Highlights from the Thursday February 13, 2017 event.

INDIGO, 19min, Sweden, Romance/Drama WATCH Audience FEEDBACK RUN FREE, 8min, Romance/War WATCH Audience FEEDBACK

CHARITY CASE, 3min, UK, Romance/Comedy WATCH Audience FEEDBACK SUNDAY AFTER, 3min. Canada, Romance/Experimental WATCH Audience FEEDBACK

FOUR DAY WEEKEND, 20min, USA, Romance/Drama WATCH Audience FEEDBACK PUMPKIN, 15min., USA, Romance/Drama WATCH Audience FEEDBACK

The ROMANCE FEBRUARY 2017 FEEDBACK Film Festival was truly a great success. Our first ever romance festival will definitely not be the last.

The theme of the festival was “NEEDING TO CONNECT”.

Every film showcased was about a character(s) desperately needing to connect with someone or something.

NOTE: This was the 2nd festival that was moderated by Kierston Drier. She was terrific and will be moderating 10 more festivals in 2017.

Sometimes it’s really about luck, scheduling, and opportunity to create a success.

That’s the story in one sentence of how the Romance FEEDBACK Film Festival came to light. Back in the summer of 2016, I was going over the booking with the cinema in Toronto for the 2017 season. 19 out of our 20 dates were set with the Feb. 16th date being already taken by the Toronto Black Film Festival. I didn’t know what to do, so I asked if I could take Monday February 13th date instead. It was open and I paid my deposit and walked out of their offices. Then it hit me: why don’t I attempt to do a Romance Festival!

I set up the site and “HOPED” for some submissions. I didn’t know what to expect at all, but I was amazed by the quality of films coming in. I knew early on that we had a festival, but would people come?

Not only did they come, but for the first time ever the event was sold out 2 weeks before the scheduled date. I couldn’t stop the sales so I asked the cinema if we could switch our scheduled booking for their largest theatre. It was free and we officially had a hit on our hands as the rest of the tickets we now had to sell were also gone in days.

So all I can say is that I got lucky. And I have to thank the Toronto Black Film Festival for being so perpared and taking my original booking date.

See you at the festivals in 2017.

– Matthew Toffolo

Take a look at the Audience Feedback Videos from our NEW Film Festival. Some of the best short films in the world today were showcased.

AUDIENCE FESTIVAL AWARDS

Best Film: FOUR DAY WEEKEND

Best Performances: FOUR DAY WEEKEND

Best Cinematography: INDIGO

Best Music: The music from INDIGO