Yorkton Film Festival wraps up 75th edition, turns eyes to 2023

Yorkton’s 75th annual Yorkton Film Festival has now come and gone, but it’s made a lasting impression on not just Canada’s filmmakers, but also the community of Yorkton.

The festival was held in-person for the first time since 2019. Since then, anticipation grew and grew from long-time festival goers to those intrigued by the stories of this small event on the prairies.

Now, small may not be the best term to describe the three-day film festival, yet for many travelling from centres like Vancouver and Toronto, many haven’t visited Saskatchewan. The Yorkton Film Festival creates that intrigue and charm, and has for quite some time.

It's North America’s longest-running film festival, and started at the same time as the popular Cannes Festival in France. These young filmmakers get a taste of Saskatchewan — and surprisingly the Maritimes to a degree, with the annual Lobsterfest.

In terms of planning, festival organizers have their eyes on one thing in particular for the 76th edition.

“My mind is already excited about 2023 and having a full year to prepare for an in person festival,” said Executive Director Randy Goulden following the Saturday Golden Sheaf awards.

The three-day event began with an opening night screening of the Regina-made feature length film, Donkeyhead, along with a heritage film from the 40s, a nod to the festival’s history.

From there, screenings, speakers and networking events for the public, along with filmmakers and executives. Festivities were spread across the city, with a few key events tying the weekend together.

That included the Friday night Lobsterfest, where community members and those partaking in the festival chowed down on lobsters sent from the Maritimes. Nearly 500 took part in the annual tradition, hosted by the Yorkton Lions Club.

The soggy conditions didn’t hurt the spirits of those taking part, with skeet shooting offered and taught during the event at the Yorkton Wildlife Federation Clubhouse.

Turning to the main event on Saturday, the Golden Sheaf Awards included a hometown win in Charlie Lubiniecki. The Sacred Heart High School grad took home his first Golden Sheaf, and was presented the award by Yorkton Mayor Mitch Hippsley.

Hippsley gave Lubiniecki an internship while he was still living in Yorkton, and the festival brought back many memories for Lubiniecki, whose stage name is Charlie David.

“I grew up going to the Yorkton film festival as a kid and you know, watching those movies at the tower theater and Yorkton and looking up at the screen, you know from and NFB films and others and, and that was where I, I had that moment of knowing Okay, that's what I want to do with my life. So tonight's extra special for that too,” he said.

For Mayor Mitch Hippsley, he was flabbergasted that the person who apprenticed with him went on to achieve the honour — but he wasn’t surprised.

“This is almost unbelievable. But he deserves it,” said Hippsley.

As the Mayor, Hippsley knows how much the festival means to his residents, the filmmakers, and the economy of the city.

“(It is) bringing people in. They don't even have their own cars, and they’re picked up at the airport … the hotels are full, because of all the entourage of people that bring along and of course, they spend money and they invest and they see what we’re doing, and everyone gets a great time out of this, so they keep coming back,” he said.

And coming back is what festival organizers hope the filmmakers do.

After losing its last two in person events, thanks to COVID, Goulden said the hope is to carry it all for the future years.

“It grows the audiences, and that's what we want to do. And plus coming out of the pandemic, people are looking for things to do. And there's so many more things that we want to add (in future years),” she said.