Press Release: September 5, 2017

Lunenburg, Nova Scotia  – Join us at the 4th edition of Lunenburg Doc Fest where the festival will fill the renovated Lunenburg Opera House, September 21 to September 24.

The growing reputation of Lunenburg Doc Fest has attracted the interest of filmmakers from far and wide. This year, an expanded program will feature eight film premieres.  Themes to be explored will include:

Hidden Impact: Lives of Accomplishment Five different films will examine the impact of people living passionate lives. Rumble: The Indians who Rocked the World demonstrates the depth of influence that Indigenous North Americans have had on the ongoing evolution of rock and roll.  A beautiful mind and glamour combine in the story of Hollywood film star and inventor Hedy Lamar in Bombshell. The stories of heroes in real and commercial conflicts are told in Last Men of Aleppo, which captures the harrowing experience of the "White Helmets" in Syria, and Modified, a personal journey intimately linked to a strong case for labelling GMO products. Lives Well Lived shows us 3000 years of combined life experience, and that all lives have the ability to make lasting impacts.Here and There: Films that define communityThe heat of Mumbai in Jugaad, which explores and celebrates the enduring human spirit in India’s Promised Land, and the cold of the far north in This Cold Life, where polar bears outnumber humans, will transport audiences to places otherwise largely inaccessible. Residents of the UNESCO designated town of Lunenburg will be interested to learn how a small hilltop town in Tuscany approaches its community issues and tourist industry in Spettacolo.Closer to home, a series of 4 films look at Lunenburg through diverse lenses.  The Canada Council has recognized the work of the Lunenburg Doc Festival and provided funding for commissioning original work, the Sea of Change for which professional filmmakers and poets collaborated to create docupoems.  Other local films commissioned for the festival include Second Impressions: Lunenburg Micro-Docs on 35mm Film and Wave Upon Wave: A Lunenburg Hodge Podge. The festival is proud to feature the World Premiere of Lunenburg: Where the Land Meets the Sea.Epic Voyages: Land and SeaGetting there is the battle in a pair of films. Le Ride takes us back to the start of original Tour de France.  The whole planet, three times over, is the route of a daring solo sailor in Coyote.In addition to films, the festival will showcase an International Documentary Filmmakers Panel, a "Still Moving" Artist Talk with Sky Bergman, and virtual reality and other immersive attractions in the Step Into the Story: Interactive Arcade.

The festival will feature workshops, round tables, and networking events for filmmakers. Delegates from the Atlantic region and film fans will mix with representatives from Hot Docs International Documentary Festival and other screen industry partners and companies including CBC, National Film Board, Films We Like, and Zeitgeist Films. It will all kick off with a celebratory opening night Gala on September 21.

Passes for the festival are now on sale www.LunenburgDocFest.com/tickets.

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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 Arts Nova Scotia; Canadian Heritage; Nova Scotia Department of Communities, Culture, and Heritage, Lunenburg Foundation for the Arts, Town of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia Health Authority and Canada Council for the Arts.

For more information contact Pamela Segger at:

E-mail: LunenburgDocFest@gmail.com

Phone: 902-523-FILM (3456)

Mail: Box 1951, Lunenburg, NS B0J 2C0

Website: www.LunenburgDocFest.com

Facebook: facebook.com/LunenburgDocFest

Twitter: @LunenburgDocFes

Lunenburg Doc Fest4th EditionProgram Highlights

Hidden Impact:  Lives of accomplishmentRUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked the World (Nova Scotia Premiere)

Rumble demonstrates the depth of influence that Indigenous North Americans have had on the ongoing evolution of rock and roll. This music documentary highlights the native influences that have been infused into the soundtrack of our lives.

Bombshell (Canadian Premiere)

Hollywood superstar Hedy was known as the world's most beautiful woman.  Snow White and Cat Woman were both based on her iconic look. Her arresting looks and glamorous life, however, stood in the way of her being given the credit she deserved as an ingenious inventor.  Discover her pioneering work that revolutionized modern communication and influenced the outcome of WWII.

Last Men In Aleppo (Atlantic Premiere)

Ordinary citizens who rush towards military strikes and attacks in the hope of saving lives.  With heart-pounding suspense and improbable beauty, this documentary draws us into the lives of three founders of the “White Helmets” as they grapple with the chaos around them. Their ever-present dilemma: do they flee or stay and fight for their country.

Lives Well Lived (International Premiere)

Take a moment to celebrate the wit, wisdom and experiences of seniors aged 75 to 100.  Through intimate memories forty people share their secrets and insights to living 3000 years of meaningful lives.  This film is paired with “Still Moving” a public discussion with the film’s Director Sky Bergman

Modified (Atlantic filmmakers)

A mother-daughter team engage in a 10-year battle to identify and label the genetically modified organisms (GMO) in the North American food chain.  This personal and political story reveals the extent to which industrial interests control our food policies.  The filmmaker and her avid gardener and food activist mother make a strong case for a more just, transparent, and sustainable food system.

Here and There: Films that define communitySpettacolo (Atlantic Premiere)

Villagers in a tiny hill town in Tuscany came up with a remarkable way to confront their issues – they turned their lives into a play. Every summer, their piazza becomes their stage and villagers of all ages play a part – the role of themselves. While neighboring villages turned to tourism for survival, Monticchielloʼs annual tradition has kept the town together for 50 years, preserved in time.

JUGAAD (World Premiere)

Be the first to see JUGAAD, a documentary that richly explores and celebrates the enduring human spirit in Mumbai, India’s Promised Land.  JUGAAD offers exclusive access and insight into the resolute and fascinating personalities of another culture. Immerse yourself in these vibrant vignettes and the people and portrait of Mumbai.

This Cold Life (Atlantic Premiere)

300 miles from the North Pole, THIS COLD LIFE takes a look at the colorful characters who choose to live in the isolation of the world's northernmost town, where polar bears outnumber humans.  Like many small towns, Longyearbyen was once a bustling industrial hub that’s now struggling to find innovative ways to sustain itself.

Lunenburg: Where the Land Meets the Sea (World Premiere)

The town and the surrounding county is filled with an eclectic mix of energetic and talented people. Old traditions are kept alive, while new patterns are established by longtime residents and new arrivals.

Doc Fest Commissions – A Sense of PlaceSea of Change: Docupoems on Lunenburg

Nova Scotia’s filmmaking and creative writing communities come together in this Canada Council funded project.  Five filmmakers and five poets collaborate to create short experimental documentaries to be performed live at LDF. The films screen and the poetry/words are performed live in unison with the moving image.

Second Impressions: Lunenburg Micro-Docs on 35mm Film

Lunenburg-area professional artists from various disciplines create micro-documentaries. After the initial images are captured on 35mm motion picture film, the artists directly place animation on top of the print, adding layers on 1440 frames of film with by painting, scratching and drawing.

Wave Upon Wave: A Lunenburg Hodge

This documentary reveals the untold story of a complex community.  A place caught between cultures and time.  A town shaped by the Atlantic Ocean and the waves of peoples who have come here over the years in search of a better life.

Epic Voyages:  Land and SeaLe Ride

In 1928 an under-resourced and untested team from New Zealand and Australia competed in what is considered to be the toughest sporting event in the world. 168 riders started the more than 3,500-mile race, only 41 finished. Phil Keoghan, a television personality, adventurer and cycling enthusiast, retraces the 1928 Tour de France route, bringing history to life. Riding a vintage bike, Phil and his team will average 150 miles a day for 22 stages.

Coyote (International Premiere)

This film shares the story of legendary sailor, Mike Plant, the “Saltwater Cowboy” who completed 3 solo circumnavigations and set the American record for the fastest lap of the planet. His adventurous spirit and colorful past make Plant “as close as yachting gets to a James Dean character” (The New York Times) with a universal story about daring to dream.

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