This year, Hyland Cinema and the Forest City Film Festival come together for the first time.
This is an important development for Forest City’s independent cinema scene, bringing together the Forest City Film Festival’s celebration of filmmakers and the Hyland Cinema’s unique film experiences.
The film festival features films from Southwestern Ontario, Canada, and internationally. Meanwhile, the Hyland Cinema has made a name for itself as a home for art house, independent, and international films.
“We talked about what shows our audience and the festival’s audience would be interested in to maximize how many people we can get to come to a show.” Dalton Pike, a manager at the Hyland, stated.
The Hyland Cinema has long offered London audiences an alternative to the traditional multiplex experience, with programming that includes independent productions, international titles and special screenings.
The Forest City Film Festival shares a similar focus on bringing distinctive stories to the big screen, with programming that celebrates regional talent while introducing audiences to films from further afield.
By working together, the two organizations can help expand the reach of festival programming and reinforce the importance of accessible, community-focused cinema.
On Saturday, October 16th, the Hyland had its first screening of the festival. They premiered Club Kid, the directorial debut by comedian and actor Jordan Firstman.
“We thought Club Kid would work well with our crowd, because we do a lot of films that are in talks to be Academy Award-nominated,” Pike said.
The Hyland Cinema also screened Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney on Wednesday. Following a Q&A with the Canadian director Matthew Rankin.
Club Kid and Ladies and Gentlemen, Brain Mulroney is shown on
a poster at the Hyland Cinema on Wednesday, October 21st. Callum Contursi/XFM News
The collaboration comes as the Forest City Film Festival continues to grow as a showcase for regional filmmaking. The festival runs from October 15 to 25, featuring screenings, filmmaker conversations and industry events across London.
