Into the spotlight
Like every year, the Kingston Canadian Film Festival (KCFF) will have a distinct Faculty of Arts and Science flavour. KCFF presents screenings and special events that provide a fresh experience of Canadian film that, in turn, creates an audience that supports and encourages the ongoing development and appreciation of our national cinema and its creators.
KCFF also promotes the professional development of the next generation of filmmakers, many of whom are Queen’s students.
“KCFF and Film and Media have collaborated on successful events such as the Creative Industries Day on February 27 and the 18mm program, in which Kingston youth are mentored over a year by FILM PhD student and filmmaker, Ahmed Ismaeil, producing short films featured at the festival,” says Film and Media Professor Dorit Naaman, Associate Dean (Academic). “The festival also offers a documentary mentorship program for emerging Canadian filmmakers including Queen’s students, and introduces our students to visiting filmmakers and industry professional. KCFF is a highlight of the Winter term for our students."
The Kingston Canadian Film Festival is the largest festival in the world dedicated exclusively to Canadian film. The 2026 edition will take place February 25 – March 1 in downtown Kingston.
“We have a large number of FAS alumni involved in the festival. Four out of five of our core team members are FAS.” says Julia Finnegan, Marketing Manager for KCFF. “This includes our Festival Director, Marc Garniss, Bachelor of Honours (BAH) - History '02. The Festival will have FAS alumnus Aaron Martin attending the Festival on behalf of the brand-new series The Borderline. He was the executive producer on the new Crave Original crime drama which uses the scenic Thousand Islands as the series’ backdrop.”
Finnegan explains the Festival was started in 2001 by a former Queen’s Film and Media student Alex Jensen, who is now a member of the department, teaching The Business of Media course. In its infancy, the Festival was primarily a smaller student-run event at the Screening Room but, even early on, most of the screenings sold out.
“Many venues and programs have been added over the years, but the mission has remained the same. The Festival has grown from 1,000 attendees to more than 15,000. KCFF has evolved into much more than a film festival; it's a celebration of Canadian talent across many different artistic disciplines. There is something for everyone," Finnegan adds.
The highlights at this year’s Festival are many and includes a big screen presentation of “The Cottage” (episode 6) from the global TV phenomenon Heated Rivalry, followed by the must-see panel Beyond the Cottage: Inside the Heated Rivalry Revolution on Sunday, March 1. Presented in association with Crave, the panel features Heated Rivalry producer Lori Fischburg, CBC's Elamin Abdelmahmoud, cultural experts Kyle Rich & Angie Fazekas, and moderator Liz Duff. Buy tickets here before they are sold out.
Another highlight this year is Degrassi coming to Queen’s. “We're excited to be screening the new documentary on this iconic Canadian franchise called Degrassi: Whatever It Takes which is playing at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts,” explains Finnegan. “The screening includes an extended Q&A with director Lisa Rideout and Degrassi High alumni Amanda Stepto and Stacie Mistysyn (known to Degrassi fans as ‘Spike’ and ‘Caitlyn’ respectively).”
The Festival also features the Canadian premiere of the film Byeeee by Chell Stephen. This film features crew members from Queen’s University and was shot north of Kingston.
Learn more about the Festival and purchase tickets on the website.