Lunenburg Doc Festival celebrating 12th year of movie magic on Nova Scotia’s South Shore

The Lunenburg Doc Fest is happening in a few weeks, and the festival director chats about the exciting program.

September is an exciting time for Nova Scotian film buffs with the Atlantic International Film Festival arriving in Halifax on Sept. 10, but for moviegoers who just can’t get enough the Lunenburg Doc Festival arrives on the South Shore the following weekend.

The 12th annual documentary festival, being billed as “docs on the dock,” will bring 29 feature films and 33 shorts to Lunenburg from Sept. 17 to 21.

Walter Forsyth is an organizer at the festival. He said they are expanding around the South Shore this year.

“For the first time we’re also showing a film in Chester, Shelburne and Liverpool,” Forsyth said. Most of the movies – all of which are documentaries – will be screened at the renovated Lunenburg Opera House.

“Historic place,” he said. “A beautiful place to see films.”

One of the most anticipated movies at the festival is the world premiere of the international version of “Great White North Invasion,” a movie about great white sharks migrating into eastern Canadian waters.

The movie is already on Discovery but Forsyth said they are giving away tickets for a shark expedition on the boat that appears in the film.

Forsyth said people are also excited about “Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted,” a movie about an 83-year-old Florida musician who will be in attendance.

“They’re coming to play after the show,” Forsyth said. “They’ll do a Q and A. They’ll do a performance.”

There are challenges, including late nights, that come with organizing a film festival, said Forsyth, especially with so many guest appearances and interactive components. He said the 250-seat theatre at the opera house means they rarely turn anybody away but some shows are close to capacity.

The festival is always a celebration, but Forsyth said they are also mourning the loss of their former executive and artistic director Pamela Segger, who died earlier this year.

“It was really sad for the festival and for the community,” Forsyth said. “She was such an awesome, energetic person.”

Forsyth said he’s taken over the festival while it grows and evolves.

Visit the website to buy tickets or passes and learn more about the Lunenburg Doc Festival.

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