The ICFF, presented by IC Savings, is bringing their popular Drive-In movie series to the City of Vaughan and Markham from August 31st – September 4th at the Chateau Le Jardin and Markham Fair Grounds. In partnership with CHIN Radio/TV and the Italian Embassy of Ottawa in Canada, ICFF will feature their ‘Focus on Italy’ program, and the winner of the 2020 Lavazza Drive-In Film Festivals People’s Choice Award.
Vaughan/Markham – ICFF, presented by IC Savings, is teaming up again with multicultural media company CHIN Radio/TV, in partnership with the Embassy of Italy in Canada, to launch the “Lavazza Drive-In Nights”, presented in collaboration with Rogers Communications. After the tremendous success the organizers had in Toronto with the Lavazza Drive-In Film Festival, the public placed a high demand for the experience to be replicated in various cities across the GTA, two of which being Vaughan and Markham. This exciting event will offer Canadians an opportunity to reintegrate into the social society we once enjoyed, while remaining physically distanced. The Lavazza Drive-In Nights Vaughan is taking place at the Chateau Le Jardin (8440 York Regional Rd 270) from August 31st through September 3rd, and the Lavazza Drive-In Nights Markham is co-presented with Superior Events Group and will be a 1-night special at the Markham Fairgrounds (10801 McCowan Rd, Markham, ON L3P 3J3) on Friday September 4th.
Lavazza Drive-In Nights Vaughan will feature 4 evenings of full entertainment with a ‘Focus on Italy’ program presented in collaboration with the Istituto Italiano di Cultura a Toronto of popular and critically-acclaimed Italian contemporary movies. Screening at the Lavazza Drive-In Nights Markham will be the winner of the Ontario Place Lavazza Drive-In Film Festival People’s Choice Award, The Peanut Butter Falcon.
The Opening Night is on Monday, August 31st, screening Simone Spada’s Tomorrow’s a New Day/Domani è un altro giorno starring Valerio Mastandrea and Marco Giallini. The film is a true connection between Italy and Canada as Tommaso (Mastandrea), an Italian-Canadian travels back to Italy to visit his friend who is facing a serious illness.
On Tuesday, September 1st, the International Premiere of I Hate Summer/Odio l’estate, will be presented, starring comedy troupe Aldo, Giovanni and Giacomo, The film, directed by Massimo Venier, follows three strangers and their families who are forced to spend the summer holiday together, after accidentally being booked in the same vacation home.
The Canadian Premiere of Ginevra Elkann’s If Only/Magari will be screened on Wednesday, September 2nd, and stars Riccardo Scamarcio and Alba Rohrwacher. It is the touching drama of three tight-knit siblings who spend their summer caught between the eccentric lives of their divorced parents, who are each more concerned with themselves than their family.
Lastly, the Lavazza Drive-In Nights Vaughan will close on Thursday, September 4th with Fausto Brizzi’s If You Love Me/Se Mi Vuoi Bene, starring ICFF fan-favourite Claudio Bisio, in a story of a middle-aged man, feeling depressed and confused, who executes a series of lies and manipulations to help his loved ones.
On Friday September 4th, Lavazza Drive-In Nights Markham will feature a truly heartwarming tale, The Peanut Butter Falcon, the winner of both the SXSW Audience Award and the 2020 Lavazza Drive-In Film Festivals People’s Choice Award. Co-directed by Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz, the critically-acclaimed film is a modern-day Mark Twain adventure; the harrowing tale of a young man fighting the odds to achieve his dreams with the help of two unlikely friends.
After months of isolation, this event will provide Canadians and citizens of Vaughan the perfect opportunity to engage with the community once again, in a safe and physically-distanced manner. While restrictions may remain in place, the Lavazza Drive-In Nights Vaughan & Markham offers families a safe and comfortable entertainment experience, as we navigate through our new social reality. To eliminate concerns over large crowds at concession stands during the event, the ICFF has partnered with Chateau Le Jardin and Superior Event Groups to design a tailored app which provides contactless delivery of snacks directly to vehicles, offering a variety of comfort and snack foods, ranging from popcorn, hot dogs, french fries, hamburgers, pop, juices, nachos and cheese, to a variety of candy, which will all be on-site.
“In a moment when people are keen to re-connect with their neighbours and friends and be social again after months of physical distancing, we’re bringing the bright soul and energy of CHIN Radio to the Drive-In and providing a safe environment where audiences will feel that collective enjoyment that the cinema experience has always given us,” says Lenny Lombardi, President of CHIN Radio.
The arts and entertainment industries have been among the hardest hit throughout this pandemic, with many major events and large public gatherings forced to be cancelled this year. “The desire to bring people together through the celebration of arts and culture is in our blood. We want to show that Canadians are strong, resilient and compassionate, at a time when the world needs it most,” says ICFF Co-Founder and Artistic Director, Cristiano de Florentiis.
“I have always strongly supported the ICFF’s initiatives, and the solution of a Drive-In Series, which will allow patrons to keep their usual summer appointment with Italian cinema while at the same time maintaining maximum safety, convinced me immediately,” affirmed Italian Ambassador to Canada, Claudio Taffuri. “Initiatives like this one are what we really need. Even at a time when we are required to remain distanced, we did not want to give up, we did not want to lose contact, and we explored new solutions and new ways to share our cinema culture with our Canadian friends.”
“Lavazza is very proud to support this wonderful initiative which will bring Vaughan & Markham together again to be entertained by a great selection of great movies from around the world!” says Andrea Chiaramello, head of Lavazza in Canada.
“We are proud to partner with the Italian Contemporary Film Festival to bring curated movies from around the world to Canadians,” says Drew Stevenson, VP & GM of Connected Home Marketing at Rogers. “Now more than ever, it’s important that we come together in innovative and safe ways to tell stories that matter to our communities and keep us connected.”
The full program schedule has been released online with tickets available for purchase. Visit www.icff.ca or call 416-893-3966 for more information.
Media Contact:
Natalie Quercia – nquercia@icff.ca – 416.893.3966
