Sudbury — Movie lovers in Sudbury and North Bay delight as weekend film festivals begin in both cities Friday.
Sudbury Indie Cinema is hosting the Junction North International Documentary Film Festival Nov. 13-15.
All film screenings will be held at 162 Mackenzie Street across from Sudbury Secondary School, but the audience is limited to 45 due to COVID restrictions and to allow for proper physical distancing.
The opening documentary film, Meeting the Beatles in India, begins Friday at 6:30 p.m. It highlights the journey of Canadian Paul Saltzman, who spent time with the Beatles at an ashram on the banks of the Ganges River 50 years ago.
"With COVID and so many arts festivals either cancelling, postponing, or going virtual: Sudbury Indie Cinema determined a different course this year- to host Junction North as an in-cinema event but in a contained, manageable, and safe manner," said organizers in a news release.
While at the theatre, face-coverings must be worn, except when seated and eating or drinking.
"The venue has been separated into zones, which are sanitized once a show is in, and patrons now exit from the emergency doors into the parking lot in order to minimize contact with the next group of attendees," said Sudbury Indie Cinema.
Meanwhile, North Bay Film Festival has opted to hold its fifth edition of the event virtually this weekend.
This year, the festival is free and donations are encouraged. The audience can watch from the comfort of their own home and each film has a will have a specified 12-hour window to begin screening and another 12 hours to view.
Because the film screenings are limited, organizers recommend pre-ordering tickets to save your spot.
The first film, Happy Place, begins Friday at 5:30 p.m. and is a story of a woman who has been admitted to an in-patient care facility in the wake of a suicide attempt.
Find the full list of films for Junction North here and North Bay Film Festival`s lineup here.
