Women's film festival kicks off in St. John's

On Tuesday, October 17, Canada's largest women's film festival will kick off in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Traditionally, it will be held in St. John's, the provincial capital and the second most populous city on the Atlantic coast.

This year's schedule includes 7 big feature-length premieres and a whole host of short films. As always, the variety of genres is huge: from serious documentary projects to charming comedies. The full-length program looks like this:

• "Party Pirate" directed by Ruth Lawrence (comedy about a twice-weekly fired young man who takes a trip with his friends on a stolen boat);
• "Black Barbie" directed by Lageria Davis (a documentary about the arrival of the landmark Mattel doll);
• "Before the Sun" (Aitamaako'tamisskapi Natosi: Before the Sun), directed by Banchi Hanuse (a documentary story about a Siksika woman obsessed with horseback riding);
• Backspot directed by D. Waterson, produced by Elliott Page, starring Devery Jacobs, Kudakwashe Rutendo and Evan Rachel Wood (a drama about two cheerleaders);
• "COVEN" directed by Rama Rowe (a documentary about three millennials exploring magical and occult practices);
• "Happy Days" (Les jours heureux) directed by Chloé Robichaud (French-language musical drama about a conductor trying to sort out her relationship with her toxic father and her romantic crush);
• "The Queen of My Dreams" directed by Fawzia Mirza (a dramedy about the cultural differences between a mother and daughter growing up in Pakistan and Canada).

Tickets range from CA$ 12 (for students for regular screenings) to CA$ 30 (no discounts for gala events). CA$ 0.50 from each ticket sold goes to support the arts in Newfoundland and Labrador. A season pass is available for the festival screenings — for CA$ 99. The shows will run for 5 days: from October 17 to 21.

The St. John's International Women's Film Festival was first held in 1989. It was a response to the gender imbalance in the industry and a protest against the stereotypical and one-sided portrayal of women in film. Over more than three decades, the festival has become a significant event, attracting filmmakers from across Canada and abroad.