EVENTS SCHEDULE

THURSDAY, JUNE 24

8 PM — HIFF Garden Party
FREE!
Pull out your most breathable linens, wide-brimmed hats, and espadrilles to kick off summer in style at HIFF's opening night (virtual) garden party on June 24, 8–10 p.m.! Join us on Gather as we saunter around the lush pixels and think fondly of festivals past while gazing across the digital river. See old friends, meet new ones, enjoy our surprise-filled scavenger hunt, and toss back a gimlet or two!

SATURDAY, JUNE 26

1 PM — Nova Scotia New Wave
FREE!
In the past five years, Nova Scotia filmmakers have made waves across the country and internationally with limited resources and boundless innovation. In honour of HIFF’s 15th anniversary we’ll speak to some of the artists behind those films—and whose shorts are part of the festival’s retrospective—about the challenges and victories they’ve experienced. Solomon Nagler will lead the discussion with guests Heather Young (Murmur), Ashley McKenzie (Werewolf), Cory Bowles (Black Cop), Bretten Hannam (North Mountain), and Seth A. Smith (The Crescent).

 3 PM — Artist Talk: The American Sector
FREE!
Directors Courtney Stephens and Pacho Velez took a 16mm camera across America for three years, visiting more than 60 pieces of the Berlin Wall that were salvaged and shipped overseas to become public monuments, personal collectibles, and corporate lobby decoration. The film that resulted is The American Sector, “a revelatory experience...a concise and elegantly crafted road trip” (The Hollywood Reporter). Stephens and Velez will discuss the film’s making and take questions from the audience.

SUNDAY, JUNE 27

11 AM — Meet the Funders
FREE!
Funding a film in Nova Scotia is a unique challenge, no matter your experience level. Representatives from key organizations—Lori McCurdy (Telefilm), Rohan Fernando (The National Film Board), and Mickey Quase (Communities, Culture and Heritage’s Screenwriters Development Fund)—will discuss their respective programs and funds, how local artists can access them, and what's changed since COVID.

1 PM — Lifespan of a Short
FREE!
The journey of a short film is curious and unpredictable. The reasons for making them too run the gamut—for a director to learn how to manage a set; to relay an artistic vision that does not need a feature-length runtime; to work toward making a feature; as one tenet of a larger artistic practice. Plus: where do they go once they’ve travelled the festival circuit? Filmmakers will be on hand to discuss why they make short films and how those fit into their larger goals. Moderated by Stephanie Joline with panelists Sophy Romvari (Still Processing), Vincent Toi (Aniskha), and Kevin Hartford (Breakout).