The Windsor International Film Festival (WIFF) finally has a permanent home.
The Windsor Symphony Orchestra (WSO) announced on Wednesday that The Capitol Theatre in downtown Windsor will be home to WIFF when it opens for its 14th season in October. An agreement between WIFF and the WSO, which runs The Capitol, will see the popular film festival permanently take over the ground level space on University Ave. and Pelissier St.
“This new partnership strengthens the Capitol Theatre, the WSO and WIFF. We can share resources in a way that will benefit all of us and, more importantly, our community,” said Sheila Wisdom, WSO executive director. “It is also an exciting next step in the creation of a dynamic centre for entertainment in Windsor.”
Vincent Georgie, WIFF executive director and chief programmer, said the creative partnership will promote a bustling cultural hub and even greater use of the Capitol as an active theatre space drawing more artists and movie buffs downtown. The influx of thousands of students to expanding university and college campuses in the core will only add to the buzz.
“The potential for downtown Windsor as a vibrant community for the arts is boundless and breathtaking,” said Georgie. “The sky is truly the limit when it comes to opportunities for creative collaboration. There’s an artistic renaissance underway in the core and the film festival is ecstatic to be playing a key role in it.”
"WIFF is already the Capitol’s largest tenant in terms of bookings and this new partnership offers real and intriguing opportunities for enhanced collaboration year-round, including the sharing of equipment. This will benefit both the WSO and WIFF as well as the broader arts community," said Georgie.
The Windsor International Film Festival is the second largest volunteer film festival in Canada and last year sold a record 22,000 tickets, screening 113 films from 20 different countries.
This year’s festival runs from October 29th to November 4.
