office opens one hour before first screening of the day.

COMING HOME - 4PM
2015-11-05 16:00 | Annual Barrie Film Festival
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Coming Home
Screening:
November 5, 2015 – 4pm
Location: Uptown Theatre, 55 Dunlop Street West, Barrie
Directed by: Zhang Yimou
Cast: Gong Li, Chen Daoming and Zhang HuiwenDrama, PG for mature themes, 109 minutes, Mandarin with English subtitles (China)
“Emotionally Powerful. Richly Nuanced.” – Didi Kirsten Tatlow, THE NEW YORK TIMES

In the aftermath of the Cultural Revolution, an amnesiac woman struggles to regain her memory and reconnect with her long-imprisoned husband, in this enthralling and emotional drama from Chinese master Zhang Yimou (Raise the Red Lantern, Hero). Feng Wanyu (played by superstar Gong Li) is a teacher whose husband, Lu Yanshi (Chen Daoming) falls afoul of the authorities in the early 1970s. He’s sent away for “re-education,” leaving Feng alone with their only daughter, a spoiled ballet student named Dandan (Zhang Huiwen). When Lu escapes and attempts to make his way home, Dandan – who had been denied the leading role in a new production due to her father’s branding as an ideological outcast – commits a heartbreaking betrayal. Re-teaming with Zhang after their celebrated collaborations on such classics as Red Sorghum, Ju Dou, and Raise the Red Lantern, the luminous Gong expands her remarkable range even further with her performance as a woman pushed to the brink of mental collapse. For his part, Zhang masterfully balances intimate drama and political allegory within his deceptively simple story, demonstrating once again that his creative fire remains undiminished.

Sponsored By:

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Tickets: Adults $10, Seniors/Students $8
(prices include HST)
Advance tickets available two weeks before each screening at Uptown theatre and MacLaren Art Centre, or day of screening. Box office opens one hour before first screening of the day.

COMING HOME - 9:15PM
2015-11-04 21:15 | Annual Barrie Film Festival
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Coming Home
Screening:
November 4, 2015 – 9:15pm
Location: Uptown Theatre, 55 Dunlop Street West, Barrie
Directed by: Zhang Yimou
Cast: Gong Li, Chen Daoming and Zhang HuiwenDrama, PG for mature themes, 109 minutes, Mandarin with English subtitles (China)
“Emotionally Powerful. Richly Nuanced.” – Didi Kirsten Tatlow, THE NEW YORK TIMES

In the aftermath of the Cultural Revolution, an amnesiac woman struggles to regain her memory and reconnect with her long-imprisoned husband, in this enthralling and emotional drama from Chinese master Zhang Yimou (Raise the Red Lantern, Hero). Feng Wanyu (played by superstar Gong Li) is a teacher whose husband, Lu Yanshi (Chen Daoming) falls afoul of the authorities in the early 1970s. He’s sent away for “re-education,” leaving Feng alone with their only daughter, a spoiled ballet student named Dandan (Zhang Huiwen). When Lu escapes and attempts to make his way home, Dandan – who had been denied the leading role in a new production due to her father’s branding as an ideological outcast – commits a heartbreaking betrayal. Re-teaming with Zhang after their celebrated collaborations on such classics as Red Sorghum, Ju Dou, and Raise the Red Lantern, the luminous Gong expands her remarkable range even further with her performance as a woman pushed to the brink of mental collapse. For his part, Zhang masterfully balances intimate drama and political allegory within his deceptively simple story, demonstrating once again that his creative fire remains undiminished.

Sponsored By:

[/fullwidth]
[fullwidth ]

Tickets: Adults $10, Seniors/Students $8
(prices include HST)
Advance tickets available two weeks before each screening at Uptown theatre and MacLaren Art Centre, or day of screening. Box office opens one hour before first screening of the day.

COMING HOME - 7PM
2015-11-04 19:00 | Annual Barrie Film Festival
[fullwidth ]

Coming Home
Screening:
November 4, 2015 – 7pm
Location: Uptown Theatre, 55 Dunlop Street West, Barrie
Directed by: Zhang Yimou
Cast: Gong Li, Chen Daoming and Zhang HuiwenDrama, PG for mature themes, 109 minutes, Mandarin with English subtitles (China)
“Emotionally Powerful. Richly Nuanced.” – Didi Kirsten Tatlow, THE NEW YORK TIMES

In the aftermath of the Cultural Revolution, an amnesiac woman struggles to regain her memory and reconnect with her long-imprisoned husband, in this enthralling and emotional drama from Chinese master Zhang Yimou (Raise the Red Lantern, Hero). Feng Wanyu (played by superstar Gong Li) is a teacher whose husband, Lu Yanshi (Chen Daoming) falls afoul of the authorities in the early 1970s. He’s sent away for “re-education,” leaving Feng alone with their only daughter, a spoiled ballet student named Dandan (Zhang Huiwen). When Lu escapes and attempts to make his way home, Dandan – who had been denied the leading role in a new production due to her father’s branding as an ideological outcast – commits a heartbreaking betrayal. Re-teaming with Zhang after their celebrated collaborations on such classics as Red Sorghum, Ju Dou, and Raise the Red Lantern, the luminous Gong expands her remarkable range even further with her performance as a woman pushed to the brink of mental collapse. For his part, Zhang masterfully balances intimate drama and political allegory within his deceptively simple story, demonstrating once again that his creative fire remains undiminished.

Sponsored By:

[/fullwidth]
[fullwidth ]

Tickets: Adults $10, Seniors/Students $8
(prices include HST)
Advance tickets available two weeks before each screening at Uptown theatre and MacLaren Art Centre, or day of screening. Box office opens one hour before first screening of the day.

COMING HOME - 4PM
2015-11-04 16:00 | Annual Barrie Film Festival
[fullwidth ]

Coming Home
Screening:
November 4, 2015 – 4pm
Location: Uptown Theatre, 55 Dunlop Street West, Barrie
Directed by: Zhang Yimou
Cast: Gong Li, Chen Daoming and Zhang HuiwenDrama, PG for mature themes, 109 minutes, Mandarin with English subtitles (China)
“Emotionally Powerful. Richly Nuanced.” – Didi Kirsten Tatlow, THE NEW YORK TIMES

In the aftermath of the Cultural Revolution, an amnesiac woman struggles to regain her memory and reconnect with her long-imprisoned husband, in this enthralling and emotional drama from Chinese master Zhang Yimou (Raise the Red Lantern, Hero). Feng Wanyu (played by superstar Gong Li) is a teacher whose husband, Lu Yanshi (Chen Daoming) falls afoul of the authorities in the early 1970s. He’s sent away for “re-education,” leaving Feng alone with their only daughter, a spoiled ballet student named Dandan (Zhang Huiwen). When Lu escapes and attempts to make his way home, Dandan – who had been denied the leading role in a new production due to her father’s branding as an ideological outcast – commits a heartbreaking betrayal. Re-teaming with Zhang after their celebrated collaborations on such classics as Red Sorghum, Ju Dou, and Raise the Red Lantern, the luminous Gong expands her remarkable range even further with her performance as a woman pushed to the brink of mental collapse. For his part, Zhang masterfully balances intimate drama and political allegory within his deceptively simple story, demonstrating once again that his creative fire remains undiminished.

Sponsored By:

[/fullwidth]
[fullwidth ]

Tickets: Adults $10, Seniors/Students $8
(prices include HST)
Advance tickets available two weeks before each screening at Uptown theatre and MacLaren Art Centre, or day of screening. Box office opens one hour before first screening of the day.

RELATIVE HAPPINESS - 7PM
2015-10-26 19:00 - 20:40 | Annual Barrie Film Festival
Relative Happiness – Added screening!
Screening:
Monday, October 26, 7:00 pm,
Uptown Theatre, Screen 1
Co-written and Directed by Deanne Foley
Canada / 2015 / Romantic/Comedy / Rated 14A for sexual content and coarse language / 97 min.
Plus–sized and 30 years old, Lexie Ivy (Melissa Bergland) is a feisty Bed & Breakfast owner who desperately needs a date for her sister’s wedding. In small town Nova Scotia that’s no easy task, especially when the most eligible bachelor is Joss (Aaron Poole), a rough-around-the-edges handyman who’s fixing her roof. When handsome and charming guest Adrian (Johnathan Sousa) arrives and seems to take an interest in her, Lexie thinks that all her problems are solved. But she misreads the situation and is soon reeling, left to believe that her romantic dream has slipped away… perhaps forever. After a series of hilarious mishaps and a reality check or two, Lexie opens her heart and eyes to see that love may be a lot closer than she thought. Based on the best-selling novel by Lesley Crewe.

WHAT WE DID ON OUR HOLIDAY - 8:30PM
2015-10-25 20:30 - 22:05 | Annual Barrie Film Festival
What We Did On Our Holiday – Festival Closer
Screening:
Sunday, October 25, 8:30 pm
Uptown Theatre, Screen 1
Written and Directed by Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin
United Kingdom / 2014 / Comedy/Drama / Rated PG for some thematic elements and coarse language / 95 min.
A hilarious journey through an unforgettable family holiday as a couple attempts to keep their impending divorce secret from their extended family. Doug (David Tennant) and Abi (Rosamund Pike) and their three children travel to the Scottish Highlands for Doug’s father Gordie’s (Billy Connolly) birthday party, where it’s soon clear that when it comes to keeping their secret under wraps, their children are their
biggest liability.
Sponsored by TD Wealth

Watch the trailer here!

LOVE & MERCY - 7:30PM
2015-10-25 19:30 - 21:35 | Annual Barrie Film Festival
Love & Mercy
Screening:
Sunday, October 25, 7:30 pm
Uptown Theatre, Screen 4
Directed by Bill Pohlad
USA / 2014 / Drama/Biography / Rated 14A for thematic elements, drug content and language / 122 min.
Love & Mercy paints an unconventional portrait of Beach Boys multi-tasking frontman and co-founder Brian Wilson (portrayed by both John Cusack and Paul Dano). The film intimately examines the unique journey and ultimate salvation of this musical icon whose legendary success was achieved at extraordinary personal cost.
Sponsored by

Watch the trailer here!

COURT - 6PM
2015-10-25 18:00 - 19:55 | Annual Barrie Film Festival
Court
Screening:
Sunday, October 25, 6:00 pm
Uptown Theatre, Screen 1
Written and Directed by Chaitanya Tamhane
India / 2014 / Drama / Rated G / Gujarati, Hindi, English and Marathi with English subtitles / 116 min.
A sewage worker’s dead body is found inside a manhole in Mumbai and subsequently, an aging folk singer is arrested and accused of performing an inflammatory song which may have incited the worker to commit suicide. As the trial unfolds in a lower court, the hopes and dreams of the city’s ordinary people are played out, and forging these fates are the lawyers and judge, who are observed in their personal lives beyond the theatre of the courtroom.
Watch the trailer here!

KUMIKO - 5PM
2015-10-25 17:00 - 18:45 | Annual Barrie Film Festival
Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter
Screening:
Sunday, October 25, 5:00 pm
Uptown Theatre, Screen 4

Co-written and Directed by David Zellner
USA / 2014 / Drama / Rated G / English and Japanese with English subtitles / 105 min.
In this darkly comedic odyssey, Academy Award nominee Rinko Kikuchi (Babel, Pacific Rim) stars as Kumiko, a frustrated Office Lady whose imagination transcends the confines of her mundane life. Kumiko becomes obsessed with a mysterious, battered VHS tape of a popular film she’s mistaken for a documentary, fixating on a scene where a suitcase of stolen cash is buried in the desolate, frozen landscape of North Dakota. Believing this treasure to be real, she leaves Tokyo and her beloved rabbit Bunzo behind to recover it… and finds herself on a dangerous adventure unlike anything she’s seen in the movies.

RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK: THE ADAPTATION - 3PM
2015-10-25 15:00 | Annual Barrie Film Festival
Here is your chance to see the original fan film “Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation”. This is the subject of documentary “Raiders!”

Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation
Directed by Eric Zala
USA / 1989 / Adventure / Not rated / 100 min.
FREE Screening:
Sunday, October 25, 3:00 pm
Uptown Theatre, screen 1
From 1982-1989, this shot-for-shot remake of Raiders of the Lost Ark was produced and directed by three boys from the Mississippi Gulf Coast: Chris Strompolos, Eric Zala and Jayson Lamb.

BEHIND THE CAMERA - 2PM
2015-10-25 14:00 | BFF20 Program_4 FINAL.indd
Behind the Camera
Live on-stage discussion with MICHAEL McGOWAN
Sunday, October 25, 2:00 pm
Mady Centre for the Performing Arts, 1 Dunlop St., W., Barrie
Tickets: $15
We invite you to a special facilitated talk with film producer, writer, director Michael McGowan, and guest host Thom Ernst, an on-air film critic, playwright, freelance writer and columnist.
As a filmmaker, the Toronto-born McGowan is a multi-hyphenate, professional, whose features include Still Mine, Score: A Hockey Musical, One Week and Saint Ralph. This event will offer an opportunity to hear him discuss his work and provide insight into what drives this great Canadian artist. His broad area of experience covers many areas such as writing, directing and producing for both film and television.
After the screening you are welcome to join us downstairs for some hors d’oeuvres catered by Cravings. Cash bar.
Advance tickets are available at Uptown Theatre and MacLaren Art Centre
Sponsored by:

GUEST FACILITATOR:

Thom Ernst was the producer and host of TVO’s Saturday Night at the Movies, and has been with the team since 1998. He’s covered over 15 years of the Toronto International Film Festival and has appeared as a regular film critic and commentator on TVO’s More to Life, Studio 2, The Agenda with Steve Paikin, NewsTalk1010 with Richard Crouse, CBC Fresh Air, and CBC Radio Syndication. Ernst’s reviews have appeared in The Toronto Star and he had a bi-weekly column in Toromagazine where he covered film and did in-depth one-on-one interviews with filmmakers, screenwriters, actors, and authors. Presently Thom is working on a feature documentary with award-winning filmmaker, Matt Gallagher.

Michael McGowan’s Filmography:
Still Mine (2012) which was based on a true story starred James Cromwell and Geneviève Bujold and won five awards including the Directors Guild of Canada and a Genie for James Cromwell’s performance in the lead role. Score: A Hockey Musical, starring Olivia Newton-John, opened five major 2010 Canadian festivals (Toronto, Atlantic, Sudbury, Calgary and Edmonton) and screened as the Anniversary Gala at the Vancouver Film Festival. It went on to win the Best Fiction Feature Award at the Chicago International Movies and Music Festival. One Week (2008) took in $1.3 million at the Canadian box office, won numerous festival awards and garnered Joshua Jackson a Genie Award for best actor. It was picked up in the U.S. by IFC and has sold internationally. Saint Ralph (2004) won an array of international prizes and was distributed in Canada, the U.S. and around the world, including major releases in Japan, Germany, France and South Korea. Winner of the WGC Canadian Screenwriting Award for Best Screenplay, the Directors Guild Award for Best Director, and nominated for five Genie Awards, including Best Feature Film, Saint Ralph created a box office sensation in Japan. It also won the Grand Prix at the Paris Film Festival, the Audience Award at the London Film Festival and the People’s Choice Award for the Canadian Film Circuit. McGowan is also the creator and executive producer of the stop-motion animated children’s TV series, Henry’s World, which is broadcast in over 50 countries worldwide and has won a variety of awards, including the Alliance for Children and Television Award of Excellence. McGowan is the best-selling author of the Young Adult novel Newton and the Giant. published in 2003 by HarperCollins, and the sequel Newton and the Time Travel Machine, released in 2008. Recently Michael McGowan has been involved with TV series such as writing and directing Between (2015) and he directed two episodes of Murdoch Mysteries (2014).

Presented in Partnership with TIFF Film Circuit

SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE - 1PM
2015-10-25 13:00 - 14:25 | Annual Barrie Film Festival
Shaun the Sheep Movie
SCREENING:
Sunday, October 25, 1:00 pm
Uptown Theatre, Screen 1
Written and Directed by Mark Burton and Richard Starzak
United Kingdom/France / 2015 / Animated/Comedy/Family / Rated G, some rude humour / 85 min.
“Plenty of bigger, more grown-up movies could learn a thing or two from its humanity.” – Bilge Ebiri, NEW YORK MAGAZINE/VULTURE
Shaun is a clever, mischievous sheep who lives with his flock on Mossy Bottom Farm under the nominal supervision of The Farmer, and Bitzer, a well-meaning but ineffectual sheepdog. Despite Shaun’s best efforts, life on the farm has fallen into a bit of a rut, and Shaun concocts a cunning plan to have a day off. However, his plans backfire and events rapidly escalate out of control, with the mischief inadvertently leading to the hapless Farmer being taken away. With the flock’s help, Shaun must leave the farm for the first time and travel into the Big City in order to rescue his owner… and failure is not an option.
NOMINATED – Best Children’s Film, Jerusalem Film Festival, 2015
WON – 2nd place Audience Award, Best Narrative Feature, Nantucket Film Festival, 2015
NOMINATED – Best Animation Film, Shanghai International Film Festival, 2015
NOMINATED – Films4Families Youth Jury Award and Golden Space Needle Award for Best Film, Seattle International Film Festival, 2015

’71 - 9:30PM
2015-10-24 21:30 - 23:10 | Annual Barrie Film Festival
’71
Screening:
Saturday, October 24, 9:30 pm
Uptown Theatre, Screen 4
Directed by Yann Demange
UK / 2014 / Action/Drama/Thriller / Rated 14A for coarse language, strong graphic violence, disturbing images, crude content, not suggested for young or sensitive viewers / 99 min.
A young British soldier (Jack O’Connell) is accidentally abandoned by his unit following a riot on the streets of Belfast in 1971. Unable to tell friend from foe, and increasingly wary of his own comrades, the raw recruit must survive the night alone and find his way to safety through an unfamiliar and deadly landscape.
Watch the trailer here!

PAWN SACRIFICE - 7:30PM
2015-10-24 19:30 - 21:25 | Annual Barrie Film Festival
Pawn Sacrifice
Screening:
Saturday, October 24, 7:30 pm
Uptown Theatre, Screen 1
Directed by Edward Zwick
USA / 2015 / Biography/Drama / Rated PG for some language and sexual content / 116 min.
In a gripping true story set during the height of the Cold War, American chess prodigy Bobby Fischer (Tobey Maguire) finds himself caught between two superpowers when he challenges the Soviet Union and its greatest player, Boris Spassky (Liev Schreiber) for the World Championship. Pawn Sacrifice chronicles Fischer’s terrifying struggles with genius and madness, and the rise and fall of a kid from Brooklyn who captured the imagination of the world.
Sponsored by

Watch the trailer here!

WHITE GOD - 7PM
2015-10-24 19:00 - 21:00 | Annual Barrie Film Festival
White God
Screening:
Saturday, October 24, 7:00 pm,
Uptown Theatre, Screen 4
Co-written and Directed by Kornél Mundruczó
Hungary/Germany/Sweden / 2014 / Drama/Thriller / Rated 14A for graphic violence and coarse language. NOTE: this is NOT a family film and not suggested for young or sensitive viewers / Hungarian with English subtitles / 119 min.
Winner of the Un Certain Regard Prize at the 2014 Cannes Festival, Kornel Mundruczó’s newest film is a story of the indignities visited upon animals by their supposed human superiors, but it’s also a starkly beautiful metaphor for the political and cultural tensions sweeping contemporary Europe. When young Lili is forced to give up her beloved dog Hagen because its mixed-breed heritage is deemed ‘unfit’ by The State, she and the dog embark upon a dangerous journey back towards each other. At the same time, all the other unwanted, unloved and so-called ‘unfit’ dogs rise up under their new leader Hagen – the one-time house pet – who, in his terrible journey through the streets and animal control centers, has learned all too well from his ‘Masters’ that man is not always dog’s best friend…
Watch the trailer here!

SUNSHINE SUPERMAN - 5:30PM
2015-10-24 17:30 - 19:10 | Annual Barrie Film Festival
Sunshine Superman
Screening:
Saturday, October 24, 5:30 pm
Uptown Theatre, Screen 1
Written and Directed by Marah Strauch
Norway/USA / 2014 / Documentary/Biography / Rated PG for coarse language and tobacco use / 102 min.
A heart-racing documentary portrait of Carl Boenish, the father of the BASE jumping movement, whose early passion for skydiving led him to ever more spectacular – and dangerous – feats of foot-launched human flight.
Watch the trailer here!

SLOW WEST - 4PM
2015-10-24 16:00 - 17:25 | Annual Barrie Film Festival
Slow West
Screening:
Saturday, October 24, 4:00 pm
Uptown Theatre, Screen 4
Written and Directed by John Maclean
UK/New Zealand / 2015 / Action/Thriller/Western / Rated 14A for graphic violence and brief coarse language / English and French with English subtitles / 84 min.
Set in 19th century Colorado but undeniably European in sensibility, Slow West tells the story of sixteen-year-old Jay Cavendish (Kodi Smit-McPhee) as he travels from Scotland to Colorado in pursuit of his lost love. Quickly confronted by the dangers of the American frontier, he teams up with a mysterious traveler named Silas (Michael Fassbender) who agrees to protect him – for a price. Jay’s quest will be one of double-crossing peril and violence, as the guileless adolescent learns that the West takes no pity, least of all on the innocent.
Watch the trailer here!

RAIDERS! (doc) - 3PM
2015-10-24 15:00 | Annual Barrie Film Festival
Raiders!
The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made
Directed by Jeremy Coon and Tim Skousen
USA / 2015 / Documentary / Rated G / 104 min.
SCREENING:
Saturday, October 24, 3:00 pm
Uptown Theatre, screen 1
“Fans of film, filmmaking and ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ are going to adore ‘Raiders!’ ” – Germain Lussier, SLASHFILM.COM
In 1982, three 11-year-olds in Mississippi set out to remake their favourite film: Raiders of the Lost Ark. It took seven turbulent years and severely tested the limits of their friendship. By the end – and nearly burning down one of their houses in the process – they had completed every scene except one. Thirty years later, they attempt to finally complete their childhood dream by building a replica of the 75 foot “Flying Wing” plane from Raiders in a mud pit in the backwoods of Mississippi… and then proceeding to blow it up. This documentary delivers the remarkable story behind the making of what is known as “the greatest fan film ever made”.

Once you’ve seen this documentary of the story behind “Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation”, you will likely want to see the original fan film… and here is your chance!

Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation
Directed by Eric Zala
USA / 1989 / Adventure / Not rated / 100 min.
FREE Screening: Sunday, October 25, 3:00 pm, Uptown Theatre, screen 1
From 1982-1989, this shot-for-shot remake of Raiders of the Lost Ark was produced and directed by three boys from the Mississippi Gulf Coast: Chris Strompolos, Eric Zala and Jayson Lamb.

I AM BIG BIRD - 1:30PM
2015-10-24 13:30 - 15:00 | Annual Barrie Film Festival
I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story
Screening:
Saturday, October 24, 1:30 pm
Uptown Theatre, Screen 4
Directed by Chad N. Walker, Co-Directed and written by Dave LaMattina
USA / 2014 / Documentary / Rated PG / 90 min.
For 45 years, Caroll Spinney has been beloved by generations of children as the man behind Sesame Street’s Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch – and at 80 years old, he has no intention of stopping. A loving portrait of the man in the yellow suit, I Am Big Bird features extraordinary footage of Spinney’s earliest collaborations with Jim Henson, as it traces his journey from bullied child to childhood icon. And as the yellow feathers give way to grey hair, it is the man, not the puppet, who will steal your heart.

“#1. Must-List: “A loving documentary about a puppeteer who’s brightened the lives of countless children weaned on Sesame Street.” – Entertainment Weekly Must List
“A behind-the-feathers look at the soul of Sesame Street.” – Eliza Berman, TIME
“A facscinating and life-affirming story” – Bruce DeMara, TORONTO STAR
“An involving and affectionate study of Caroll Spinney, whose Sesame Street bird we’ve all been following for almost half a century.” – Alan Scherstuhl, THE VILLAGE VOICE

WON – Audience Award – Honorable Mention, Philadelphia Film Festival, 2014
WON – 3rd Place, Golden Space Needle Award, Best Documentary, Seattle International Film Festival
NOMINATED – Audience Award, Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, 2014
NOMINATED – People’s Choice Award, Melbourne International Film Festival, 2014
NOMINATED – Best Documentary, Cleveland International Film Festival, 2015

FRANCOFONIA - 1PM
2015-10-24 13:00 - 14:25 | Annual Barrie Film Festival
Francofonia
Screening:
Saturday, October 24, 1:00 pm
Uptown Theatre, Screen 1
Written and Directed by Alexander Sokurov / France/Germany/Netherlands / 2015 / Drama / Rated PG / French, German, Russian with English subtitles / 87 min.
June 1940: as German troops marched into Paris, Jacques Jaujard and Count Franziskus Wolff Metternich worked together to protect and preserve the treasures of the Louvre Museum. At the very heart of one of the most devastating conflicts the world has ever known, Russian master filmmaker Alexander Sokurov (Russian Ark) dramatizes their story, asking what art tells us about ourselves as he explores the relationship between art, culture and power. This film had its North American Premiere at TIFF 2015.
Watch the trailer here!

THE AFTER PARTY - 9PM
2015-10-23 21:00 | Georgian BMW, 220 Essa Road, Barrie, Ontario, Canada
The After Party
Friday, October 23, 9:00 pm
Georgian BMW (Showroom), 220 Essa Road, Barrie
Tickets: $35
Check out the Barrie Film Festival’s After Party and see how we do celebration! We’re kicking off the evening at Uptown Theatre with our gala screening of Love & Mercy, an extraordinary film about the life, loves and genius of The Beach Boy’s Brian Wilson.
Afterwards, make your way to Georgian BMW for a rockin’ beach party. Dance the night away to great live music by The Dirty Little Swing Thing and tantalize your taste buds with fabulous food catered by five of our local restaurants: this exciting event on your festival calendar is the perfect opportunity for everyone to talk movies and get their groove on! Cash bar.

Sponsored by:

Venue provided by:

Bar:

Event Sponsors:

LOVE & MERCY - 7PM
2015-10-23 19:00 - 21:05 | Annual Barrie Film Festival
Love & Mercy – Gala Screening night
Screening:
Friday, October 23, 7:00 pm,
Uptown Theatre, Screen 1
Directed by Bill Pohlad
USA / 2014 / Drama/Biography / Rated 14A for thematic elements, drug content and language / 122 min.
Love & Mercy paints an unconventional portrait of Beach Boys multi-tasking frontman and co-founder Brian Wilson (portrayed by both John Cusack and Paul Dano). The film intimately examines the unique journey and ultimate salvation of this musical icon whose legendary success was achieved at extraordinary personal cost.
Sponsored by

Watch the trailer here!

HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD - 4PM
2015-10-23 16:00 - 17:50 | Annual Barrie Film Festival
How To Change The World
Screening:
Friday, October 23, 4:00 pm
Uptown Theatre, Screen 1
Written and Directed by Jerry Rothwell
Canada/USA / 2015 / Documentary/Adventure / Rated PG for language, restrained portrayals of limited violence and disturbing scenes / 109 min.
In 1971, a group of friends sailed into a nuclear test zone and their protest captured the world’s imagination. Using archival film footage that brings their extraordinary and historic exploits to life, How To Change The World tells the story of the idealistic pioneers who founded Greenpeace and in the process, defined the modern environmental movement.

GRANDMA - 9:30PM
2015-10-22 21:30 - 22:50 | Annual Barrie Film Festival
Grandma
SCREENING:
Thursday, October 22, 9:30 pm
Uptown Theatre, screen 1

Written and Directed by Paul Weitz
USA / 2015 / Comedy/Drama / Rated 14A for mature themes, coarse language and some drug use / 80 min.

“This constantly surprising character piece should spark deserved awards chatter for Tomlin.” – Scott Foundas, VARIETY
“A story about three generations of women and how they interact with each other. Lily Tomlin adds heart, soul, and, naturally, tons of comedy.” – Brian Moylan, THE GUARDIAN
“Tomlin’s greatest role since ‘Nashville.’ Genuinely funny, totally smart, and generous.” – Nathaniel Rogers, THE FILM EXPERIENCE
“A refreshingly modest, no-frills movie that is character-driven in the most rewarding possible sense.” – David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter

Comedy legend Lily Tomlin shines in this spirited and touching film from director Paul Weitz (About a Boy), which plays out as a sharply observed comedy-drama about intergenerational relationships and the ways in which our past is never really left behind.
Elle Reid (Tomlin) has just gotten through breaking up with her girlfriend, when granddaughter Sage (Julia Garner) unexpectedly shows up needing six hundred dollars before sundown. Temporarily broke, Grandma Elle and Sage spend the day trying to get their hands on the cash, as their unannounced visits to old friends and flames end up rattling skeletons and dredging up secrets.

’71 - 7:30PM
2015-10-22 19:30 - 21:10 | Annual Barrie Film Festival
’71
Screening:
Thursday, October 22, 7:30 pm,
Uptown Theatre, Screen 4
Directed by Yann Demange
UK / 2014 / Action/Drama/Thriller / Rated 14A for coarse language, strong graphic violence, disturbing images, crude content, not suggested for young or sensitive viewers / 99 min.
A young British soldier (Jack O’Connell) is accidentally abandoned by his unit following a riot on the streets of Belfast in 1971. Unable to tell friend from foe, and increasingly wary of his own comrades, the raw recruit must survive the night alone and find his way to safety through an unfamiliar and deadly landscape.
Watch the trailer here!

99 HOMES - 7PM
2015-10-22 19:00 - 20:55 | Annual Barrie Film Festival
99 Homes
Screening:
Thursday, October 22, 7:00 pm
Uptown Theatre, Screen 1

Co-written and Directed by Ramin Bahrani
USA / 2014 / Drama / Rated 14A for coarse language including some sexual references, and a brief violent image / 112 min.
In this timely thriller, single father Dennis Nash (Andrew Garfield) is evicted from his home and his only chance to win it back is to go to work for Rick Carver (Michael Shannon), the charismatic and ruthless businessman who evicted him in the first place. This deal with the devil provides security for his family but as Nash falls deeper into Carver’s web, he finds his situation growing increasingly more brutal and dangerous than he had ever imagined.

TESTAMENT OF YOUTH - 4PM
2015-10-22 16:00 - 18:10 | Annual Barrie Film Festival
Testament of Youth
Screening:
Thursday, October 22, 4:00 pm
Uptown Theatre, Screen 1
Directed by James Kent
United Kingdom / 2014 / Biography/Drama / Rated PG for mature material, including gory and disturbing war-related scenes / 129 min.
A powerful story of love and remembrance, Testament of Youth is based on the First World War memoir by Vera Brittain, an account which has become the classic testimony of that war from a woman’s point of view. Following the searing journey from youthful hopes and dreams to the edge of despair and back again, it’s a film about young love, the futility of war and how to make the most sense of the darkest times.
Watch the trailer here!

TESTAMENT OF YOUTH - 7PM
2015-10-21 19:00 - 21:10 | Annual Barrie Film Festival
Testament of Youth
Screening:
Wednesday, October 21, 7:00 pm,
Uptown Theatre, Screen 1
Directed by James Kent
United Kingdom / 2014 / Biography/Drama / Rated PG for mature material, including gory and disturbing war-related scenes / 129 min.
A powerful story of love and remembrance, Testament of Youth is based on the First World War memoir by Vera Brittain, an account which has become the classic testimony of that war from a woman’s point of view. Following the searing journey from youthful hopes and dreams to the edge of despair and back again, it’s a film about young love, the futility of war and how to make the most sense of the darkest times.
Watch the trailer here!

COURT - 4PM
2015-10-21 16:00 - 17:55 | Annual Barrie Film Festival
Court
Screening:
Wednesday, October 21, 4:00 pm,
Uptown Theatre, Screen 1
Written and Directed by Chaitanya Tamhane
India / 2014 / Drama / Rated G / Gujarati, Hindi, English and Marathi with English subtitles / 116 min.
A sewage worker’s dead body is found inside a manhole in Mumbai and subsequently, an aging folk singer is arrested and accused of performing an inflammatory song which may have incited the worker to commit suicide. As the trial unfolds in a lower court, the hopes and dreams of the city’s ordinary people are played out, and forging these fates are the lawyers and judge, who are observed in their personal lives beyond the theatre of the courtroom.
Watch the trailer here!
