The Ottawa Canadian Film Festival celebrates 10 years with 21 films at the Mayfair and ByTowne theatres

For locals who frequent Ottawa's independent theatres, buttered popcorn, retro decor, old-school theatres and a good indie film are all part of a well-spent afternoon or matinee. For local filmmakers, the theatres offer support, attention, resources, and, in a few weeks, an opportunity to share their masterpieces with the community.

From Nov. 6 to 8, both the Mayfair Theatre and ByTowne Cinema will host the annual Ottawa Canadian Film Festival (OCan), which this year celebrates its tenth anniversary by screening films made locally or nationally and bolstering the local film industry.

This year, the festival will showcase 21 Canadian films over four screenings, this time without support from the City. After a decade of programming, OCan is going without city support for the first time, supported instead by local businesses and audiences.

The festival has garnered sponsorships from local businesses like Stella Luna, The Gilmour, and Dessert First, will be screening three films by local filmmakers, and, in addition to partnerships with ByTowne and the Mayfair, continues to build connections in the community.

Ben Bergeron, a filmmaker himself and co-organizer of OCan, said the festival is entering a "new era" with more screenings, more films, and an opportunity to bring attention to emerging and familiar filmmakers. It's the first time the festival has worked with two theatres.

"In past years, we've done three screenings at the ByTowne over three nights. But thankfully, we'll be able to do more this year with adding the second theatre," said Bergeron. "Now we can reach a whole new community of people, a new residential area, and we get to partner with another really exciting historical theatre in Ottawa."

Screenings will take place at the ByTowne on Nov. 6 and 7 and at the Mayfair on Nov. 7 and 8. This year's program includes a screening of Songs For Murdered Sisters, a documentary by Ottawa filmmakers Kyle Megill and John Kealey tied to the 2015 Renfrew County murders. The film follows baritone Joshua Hopkins, whose sister was one of three women killed on Sept. 22, 2015. Hopkins worked with composer Jake Heggie and author Margaret Atwood to create Songs for Murdered Sisters, a Juno-nominated song cycle. 

For filmmakers, festivals like OCan are an opportunity to share their work and get their name and portfolio out into the community. But filmmaking is resource-intensive and often expensive, leading to barriers for independent filmmakers who want to participate.