Let’s begin with this interesting fact on The Kingston Canadian Film Festival – it’s the largest festival in the world dedicated exclusively to Canadian film! Next true fact, this year will feature the world premiere of Mouth Congress, a film by Kids in the Hall, Scott Thompson and our very own columnist at theBUZZ, Paul Bellini. Yay!

Founded in 2001, KCFF is a charitable cultural organization that provides access to Canadian film in a dynamic festival setting.  Transforming traditional and unconventional venues across Kingston’s historic downtown, KCFF is an annual whirlwind of movies and special events that spark curiosity, ignite discussion and provide a fresh experience of Canadian film.

KCFF21 will be easier than ever to attend in 2021, as the entire festival goes digital for the first time ever.  If you or someone in your social bubble has a WIFI signal, you’ll be able to stream all the movies, talks, Q&A’s, and festival action from the comfort of your home.  Like many things these days, it’ll feel different, with this new format making everything more accessible, affordable, and safe for festival-goers.

The official opening night film will be BEANS by director Tracey Deer, which played TIFF this past year and has cleaned up with awards and appeared on many year-end lists. Other award winners include CALL ME HUMAN (Kim O’Bomsawin), The Paper Man (Tanya Lapointe), Vagrant (Caleb Ryan), No Ordinary Man (Aisling Chin-Yee, Chase Joynt), YOU WILL REMEMBER ME (Remy Girard), and and DRIFTING SNOW (Ryan Noth).

KCFF will also showcase the world premiere of MOUTH CONGRESS , a film by Kids in the Hall alumni Scott Thompson and Paul Bellini, who also happens to be a columnist for us here at theBUZZ. We’re really excited for this one!

Around the same time The Kids in the Hall were becoming the hottest thing in the comedy world, there was another pop-cultural juggernaut rising right alongside them in Toronto. The fact that The Kids ended up a little bit more famous than Mouth Congress – a wild “gay punk” band fronted by Scott Thompson and Kids pal and writer Paul Bellini – was a historical oversight the duo strived hard to correct decades later with a reunion concert like none Queen Street West had ever seen. KCFF is thrilled to present the world premiere of Bellini and Thompson’s documentary on Mouth Congress’s rise from total obscurity to a spot slightly higher on the fame spectrum.

Click here to listen to some of the wonderful tunes that Mouth Congress released over the years. Click here to get tickets for the March 5th screening. Click here for an Exclaim interview with Scott and Paul on the making of the movie, and an update on the new Kids in the Hall series coming to Amazon. Click here to watch a short video featuring Scott Thompson on the nightmares of turning 50.

All the films will have a live-stream day/time for patrons wanting to participate in the Q&A’s. Alternately, attendees can watch films on-demand on their own time throughout the festival. Just like the in-person event, all screenings have limited tickets available.

A full schedule with detailed film synopsis, along with ticket information, can be found on the KCFF website.

 

 

About the Author

Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist with a focus on travel, lifestyle, entertainment and hospitality. He has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors and other public personalities. He enjoys discovering delicious eats, tasting spirited treats, and being mesmerized by musical beats.