Open Roof Festival (ORF) is back this summer with another award-winning lineup of films and musical acts. Now in its third season, the festival will continue to offer local Torontonians and international visitors a 10-week outdoor urban and cultural showcase every Thursday night at the Amsterdam brewery beginning June 21 and running through August 23.

The 2012 programme includes an excellent mix of both Canadian as well as international narrative films, documentaries, and indie music acts designed to attract all fans of good film and music.

ORF will kick-off on June 21 at 7:30 PM with the film Marley, a documentary about the life, music and legacy of Bob Marley from Academy Award-winning director Kevin Macdonald. Made with the support of the Marley family, the film features rare footage, incredible performances and revelatory interviews with the people that knew him best.

Feature Film Presentations

Fat Kid Rules The World

Director: Matthew Lillard Screening
Date: July 5
Based on the novel by KL Going, a story about two teenage outcasts with minimal talent who form a band and through music discover self-confidence and acceptance while battling addiction and abuse.

Charles Bradley Soul Of America
Director: Poull Brien Screening
Date: June 28
This documentary feature follows the extraordinary journey of 63- year-old singer Charles Bradley, whose debut album took him from a hard life in the Brooklyn Housing Projects to Rolling Stone Magazine’s top 50 albums of 2011.

China Heavyweight 

Director: Yung Chang Screening
Date: July 12
A documentary on rural teenagers in southwestern China who are recruited as their country’s next Olympic hopefuls, with a focus on the coach Qi Moxiang.

**You can read my spotlight on this film & director Yung Chang here.

Herman’s House 
Director: Herman’s House Screening
Date: July 19
A feature documentary that follows the unlikely friendship between a New York artist and one of America’s most famous inmates as they collaborate on an acclaimed art project.

Undefeated

Director: Daniel Lindsay, T.J Martin Screening
Date: July 26
A documentary chronicling the lives of three underprivileged studentathletes from inner-city Memphis and the volunteer coach trying to help them beat the odds on and off the field.

Hysteria
Director: Tanya Wexler Screening
Date: August 2
A lighthearted romantic comedy based on the surprising truth of how Dr. Mortimer Granville devised the world’s first electro-mechanical vibrator.

Indie Game: The Movie

Directors: Lisanne Pajot and James Swirsky Screening
Date: August 9
An award-winning documentary at Sundance that captures the emotional journeys of indie game developers who devote their lives to their interactive art.

Moonrise Kingdom
Director: Two-time Academy Award nominated filmmaker Wes Anderson Screening
Date: August 16
Tells the story of two twelve-year-olds who fall in love, make a secret pact, and run away together into the wilderness, causing a local search party to fan out and find them. Grand Jury prize winner at Sundance.

Beasts Of The Southern Wild

Director: Benh Zeitlin Screening
Date: August 23
A narrative drama that follows a six-year-old girl from Southern Delta who searches for her long lost mother after her father falls ill.

The opening night band will be  Friendlyness & The Human Rights. Other musical acts this year include Army Girls, The Magic, The Little Black Dress, Stacey Bulmer, Run With The Kittens, Eucalyptus, Parlovr, Dusted, and Bruce Peninsula.

For more information including all festival announcements, appearing bands, guest hosts, attending filmmakers and ticketing visit www.openrooffestival.com.