The Windsor International Film Festival is entering its final weekend after drawing strong crowds, sold-out screenings and visitors from outside the region.
The 22nd annual festival wraps up Sunday after showcasing 232 films from 55 countries across venues including the Capitol Theatre, Chrysler Theatre and the Armouries over an 11-day run.
Executive Director and Chief Programmer Vincent Georgie says several high-profile events have packed theatres, including a tribute to Goodfellas featuring actress Lorraine Bracco and sold-out screenings of local productions.
Georgie says attendance has been strong from the start, with heavy ticket demand dating back to the late-August presale period.
“We saw that the pre-sale [was] happening pretty aggressively and the reactions on social media, that type of activity has been huge. So it’s been some big crowds and big crowds weekends and at night as well. But big crowds is like daytime. We just had big crowds overall. Lots of school groups too, all that type of stuff,” Georgie said.
Georgie says the festival has also delivered an economic boost for downtown Windsor businesses, with many visitors travelling to the city for screenings and special events.
One highlight came earlier this week when a well-known Hollywood actor visited Windsor.
“We had Lorraine Bracco here for honorary award and that special tribute to Goodfellas that was a Monday night. That was phenomenal. And then having multiple Oscar nominees on stage and with our audience, that was pretty amazing. The local films have been selling out and huge audiences,” Georgie said.
He says organizers won’t have much downtime after the curtain closes on this year’s festival.
“We pack up on Monday and tear down, and then we debrief right away. We have to start planning right away. We’ve already got some ideas for next year,” Georgie said.
“Truly for a festival of this scale, you actually need 12 months to plan it, 100 per cent.”
Georgie says there are still tickets available for several films during the closing weekend at the Capitol Theatre, before WIFF wraps up Sunday night with its closing film, The Debut, starring Julianne Moore.