Screening: My Dad’s Tapes at the Arts Resource Centre!
Join DRIFF at the Arts Resource Centre in Oshawa for a FREE screening of Kurtis Watson’s My Dad’s Tapes on Friday December 6th from 6:30pm - 8:30pm.
A trove of home video tapes spurs a filmmaker to investigate repressed parts of his past and come to terms with his own identity. A search for the cause of his father’s sudden suicide turns into a cathartic journey of reconnection and healing.
This screening will also be joined by Director Kurtis Watson and Writer/Producer Rob Viscardis!
Click HERE to check out the trailer!
Arts Resource Centre | 45 Queen St. | Oshawa, ON
Screening: Riceboy Sleeps at Whitby Public Library!
Join DRIFF at the Whitby Public Library for a FREE Screening of Anthony Shim’s Riceboy Sleeps on November 21st at 6:30pm!
Set in the 90s, a Korean single mother raises her young son in the suburbs of Canada determined to provide a better life for him than the one she left behind.
Click HERE to check out the trailer!
Whitby Public Library | 405 Dundas St W | Whitby ON
Meet Our Team!
Click here to meet the amazing team that helps make DRIFF possible!
Emerging Filmmaker Incubator Winner Announcement!
Whitby-raised emerging filmmaker wins Durham Region International Film Festival’s $10,000 incubator prize.
Whitby, ON: Durham Region International Film Festival (DRIFF) is proud to announce Mitchell Jaramillo and Siddharth Sharma, of Hold the Sauce Films, and their short film ‘Unfamily’ as the winning submission in its $10,000 incubator contest.
The Emerging Filmmaker Incubator will provide producer Jaramillo, Sharma—the film’s writer and director—and their team with $10,000 cash, mentoring and in-kind services to produce theirfilm and have it screened at DRIFF from October 24 to 26, 2024.
To read the full press release and see more information about the winner, click here
Meet our new Director of Programming!
Jessica Smith is an arts professional with more than twenty years of international film and events programming experience. She is currently serving as both the Programming and Projects Producer for TIFF Lightbox and the Director of Programming for the Durham Region International Film Festival (DRIFF). Throughout her career, Jessica has worked for many esteemed festivals and media organizations including the Tribeca Film Festival, BAMcinématek, the BFI London Film Festival, Sky Cinema, Sky Arts and the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival. Prior to rejoining TIFF in 2022, first as the interim Manager of TIFF Cinematheque, Jessica served as the Director of Programming for Toronto’s restored Paradise Theatre where she curated a diverse range of film, music, comedy and multi-arts events.
A message from the DRIFF Board of Directors
We would like to recognize and thank Kirk Cooper, our Director of Programming for 6 of our 8 years in business.
Kirk shaped DRIFF’s programming by drawing on his extensive experience working with TIFF, Black Screen Office and Reelworld, and running his festival consultancy firm, Film Market Access. His expertise and passion were evident in the varied and inspiring film line-ups he curated, the special guests he brought to the festival, and his help in the development of our high school programs.
Kirk’s dedication to DRIFF was truly inspiring! Through Film Market Access, he generously sponsored our Best Student Film award for four years, demonstrating his commitment to nurturing emerging talent. He never missed an opportunity to promote our festival at larger international events, and actively encouraged filmmakers he encountered to submit their work to DRIFF.
While it was difficult to see him go, Kirk’s decision to step aside in favour of a fresh programming vision was an insightful one. He has developed a foundation upon which our new Director of Programming, Jessica Smith - impressive in her own right - can build. Kirk is now focusing his expertise on expanding opportunities for clients across global markets, including prominent festivals like Cannes, TIFF and Berlin.
We are deeply grateful for Kirk’s many contributions to DRIFF’s development.
Dive into the DRIFF Archives
If you've ever been curious about which films have screened at DRIFF, the full catalogue is now available!
Visit the DRIFF archives to see film synopses, trailers and even links to watch films dating back to DRIFF’s inception in 2017.
Connecting communities by the power of film
Since 2017, DRIFF has been dedicated to promoting arts, culture, and community from within the Durham Region. Program offerings have included an annual film festival, monthly shorts programs, a high school film program and outdoor drive-in film screenings. DRIFF recently embarked on a strategic planning process which will serve as a guidepost for the organization in years to come. We hope you join us on this exciting new journey.
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