Look out TIFF, there’s a new GTA film festival on the rise...
By Sarah Grishpul
A packed audience stares at the projector screen as host Eric Génier kicks off the Winter Film Festival with a hilarious short flick. (Sarah Grishpul/CanCulture)
Eric Génier is a long-time Oakville resident and recent graduate of Sheridan’s Film and Television program. He also happens to be the founder of the “coolest thing to happen in Oakville,” Eric’s Backyard Film Festival.
“I started doing a film festival in my backyard just because I wanted to show off a short film I made during that weird area of COVID where restrictions were going on and off, and there were no places to show my film,” said Génier.
“So, I thought we could all mask up and do it in my backyard, and then I had my friends also bring in their own films as well. And once it happened, the ideas just kept coming and coming. I kept having more ideas for decorations and how we could make it better. And it's been evolving like that ever since.”
The first Eric’s Backyard Film Festival in 2021 showcased over 16 short films from Oakville youth and brought in an estimated audience of 80 people. Since then, attendance has spiked into the hundreds. Génier claims positive audience reception to be a driving factor.
“Word of mouth is crazy,” said Génier. “If you have something that people like, build a stadium, and people will come.”
By 2022, the festival premiered over 90 minutes of short films and included a live performance from the band, CONNIE.
In the summer of 2023, Génier says he and his team received around 22 film submissions, many from people outside of his social circle.
“I feel like when I started programming for the September one, that's when it started feeling like this isn't just something me and my friends are doing, this is on its way to becoming something bigger than all of us.”
In December, Génier announced that Eric’s Backyard Film Festival would be returning for a special, elevated fourth installment: Eric’s Winter Film Festival.
Génier welcomes the audience to the Winter Film Festival decked out in holiday attire (Sarah Grishpul/CanCulture)
What set this festival apart from the typical Eric’s Backyard events (apart from the obvious lack of a backyard setting) was the size. According to Génier, they’re painting the same picture, just on a bigger canvas.
The Winter Film Festival took place indoors at Sheridan College in the school’s on-campus pub, The Marquee. Upon entry, attendees were invited to peruse around vendors selling homemade goods from local, small businesses and official merchandise for Eric’s Backyard Film Festival.
Attendees explore the vendor tables and vintage clothing racks at Eric’s Winter Film Festival (Sarah Grishpul/CanCulture)
There was even a live band performance from Moss Lawn and BROTHER, inviting people to listen and dance along before the screening.
And, of course, you simply had to check out the bathrooms.
The bathrooms at Eric’s Winter Film Festival are covered in slightly intimidating posters of Génier covered in… blood? Oh dear (Sarah Grishpul/CanCulture)
The event premiered an eclectic selection of 13 short films from young local filmmakers, spanning from one-minute visually experimental thrillers to endearing documentaries about Oakville’s local “Bark Bus” and a dynamic music video accompanied by the first-ever live performance of SEVI EAST. Many of the directors were in attendance to address audience questions in a lively Q&A.
A group of local filmmakers answer questions from the audience after the first half of the screenings while Génier dons a festive Santa Claus costume (Sarah Grishpul/CanCulture)
For Génier, having community-oriented events that bring people together is important to cultivate, particularly in an area where socialization is often discouraged.
“Community is really important and we don't have it here in Oakville,” he said. “One of the biggest things I learned: it's really hard to make community in the suburbs. I'm hoping this is starting something to change that. Maybe this can eventually lead to something that can benefit not just my circle, but also Oakville.”
With the continued growth in attendance, Génier and his team are on the hunt for a new venue space for next year’s festival.
“I can't do it in my backyard again, unfortunately,” he said. “There's no way we can fit everyone into my backyard and it's not the best viewing experience either cause there's trees and a pergola in the way of the screen.”
Increasing the frequency of local film screenings is another goal of his. Génier hopes to utilize local movie theatres like Film.ca to build a bigger film presence in Oakville.
The festivals usually attract applicants around the age range of 18-25, but he would like to see more submissions from younger filmmakers in high school, particularly those who don’t typically create films as a way to promote amateurism.
“I'm more in the bank of ‘anyone can make a movie,’ and we have the tools that anyone can make a movie. So, I want to just see more of that.”
Génier hopes to continue to run and develop Eric’s Backyard Film Festival well into the future, but while this idea began as a fun way to reunite with friends and neighbours, he admits he can’t keep doing this for free forever.
“Hopefully you’ll see Eric’s Backyard incorporated, and I have 500 interns,” he jokes.