Reelworld Film Festival Recap

Last year, I covered the Reelworld Festival + Summit for a news package assignment. I had such a wonderful experience watching brilliant films, interviewing creatives and getting to know the staff involved that I just had to return this year.

My Favourite Films

Stand out Features

Stealing Vows (2024) - 3.5/5 🪩

Stealing Vows is the debut feature film from director Bobby Singh Brown. It follows four colleagues in the wedding business embarking on a string of heists following what was supposed to be a one-time act of revenge on an ex.

I love a good ensemble heist film, so I was excited to see this on the festival's opening night. Also, I liked that this movie was based on some of Singh's real thoughts and experiences, as he worked as a wedding videographer as his first job out of school. At the Q&A, Singh told the audience that he despised being in that line of work and jokingly (probably) said he wanted to rob all of the clients blind.

As a fan of The Sex Lives of College Girls, I was pleasantly surprised to see Amrit Kaur's name in the opening credits. Also, I was ITCHING to check IMDB as soon as I saw Gia Sandhu's on screen. Turns out, I recognized her from The Mysterious Benedict Society (RIP).

For a low-budget debut film, it was pretty solid. The cast's talent definitely compensated for the production value. Though I didn't really connect with the characters, and some of the jokes didn't land for me, it was still a fun watch. Honestly, it was leaps and bounds ahead of some of the films I've seen at TIFF. I enjoyed the direction and cinematography, and the music almost made me jump out of my seat. I'm looking forward to seeing what Bobby Singh Brown does next!

Morningside (2024) - 4/5 🪩

I wish I had written a review of this film earlier because I don't remember all of my thoughts. However, Morningside is a beautiful film, a stellar adaptation of real events and a true love letter to Scarborough. I loved how all of the storylines intertwined near the end, even though the end is catastrophic. I sobbed.

I can't believe I wasn't going to see this, but I'm glad I changed my mind at the last minute. All of the performances were fantastic, but I was especially looking out for Kiana Madeira. I loved her in Clement Virgo's Brother, another brilliant love letter to this neighbourhood.

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