Year one of the CineMuskoka Film Festival is done and founders and co-directors Jeremy Munce and Oliver Ward couldn’t be happier.<\/p>\n
“It was a great success,” said Ward. “One of our major goals was to break down the red carpet and velvet rope between the audience and the filmmakers and we accomplished that. The feedback from people attending the festival was incredible – they really enjoyed being able to ask questions after the films and have their questions answered personally. The filmmakers said the same thing – having the opportunity speak to the audience was very valuable to them.”<\/p>\n
Ward said that 80 per cent of the filmmakers were at the festival, which ran from September 1-3. “That was really incredible for engagement and collaboration.”<\/p>\n
Filmmakers and audience members could interact at filmmaker forums, at the Q and Ales, sponsored by Lake of Bays Brewery, following screenings, and at The Mill on Main after parties following the final show each night. “There was lots of discussion between filmmaker and audience members, there was a real connection there,” said Ward.<\/p>\n\n\t\t