THUNDER BAY – In Toronto, Sail-In Cinema is set to host movies on the waterfront this summer. This is Canada’s first ever floating movie experience. The 28-foot two-sided screen will allow people both on land, and from their boats to enjoy movies. This summer, they will feature water-themed movies on the Toronto Waterfront.
The three water-themed movies were selected by the public. They include the 1954 classic, 20,000 Leagues under the Sea, will run Thursday, August 18, Jaws will run Friday, August 19, and the family-friendly Finding Nemo will play Saturday, August 20. All movies will start after sundown, at approximately 8:45pm. Geoffrey Wilson, President and CEO of the Toronto Port Authority, said that the Port Authority received more than 400 recommendations on Facebook and by email.
“The Toronto Port Authority has played a big part at the city’s waterfront and waterways for over 100 years,” Wilson said. “We wanted to create an experience that would give something back to the community and allow us to create a closer connection with the people who enjoy it.”
There has been a lot of work ongoing to boost Thunder Bay as a place for film-makers. We have world-class video-graphers and film-makers in our community, often without as many places as possible to show their works to the public. We have a world-class program at Confederation College teaching some of the best in the world.
We should be celebrating those films, and boosting the growing movie industry that could form in our community in the future.
While the City Council has chosen the “Twin Sticks” as their choice (and the Art Committee’s choice), perhaps looking at how people could enjoy the Waterfront Park, and boost the film community in our city, Council should examine bringing Sail-in Cinema to Thunder Bay.
We could be providing our local film community with a venue, offering tourists, boaters, and local residents the opportunity to head to Marina Park on hot summer nights, to lounge in their lawn chairs, have the kids relax and watch a movie, and have something different for our community.
Heck, the Bay Street Film Festival might be able to offer showing of some of the films that come to our famous film festival too.
If Thunder Bay looked at offering Sail-in Cinema, we could be working to encourage local artists, in the film business, and even attracting other film makers. When you consider that the “Twin Sticks” have a price tag of $904,000 and are from artists outside our community, why no one examined how we can boost our film community, well maybe its not too late?
That of course is just my opinion, as always, your mileage may vary.
James Murray
