In a little over a month, Windsor’s downtown core will be flooded with film fanatics, their friends, and families as the Windsor International Film Festival returns for its 22nd year. That foot traffic is something businesses in the area eagerly anticipate. Whiskeyjack Boutique sits just down University Avenue from the Capitol Theatre, WIFF’s home. Co-owner Katie Stokes said the crowds of cinephiles make it worthwhile to keep the shop open seven days a week during the festival. “People are a little early for their screening, or maybe they’re going out for dinner,” she said. The festival gets the whole core buzzing about movies – which Stokes says keeps the conversation going even as people browse the merchandise. “I’ll be yammering on about the film festival and then someone else will chime in like, we just saw that or that was on my list,” Stokes said. For Stokes, the festival holds a special place in her heart, having played a featured role in her own love story. “My now husband actually introduced me to the festival,” she said. “Took me out on a date. I still remember the movie that we saw.” WIFF reports attracting approximately 8,250 visitors from outside the region in 2025 and estimates its regional tourism impact at $2.4 million. Among the local fans preparing for its return is Ana Maria Caruso, who bought the first festival pass sold this year. She said she hopes to see 40 films. “My friend and I, we have a competition to see who’s going to be the first person to buy tickets,” Caruso said. A record Canadian share The lineup announced Tuesday includes 232 feature films from 55 countries and more than 300 screenings. The festival runs from Oct. 29 to Nov. 8. Executive director and chief programmer Vincent Georgie says 51 per cent of the lineup is Canadian, the highest share in WIFF’s history. “We thought it was important to double down on Canada,” he said. The program includes 53 local films and a selection of Canadian titles that missed opportunities to reach audiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We looked back at films that came out in 2020, 2021 that never had their moments, that kind of got lost,” Georgie said. James Gray’s Paper Tiger, starring Adam Driver, Miles Teller and Scarlett Johansson, opens the festival. Jesse Eisenberg’s The Debut, starring Julianne Moore and Paul Giamatti, closes it. Tickets and passes are available now. Georgie says the festival’s appeal extends to people who appreciate what it does for the city. “I love that this is good for tourism. I love the fact that it makes us proud,” he said. “I think anytime Windsor makes something and we get behind it, it’s unstoppable.” He credits the community that has built and sustained the event. “This festival, 22 years in, has been made by your friends and neighbours. There’s no question around that.”
