In this special Canada Day event, Christie Pits Film Festival celebrates Toronto on stage and silver screen.

Local writer-director Sarah Goodman’s headlining feature film Porch Stories is set in and around Toronto’s Little Portugal, and depicts love in all its different stages unfolding on neighbouring porches over the course of a summer’s day. The film’s talented cast of local independent musicians, including Laura Barrett, José Miguel Contreras and Hallie Switzer (of local band Luna Li) will round out Canada Day at the festival with live music performances.

The evening’s film programme will also include the short films Whatever Happened to Jackie Shane?, a gorgeously animated portrait of a black, queer, soul-singing, flamboyant Nashville-born, Toronto-based musician who made waves in our local 1960s music scene, and Bickford Park (from two-time festival veterans Linsey Stewart and Dane Clark), a story about a disaffected 30-something woman who secretly begins to take skateboarding lessons to avoid dealing with her marital problems.

Porch Stories

Directed by Sarah Goodman, 2014

With short films Whatever Happened to Jackie Shane?, directed by Lauren Hortie and Sonya Reynolds, 2014
Bickford Park, directed by Linsey Stewart & Dane Clark, 2017

Eats & Treats @ 6pm. Music @ 7:30pm. Films @ Sundown
Free / PWYC (Donations gratefully accepted)
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Christie Pits Park is an accessible venue
Films are screened with captioning whenever possible