Kingston, Ont. film festival to feature ‘all-Kingston’ film

The “Kingston Canadian Film Festival” is coming back in a big way. In-person screenings at this largest festival of its kind are back following two years of pandemic disruptions.

Anticipation is building for one film in particular: the first film shot entirely in Kingston with a local crew, backed by a local music legend.

While the limestone city has played the backdrop to films and TV shows for decades, there hasn’t been a film entirely produced in Kingston until now. Branded to Film is the first long-form production house in Kingston.

In a Global News Morning interview, Branded to Film CEO J. Joly, a Queen’s University grad, said he recognized Kingston’s potential as the next great production hub.

“Kingston always had its hooks in me and I would have been one of those kids if there was a film industry here, that would have stayed here,” Joly said.

With his vision in mind, Joly got to work on the first feature Den Mother Crimson while getting support from investor and former Tragically Hip member Gord Sinclair.

“I think it’s a fantastic initiative and long overdue,” Sinclair said.

Den Mother Crimson was made with 60 percent of its crew trained and hired locally.

Filmed in a west-end studio owned by local media company James Media, Joly says turning Kingston into a film production hub will take similar collaborations in the future.

“It’s supporting each other. the people that are doing it, we’ve got to elevate each other because it does take a community to build a sector.”

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Den Mother Crimson will premiere at The Grand Theatre as part of the Kingston Canadian Film Festival on Friday night.

While the movie is unique to the festival in its approach, many of the films showcased this year have local connections.

“We have a whole local shorts program, music video initiative this year that was all done by local production companies this year. There’s a real local contingent this year that we really focused on,” said KCFF logistics manager Marta McDonald.

With over 60 viewings of short and long films, there is plenty for audiences to enjoy. The festival will run until Sunday laying the groundwork for bringing the industry to Kingston.

“The opportunity is here, and the growth is here,” Joly said.