Event: DiverCITY Film Festival 2023
The DiverCITY film festival is a new opportunity for independent filmmakers in Ottawa to showcase their films and to network with like-minded creatives in Ottawa. The festival is organized by local filmmaker Patrick Kabeya and held at Studio 4 Sets (Nyce Image Productions) in Nepean.
The second night of screenings featured a diverse group of locally produced short films, shown in two blocks. The line-up included a few films that I enjoyed at digi60, and it was nice to see them again on a big screen, with an audience.
One film that stood out to me in the first block was Visions from director David Scrieciu, a film about a pianist with vision loss who has a chance encounter with an old friend that drives him to try a risky medical procedure. Trailer for Visions.
My favourite in the second block was John Palagonas’ Three Gifts. Originally created for Monster Pool—a local horror festival—the film follows a young woman who brings a friend to spend time at her cottage. I particularly liked how the film was shot and edited with restraint, building intrigue that leads to the payoff at the end. Teaser for Three Gifts.
It is exciting to see more new venues and opportunities to showcase diverse locally produced work across the city. The Studio 4 Sets space was an intimate venue with a very chill vibe, making for great opportunities to network. At times, it felt like a small group of friends getting together to make a mix-tape. This is the first year of the DiverCITY festival and I hope to see more of these gatherings in the city.
The festival continues this afternoon, February 19, with previews of two series, The Incredible L.I.P.S. and No Regrets. More information about the DiverCITY Film Festival.
Jith Paul
Web Designer, Editor, Film Reviewer
Jith Paul is an independent filmmaker based in Ottawa. While pursuing a career as a software engineer, he decided to take a detour to follow his passion for film and filmmaking, establishing Treepot Media in 2010.
He is a co-founder of the Ottawa Canadian Film Festival, and editor of the film613 blog.
When he is not busy fighting crime, he coordinates the efforts of an international team of software developers and service providers as the Team Lead for Digital Development at CPAC, the Cable Public Affairs Channel.
