TORONTO, Ontario, Canada – The ICFF and CHIN Radio/TV are thrilled to announce the much-anticipated second edition of the Lavazza Drive-In Film Festival, taking place at Ontario Place from June 27th to July 17th, 2021. This extraordinary event, presented in collaboration with Rogers Communications and Christie Digital, will feature a program showcasing some of the most acclaimed films from across the globe from 16 different countries. Following last year’s objective, the mission of the Festival remains to reconnect communities within the unique multicultural mosaic of Canadian society.
During this three-week program, the ICFF will also celebrate its milestone anniversary with the 10th celebratory edition of the Italian Contemporary Film Festival thanks to the support of the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and media partners OMNI Television and RAI Italia.
A Special Screening will take place on Saturday, June 19th with Disney and Pixar’s upcoming original feature film ‘Luca’, directed by Academy Award® nominee Enrico Casarosa (‘La Luna’). The special event will feature an exquisite “Luca” themed dinner prepared by Eataly and will include a special greeting from Enrico Casarosa and from Character Art Director Deanna Marsigliese. For the occasion, the ICFF will donate a portion of ticket sales to Canada Food Bank, the charitable organization dedicated to helping Canadians living with food insecurity.
The Lavazza Drive-In Film Festival will officially open its gates on Sunday, June 27th in celebration of Canadian Multiculturalism Day. “Toronto stands as a beacon of cultural diversity in Canada and the world,” said Lenny Lombardi, President of CHIN RADIO/Tv the leading multicultural radio broadcaster in Canada. “It is important to us that this unique festival launch on the day that celebrates our character as a Nation”.
The Festival will launch its 2nd edition with the Canadian Premiere of The Comeback Trail. The film recounts the story of two movie producers, indebted to the mob, who try to save themselves by setting up an aging actor for an insurance scam.
The official film selection of the Lavazza Drive-In Film Festival will include an incredible variety of the films, mostly North American and Canadian Premieres, such as the screening of Peace by Chocolate; Robert De Niro’s latest film, The Comeback Trail; and the uplifting British film, Dream Horse starring Toni Colette.
“We will remember this year as a dramatic one because of the serious losses and struggles that hit us as a result of the pandemic,” said Cristiano de Florentiis, Co-Founder and Artistic Director of the ICFF. “The lockdown of our cities and society has also caused the loss of the sense of community that united us. For this reason, we made it our mission to reconnect people, reduce distances, and create an event where audiences can share emotions together again.”
“Lavazza is proud to support the entertainment and cultural industry in a period where many festivals and organizations are forced to close or cancel their programs with no certainty of coming back any time soon,” said Head of Lavazza Canada, Andrea Chiaramello. “With this great film festival we aim to give people something to look forward to, with the hopes having back the sense of normality that we all so dearly miss.”
Safety remains a top priority for the Festival. To grant an entertaining and safe experience for all audiences, on top of last year’s health and safety measures, this year the festival is proud to announce its partnership with Juiceworks Exhibits and Predictmedix Inc. that will provide innovative COVID-19 Screening Safe Entry Stations.
