In accordance with the recent declaration by Ontario premier Doug Ford with respect to vaccine passports required for most public venues, Cinéfest Sudbury has announced that audience members attending the annual film festival will need to provide proof of double-dose vaccination while attending the festival.
The event runs from September 18 to 26 with films being shown at several local venues. A news release from the Cinéfest organizers said attendees will need to present photo ID, such as a driver's licence or a Health Card, along with official Ministry of Health paper vaccine receipts (downloadable from the health ministry website) or PDF copy on a mobile device.
The new law takes the pressure off the festival organizers and puts it one the provincial government, which has mandated the requirement on the basis of safety and public health.
Individuals must have their documents with them as they are entering a Cinéfest event. Individuals who cannot receive the vaccine due to medical exemptions will be permitted entry with a doctor's note. The Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons has provided guidance to Ontario doctors for conditions that will merit a medical exemption.
CPSO said exemptions are rare. Generally speaking, there are very few acceptable medical exemptions to the COVID-19 vaccination (e.g., an allergist/immunologist-confirmed severe allergy or anaphylactic reaction to a previous dose of a COVID-19 vaccine or to any of its components that cannot be mitigated; a diagnosed episode of myocarditis/pericarditis after receipt of an mRNA vaccine).
Cinéfest said patrons who have already purchased tickets and cannot get the vaccine will be able to obtain virtual tickets if full refunds or exchanges are not preferred or not possible. Patrons in this situation are asked to contact the Cinéfest office at 706-688-1234.
