Belleville Downtown DocFest’s popular Gala is all about music! DocFest believes in downtown Belleville! We’re selling Gala Rush Passes in advance! Why not come downtown to watch the award-winning documentary Carlos, about 10-time Grammy Award winner Carlos Santana! Followed by a live concert featuring Mexican-born Javier Vazquez and his 6-piece band, bringing a rocking Latino and Canadian fusion sound. Dare you not to dance.Catch the Green Carpet interviews with visiting and local filmmakers, and special guests live streamed from the Empire lobby to the theatre.

Gala Rush Passes include Green Carpet Interviews at 6p.m., the Feature Film and Concert starting at 7p.m. at The Empire Theatre on Friday, February 23. Purchase your Gala Rush Pass: $50 (plus fee) online or in-person at the Belleville Public Library or at The Empire Theatre on Friday, February 23 from 5:30-7p.m. In-person sales are cash only.

A celebration of the life and career of Ernie Coombs better known to his many fans as Mr. Dressup. For 29 years on the CBC Coombs, along with Casey, Finnegan and the Tickle Trunk, entertained and enriched five generations of Canadian children. The film includes archival footage, interviews with show staff, and reflections from family and fans on the impact Mr. Dressup had on millions of young Canadians.

Despite being an essential biological function for half of all humans, the stigma attached to menstruation persists. A wide range of women – athletes, activists, movie stars, doctors, journalists, and ordinary people – share their experiences and insights. Looking at the science, politics, and social customs associated with the period, the film aims to expand knowledge and change attitudes.

Five teens trapped in the war-torn Donbas region of eastern Ukraine in 2019 see little future for themselves. As the threat of full-scale war with Russia grows, the group is offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join a Himalayan mountain-climbing expedition. The trek offers them a reprieve from their grim reality and reinforces their dreams for a brighter future.

My So-Called Selfish Life is a revolutionary new documentary about one of our greatest social taboos: choosing not to become a mother. With brisk, cheeky humor and an intersectional lens, My So-Called Selfish Life questions the cultural narratives that shape our identities. The film shows us what true reproductive freedom can look like–whether we desire children or not. When women have control over their reproductive choices, powerful things happen.Attending Filmmaker Alert! See this film in-person and stay for the live Q&A with attending director Therese Shechter. Therese will also be joining us for our Filmmaker Panel on Friday, February 23rd at 3pm in Capers Restaurant. Watch for more details to come.

Set amongst the rugged forests and shorelines of British Columbia, Silvicola is a tableau of the complex web of cultural and economic forces that compel and constrain modern forestry practices. A story told through the eyes of an eclectic mix of characters whose lives and livelihoods are intimately entangled with the forest. A study of both our connection and disconnection with the forest, Silvicola is a film that demands a rethink of the divisions between natural and industrial worlds by spotlighting the hidden labour and logistics of modern forestry. Available for online screening only.

This riveting and inspirational documentary explores the current state of the mental health crisis and our relationship with our own mental health while following Mike’s five epic crossings throughout the summer of 2022. These crossings encompass over 300kms of open-water paddling with his dedicated crossings team. Simultaneously these strangers come together and form an inseparable bond as they face and conquer obstacles from boats breaking down to medical emergencies, hallucinations and everything in between.

Follows the journey of Toronto’s “Good Guise” collective, who are committed to sparking conversations around healthy masculinity through art. From photography and beatboxing to poetry and martial arts, the artists in the collective share their unique lived experiences and welcome others to join in their mission of finding radical alternatives to shame and punishment. As each of them grapples with upheavals in their personal lives, their resolve is further tested by a dire lack of resources and the burden of racialized discrimination. WE WILL BE BRAVE is a story about personal evolution, healing and an unlikely brotherhood forged in vulnerability.Attending Filmmaker Alert! See this film in-person and stay for the live Q&A with attending director Chrisann Hessing. Chrisann will also be joining us for our Filmmaker Panel on Friday, February 23rd at 3pm in Capers Restaurant. Watch for more details to come.

This eye-opening documentary on the implications of modern technology shares the journey of one college student and her search for justice after she discovers deepfake pornography of herself online. This film explores themes of technology, society, and what happens when anyone with the right skills can put your face on “Another Body.”

From acclaimed director, Alex Holmes, comes this awe-inspiring true tale of American cyclist Greg LeMond, hailed as one of cycling’s legends. Against all odds, he stages a remarkable comeback, marking one of sports’ most triumphant stories. As the sole American to clinch victory in the Tour de France, LeMond’s journey from the brink of defeat to conquering his adversaries in the iconic 1989 race is nothing short of legendary.

Full festival passes are still available. Don’t miss anything over our February 23 to 25th in-person weekend!