The Grand River Film Festival is delighted by the dynamic line up of films and programming it presented over the past four days.

Cambridge - People from all over the Waterloo Region came together to watch a lineup of international and Canadian films, participate in workshops, create their own films, see some ‘movie magic’ and even rub shoulders with some stars! The winners of the BMO SHORT Shorts Competition were announced Saturdaym Competition Winners are
18 & Under, 'Daily Routine', Ryan Alexander, Cambridge; Open Category, Winner: 'Her', Angus McLellan, Guelph; 1st Runner Up, 'The 11:50 Club', Michael Martins, Burlington; 2nd Runner Up, 'The Way It Used To Be', Sarah Lazarovic, Toronto.

After all the success of GRFF, the fun isn’t over yet! On Wednesday evening, a very special screening of Stronger than Fire | The Eva Olsson Story will be shown. Film maker Eva Olsson is a Holocaust survivor who, on her 85th Birthday (Wednesday), will be in Kitchener to share her original documentary telling the story of her life.

Holocaust Survivor Eva Olsson Coming to Waterloo Region

Holocaust survivor Eva Olsson was born on October 28th, 1924, one of six children in a poor Hasidic family, in Szatmar, Hungary - now Satu Mare, Romania. On May 15th, 1944 her family was taken away by rail in boxcars to Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. Later she was moved Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. Somehow, she miraculously survived. She did not speak of the atrocities for over 50 years.

Since breaking her silence in 1996, Eva Olsson has told her story in over 2,000 venues, speaking to over 1.5 million people. Says Olsson, ?Having grandchildren gave me the strength and resolve to begin my mission to speak out about what I endured and witnessed. I realize how important it is for them and future generations to have this information. If I can help to understand where racism and intolerance can lead, then my mission is being fulfilled.?

The Rotary Club of Kitchener-Westmount is bringing Olsson to Waterloo Region for a series of speaking engagements from Monday October 26th through Wednesday October 28th. The club is sponsoring Olsson to speak at four local high schools; St. John's- Kilmarnock, St. Mary's, Huron Heights and Resurrection. She will then address a special 2-hour club luncheon on Wednesday at noon at the Delta Kitchener. The luncheon is open to the general public.

Rotary Club of Kitchener-Westmount President Ian Robertson says the club is excited about bringing Olsson here, "Every year our club programming committee arranges an outstanding Remembrance Day program. We thought it was appropriate to pull that program forward a few weeks, based on Eva's availability. Our club is very proud to have Eva deliver her powerful message to local high schools with the proceeds from the public luncheon."

On the occasion of her 85th birthday, on the Wednesday of her visit, Olsson had one special request. She contacted one of the event organizers, Mike Collins. "Eva called me and said she wanted something for her birthday. She wanted her new documentary film shown in a real movie theatre. After agreeing, I hung up and thought now how the heck am I going to do that?" Collins contacted David Marskell, Chairperson of the Grand River Film Festival, and the GRFF agreed to a special screening of Stronger Than Fire, The Eva Olsson Story on Wednesday October 28th at 7:00pm at the Gig Theatre. Says Marskell, "GRFF saw this opportunity as a great extension of the film festival, which is being held the weekend before. GRFF is thrilled to present this important documentary film's big-screen and film festival premieres here in Kitchener." Both Eva Olsson and Producer/Director Don Gray will participate in a question and answer session following the screening.

Tickets are $25.00 for the luncheon and $5.00 for the movie. The low ticket prices reflect the desire to cover only the expenses of both events and the speaking engagements at the local high schools.

Tickets for both events are available at The Children's Museum Box Office: In Person: 10 King Street West, Downtown Kitchener By Phone: (519) 749-9387