TORONTO, June 5, 2013 – In the face of adversity, courage and community shine through at the fifth annual Canadian Sport Film Festival. The Saturday program is highlighted by the feature-length US documentary, Awaken the Dragon (Sat, 4pm), which profiles a remarkable group of dragon boaters. Comprised entirely of cancer survivors, this team comes together as athletes and friends to build a community that extends far beyond their boats.

The CSFF’s 2013 programme features 17 films from around the world. Headlining the CSFF, which takes place June 7-8 in Toronto at TIFF Bell Lightbox, are the opening night film, Lace Bite, a profile of 40 remarkable Canadian women who come together to set a record by playing hockey non-stop for 10 straight days and raise awareness of cystic fibrosis at the same time; while the closing night film, 9.79*, revisits one of the most controversial moments in Canadian sport history: Ben Johnson’s positive test for steroids at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

The CSFF brings together the theatre of sport and the medium of film to tell unique, provocative and passionate human stories from around the world. The Festival connects filmgoers to the story beyond the scoreboard, behind the camera and told with a critical lens.

For more information on the Canadian Sport Film Festival and to purchase tickets, please visit: www.sportfilmfestival.ca

Follow us on Facebook:  www.facebook.com/canadiansportfilmfestival

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Media Inquiries:

Russell Field, Executive Director, Canadian Sport Film Festival
204-797-7217
[email protected]

TORONTO, June 4, 2013 – The fifth annual Canadian Sport Film Festival opens this Friday night and women’s hockey will be front and centre. The festival opens with Lace Bite (Fri, June 7, 7pm), a profile of 40 remarkable Canadian women who come together to set a record by playing hockey non-stop for 10 straight days and raise awareness of cystic fibrosis at the same time. A day later, The Uluit: Champions of the North (Sat, June 8, 7pm) take the stage, profiling an indigenous women’s hockey team. Players from both teams, as well as the co-director of Lace Bite, will be in attendance.

The CSFF’s 2013 programme features 17 films from around the world. Headlining the CSFF, which takes placeJune 7-8 in Toronto at TIFF Bell Lightbox, are the opening night film, Lace Bite, and the closing night film, 9.79*, which revisits one of the most controversial moments in Canadian sport history: Ben Johnson’s positive test for steroids at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

The CSFF brings together the theatre of sport and the medium of film to tell unique, provocative and passionate human stories from around the world.  The Festival connects filmgoers to the story beyond the scoreboard, behind the camera and told with a critical lens.

For more information on the Canadian Sport Film Festival and to purchase tickets, please visit: www.sportfilmfestival.ca

Follow us on Facebook:  www.facebook.com/canadiansportfilmfestival

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Media Inquiries:

Russell Field, Executive Director, Canadian Sport Film Festival
204-797-7217
[email protected]

Sport film fest celebrates Canada’s game and an infamous moment in Canadian sport history

5th annual  Canadian Sport Film Festival

June 7-8, 2013 | TIFF Bell Lightbox

Opening and Closing Night films announced!

• Friday, June 7, 7pm, TIFF Bell Lightbox, Cinema 4: Lace Bite
• Saturday, June 8, 9:30pm, TIFF Bell Lightbox, Cinema 4: 9.79*

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: (Toronto, May 16) – “We’re bookending our festival this year with films that chronicle profound and painful relationships with sport in Canada.” That’s Executive Director Russell Field summing up the Opening and Closing Night films screening at the fifth annual Canadian Sport Film Festival, running from Friday, June 7 and Saturday, June 8 at TIFF Bell Lightbox.

The opening night film, “Lace Bite” (Friday, June 7, 7pm, TIFF Bell Lightbox, Cinema 4), profiles 40 remarkable women who gather to attempt to play the longest continuous hockey game ever played – by women or men – a game that has to last over 10 days to set the record! Through an exhausting effort, they discover something about their own limits while raising money and awareness for cystic fibrosis.

Closing night revisits one of the most controversial moments in the history of Canadian sport: Ben Johnson’s blazing victory in the men’s 100-metre final at the 1988 Seoul Olympics in 9.79 seconds, which was tainted one day later by a positive test for steroids. The feature documentary “9.79*” (Saturday, June 8, 9:30pm, TIFF Bell Lightbox, Cinema 4) questions whether Johnson was a scapegoat or the tip of a performance-enhancement iceberg? Director Daniel Gordon examines these questions by, for the first time, sitting down with all eight men who ran this infamous race.

The full CSFF 2013 schedule will be released Tuesday, May 21st. Tickets go on sale the following day.

Opening night film:
Friday, June 7, 7pm, TIFF Bell Lightbox, Cinema 4
Lace Bite (documentary, Canada, 2012, 63 minutes)

Closing night film:
Saturday, June 8, 9:30pm, TIFF Bell Lightbox, Cinema 4
9.79* (documentary, UK, 2012, 79 minutes)

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For access to online screeners of these films and more information, contact:
Russell Field, Executive Director, Canadian Sport Film Festival
[email protected]
204-797-7217

Film Screening followed by panel discussion.

Saturday June 1, 2013

Innis Town Hall, 2 Sussex Ave (St. George Subway)

University of Toronto, St George Campus

Pay What You Can | Registration required

The Price of Gold explores the blood, sweat and tears Track & Field athletes invest for a shot at becoming Olympic champions. What does it really take to reach the top of the podium – and is it worth it? How high is the price of gold?

Screening with short film Olga and Her Men - Olga Hrycak, head coach of l’Université du Québec à Montréalmen’s basketball team, gives her all, pushing her players to work together for excellence.

Join us after the film for engaging discussion with Prof. Parissa Safai (York University) and Prof. Caroline Fusco (University of Toronto) who will share their expertise on the ethics, benefits and risks of high performance sport.

View trailer of the film here

PLEASE NOTE:

Space is limited so reservation is required.

To reserve your space please email [email protected]

This is a ‘Pay What You Can’ event (Students free with student ID)

ABSOLUTELY NO ONE WILL BE TURNED AWAY DUE TO LACK OF FUNDS

Screening sponsors:

The Harbord Street Business Improvement Association

The Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education, University of Toronto

(April 28). The fundraising efforts for CSFF 2013 are off to a great start.

We’d like to thank our most recent donors:

Partners ($250-$499)

Anonymous (1)

Supporters ($25-$249)

Anonymous (1)

Judy Compton

Christi Himmelheber

Sara Kesheh

Danielle Lafond

Brandi Scales

Kimberley White

CSFF 2013 takes place at TIFF Bell Lightbox in Toronto from June 6-8, and to make sure that we can invite as many directors and bring in as many great films as possible we are doing some fundraising. Until May 13, you can support us at: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/2013-canadian-sport-film-festival/x/2993090

Please share this widely. Thanks from the CSFF team.

(April 16) – The Canadian Sport Film Festival returns to Toronto for the 5th annual 2013 CSFF on June 6-8 with screenings all three nights at TIFF Bell Lightbox, as well as an innovative physical activity and filmmaking workshop for kids on Saturday, June 8th.

Full program details, including films to be screened and directors who will be in attendance, will be announced in the week of May 13th. Check www.sportfilmfestival.ca for full details.

The Canadian Sport Film Festival is proud to co-present the film “Last Woman Standing” at the upcoming Hot Docs film festival in Toronto.

LAST WOMAN STANDING

Lorraine Price, Juliet Lammers / Canada / English, French

For years Ariane Fortin and Mary Spencer fought side by side on Canada’s national boxing team, winning championships and taking the sport by storm. But only one can be an Olympian, and now they must battle each other.

Follow CSFF on twitter @CanSportFilmFes for a chance to win tickets.

Last Woman Standing screens at the following times:

26 April @ 6:30pm (TIFF Bell Lightbox 3)

28 April @ 12:30pm (Bloor Cinema)

3 May @ 1:30pm (TIFF Bell Lightbox 2)

(Winnipeg, Feb 08) — The 2013 Canadian Sport Film Festival kicked off in Winnipeg Friday night with an outdoor screening at The Forks of five short films about hockey. The event was featured on the front page of the Winnipeg Free Press‘ website later that evening.

The Winnipeg festival continues on Saturday night, Feb 9th, with screenings at 7pm and 9:30pm at the Park Theatre.

The 2013 CSFF event in Winnipeg has been the focus of much media attention leading up to today’s opening night.

The Free Press covered the event in print earlier in the week, while executive director, Russell Field, appeared on the CTV Winnipeg’s morning show on Monday, Feb 4, and Huddle TV on Friday, Feb. 1, with subsequent radio appearances on TSN Radio, UMFM, and Football Manitoba’s show on 104.7 The Streetz.

Hockey and Football Take Centre Stage

(Winnipeg, Jan 15) – The Canadian Sport Film Festival returns to Winnipeg for two days celebrating sport and film, both indoors and in the great outdoors.

Highlights include a FREE outdoor screening of five short films on hockey at The Forks on Friday, February 8, at 7pm.

CSFF moves to the Park Theatre on Osborne for its closing night screenings on Saturday, February 9. At 7pm, an inspiring group of cancer survivors join together to form a dragon boat racing team and more importantly a community in the Manitoba premiere of Awaken the Dragon.

CSFF 2013 wraps up in Winnipeg on Saturday, February 9, at 9:30pm, with Fordson: Faith, Fasting, Football, a fast-paced and powerful documentary about a group of Arab-American high school students playing the All-American sport in a post 9/11 world.

There is also a FREE screening and panel discussion on children, sport, and film at 2:30pm on Friday, February 8, on the University of Manitoba campus.

Full details and ticket information are available online at sportfilmfestival.ca.

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