Summer is finally here, and so is that urgent, insuppressible, relentless desire to be outside. And there is no shortage of reasons to do so, as the city’s arts and culture scene has happily sprawled onto patios, sidewalks, parks and, in the case of the Open Roof Festival, a parking lot.
Beginning tonight, and continuing every Thursday until August 23, the Open Roof Festival will once more grace the city with that magical offering of live music, an open-air film screening, and local brew.
As in previous years (this is the third year for the festival), Open Roof has borrowed the Amsterdam Brewery’s cityscape-draped parking lot to host an independent band, followed by a film screening. The festival’s proceeds support the independent film and music community — a mission clearly reflected in the festival’s diverse and decidedly fresh lineup.
The music acts, ranging from reggae to garage rock bands, include Polaris Prize nominees Bruce Peninsula, a number of quirky Toronto-based bands like the Army Girls, The Little Black Dress and Dusted, and stellar mayhem performers Run with the Kittens. There are also collective instrumentalists like Eucalyptus and Friendlyness & The Human Rights, and indie pop Montrealers Parlovr.
The film lineup is also characteristically diverse, ranging from sharp documentaries to mellow dramas and punchy comedies. Hysteria (Aug. 2), tells the tale of the development of one of the world’s first electrical appliances to receive a patent (ahem…the vibrator), while the critically acclaimed Herman’s House (Jul. 19) is a documentary about the relationship between a New York artist and one of America’s most famous solitary confinement inmates, as they collaborate on an art project and muse on the subject of what it really means to have a home.
The super cool Indie Game: The Movie (Aug. 9) sits down with a number of independent video game designers, defined by their principled stance against working for a major commercial game developer, instead fighting to conceive, design and program games independently. Plus, don’t miss the remarkable Beasts of the Southern Wild (Aug. 23). This apocalyptic tale of climate change, as seen through the eyes of a precocious six-year old named Hushpuppy, won the Grand Jury Prize and Best Cinematography award at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.
You can see the full lineup of film screenings at openrooffestival.com/movies.
When: June 21, 2012 – August 23, 2012
Where: Amsterdam Brewery, 21 Bathurst St (Bathurst St & Fort York Blvd)
Tickets: $15, online or at the door.