The Killing Games Set to Premiere at the Calgary International Film Festival
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This past June we got word from Canadian filmmaker Barry J. Gillis that his new film The Killing Games had been deemed “too violent” to screen at the Edmonton International Film Festival, but that’s all water under the bridge now that it has been accepted by the Calgary International Film Festival.
From the Press Release:
The Calgary International Film Festival has announced that The Killing Games will make its world premiere on Saturday, September 22nd, as part of the fest’s Late Show Series. “We are just ecstatic that Calgary has accepted the movie to premiere at their festival,” states director Barry J. Gillis.
Bruce Fletcher, a programmer with the Calgary International Film Festival, told Gillis that he watched the movie twice and found it to be very entertaining. Gillis continues, “We’re so happy that Bruce, Brenda Lieberman, and the Calgary International Film Festival were brave enough to take a chance on The Killing Games, especially after the movie was turned down in Edmonton.”
This past May Gillis was told that the film was too violent for the Edmonton International Film Festival. Gillis was shocked by the decision, mainly because he resides in Edmonton. “Yes, I was shocked,” laments Gillis, “but that’s all in the past now. We’re heading south down to the great city of Calgary, where Oscar-nominated Canadian director Deepa Mehta’s film Midnight’s Children is going to open the festival. Brandon Cronenberg’s Antiviral will also be playing in the Late Show Series, and we couldn’t dream of being a part of anything bigger and better than that.”
The Calgary International Film Festival is world renowned for its hospitality and the way it treats filmmakers and film fans alike. “Calgary gets upwards of 50,000 fans attending the festival. Tourists, fans, great films, and the best parties… I mean, this is huge for us,” Gillis says with a grin.
Calgary and Edmonton have been rival cities for many years. “Yes, the two cities have been at it for what seems like forever,” says Gillis with a laugh. “However, Calgary is not just going to accept a movie because Edmonton turned it down. I mean, The Killing Games is entertaining as hell; just ask Jason Eisener, who directed Hobo With a Shotgun starring Rutger Hauer.”
The Killing Games is a disturbing feature film about a man whose wife is dying of a mysterious illness. He contemplates taking the law into his own hands after his daughter witnesses a double homicide and narrowly escapes the grasp of two serial killers. It was shot in Wabuman, Lac St. Anne, Alberta Beach, and Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It stars Donald A. Morin, leading actor of the acclaimed French-Canadian feature film Windigo. It also stars Denmark’s Kim Sonderholm and Calgary actor Ace Hanna as the troubled Dr. Winters.
The Calgary International Film Festival is in its 13th great year. This year’s festival runs from September 20th-30th.
Check out the new poster put together for the fest below, and check back soon for a full image gallery from The Killing Games.
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