The Empire Theatre to host the first ever Downtown Docfest

By Rhea Munroe

Belleville is presenting the first-ever Downtown Docfest, which will feature many films about different issues, both local and around the world.

The gala for the Downtown Docfest will be held in the Empire Theatre on March 2 at 7 p.m. It will feature music from the documentary Music from the Big House, which will be followed by a live performance by Rita Chiarelli.

Starting at noon on March 2, documentaries will be shown at the CORE at 223 Pinnacle st., followed by the gala at 7 p.m. Films will continue to be shown at the Belleville Public Library and CORE centre starting at noon on March 3. Approximately 30 films will be shown during the festival

Gary Magwood, co-director of Docfest, said that the documentaries will cover a variety of different topics, from poverty to sexual abuse.

“In the news you get 30-second blurbs about what’s going on in the world, a documentary goes deeper into the issue,” said Magwood.

The idea of Downtown Docfest started about a year ago with a “flurry of emails,” said Magwood. By March, all the discussion and planning will take shape when Docfest comes to Belleville.

The committee wants to hold the event for the next three years, in hopes that it will flourish and the anticipation will build each year so that it can continue on past the set time-frame.

Magwood looked at the Peterborough film festival and the eight years it has been running. He said he hopes Belleville will see the same success.

“It has potential,” said Magwood.

Magwood said he is hoping that the wide range of documentaries will spark a conversation within the community about the issues at hand.

There is also hope that Docfest will liven up Belleville’s social calendar. He hopes to show people what Belleville is all about beyond the Quinte Mall.

The documentary festival will be screening approximately 30 films over the two days, using three theatres in the CORE, with a total of 600 seats, and a room in the Belleville Public Library. About three or four of the films are locally-made documentaries.

The Downtown Docfest press release stated that they have “very generous support from Pretsell Cavanaugh Davies Lawyers” for the gala.

“We are pleased to provide our support for the Downtown Belleville Documentary Film Festival,” said Mike Pretsell in the release.

The law firm is also helping to bring the documentary, Music from the Big House, to Docfest. “As documentaries often expose and deal with issues around fairness and injustice, issues that lawyers deal with every day, was the reason we approached a law firm (for sponsorship). We are thrilled to have their support in bringing this award-winning film about truth, conviction and belief.”

If you would like to volunteer at the Downtown Docfest, email volunteer@downtowndocfest.ca.

Tickets are available at the Loyalist Bookstore, the Empire Theatre, and Quinte Arts Council for $30 per adult, $15 for students.

See www.downtowndocfest.ca for the full list of ticket locations.