GRFF Closing Gala – Sold Out!

Kitchener – The Grand River Film Festival (GRFF) is thrilled to announce that tickets to their third annual Closing Night Gala are now sold out. It’s no doubt due in part to the announcement earlier this week that the Academy Award winning Director of Departures, Yojiro Takita is flying from Japan to be at the 7:30pm screening and after-party in Cambridge this Saturday.

The Closing Gala isn’t the only chance for Waterloo Region film patrons to catch a glimpse of Hollywood stars however. Director Takita is also scheduled to attend an earlier screening of Departures at Kitchener’s The Gig theatre at 1:30pm and he is expected to stop by the second annual Indie Lounge taking place all next weekend.

Further, and fortunately for movie goers, there is still availability to purchase tickets to the Opening Gala which feature a screening of the Canadian flick, Pontypool and will also host some special guests. Tony Burgess, the writer of Pontypool will be joined in Cambridge restaurant Blackshop by veteran actors Stephen McHattie and Lisa Houle. Pontypool, a Canadian horror film, has been catching the eye of horror fans worldwide since its September 2008 release. Taking place in the small Canadian town of the same name, the film explores the influence of language and the ‘deadly’ consequences it can have.

“Not only are we proud to be providing even more exposure to an already popular Canadian film, we are thrilled to have the writer and actors join the opening events of our festival,” explains David Marskell, GRFF’s Board Chair. “To showcase Canadian talent and have fans meet those associated with the film is a once in a lifetime opportunity for all involved.” The actors and writer will be familiar with the area, as they rehearsed in the Rogers Radio studios in Downtown Kitchener in the early stages of the film.

The Pontypool screening will take start at 7:30 pm at Galaxy Cinemas in Waterloo on October 22nd, kicking off the third annual Grand River Film Festival. Tickets to the Opening Gala include the screening and access to the after-party and are only $50. Tickets to this Gala and all other screenings are available for sale online at HYPERLINK "http://www.GRFF.ca" www.GRFF.ca.

The festival will run from Thursday October 22nd to Sunday October 25th.