John McKay has taught film and video for over 40 years at Champlain College and as part of Concordia's Communications Studies Program, and is the mastermind behind the inaugural Off the Wall film festival to be held Friday August 27th in NDG Park just across the street from the Empress. Besides presenting films on the big screen in the park, the images will also be bounced "off the wall" of the Marcil-facing side of the theatre.
Intended to be a celebration of NDG film and multimedia talent, the festival will present a collection of short films of various genres by local NDG professional and amateur filmmakers. Besides showcasing local talent, McKay hopes that the festival will raise awareness about the Empress Theatre which he hopes will unite NDG artists and residents to view the Theatre as a focal point for presenting local culture.
McKay notes that the Off the Wall film festival is just the beginning. Not only does it kick off the Arts NDG weekend which includes not only the film festival but live painting and an acoustic country folk music festival, but McKay hopes that his film festival will be the first of many projects which will shine a light on the Empress Theatre and revitalize the artistic community by giving local artists a forum for presenting their work.
"It's important to be positive and lead by example," McKay notes. And although he is the driving force behind the festival, he admits he couldn't do it alone. "It's been an amazing journey over the last year trying to put it all together," he says as he reminisces about all the steps leading up to the final weekend in August which is now right around the corner, "every time the plans for the festival seemed to be hitting a wall someone who held the key to make it happen would step forward to give the project the push it needed."
Industry professionals such as Kevin and Jacob Tierney have shown their support for the project by submitting the trailer to their upcoming film "Good Neighbours" starring NDG resident Jay Baruchel, and which takes place in NDG. -
McKay credits local painter Scott MacLeod, as well hip hop duo Richy Hillary and Roberto Garcia, better known as Labnoise, as being instrumental in helping Off the Wall carry its momentum to finally being realized. Moreover, industry professionals such as Kevin and Jacob Tierney, whose names might seem familiar for those who saw 2006's "Bon Cop, Bad Cop", have shown their support for the project by submitting the trailer to their upcoming film "Good Neighbours" starring NDG resident Jay Baruchel, and which takes place in NDG - the translated title of the film is, in fact, Notre-Dame de Grace.
The film festival, as well as all the other activities taking place the weekend of the 27th to the 29th, is completely free. Showtime starts at 8pm.
