The 2024 Oakville Film Festival is celebrating 11 years as Oakville’s only independent film festival. This year, the OFFA will present 104 specially curated Canadian, local, and international narrative and documentary films, as well as short films and web series.
I have taken a peek at the Oakville Film Festival lineup and have chosen some films as recommendations for you to see and support.
Hye’s Picks at OFFA
Thursday, June 20, 7:30pm ET
Kipkemboi
Director: Charles Uwagbai
This Kenya/Canada co-production that tells the story of a teenaged African math genius who brings the world financial markets to its knees.
Friday, June 21, 7:30pm ET
The Great Salish Heist
Writer(s)/Director(s): Darrell Dennis, Co-writer Harold Joe, Leslie D. Bland
This action-packed Indigenous “heist” comedy focuses on a down-on-his-luck First Nations Archeologist, Steve Joe (Darrell Dennis), seeking redemption teams up with a group of misfits from the Rez to break into a museum and reclaim sacred artifacts that rightfully belong to their people.
Saturday, June 22, 2:30pm ET
Curl Power
Director(s): Josephine Anderson
This film follows a team of teenage girls as they pursue their unusual dream of becoming Canadian National Curling Champions and seek out their own paths amid the legacies of their world champion mothers. Filmed over a three-year period, the documentary shares the ups and downs, following the funny and tender evolution of five best friends as they tackle changes with their bodies, minds, and the great unknown.
I saw Curl Power at Hot Docs this year and it was received very positively. Whether you are a fan of the sport of curling or not, there are various elements to appreciate and relate to in this film. I really appreciated the dynamics explored among the five young women and the intimate way in which they allowed the filmmaker to capture a wide array of moments and emotion.
Saturday, June 22, 3:00pm ET
Dark Highway
Director: Anna Jane Edmonds
This documentary film takes audiences along the 401 Highway to meet survivors of human trafficking, their advocates and the change makers. These personal conversations detail the luring, grooming, hunting, torturing and exploiting of vulnerable people, most notably children, in our communities.
I have seen this film and learned new information about this disturbing topic that needs to be talked about more openly, in my opinion. I will be hosting an Instagram Live with the film’s director Tuesday, June 18 at 6:15pm ET to discuss it in more detail.
Sunday, June 23, 6:00pm ET
Richelieu
Director: Pier-Philippe Chevigny
After a bad breakup, Ariane (Ariane Castellanos,) moves home and gets a job as an interpreter for seasonal migrant workers. Witnessing workplace abuses, Ariane must decide how far she is willing to go to speak out against injustice.
I have also seen this film and spoke with filmmaker Pier-Philippe Chevigny. I frankly wish more people get to see it on a big screen. Although it is a fiction film, it addresses some key themes that impact those of us living across Canada directly and indirectly.
The Oakville Film Festival will also host galas, parties, music and entertainment, along with star appearances from the worlds of film and culture. This year, a selection of films are available online only during the festival.
The Oakville Film Festival will run from June 19 – 25, 2024. For full festival programming information and tickets, please visit offa.ca.
