Feb 11, 2020
The WFG in association with the Canadian International Comedy Film Festival (CICFF) presents the oldest, largest comedy film festival in Canada
in association with
Winnipeg Film Group (WFG) partners with The Canadian International Comedy Film Festival (CICFF) – the oldest, largest film festival in Canada devoted to comedy
The Canadian International Comedy Film Festival (CICFF) in Winnipeg is the oldest and largest film festival devoted solely to comedy cinema in Canada and the Winnipeg Film Group (WFG) is thrilled to partner with them for their biggest event to date.
February 26-29, 2020 will unveil four days of laughs on the big screen! Three days of fun at the WFG Cinematheque at 100 Arthur Street (Feb. 26, 27, 28, 2020) and one amazing GALA day at The Park Theatre at 698 Osborne Street (Feb. 29, 2020).
Over 30 films by Winnipeg filmmakers join an international array of 100 films over 4 laugh-filled days.
One of the hallmarks of CICFF are the huge number of bite-sized short comedy films. In addition to Short films galore there will also be a few feature films including the Winnipeg Premiere of Michael Stasko’s summer camp comedy Boys vs Girls (starring Kevin McDonald and Colin Mochrie) and special by-popular-demand return engagements of the hit films The Twentieth Century by Matthew Rankin and Tapeworm by Milos Mitrovic and Fabien Velasco.
CICFF Co-Founders and Co-Directors Andrew Wall and David Rabsch looked to expand their festival and partnered with WFG Executive Director Greg Klymkiw to create the largest event of its kind in the country.
Says Greg Klymkiw:
“Since Canada is a world leader in comedy and given the long tradition of cutting-edge independent filmmaking in Winnipeg, much of it with a decidedly skewed sense of humour, WFG partnering with CICFF is a marriage made in the Knee-Slapping-Side-Splitting-Heaven that is Winnipeg!”
Here’s the full lineup of CICFF events:
WED Feb 26 @ 7pm – All Star Local Night @ WFG Cinematheque (Buy Advance Tickets HERE): A laugh-filled feature-length retrospective of all-local Winnipeg-made films from past CICFF events. These filmmakers are truly local heroes and genuine stars in the independent Winnipeg filmmaking scene and every single one of these films were huge hits at previous editions of CICFF. This is a whole lotta movies in one 90-minute package. This bounty of hilarious shorts includes Boy Toys by Trevor Kristjanson, Found Mattresses by Lorne (The Milkman Cometh) Bailey, Beauty by John Barnard, The New Wallpaper by Andreas Goldfuss, Imitations by Milos Mitrovic and Fabien Velasco (Milos and Fabien directed the hit feature length cult comedy Tapeworm), Will the Real Dave Barber Please Stand Up by Dave (WFG Cinematheque Senior Programmer) Barber, Party Animal by Trevor Kristjanson, Flashkick by BJ Verot, Audience Choice Runner Up by Trevor Kristjanson, Offline by Ian Bawa, and Benjamin Lenz, My Apologies by Andreas Goldfuss, The Long Wooden Tobogganist by CICFF’s own Andrew Wall, Spectre by Ian Bawa, Markus Henkel, Milos Mitrovic, Fabien Velasco, Fun Fun Street by Carter Hadlow, The Champ by Fabien Velasco and Loss of Contact by BJ Verot and Brad Crawford.
WED Feb 26 @ 9pm – The Twentieth Century @ WFG Cinematheque (Buy Advance Tickets HERE): Special encore engagement of Matthew Rankin’s insane laugh riot and winner of the Best Feature Film Award at TIFF 2019. “An incendiary send-up of Canadian identity, history, and politics, Matthew Rankin’s insanely brilliant feature debut is a hilariously irreverent, visually stunning retelling of how William Lyon Mackenzie King became Prime Minister… King seems destined to earn Canada’s crown, but just how much debasement and degradation must an ambitious young politician endure in such a noble pursuit? Quite a lot, it seems. Particularly when the affection of an unattainable woman becomes his priority. Along his epic journey, King will encounter devastating heartbreak, fascistic corruption, hilarious diversions to the outsider cities of Vancouver and Winnipeg, and… kinky boot sniffing.” – VIFF
THURS Feb 27 @ 7pm – Boys vs Girls (2019, Canada, 95 mins) @ WFG Cinematheque (Buy Advance Tickets HERE): Kevin MacDonald and Colin Mochrie star in Michael Stasko’s raucous summer camp Canadian comedy. Boys in July. Girls in August. And never the two shall meet. But in 1990, when summer camps around the country were being shut down in record numbers, Camp Kindlewood made the bold yet economically necessary move to turn “co-ed”. Needless to say, the change did not go over well amongst the counsellors, and quickly erupted into a full-on battle of the sexes. The camp was soon in ruins with morale at an all-time low. Can the boys and girls join forces in time to clean up the camp and save it from closing? Preceded by long-time WFG member Damien Ferland’s hilarious short film Bible Camp Memories.
THURS Feb 27 @ 9pm – TAPEWORM @ WFG Cinematheque (Buy Advance Tickets HERE): Frances Koncan at The Winnipeg Free Press bestowed **** upon this terrific feature film that recently had its American premiere at the Slamdance Film Festival in Park City – Special encore engagement deadpan of the Winnipeg comedy hit from CICFF favourites Miloš Mitrovič and Fabian Velasco. “This darkly comic gem featuring an all star local cast – Alex Ateah, Adam Brooks, Sam Singer, Stephanie Berrington, Miloš Mitrovič, Jennifer Mauws, Igal Rodriguez, Sandro Debari and Slobodan Mitrovic. Tapeworm explores the lives of losers and misfits who intersect in bleak Winnipeg, a city isolated and often overlooked like the offbeat characters who call it home. A sickly man in an unhappy marriage, a stand-up comedian whose sets are received with indifference, a stoner couple who share only trivial exchanges and a young loner are each living lives lost in translation, detached from their surroundings and the people around them.” – VIFF
FRI Feb 28 @ 7pm – Best of the Fests @ WFG Cinematheque (Buy Advance Tickets HERE): A special 7-year retrospective of CICFF comedy classic favourites and award winners. This 96-minute array of international laugh-riot short hits includes The Holdup (Canada) by Struan Sutherland, Awful Lot of Money (Sweden) by Jonatan Skald, Love at First Boop (USA) by Ryan Convery, Opening Night (USA) by Ryan Glista, Corn Cob Hands (USA) by Max Lollar, Ladylike (Australia) by Tel Benjamin, Mr. Richard Francis (Canada) by Tom Hackett, Jim’s a Pineapple (Australia) by Blake Fraser and Church (USA) by Stephen Bodossian.
FRI Feb 28 @ 9pm – Dark, Edgy & Out-There Comedy @ WFG Cinematheque (Buy Advance Tickets HERE): This stellar collection of all-new intense, dark, fun and risque comedy shorts is guaranteed to elicit laughs. This winning 90-minute international array of films includes Toxic Sperm Warrior (USA) by Bryon E. Carson, Killing For Spark (Canada) by Michael Sangalang, The Blow Job (UK) by Lewis Reynolds, The Plunge (UK) by Simon Ryninks, Flush (USA) by Marie Ward, April Fools Day (USA) by Ralph Matthews, Bell of Friendship (USA) by Ryan Somohano, Love Stinks (USA) by Leanna Adams, Don’t Miss The Cup (UK) by Stuart Renfrew, Onions (USA) by Justin and Kristin Schaack, My Life is a Dream (USA) by Brian Benson and Zombielust (USA) by William Stribling.
FREE! FREE! FREE!
SPECIAL FREE TREAT for ALL who attend ANY of the Winnipeg Film Group Cinematheque screenings of CICFF programs. Hold onto your Cinematheque ticket stubs and present them on SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 29 at THE PARK THEATRE (698 Osborne Street) to get FREE ADMISSION to the CICFF GALA reception, screenings and awards. The reception begins at 6:30pm and the Screenings/Awards (hosted by comedy legend Big Daddy Tazz) begins at 7:30pm.
And if you want to BUY tickets to the CICFF GALA on SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 29 at THE PARK THEATRE (698 Osborne Street), you can order them online HERE!
