Gimli Film Festival breaks record

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This article was published 30/07/2019 (2568 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

GLORIOUS weather and glorious films added up to glorious attendance figures for the 2019 edition of the Gimli Film Festival (GFF), which wrapped up on Sunday with record-breaking numbers.

For the first time in its 19-year history, more than 6,000 filmgoers attended paid indoor screenings over the fest’s five-day run.

Indoor attendance reached 6,181 while total attendance grew past the 13,000 mark for the first time. That figure includes the estimated 4,950 people who attended the festival’s signature free beach screenings.

The festival saw advance ticket sales increase by an impressive 60 per cent, and overall individual ticket sales increased by 11 per cent. Pass sales increased by 10 per cent from 2018 and again for the first time, the festival sold out of all 150 Film Passes.

The bump in attendance is especially impressive considering the local content. Of the 141 films that played over the weekend, 62 were made in Manitoba, and 85 were directed by women.

In 2020, GFF is slated to celebrate its 20th anniversary from July 22 to 26.

arts impresario dies at age 95

TORONTO — Canada’s arts community is mourning the death of impresario Walter Homburger. An obituary on the Mount Pleasant Funeral Centre’s website says Homburger died Thursday at Sunnybrook Veteran’s Centre in Toronto. He was 95.

As managing director of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) for 25 years, Homburger fostered the careers of acclaimed artists, including Glenn Gould.

He also presented esteemed international artists, including Louis Armstrong, and took the company on tours to such far-flung locales as China in 1978.

In a tribute to Homburger on its website, the TSO describes him as “one of the most revered artistic administrators in Canadian musical history.” Homburger was made a member of the Order of Canada in 1984 and received a Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for lifetime artistic achievement in 2010.

The National Arts Centre in Ottawa tweeted Monday its flag is at half-mast in honour of Homburger, who “was a driving force in the development of orchestras and classical music in Canada.”

Homburger’s obituary says a private cremation will take place and a memorial service will be announced at a later date.

Matheson launching food and music fest

TORONTO chef Matty Matheson is launching his own food and music festival, headlined by the Wu-Tang Clan.

The restaurateur, cookbook author and TV personality says Mattyfest 2019 will be a family-friendly marriage of food and music, with a menu curated by the outspoken, tattooed Viceland star. Two music stages will also feature the Descendents, Gogol Bordello and Danny Brown, with other with acts including Turnover and Metz.

Meanwhile, the food offerings will include several U.S. pitmasters and more than 20 local restaurants and grab-and-go outlets, including pasta-makers Famiglia Baldassarre, snack bar Donna’s, gourmet hot-dog booth Kungfu Dawg, sushi bar Skippa and restaurant Alma. Matheson says each vendor will offer a limited number of dishes starting at $6. Children 12 and under are free with a ticket-holding adult.

Mattyfest lands at Toronto’s RBC Echo Beach, Sept. 7. Tickets go on sale Thursday.

“Mattyfest started out in the basement of Parts & Labour as a joke festival for my birthday weekend. This time, it’s a lot more than that. I want to share the love I have for my city — for all of you!” Matheson said Monday in a release.

Fortnite champion wins US$3 Million

NEW YORK — All those hours playing video games have paid off for a 16-year-old.

Kyle Giersdorf, of Pottsgrove, Penn., racked up the most points and won US$3 million as the first Fortnite World Cup solo champion. The competition took place Sunday at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York.

Giersdorf says “words can’t explain it.” He goes by the name “Bugha” when competing.

Some 40 million players competed for a chance to play in the finals, which was narrowed down to 100 contestants from 30 countries. The tournament offered US$30 million in cash prizes. In second place, 24-year-old Harrison Chang of the United States won US$1.8 million. The duo competition was won by Austria’s 17-year-old David Wang and 16-year-old Emil Pedersen of Norway. They’ll split the US$3-million prize.

Duchess of sussex guest edits U.K. Vogue

LONDON — Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, has guest edited the September issue of British Vogue with the theme “Forces for Change.”

Royal officials say the issue coming out Aug. 2 features “change-makers united by their fearlessness in breaking barriers” and includes a conversation between Meghan and former U.S. first lady Michelle Obama.

The magazine cover features 15 women, including New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern; actors Jane Fonda, Jameela Jamil and Gemma Chan; model Adwoa Aboah; and teenage climate-change campaigner Greta Thunberg. The duchess herself doesn’t appear on the cover. Editor-in-chief Edward Enninful said they discussed whether Meghan should be on the front cover, but said in the end she “felt that it would be in some ways a ‘boastful’ thing to do for this particular project.”

— from staff and wire services