A look back at the life and times of one of the best roots rock groups ever to hit the stage officially kicked off the 9th annual Belleville Downtown DocFest Friday night.
“Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band”, an acclaimed documentary film that was the first ever Canadian production to open the Toronto International Film Festival last year was screened to a packed house at the Empire Theatre.
Chair of the 10 member all-volunteer DocFest Holly Dewar spoke before the film was shown and had high praise for the hard work of her committee in putting together the festival and for the talent being shown by local filmmakers and by students from Loyalist College.
City of Belleville Mayor Mitch Panciuk cuts the film alongside Dug Stevenson and Holly Dewar to officially get DocFest underway. (Photo: Quinte News)
The film was followed up by a performance by Toronto based alt-country band LeBarons at the festival’s opening gala.
Alt-country band out of Toronto LeBarons. (Photo: Quinte News)
Over 50 films, eight of them locally produced, will be screened at four venues in The Downtown District through Sunday afternoon.
A crowd gathers around on the Green Carpet previous to the Opening Gala to watch Dug Stevenson interview DocFest Chair Holly Dewar. Several filmmakers and members of LeBarons also took their turns under the bright lights of YourTV Cogeco. (Photo: Quinte News)
Filmmakers will be available casually throughout the weekend and a formal panel discussion with three recognized documentary producers will be held on Sunday morning.
More detail on panel discussion and the entire festival can be found here.
Individual film tickets at the door are available on a first come, first served basis.
LeBarons. (Photo: Quinte News)
