Film Themed Art in the WIFF Alley in Windsor
Hi cinéSARNIA members,
We hope you had a laugh at our last film, “Bad Shabbos”. Next we have a life affirming movie called “The Life of Chuck”, showing this Sunday and Monday. Interestingly it is a film in three parts, starting with part 3 first, then 2, then 1. It starts dark and ominous, but all will be revealed. It’s based on a Steven King story, but surprisingly uplifting. The film won the People’s Choice Award last year at TIFF.
Speaking of TIFF, I wrote a roundup of my experiences at the various film festivals we attended to curate our upcoming film program for you all.
Remember our annual food drive that we hold at our December 7/8 film. Bring some canned goods or other necessities to help out our community. See the link below for ideas.
Click most anything in colour, underlined, or a button to go to the link in our stories below.
So what’s in this issue?:
Inn of the Good Shepherd - Food Drive
Film Fest Roundup - cinéSARNIA got a mention on YouTube!
People’s Choice Awards
Winter 2026 - A few films are waiting to be confirmed
Our next film - “The Life Of Chuck” this Sunday and Monday
Our last film of the Fall 2025 series, “DJ Ahmet”
Discount for Coffee Culture - Discuss the film
Scroll down to discover…
🥫 🧸Inn of the Good Shepherd Food Drive
cinéSARNIA will again have food bins available at the film “DJ Ahmet” on December 7 and 8. Please bring canned goods and/or other necessities to help support our community members.
Click here for some ideas of needed items that you could bring to the theatre when you come to see the film.
📽🎟 Film Festival Roundup
This year several of our committee members had the rare pleasure—and challenge—of immersing ourselves in three of Ontario’s major film festivals: TIFF in Toronto, cinéFest in Sudbury, and WIFF in Windsor. Each festival offered a distinct personality, but together they formed a journey that reminded me why we love cinema as deeply as we do.
At times, the experience felt like a cinematic endurance test: four films a day, racing between venues, grabbing whatever food could be eaten in a lineup, and finding a second wind just in time for a 7:00 p.m. world premiere. Yet somehow, instead of exhaustion, what settled in was exhilaration—the kind that only comes from discovering new stories and sharing them with people who are just as passionate.
Between screenings, I had the chance to meet filmmakers, programmers, festival staff, and fellow film fans from across the province. Conversations erupted everywhere: in theatre lobbies, over hors d’oeuvres at a gala reception, even in those few minutes before the houselights dimmed. Everyone seemed eager to compare notes, debate favourites, and celebrate hidden gems. We could only spend a few days at each 9 to 11 day festival, so it was disappointing that we couldn’t get to some films that we heard great things about. “So many films, so little time!”
One special moment at TIFF came when we met up with a friend of mine, Andrea Lyons, who was covering the festival in her YouTube series called SNAK the Show. They did a recap for each day of the festival. She chatted with Lyn, Carolyn and her niece Maeve, and I about her take on TIFF. It seemed like an insane amount of work.
*** Later she did a shout out to cinéSARNIA on their YouTube channel! ***
*** Check it out by clicking this link. One minute in. ***
Please click the Like button in the YouTube video if you saw it
I left each city with new insights into what makes a film land with an audience—and with a longer friends list than I arrived with.
The festivals themselves each carried their own identity:
TIFF (Toronto) dazzled with its international stars and ambitious premieres—cinema at its most expansive and global. The Film Circuit sponsored us to attend a curated list of 7 films that they knew our audiences would enjoy. We are definitely choosing a couple of those we saw there. Plus, we enjoyed a reception with other Film Circuit groups to share our experiences and ideas. September 4 to 14 - 291 films – 50th Anniversary - TIFF website
cinéFest (Sudbury) countered with its intimate, community-rooted atmosphere and astonishingly strong programming from emerging Canadian voices. All the films were contained in one Cineplex, making it easy to flit between showings. We even enjoyed a hospitality trailer between showings and attended gala receptions at night. September 13 through 21 - 111 films – 37th Anniversary - cinéFest website
WIFF (Windsor) offered a wonderfully curated, audience-focused experience that reminded me how a festival can transform an entire downtown into a celebration of film. All their films were spread across 3 locations 5 minutes apart, making theatre hopping quite doable. October 23rd through November 2nd - 231 features 21st Anniversary - WIFF website
Across all three, one thing stayed constant: the power of watching films together. No streaming service can replicate the moment when a whole room gasps at the same time, laughs in the same breath, or sits in total silence as the credits roll.
We are excited to bring what we saw— and what we learned—back home to cinéSARNIA. Some of the standout titles from this festival circuit will find their way onto our screen this season, depending on when they get a distributor. We can’t wait to share them with you.
Until then, keep your curiosity sharp and minds ready to explore your world… through film.
David Druiett
David, Lyn, and Clare and Stewart Simpson from Cinéfest Niagara
📽🎟 People’s Choice Awards
TIFF People's Choice Awards 2025
People's Choice Award - Hamnet
International People's Choice Award - No Other Choice
People's Choice Documentary Award - The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue
People's Choice Midnight Madness Award - Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie
cinéFest Awards 2025
Outstanding Canadian Feature Film - Ma Mère, Dieu et Sylvia Vartan (Once Upon My Mother)
Outstanding International Feature Film - DJ Ahmet
(We are showing this film December 7/8)
AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARDSBest Feature - Out Standing
Runner-up: Ma Mère, Dieu et Sylvia Vartan (Once Upon My Mother)Best Documentary - John Candy: I Like Me
Runner-up: The Librarians
WIFF Awards 2025
WIFF Prize in Canadian Film - Montreal, My Beautiful
LiUNA! People’s Choice Award - Mr. Goalie
(about the legendary Hall of Famer Glenn Hall - played early on for the Windsor Spitfires and retired with the St. Louis Blues. He holds the record for the most consecutive games played at 502, and never wore a mask!)
📽🎟 Individual tickets are always available
Wanna try us out for a film or two, instead of an entire season? You can always just pick and choose which films to see when you can. Individual tickets are on sale for any film. You will be able to purchase tickets online with your credit card. Or you can also buy them with cash at the door. The price is $12, taxes and fees included. Get them in advance to avoid waiting in the ticket line.
Click this button to purchase your tickets.
📽🎟 Winter 2026 Series
We are very close to setting the program for our Winter 2026 series. The “Film Circuit” is to be getting back to us soon on our first two selections for January. After our recent film festival forays, we have some good picks in store for you. I’ll send a special newsletter post when we get confirmation.
If you haven’t picked up a pass for this season, you can get a Winter 2026 pass from our website at the link below. You get 6 great films for $66 (including taxes and fees). It would make a great Christmas gift for someone to bring along to the theatre. 🎄🎁🎟
📽🎟 Our fourth film:
The Life Of Chuck
Showings:
Sunday, November 23 @ 2 pm
Monday November 24 @ 7 pm
Synopsis:
“I am large, I contain multitudes” - Walt Whitman
A mind-bending, heartfelt adaptation of a Stephen King story that celebrates one man’s life in reverse — from the end to the beginning — blending cosmic mystery with human wonder.
📽🎟 Our final film of Fall 2025:
DJ Ahmet
Showings:
Sunday, December 7 @ 2 pm
Monday, December 8 @ 7 pm
A vibrant North Macedonian drama about a young man torn between his passion for music and the pressures of tradition, set against the beat of a changing culture.
📽🎟☕ After Film Discussion “Culture Club”
Many of our subscribers are enjoying the opportunity to chat about the films they’ve seen at cinéSARNIA while savouring a coffee and pastry at Coffee Culture. With your pass or ticket, you will also receive a 15% discount. As an added bonus on Monday night, some of the remaining pastries baked that day were on sale after 9 pm for ONE DOLLAR!
I encourage everyone to drop in following (or preceding) the film and have a time to chat with fellow cinephiles. Maybe some of our committee will be there too. ☕
at Lochiel and Front
Gather at Coffee Culture before or after the film
Get a 15% discount
🫘☕ NEW this year - show your cinéSARNIA pass/ticket within a 2-hour window before or after the show to receive 15% off your order at Coffee Culture (Front/Lochiel Street location ONLY)
Since you have purchased films in our previous season, you are already signed up for this newsletter.
But tell your friends all about cinéSARNIA. Forward this email or send them this link below to sign up to our newsletter. If they subscribe for a full season, you could win a free pass for next year! See our home page for details.
We will continue to keep you informed about what’s coming up and things we are doing.
You can always contact us via email at [email protected]. Please send in your comments.
Looking forward to our next film “The Marching Band”, and then “Bad Shabbos”. Thank you for joining us.
