Regent Park Film Festival Explained

Regent Park Film Festival
Location:Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Founded:2003
Founders:Chandra Siddan

Created in 2003 in Toronto, Ontario, Regent Park Film Festival (RPFF) is a non-profit cultural and educational media arts organization. It’s Toronto’s longest-running, FREE community film festival.

RPFF is dedicated to showcasing local and international independent works relevant to people from all walks of life. The key communities it serves are Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) communities, people with low-income, people who live in public housing, and Regent Park residents.[1] [2]

RPFF programs the most aesthetically interesting, educational, thought-provoking, and entertaining films from Toronto and around the world, placing emphasis on works that represent culturally diverse experiences. RPFF showcases films of all genres, (documentary, fiction, animation, experimental) on themes which reflect the communities its serves, such as urbanization, racial justice, community activism, immigrant experiences, experiences of working class, and cultural identity.

Since its inception in 2003, it has been vital to RPFF’s mission to offer programming that is free and accessible to everyone, regardless of financial or social status. Removing barriers to participation is core to its mission and why they also provide free childcare, free film submissions, and pay all artists for their work and participation.

History

In 2003, Chandra Siddan, a filmmaker and student in the York University's "Regent Park Community Education Program", founded the RPFF as an alternative educational setting for an assignment with support from her instructor Jeff Kugler, principal of Nelson Mandela Park Public School, who offered his school as the venue for the event, and Professor Harry Smaller who garnered broadly-based support from the University.[3] [4]

For seven years, the festival screened at Nelson Mandela Park Public School before moving to Lord Dufferin Public School in 2010 and 2011.[5] [6] [7] On its tenth anniversary in 2012, RPFF and its offices moved into the Daniels Spectrum cultural hub and started delivering year-round programming, such as workshops and community screenings.

In addition to its annual film festival, RPFF hosts an outdoor summer film series, called Under the Stars, present year-round community screenings, panel discussions, filmmaking workshops, paid industry internships, and an annual School Programs all at no cost to attendees or participants.

In 2007, a year after RPFF incorporated, Siddan stepped down as Festival Director and was replaced by Karin Haze until 2010,[8] Richard Fung in 2011, Ananya Ohri from 2012 to 2018, Tendisai Cromwell from 2018 to 2019,[9] [10] Angela Britto from 2019 to 2022 [11] and, as of 2022, Kalpana Srinarayanadas.[12]

Programming and projects

In addition to the film festival, RPFF provides year round programming including:

Home Made Visible project

In 2017, the RPFF embarked on a three-year project titled "Home Made Visible" after receiving funding from the Canadian Council for the Arts New Chapter.[13] The three-part nationwide project:

This project received nationwide media coverage.[16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26]

In 2019, the project received Lieutenant Governor's Ontario Heritage Award for Excellence in Conservation from the Ontario Heritage Trust.[27]

In 2020, the project was shortlisted for the Governor General Canada's History Award for Excellence in Community Programming.[28]

Notable filmmakers, curators, programmers, and guests

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Wilner. Norman. 2018-11-14. Film festival of the week: Regent Park Film Festival. . 2020-09-17.
  2. News: Gormely. Ian. 2013-11-07. Park yourself at this T.O. fest. 29. Metro.
  3. Web site: 2003-11-13. York U. Alumna launches first Regent Park Film Festival. York Media Relations . en-US . 2020-09-21.
  4. Web site: Regent Park Film Festival - York University Libraries Clara Thomas Archives & Special Collections. atom.library.yorku.ca . 2020-09-21.
  5. Web site: Regent Park Film Festival 2010. www.blogto.com . en . 2020-09-21.
  6. Web site: Torontoist. 2011-11-02. Regent Park Film Fest's Graduation Party. Torontoist . 2020-09-21.
  7. Web site: Wilner. Norman. 2010-10-28. Regent Park Film Festival. NOW Magazine . 2020-09-21.
  8. Web site: 2016-09-26 . Regent Park Film Festival . Ocad University . 2020-09-21.
  9. Web site: Wilner. Norman. 2018-11-14. Film festival of the week: Regent Park Film Festival. NOW Magazine . 2020-09-21.
  10. Web site: Introducing Our New Executive Director, Tendisai Cromwell! — Regent Park Film Festival. Regent Park Film Festival . 2020-09-21.
  11. Web site: Weche. Meres J.. Podcast Ep. 9 — A conversation with Angela Britto, executive director. AfroToronto . en-gb . 2020-09-21.
  12. Web site: de Vera . Amira . Press Release - 20th Annual Regent Park Film Festival .
  13. Web site: About. Home Made Visible . 2020-09-21.
  14. Web site: Home Made Visible collection - York University Libraries Clara Thomas Archives & Special Collections. atom.library.yorku.ca . 2020-09-21.
  15. Web site: 2018. Home Made Visible. V Tape . 2020-09-21.
  16. Web site: Project Coordinator on Raw Colours (Winnipeg Radio). homemadevisible.ca . 2020-09-21.
  17. Web site: 2020-01-02. Uncovering the Past. American Libraries Magazine . en-US . 2020-09-21.
  18. Web site: Darbyson. Kyle. Cree filmmaker showcases the importance of preserving home movies. Thompson Citizen . 2020-09-21.
  19. Web site: 2018-04-26. Making private moments public -- the 'Homemade Visible' Project. rabble.ca . en . 2020-09-21.
  20. Web site: 2018-10-18. New Toronto film project aims to preserve the pasts of Indigenous and visible minority communities. This Magazine . en-CA . 2020-09-21.
  21. News: Rent. Suzanne. 2019-10-03. Project works to preserve home films. The Chronicle Herald. 2020-09-21.
  22. Web site: Archives Week – Artspeak Digest Radio interview with Ananya Ohri!. homemadevisible.ca . 2020-09-21.
  23. Web site: 2019-12-08. An inside look at how the Raptors' kid dancers went from novelty act to regular showstoppers. The Star . en . 2020-09-21.
  24. Web site: Myseum of Toronto Connects: Documenting Diverse Histories. Myseum . en-CA . 2020-09-21.
  25. Web site: Sutherland. Tammie. 2019-05-07. How your home videos could contribute to Canadian archives. 680 News . 2020-09-21.
  26. News: Patil. Anjuli. 2019-02-03. Toronto groups seeks home video from N.S. Indigenous, black communities. CBC. 2020-09-21.
  27. Web site: 2020-02-13. 2019 recipients. Ontario Heritage Trust . en-US . 2020-09-21.
  28. Web site: 5 October 2020. 2020 Shortlist for the Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Community Programming.
  29. Web site: About / Streel Films / Michelle Latimer / Independent Production Company. www.streelfilms.com . 2020-09-21.
  30. Web site: Michelle Latimer. WIDC . en-US . 2020-09-21.
  31. Web site: Regent Park Film Festival – National Canadian Film Day. en-US . 2020-09-21.
  32. Web site: Torontoist. The Regent Park Film Festival Takes the Local Approach. Torontoist . 2020-09-21.
  33. Web site: Regent Park Film Festival gives local talent the spotlight CBC News.
  34. Web site: nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up. regentparkfilmfestival.com.
  35. Web site: Docs Screening in Canada This Week (Nov. 19 - 26) – Point of View Magazine. povmagazine.com . en . 2020-09-21.

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