Belleville Downtown DocFest

Belleville Downtown DocFest is a documentary film festival held in Belleville, Ontario (Canada) since 2011.[1] The festival seeks to promotes awareness of cultural, economic, and environmental issues and to encourage participation of the community.

History

Belleville Downtown Docfest was cofounded by the creator and producer Gary Magwood, who served as chair for the first six years of the documentary festival.[2] Its roots are in a regular monthly documentary film screening series launched by the Belleville Public Library in 2009, which was then expanded into a full film festival.[3]

For the 2016 edition, the festival held filmmaking workshops and instructors of the Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto (LIFT).[4] In 2018, a filmmaker panel was held in the festival. The festival featured 60 local and international films and with more than 700 visitors. Magwood said only around 10 per cent of the visitors this year were first time attendees.[5]

In 2021, the festival was held virtually.[6] In its 10th edition, three Academy Award shortlisted docs were projected: The Mole Agent (2020), Collective (2019) and Welcome to Chechnya (2020). Other documentaries available by streaming were The Booksellers (2019), Overland (2019) and Youth Unstoppable (2018).[7]

References
  1. Tim Meeks, "Downtown Docfest continues to gain popularity; Ninth year for event with five venues in city's core". Belleville Intelligencer, January 16, 2020.
  2. Meeks, Timothy (13 September 2018). "Four honoured at Arts Recognition Awards". intelligencer. Retrieved 2021-06-22.
  3. Carol Feeney, "Docfest provides insight, education, entertainment". Belleville Intelligencer, February 4, 2011.
  4. Turl, Jeff (23 January 2016). "Filmmaking workshops coming to North Bay". Bay Today. Retrieved 2021-06-22.
  5. "Doc Fest hosts its first filmmakers panel | QNetNews.ca". QNetNews.ca | Quinte's Most Comprehensive News Source. 2018-03-19. Retrieved 2021-06-22.
  6. Holly Dewar, "Belleville’s 10th annual Downtown DocFest goes virtual". Belleville Intelligencer, November 19, 2020.
  7. "Belleville Downtown DocFest 10th Annual Film Fest enters its final weekend". Belleville Intelligencer. 11 March 2021. Retrieved 2021-06-22.
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