For immediate release:
September 9, 2020

Lunenburg, NS — As the air cools and fall colours appear, the 7th Lunenburg Doc Fest heats up on September 24th with an eclectic lineup of films designed to warm hearts and stretch minds. The festival is extending this year’s screenings schedule to a full week, September 24–30, to give viewers extra time to curate their at-home viewing experience. The wholly online program also features insightful livestream Filmmaker Q&As and online “socials” for festival attendees.

As we adjust to our own socially distant challenges, we can be inspired by those who, with fewer resources, triumphed over the obstacles in their paths. The festival examines the passion necessary to build and protect democracy and change beliefs. “Bloodless: The Path To Democracy” opens the festival with an astonishing non-violent revolution in Armenia.  “Softie” examines the personal impact of an audacious political activist willing to die to change Kenya’s systemic corruption.

Despite our uncertain times, the lineup looks to the future.  Canada’s pre-eminent chronicler of dystopian futures, Margaret Atwood, is profiled in “Margaret Atwood: A Word After A Word After A Word Is Power.” Artificial Intelligence, arguably our biggest threat or saviour, is explored in “iHuman,” while the seminal look at the corporatization of society gets a revisit with “The New Corporation: The Unfortunately Necessary Sequel.” Future climate change impacts can be seen in “The Last Ice” and a study of the sustainability of the fish stocks in “Fish & Men.”

Change in attitude is never new or easy. We look at the efforts made to build an open and accepting society for LGBTQ2+ communities in “Sex, Sin and 69” and “No Ordinary Man.” We remember that will and resilience cannot be taken for granted in “Made in Auschwitz: The Untold Story of Block 10,” where we meet the last survivors of sterilization experiments in Auschwitz. Our Seniors Workshop project explores change for local adults 55+ in “The Art of Change.” We believe power of art can transform and help shape society, as depicted in the Australian film, “Can Art Stop a Bullet.” 

We also celebrate the wins. “Re-inventing The Wheel” shows a new paraplegic how to live life through his first year on wheels.  “SpiderMable” will have you cheering an unstoppable four-year-old superhero battling villains and cancer, while “Champions” takes us to the Special Olympics World Games with a pair of ambitious middle distance runners.  Nova Scotia’s own four-legged champion is profiled in “Somebeachsomewhere.”

Lunenburg Doc Fest is proud to present five short documentary programs. “In Search Of Ourselves,” supported by CBC. “Standing Up: Short Docs By Indigenous Filmmakers,” “Making Waves: Atlantic Canadian Shorts,” and two programs of personal discovery explored in “Journeys Without And Within” and “Doing It My Way.”

And in the end, all you need is love, and some good bread. “Bread In The Bones” is a soulful examination of a universal food.  We wrap up the festival on September 30th with “Meeting The Beatles In India” where we will transcend our social distance and celebrate another festival together, apart.

In the spirit of the times, the festival is offering flexible pricing to ensure Lunenburg Doc Fest is accessible to film lovers in three viewing regions: Atlantic Canada, across Canada, and Canada and the USA. The ‘virtual festival’ will be accessible through Eventive at https://lunenburgdocfest.eventive.org/welcome

For a complete 2020 schedule, visit https://watch.eventive.org/lunenburgdocfest

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Lunenburg Doc Fest showcases documentary films that entertain, educate, and inspire, creating a cultural experience and place of connection between filmmakers and film enthusiasts in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. The festival is presented with generous support from Canadian Heritage, The Government of Canada, Telefilm, Nova Scotia Communities, Culture and Heritage, and valued community of sponsors.

For more information contact Pamela Segger at:

E-mail:         info@lunenburgdocfest.com

Phone:         902-523-3456

Mail:             Box 1497, Lunenburg, NS  B0J 2C0  Canada

Website:      www.LunenburgDocFest.com

Facebook:   facebook.com/LunenburgDocFest

Twitter:       @LunenburgDocFes

Instagram: @LunenburgDocFest