Cinefest Niagara returns for its 21st season

The Cinéfest Niagara film festival starts its 21st season next week, with a Canadian crime drama.

Film festival founder Anne Audet-Giroux, who founded the international films festival with her husband Marc-Yvain Giroux, said the first offering this season is Bon Cop, Bad Cop 2, a sequel to the 2006 Canadian film about a police officer from Quebec teaming up with an cop from Ontario to investigate a murder.

In the sequel, the two cops played by Colm Feore and Patrick Huard, reunite to investigate a car theft ring.

The movie will play at the Seaway Cinemas, 800 Niagara St. in Welland, Wednesday at 6 and 8 p.m.

“It’s working well. We have a really good roster,” Audet- Giroux said. “We’re very pleased with the wonderful project that Marc and I started 21 years ago.”

The series includes nine movies, screened on the second Wednesday of the month from September to November, and from January to May. An additional film, to be announced, is added on Jan. 24.

Next up this season is Tulip Fever, a romance set in 17th century Amsterdam, playing Oct. 11, and The Salesman, a suspenseful drama set in Tehran that won an Oscar last year for best foreign film on Nov. 8.

Additional movies in the series are still to be determined.

Audet- Giroux said the festival currently has about 600 members and about 50 people on a waiting list.

“We’re doing really well,” she said.

While it’s too late to become a member this year, Au de t-Giroux said people can be added to the waiting list by calling 905-7349835.

She said it usually takes a year before members from the waiting list are activated.