Something for everyone at 5th Charlottetown Film Festival

It is the fifth year for the Charlottetown Film Festival next weekend at City Cinema.

There will be documentaries, horror movies, films for young viewers, francophone programming and an emphasis on homegrown talent.

The sold-out screenings for the festival's opening night will feature work created entirely by Islanders.

"I'm so excited about the stage that our film industry is at now here on P.E.I.," says founder and director of the festival Cheryl Wagner.

"I call this film festival the little film festival of big dreams. It's like the big dreams have come true," she said.

Ten years in the making

Ten years ago, many who were interested in producing films on the Island would meet in Wagner's living room. The group called itself the Film Factory, she said.

"We were dreaming of what we could make it happen here — let's not all run away and go somewhere else."

Wagner said up until about a year and a half ago, P.E.I. was the only province without provincial support for film.

"That happened and the harvest of that is now playing at our fifth annual Charlottetown Film Festival," Wagner said.

Furball, created by Jason Rogerson, is one of the films being featured at the festival.

Some of the offerings on opening night are Hot or Not by Ryan McCarvill, The Irving Tower by Olivia King, Sunnyside by Jenna MacMillan, Elle Tempête by Millefiore Clarkes and Dance Into the Light by John Hopkins, among others.

Adam Perry is another Island director with a film featured at the festival.

His short film, A Blessing from the Sea, will be screened over the weekend. That short film is now being turned into a feature-length movie.

Though Friday night is sold out, there are tickets for Saturday and Sunday available though the festival website.

There is also a free event Sunday for families featuring Hello Eckhart an animated series produced in Charlottetown.

More P.E.I. news