#FIRSTLOOK: BLUE MOUNTAIN FILM + MEDIA FESTIVAL 2026 PROGRAMMING

The Blue Mountains (April 15, 2026) – The BLUE MOUNTAIN FILM + MEDIA FESTIVAL (BMFM) is pleased to announce the fifth edition of the Festival where mountain culture meets the silver screen with award-winning films from Canada and around the world, with 33 films representing 16 countries.

BMFM 2026 opens with Opening Night Spotlight: DANCING ON THE ELEPHANT, a Canadian comedy-drama about two friends (Sheila McCarthy, Mary Walsh) who attempt to break out of a retirement home, forging a life-changing bond that leads to one last, unforgettable adventure. The film is directed by Julia Neill and Jacob Z. Smith, adapted from a stage play of the same name by Lisa Hagen. The film’s star Sheila McCarthy will be in attendance for the introduction/Q&A, along with other cast and crew.

The Saturday Night Feature: Film Screening + After Party (May 30) showcases Nick Davis’s exuberant documentary YOU HAD TO BE THERE: HOW THE TORONTO GODSPELL IGNITED THE COMEDY REVOLUTION, SPREAD LOVE & OVERALLS, AND CREATED A COMMUNITY THAT CHANGED THE WORLD (IN A CANADIAN KIND OF WAY) about the legendary 1972 Toronto production of the musical Godspell, which launched many illustrious careers. One of the original cast members, screen and theatre legend Jayne Eastwood, will be in attendance for the post-screening Q&A.

BMFM 2026 will also set the stage for two films making world premieres. Matthew Poitras’ THE BRUCE PENINSULA is about two half-brothers who meet for the first time after the death of their estranged father and embark on a road trip across Northern Ontario to spread his ashes. THE NORTHMEN WAY: A LACROSSE STORY explores and celebrates the legacy and phenomenon of how Orangeville became a lacrosse powerhouse. Both local films will have film teams participating in in-person Q&As following their screenings.

South Georgian Bay’s students will have an opportunity to see Kid Koala’s animated feature SPACE CADET on the big screen as part of the school screening program, engaging the students about the craft of filmmaking and the power of storytelling. The students will have the chance to bring their questions to head of story-animator-production designer Lillian Chan. Adapted from Kid Koala’s graphic novel of the same name, SPACE CADET is about a young astronaut and her guardian robot which explores grief, loss and love across generations.

“My programming associates and I are extremely pleased to help make the festival’s fifth year the most extraordinary yet!” says Jason Gorber, BMFM Director of Film Programming. “With thirty-three films from across the planet, including documentaries, dramas, comedies, and classics, we are once again bringing the best of Canadian and world cinema to the beautiful Blue Mountains. Many screenings will have in-person or pre-recorded Q&As, and we are there at every showing to encourage our engaged audience members to continue the conversation long after the credits roll, and share our passion for these movies.”

The highly anticipated BMFM Creative Forum is also a part of the Festival’s fifth edition. It is an intimate, high-impact, face-to-face gathering where creators connect directly with buyers, funders, commissioners, distributors and key decision-makers. The Creative Forum is about accelerating the projects that get to the screen with direct industry access. Some highlights include Fireside Chats with Bell Media Executives and CBC Executives, clear-eyed looks at where opportunities are emerging across scripted and unscripted content. Pitch & Pour is part competition, part networking, with participants delivering quick and compelling pitches while the audience makes connections. The winner receives $35K+ in prizing of goods and services from Urban Post and Sunbelt. Mountain View is BMFM’s elevator pitch with stakeholders while riding up Blue Mountain in a gondola.

THE BLUE MOUNTAIN FILM + MEDIA FESTIVAL 2026 OFFICIAL SELECTIONS

Narrative:
3670
Dir. Joonho Park; South Korea
A North Korean defector explores Seoul’s queer scene in this groundbreaking first feature.

AKASHI
Dir. Mayumi Yoshida; Canada
A multigenerational tale of love and loss, told through the eyes of a Canadian artist returning home to Japan to confront long-buried family secrets.

BÁITE
Dir. Ruán Magan; Ireland
A 1970s-set moody crime drama wrapped in the warmth of cozy Irish charm.

BOOKENDS
Dir. Mike Doyle; USA
An aspiring author moves back with his grandparents following a bad break-up and must confront his Holocaust-survivor grandfather’s cognitive decline.
*Canadian premiere

CALLE MÁLAGA
Dir. Maryam Touzani; Morocco/France/Spain
Spanish screen icon Carmen Maura stars as a senior who rediscovers love while resisting her daughter’s plan to sell the family home.

FATHER
Dir. Tereza Nvotová; Slovakia/Czech Republic/Poland
A hectic day at work has devastating consequences in this riveting family drama.

GAIL DAUGHTRY AND THE CELEBRITY SEX PASS
Dir. David Wain; USA
After a woman poses an innocent question to her fiancé, she finds herself on a madcap mission to sleep with Jon Hamm.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Dir. Sara Goher; Egypt
An eight-year-old girl in Cairo works overtime to give her friend the perfect birthday.
*Canadian premiere

HERCULES FALLING
Dir. Christian Bonke; Denmark
A moving, memorable film about a soldier’s most challenging mission: to heal his mind after the trauma of conflict.
*North American premiere

LATE SHIFT
Dir. Petra Volpe; Switzerland/Germany
A thrilling drama set in a hospital where a nurse must do the near impossible: juggling her many duties when a simple mistake can easily lead to deadly consequences.

LITTLE LORRAINE
Dir. Andy Hines; Canada
Based on an incredible true story, a desperate miner in a struggling Cape Breton village finds himself part of an international cocaine smuggling operation.

SIRĀT
Dir. Oliver Laxe; Spain/France
A worried father traverses the Moroccan desert with his young son, following a trail of underground raves in search of his missing daughter.

THE BRUCE PENINSULA
Dir. Matthew Poitras; Canada
Two half-brothers struggle to connect on a picturesque road trip in remembrance of their late father.
Post-screening Q&A with the film team.
*World premiere

THE LAST VIKING
Dir. Anders Thomas Jensen; Denmark/Sweden
After his delusional brother (Mads Mikkelsen) becomes the only link to hidden loot, an ex-con embraces the fantasy and stages a surreal Beatles reunion to reclaim his fortune.

TUNER
Dir. Daniel Roher; USA/Canada
A piano tuner is drawn into a world of criminality in Oscar winner (and friend of the festival!) Daniel Roher’s fiction film debut.

Documentary:
A LIFE ILLUMINATED
Dir. Tasha Van Zandt; USA
Follow marine biologist Dr. Edie Widder as she explores the depths of the ocean to uncover its most luminous of secrets.

BLACK ZOMBIE
Dir. Maya Annik Bedward; Canada
Black Zombie traces the origins of the zombie from Haitian Vodou to the big screen.

CLAN OF THE PAINTED LADY
Dir. Jennifer Chiu; Canada
A delicious, ambitious film tracing one family’s journey, how their Hakka culture has been shaped by the communities around them, and how one can hold onto traditions while finding new places to call home.
Q&A with director Jennifer Chiu in attendance.

COOKIE QUEENS
Dir. Alysa Nahmias; USA
Ambitious Girl Scouts embark on a rite of passage that proves they’re tough cookies.
*Canadian premiere

GIMME TRUTH
Dir. Brad Abrahams, Simon Ennis; Canada
A sometimes chilling, sometimes darkly-comical look at the world of conspiracies and how to avoid succumbing to their lure.

KING HAMLET
Dir. Elvira Lind; USA/Denmark
Oscar Isaac reimagines Shakespeare’s Hamlet while preparing for another role: being a father.
*Canadian premiere

NEWPORT & THE GREAT FOLK DREAM
Dir. Robert Gordon; USA
This music doc celebrates the epic era of Newport Folk Festival during the mid-1960s, where legends gathered and transformed a generation.
*Canadian premiere

PETER ASHER: EVERYWHERE MAN
Dir. Dayna Goldfine, Daniel Geller; USA/UK
An intimate and entertaining portrait of Peter Asher, musical artist, producer, manager, and record company executive.
*Canadian premiere

SWEET STӦRY
Dir. Sarah Justine Kerruish, Matthew Maude; USA
An American pastry chef visits a remote café in Sweden and whips up a recipe for cultural exchange.
*Canadian premiere

THE ART OF ADVENTURE
Dir. Alison Reid; Canada
Painter Robert Bateman and biologist/filmmaker Bristol Foster look back on a world tour that inspired their work as artists.
Q&A with director Alison Reid following the screenings on May 28 and 31.

THE BALLOONISTS
Dir. John Dower; UK
Touch the sky in this thrilling adventure about two aeronauts and their historic balloon trip around the world.

THE EYES OF GHANA
Dir. Ben Proudfoot; USA
Veteran filmmaker Chris Hesse receives a loving portrait in this cinematic biography from two-time Oscar winner Ben Proudfoot.

THE NORTHMEN WAY: A LACROSSE STORY
Dir. Zack Thompson, Jake Thompson; Canada
In Orangeville, Ontario, a community built around lacrosse traces the sport’s Indigenous roots and enduring legacy through the story of the Northmen.
Post-screening Q&A with the film team and participants.
*World premiere

SCHOOL SCREENING – Narrative
SPACE CADET
Dir. Kid Koala; Canada
Kid Koala’s tale of a young girl’s ambitions of astro voyages and her robotic guardian is this year’s selection for BMFM’s Annual Student Screening Series.
In-person Q&A with animator, production designer, and head of story Lillian Chan.

Opening Night Spotlight
DANCING ON THE ELEPHANT
Dir. Julia Neill, Jacob Z. Smith; Canada
Two women in a retirement home forge a life-changing bond that leads to one last, unforgettable adventure.
Blue Mountain Film + Media Festival’s Opening Night Spotlight with star Sheila McCarthy.

Saturday Night Feature
YOU HAD TO BE THERE: HOW THE TORONTO GODSPELL IGNITED THE COMEDY REVOLUTION, SPREAD LOVE & OVERALLS, AND CREATED A COMMUNITY THAT CHANGED THE WORLD (IN A CANADIAN KIND OF WAY)
Dir. Nick Davis; USA/Canada
A rapturous reunion of the 1972 Toronto Godspell cast celebrates the half-century long legacy of a musical that launched the careers of many comedy greats.
Blue Mountain Film + Media Festival’s Saturday Night Feature with participant Jayne Eastwood in attendance.

Special Complimentary Outdoor Screenings in the Blue Mountain Village:

THE PRINCESS BRIDE
Dir. Rob Reiner; USA
Rob Reiner’s masterful film filled with romance, action, betrayal, courage and the occasional kiss screens for free outdoors at Blue Mountain.

GORDON LIGHTFOOT: IF YOU COULD READ MY MIND
Dir. Martha Kehoe, Joan Tosoni; Canada
Celebrating the musical legacy of the legendary performer Gordon Lightfoot.

For more information – bluemtnfilmfest.ca