City sponsoring ‘What Orillia Means to Me’ category in Orillia Film Festival

Orillia Film Festival -

The Orillia Film Festival is pleased to announce the addition of a new award category for the 2015 edition of our event. Thanks to the Orillia Economic Development Committee’s generous sponsorship, we now have the “My Orillia” Award for Best Orillia Story, which has a cash prize of $500. To qualify as a “My Orillia” contender, a film must have been filmed within 5 km of Orillia  and portray a positive aspect of the community either through interviews, reminiscences, basic story- telling, animation, promotion, musical performance, humour or documentary.  Films could also portray “What Orillia Means to Me” in a positive light. This category is open to any age group of current or former residents of Orillia.

Festival Director Tim Hillson says, “We have maintained a great relationship with the City since the beginning of this event. Adding this new City sponsored category strengthens that bond.  I’m hoping that our film-makers take us up on the challenge to showcase our City to the rest of the world.”

City Councillor Mason Ainsworth started the ball rolling on this idea, hoping to attract positive stories from Orillia residents. "Orillia is an amazing place to visit and call home, and we need to share what makes Orillia such a positive place to be." As the City develops a new branding strategy, Ainsworth hopes some of these stories will augment the themes that the new branding will carry. "This is a chance to become part of Orillia’s future, a future where Orillia and your video are viewed by thousands!" The winner and submissions to the category may be used to promote Orillia and the region to tourists, visitors and neighbouring communities using social media and the municipal website as a means in which to showcase positive attributes of the community, its history, and diversity, industrial, cultural and social impacts.

This is the 3rd year for the Orillia Film Festival which is held annually at the Orillia Opera House. This year’s event takes place on September 25 and 26. The deadline to submit a film is August 7, 2015. Entries must be accompanied by the $20 entry fee and a completed submission form which is available on-line at www.orilliafilmfestival.com.  Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Tickets to attend the festival are available at www.orilliaoperahouse.ca or at the Orillia Opera House box-office.

For more information please contact:

Tim Hillson
Festival Director  
info@orilliafilmfestival.com
cell 705-323-5270
fax 705-325-9309
office 705-325-6591