THE BASICS

The Atlantic Film Festival is a ten-day celebration of film, video and music from around the world. It’s a festival that turns Halifax–a charming and historic little seaside town–into an international mecca for the arts year after year, abuzz with filmmakers, industry types and plain old film lovers. Together, we watch movies, we talk movies, and we dance. 

What can we say? This is a Festival of hits.

At once a first-look at the international films of the festival season and a champion of local filmmakers, the Atlantic Film Festival is committed to bridging the gap. We attract some of the biggest players in film and music from around the world. But the movies are selected with our community in mind. And the special events are designed to bring us all together.

In 1982, it began as a tiny, grassroots operation in St. John’s, Newfoundland. In just one year, the Festival had moved cities to begin its steady ascent to the top ranks. Just three decades later, the Festival has blossomed into one of Canada’s premiere film festivals. And it’s now a year-round celebration–reaching out from our 10-day cornerstone event in September to include: 

  • Strategic Partners​ -- a co-production market,
  • Viewfinders: International Film Festival for Youth,
  • alFresco filmFesto -- an outdoor summer film series,
  • Music & Image -- a cross-industry conference.

Whether for industry folk, unabashed film lovers or curious onlookers, the Festival offers a slew of opportunities to engage through Industry Sessions. Some try their hand at partnering with a composer to score a film with Symphony Nova Scotia during the Music & Image conference; others develop and pitch scripts to buyers during the Inspired Script program; and others still, dissect documentaries to learn techniques to capturing the best angle.  

As a non-profit organization, the Atlantic Film Festival is depends heavily upon its strong ties to the surrounding and thriving arts community. And through its many diverse channels, its mission resonates proudly: 

  • to show the films the world loves, 
  • to facilitate connections between likely and unlikely parties, 
  • to inspire fresh projects, and 
  • to support growth in our local arts community. 

But most of all, the Atlantic Film Festival wants to see a city wide awake, if only for a film we could all share.