Judgement Day (Special Edition) – 33rd Annual Atlantic Film Festival: Opening Night Gala!!

It’s hard to believe, but its September and the leaves are changing colour once again, making way for fall and eventually winter. The month of September is my favourite time of year for many reasons: my birthday (9/8), the beginning of my favourite season, and most of all, the promise of another fantastic week at the Atlantic Film Festival.

As a regular patron of the festival, I always buy a festival pass so that I have freedom to see as many films as I want to, and to change my mind about screenings as I go. (For anyone that has never experienced four or five film screenings in near back-to-back succession, you would be surprised how very exhausting it can be!)

I also have been known to temporarily swear-off the Opening Gala film, as it is the one screening that a festival pass is not good for. On top of that, the screening always costs a significant amount more than a regular screening, with or without the added price of attending the swanky after party.

That being said, I like to think I’m a fair fellow, and while this article may, thus far, seem like a gripe-fest, I admit that as an AFF regular I see the dozens and dozens of festival employees and volunteers who pour their hearts and souls into our ever-growing celebration of film. I see the screenings that are attended by only a few, lucky individuals and all of the beautiful design work that goes into each years visuals; the program guide, the projections and posters and advertisements. The frugal film fan in me has to take a back seat to the business-minded me that my career has developed and I realize how much it makes sense to have a higher ticket price on a sure-to-sell-out screening (this year, in three theatres simultaneously) in order to continue offering all of the less popular, less glitzy moments that make the festival such a diamond to behold. It’s truly a pleasure to support a cause that has brought me such happiness and inspiration every year since I moved to my fair Halifax some thirteen years ago, and (as long as the film interests me) I always suck it up, attend the opening night film, and have yet to ever be disappointed.

REVELATIONS: Victoria Duffield

“REVELATIONS” is a new feature here at PopMessiah.com where we present an emerging or at least new-to-us pop culture personality. For our first installment; we present Canada’s latest Pop music offering: Victoria Duffield.

Victoria Duffield is an emerging pop singer/songwriter from British Columbia, Canada. Her debut single: “Shut Up & Dance” (Warner Music Canada) is an infectious dance floor filler that I can’t get away from – nor do I actually want to!

In high rotation on “The Nation’s Music Station”, Much Music, the video for this wonderful little track features So You Think You Can Dance Canada alum; Rodrigo Basurto in the role of “phantom choreographer” to Victoria who we find rehearsing with great determination. Ok, so he’s probably not a phantom, but we will call him a *somewhat* antagonistic force (even if only in her imagination) who helps to motivate Victoria to get the steps down. While one video isn’t enough to truly know what an artist is all about, in this clip Victoria is oozing “Baby One More Time” era Britney, and we couldn’t be happier about it. Check it out, below:

A trained dancer and singer since she was a child and a classically trained Pianist to boot, Duffield was discovered the “old fashioned” way (i.e. not on YouTube) when the VP of A&R at Warner Music Canada heard some of her demo work. In addition to music and dancing, Victoria also has a lot of acting work under her belt.

If this first single is any indication, Victoria Duffield may have a great career ahead of her on the Canadian pop charts and maybe even beyond! Check her out and spread the word!

• Follow Victoria on Twitter !
• “Like” Victoria on Facebook !
• Check out Victoria’s Official Website