Reframe Film Festival is lighting up Peterborough once again this January. Celebrating 15 years of screening international issues in local theatres, Reframe Film Festival aims to use film and art to educate viewers, engage youth and the community, and encourage thoughtful debate. This year’s festival will begin on Thursday January 24, and end on Sunday January 27 - and for the first time in Reframe history, local films will headline the opening and closing screenings of the festival.

Reframe aims to inspire community members to take action through the screenings of documentary film and art, and raising awareness of social justice issues through sixty films this year - ten of which are by local filmmakers.

This year’s opening night film will be Youth Unstoppable, a documentary film made to amplify youth voices against climate change. Youth Unstoppable was made by film director Slater Jewell-Kemker, a former Peterborough Collegiate Vocational School (PCVS) student, who began working on the film at the age of 15. Through this documentary, Slater aims to provide youth with agency over their own future and inspires action against climate change. Reframe also showcased Slater’s work as a teenager in one of the earlier festivals over a decade ago, and this opening event is a suitable celebration of the festival’s 15th year running. Tickets for this opening film are sold separately than festival passes, and the screening will take place on Thursday January 24 at 7:30 p.m. at Showplace.

More films of the festival to look forward to include a shorts program called “The Archive is Alive” comprised of four films: The Arrival Archives, The Issue of Mr. O’Dell, Caribou in the Archive, and Hxritxge. Reframe has also organized to have Dr. Anne Innis Dagg present during the film The Woman Who Loves Giraffes. This film by Canadian director Alison Reid tells the story of Dr. Dagg and and her solo journey to South Africa where she studied animal behaviour in the natural environment. Join Dr. Dagg on the film about her incredible journey and feminist activism at Showplace on Saturday January 26, at 7:30 p.m.

Another highlight of the festival is Biidaaban: First Light, an interactive Virtual Reality (VR) film experience by Anishinaabe filmmaker Lisa Jackson. This interactive VR project is a time-jump to a highly realistic Toronto of tomorrow, based on ideas of Indigenous futurism. Biidaaban will be shown on Saturday and Sunday at Venture North from 11:00 a.m until 6:00 p.m. Keep an eye on the Reframe website for required pre-registration details.

The beauty of Reframe is that it is not only about film screenings, but bringing the community together over film, art, and food. Local food vendors are collaborating with Reframe and providing a fifteen percent discount to those who purchase a day pass or festival pass to refuel during Reframe. These downtown restaurants are Bumbleberry Bistro, Curry Village, El Camino’s, The Favourite Greek, Kettle Drums, The Olde Stone Brewery Co., Silk Roots, St. Veronus, and The Whistle Stop.

The festival’s closing night will feature Last Beer at the Pig’s Ear, a tribute to all the debauchery, memories, and plentiful karaoke that took place for 152 years at the Pig’s Ear Tavern. Directed by local filmmaker Peter Blow, this film will be screened on Sunday January 27, at 7:00 p.m. at Showplace.

Tickets to Reframe can be purchased online on the reframefilmfestival.ca, and can be bought in store at the GreenUP Store (378 Aylmer street North), and at Watson & Lou (383 Water street).

Go out and get inspired at Reframe.