Diverse slate of movies on tap at Cinéfest

O'Hearn said the movie will appeal to both wrestling fans and those looking to watch a faith-based film.

“It's a great opportunity to bring in a number of audiences together and bring a great Northern Ontario film story home,” he said.

One of the festival's “curfew-breakers,” slated to play at 11 p.m. on the Friday during Cinéfest, is “Lost After Dark.”

Much of the movie, “a campy kind of homage to '80s-style horror films,” was shot at Lasalle Secondary School, O'Hearn said. It stars Robert Patrick, who played the villain in Terminator 2.

Of course, along with the northern-shot films, Cinéfest also features some of the best movies from around the world, with some definite A-list starpower.

The Sunday night gala, “Grace of Monaco” by U.K. director Olivier Dahan, features Nicole Kidman as Princess Grace Kelly.

“Nightcrawler,” the Monday night gala, is an American film starring Jake Gyllenhaal as Lou Bloom, a driven young man desperate for work who discovers the high-speed world of L.A. crime journalism.

Film festivals are typically a chance to rub elbows with those who make movie magic a reality, and Cinéfest is no exception.

While you unfortunately won't be hob-nobbing with Kidman or Gyllenhaal this year, there are several industry professionals expected to attend.

That includes Lara Jean Chorostecki, T.J. McGibbon and Brett Granstaff, a few of the stars of “The Masked Saint,” as well as Gary Granstaff, the movie's executive producer, and co-producer Anselmo.

Shauna MacDonald, director of “Tru Love,” Daniel Perlmutter, director of “Big News from Grand Rock,” Brett Harvey, director of “The Culture High” and Ruba Nadda, director of “October Gale” will also be on hand.

As the kickoff to Cinéfest approaches, the excitement is palpable, said O'Hearn. Hard-core festival-goers are gearing up for a busy week, some who watch more than 30 films during the festival, he said.

“What draws people to Cinéfest is the ability to take in different films from around the world from different perspectives and to do it all in a very condensed period of time,” O'Hearn said. “They really enjoy the experience.”

For a full listing of Cinéfest's offerings, or to purchase tickets, www.cinefest.com.