Routes to Roots Film Festival announces feature films and shorts

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A delightful selection of feature films and shorts will be presented by the Routes to Roots Film Festival (R2RFF) in the town of Simcoe, Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada, on October 20 and 21, 2017.

The opening feature film on Friday evening will be In Her Place (Canada / South Korea). Directed by Albert Shin, the film features a mysterious city woman who comes to a rural farm where she’s taken in by a weathered woman and her odd teenaged daughter.

Late night on Friday, R2RFF will feature Diani and Devine Meet the Apocalypse (USA). Directed by Etta Devine and Gabriel Diani, this struggling comedy duo discovers that surviving the apocalypse is almost as difficult as surviving in Hollywood.

Saturday’s matinee feature will be I Dream In Another Language (Mexico). Directed by Ernesto Contreras, the film tells the story of an indigenous language in peril; its last two speakers had a quarrel in the past and haven’t spoken to each other in over 50 years. Martín, a young linguist, tries to convince the old friends to once again talk to each other.

On Saturday evening, R2RFF will close with the Ethiopian feature film, Lamb. Directed by Yared Zeleke, the story follows an Ethiopian boy as he moves in with distant relatives. He brings along his pet sheep but the upcoming holidays spell danger for this beloved friend.

There are several short films at R2RFF. Many Canadian directors are highlighted, including Colin Waugh (And Him), Chad Galloway / Heather Benning (The Dollhouse), Kawennáhere Devery Jacobs (Stolen), Jesse Senko (The Workshop), and Nick Genova / Aidan Johnston (Noggers). International short films include August (USA), Burning Sun (Norway), The Cow Incident (UK), Furrows (Italy), Horseface (Spain), Lost Village (Spain), Ogasawara (Georgia), and Rooftop Gardening Tips (USA).

All films complement the theme of R2RFF, a showcase of local, national, and international film with an emphasis on themes of returning to roots, rural life, and connectedness. The programme is co-curated by Elana Post and Michael Chwastiak, Norfolk County residents who work in the film and television industry.

The Routes to Roots Film Festival (October 20-21, 2017) exists to engage audiences with award-winning, thought-provoking storytelling that may be unavailable elsewhere, encourage new and emerging filmmakers and  celebrate Norfolk County as a place to visit, live and work.

Tickets for R2RFF are now available for sale. A two-day pass costs $50 per person, including tax. Individual admission for each of the four feature films and the shorts presentation is $12 per person, including tax. For more information about R2RFF, visit www.r2rff.com.

Anyone wishing to volunteer for R2RFF is welcome to contact Chair Jim Carroll at jimc@kwic.com or phone 519-427-6333.