While their screening happens the day after International Women’s Day, Reel Alternatives is betting that the galvanising documentary, Lilith Fair: Building A Mystery, hits the perfect note in honouring female talent, power and determination. Sponsored by longtime Reel Alternatives supporters, Noreen Mitchell and Steve Campbell, Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery will have two showings at 2 pm and 7 pm on Monday, March 9, 2026.
Lilith Fair changed everything. Upon its emergence in 1997, this revolutionary travelling music festival, helmed by superstar Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan and featuring exclusively women or women-led acts, exploded the notion that popular music could only support a token quota of women’s voices. Director Ally Pankiw chronicles Lilith Fair’s triumphant three-year run and features new interviews with key performers such as Jewel, Bonnie Raitt, Erykah Badu, and Emmylou Harris.
With beautifully integrated performances, backstage footage, and media coverage, Pankiw explores the logistics and challenges in making these events happen. She also highlights the festival’s significance to younger up-and-coming artists through interviews with Brandi Carlile and Olivia Rodrigo. There’s also testimony from actor-filmmaker Dan Levy, a producer of the film, who caught his first Fair as a boy and was forever affected. The legacy of Lilith Fair lives on, and this inspiring film tells us why.
Next up for Reel Alternatives is the multiple Academy Award nominee, Hamnet, with matinee and evening shows on Monday, March 23rd. Tickets for all films are available for $10 online at reelalternativeshuntsville.ca or algonquintheatre.ca, at the door or by calling the Algonquin Theatre box office at 705-789-4975. Reel Alternatives Huntsville gratefully acknowledges their partnership with Film Circuit, presented by the Toronto International Film Festival, and its sponsors and supporters.
From Reel Alternatives
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