The sixth annual CMW Film Fest takes its residence at the TIFF Bell Lightbox for three days, March 21st to the 23rd. Presented by Tribute Entertainment, this year’s festival casts a light on some of music’s unsung heroes, goes behind the scenes with a revealing look into touring and Toronto’s 70’s punk and new wave explosion, and takes a comedic turn with a sci-fi musical.

For a switch of pace during this year’s Canadian Music Week festvities, why not take a break with a film or two?

THURSDAY, MARCH 21
7:00 p.m. – AIN’T IN IT FOR MY HEALTH: A FILM ABOUT LEVON HELM
Director: Jacob Hatley

Filmed during the final years of his life, Ain’t In It For My Health sees Levon Helm forced to confront the dark times that have haunted him since The Band‘s demise: throat cancer, bankruptcy, drug addiction and the tragic loss of band mates Richard Manuel and Rick Danko.

9:15 p.m. – SPRING BREAKERS
Director: Harmony Korine

Selena Gomez, Ashley Benson, Vanessa Hudgens, and Rachel Korine star as a group of best friends who are willing to do anything (including robbing a fast food joint at gunpoint) to get to Spring Break. But when they get there and meet local thug, Alien (James Franco), things get crazier than they could have ever imagined.

FRIDAY, MARCH 22
7:00 p.m. – WHO THE !@#$ IS ARTHUR FOGEL?
Director: Ron Chapman

Arthur Fogel rose through the ranks of the concert promotions business in Canada to become the most successful international tour producer in the world. As CEO of Global Touring and Chairman of Global Music for Live Nation, he is also, arguably, the most trusted man in music. With his personal, “hands-on” approach and masterful knowledge of world touring, Fogel has overseen the most profitable mega-tours in history, building lucrative partnerships with an elite group of artists including Madonna, U2, Sting, David Bowie, Neil Young, and Lady Gaga.

Raw, uncensored, revealing, Who the !@#$ is Arthur Fogel? is the insider story of today’s multi-billion dollar pop music industry that is struggling to survive the meteor-like impact of massive technological change that has affected it like no other business on Earth… and one man who is trying to save it.

9:15 p.m. – THE HISTORY OF FUTURE FOLK
Directors: John Mitchell and Jeremy Kipp Walker
Co-presented with Toronto After Dark Film Festival

A crowd-pleasing sci-fi musical comedy about two alien soldiers sent to Earth to wipe out the human race, but have a difficult time completing their missions after they hear the Earth creation, ‘Music’.

SATURDAY, MARCH 23
12:30 p.m. – THE LAST POGO JUMPS AGAIN
Directors: Colin Brunton and Kire Paputts

A history of the first wave of Toronto punk rock and new wave music, from when the Ramones played in ‘76 through to when the cops gave Teenage Head the boot at “The Last Pogo” concert in December, 1978.

5:15 p.m. – APOCALYPSE: A BILL CALLAHAN TOUR FILM
Director: Hanly Banks

“I think when I’m performing live, it’s really just the realest me there is,” says Bill Callahan (Smog) in this wonderful tour film that features intimate interviews and performances from the notoriously private Callahan’s 2011 tour.

Preceded by
MAGNETIC RECONNECTION
Toronto Premiere
Director: Kyle Armstrong

A short documentary contrasting the Northern Lights with decaying manmade debris surrounding the Arctic Canadian town of Churchill, Manitoba. The film features an original score by Jim O’Rourke, a voice-over by Will Oldham and likely some of the best footage of the aurora borealis ever captured.

7:00 p.m. – BAD BRAINS: A BAND IN DC
Directors: Benjamen Logan and Mandy Stein

The Bad Brains are one of the most important and influential American bands still working today. Despite the troubles of an eccentric front man they’ve stayed together for 30 years without reaching the level of success many think they deserve. Bad Brains: A Band in DC re-constructs Bad Brains’ rich and complicated history.

9:15 p.m. – BIG STAR: NOTHING CAN HURT ME
Director: Drew DeNicola

Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me tells the incredible story of the dismal commercial failure, subsequent massive critical acclaim, and enduring legacy of pop music’s greatest cult phenomenon, Big Star.

Featuring never before seen footage and photos, in-depth interviews and tributes from bands they inspired (REM, The Replacements, Belle & Sebastian, Elliott Smith, and The Flaming Lips), the film tells the whole Big Star story for the first time. For new fans or old, this is an essential document of pop music’s greatest cult phenomenon.

Admission to all films is also included with a Canadian Music Fest wristband. Advance tickets – priced at $10 per person – can be purchased online at Ticketfly.com or through cmwfilmfest.com. Day of screening tickets will be available at the TIFF Bell Lightbox box office.