Drive-In International Film Festival comes close enough to the real thing

Article content

Growing up, the best way to escape the heat of summers was to hit the movie theatre with some friends. Naturally, I’m a sucker for the big screen — not just for blockbusters but for indie and international films as well. With a global pandemic putting the kibosh on travel and in-person events, however, film festivals had to get creative. Fortunately, these efforts weren’t in vain.

Article content

The Italian Contemporary Film Festival (ICFF) may not be a household name like the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), but it caught our attention after it added an all-important Lavazza Drive-In Film Festival . This addition ensures moviegoers can still access that romantic experience of a movie night out. But the question remains: does it feel like a traditional film festival? With a pair of tickets in hand, we set our GPS to Ontario Place to find out.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.

Drive-In International Film Festival comes close enough to the real thing Back to video

Though hardly the focus for this story, we should point out that we were testing the new Jaguar F-Pace , a spacious and high-end SUV. Even with power-adjustable seats and plenty of headroom, a luxury vehicle like this can still feel a bit cramped compared to those VIP seats at the cinema. However, there are some advantages to the drive-in: For starters, we can control the climate in the car, no longer shivering to death in the middle of summer (and the heated and vented seats are a wonderful touch). Additionally, there’s no need to wrestle anyone over armrests or shush any other talkative moviegoers. On the other hand, everyone else in the car will be captive to your bad mid-movie jokes.

Article content

Take Your Seats… I mean Parking Spots

For anyone who’s experienced the Ontario Place Drive-In Movie Theatre, the ambience suits all types including: those who are fans of practically-abandoned amusement parks, outdoorsy folks who are inspired by the vast and impressive Lake Ontario, and skywatchers who just like being near Billy Bishop Airport. The arrival was easy, so long as the joggers and bikers on Lakeshore Boulevard give you a gap to turn into the entrance of Trillium Park.

For those unaware, the Ontario Place Drive-In is essentially a converted parking lot or concert venue, and unlike other drive-in theatres you have been to, is on relatively flat ground. As a result, you have to watch the show out of the windshield, which may not be everyone’s favourite position. Reversing into your spot to lounge out in the cargo area of the vehicle just isn’t allowed.

Article content

You get ushered to your spot, which sounds fancy but has other purposes, guaranteeing you won’t block the screen for anyone else. Each spot is numbered for delivery of concessions straight to your vehicle. A red carpet is laid upon the pavement, although it’s not really used, as guests are advised to stay in their vehicles, and cars lack the emotions to appreciate the theatrics and traditions.

Once we parked and got settled in, we tuned the radio to the theatre’s frequency and pointed our smartphones to the concession stand menu. As expected from the title sponsor, cold brew Lavazza coffee was free of charge, so I opted to get caffeinated, while my wife chose to get some gelato. Also on the menu were a charcuterie box, meatball sliders, pizza slices, popcorn (both buttered and caramel-covered), and other snacks. These get delivered to your car door by folks on roller skates, which was a nice touch.

Article content

Setting the Stage

Even with the interesting location, a large, flat, paved area with a large screen can only provide so much ambience. Fortunately, there are a few gorgeous drop-top Rolls-Royces placed in a lounge area, that would be the set for the evening’s Q&A session with the cast of the film we were watching. When the sun finally set, a pair of the festival’s hosts settled into the flashy rides, while another pair stationed themselves in the lounge to live stream a question and answer period with some of the movie’s cast.

Our film of the evening was Sul più Bello , or Out of My League . Director Alice Filippi and star of the film, Ludovica Francesconi teleconferenced in from Italy, braving the time difference and any language barriers to answer questions posed by the festival’s hosts. It was great to hear what influenced the director’s decisions on set, and of course how the global pandemic impacted the shooting and release schedule.

Article content

We watched a rom-com about an upbeat, positive young woman living with cystic fibrosis, who wants the most handsome boy at school to ask her out. With cute, likeable characters, playful music and charming camera work, the film was a sweet way to pass the summer evening.

Even without the glamour associated with these kinds of film festivals like the wild dresses, slick outfits, cool cars and paparazzi-packed arrivals, the festival still managed to feel like an important event. The film was presented with its original audio (without dubbing), while those who aren’t fluent in the native language of the movie are given non-distracting subtitles.

Curtain Call

After the movie, people were escorted out of the drive-in theatre in a structured way. No need for aggressive cuts in line or incessant honking; the ushers managed who moved where. For anyone whose car battery died during the movie (a legitimate phobia of mine along, with lupophobia), there was a truck providing boosts to get people going again.

Article content

It may not have been as glamorous as other film festivals, but the Drive-In format proved to be entertaining, bringing new movies with a multicultural flair to the city. The added element of concession service to the car, solid organization and the opportunity to hear from the cast and crew helped brighten up these summer nights amid a global pandemic that has impacted the ability to hold and attend events that make up our warmer months.

The ICFF and Lavazza Drive-In Movie Festival are showing films from all over the world until July 17th, 2021, with an asking price of $20 for a solo moviegoer to $60 for a full carload.