'We're very proud': WIFF wraps up its biggest year yet

The 2018 Windsor International Film Festival wraps up Sunday night following a busy week of movie watching andpopcorn eating.

"It's our biggest festival we've ever had," said Vincent Georgie, WIFF's executive director.

WIFF is on track to reach24,000 ticket sales, he said, which is about 2,000 more than last year.

"It's been a very busy festival, we've had a lot more out-of-towners coming to the festival. I think we're emerging now almost as a regional festival, which is great."

He said it's "bittersweet" to be on the tail end of what's been a fun week.

"WIFF is a bit of a bubble. So everyone lives on popcorn, and we've got people here who have seen upwards of 50 films. So it's a lot of madness, a lot of fun, builds community, a lot of chatting with people."

He added that a highlight of the festival for him was having Greg Sestero from the 2003 cult classic The Room in the audience during a screening of the film this week.

'A great sense of community'

Montreal native and Windsor resident Connor Hasegawahas seen 25 movies this week already, with plans to see two or three more Sunday night.

"WIFF is my favourite week of the year, every year. Honestly it's one of the big reasons that I have stayed in Windsor and that I still love Windsor," he said.

"It's just a really wonderful part of Windsor culture and what Windsor has to offer in terms of our arts."

Hasegawa saidit would be too difficult to pick his favourite film from the festival, but that he's been especially impressed with this year's foreign language programming.

ChadRubelis from Chicago, Ill. andhas been coming to Windsor for WIFFfor the last 10years.

He saidhe's been to other film festivals, but that what stands out for him in Windsor is its shared community.

"Great sense of community ...It's really fun, and I've met lots of interesting people, sometimes they feed me with pumpkin seed muffins and things like that, just the kind of love that you respect and appreciate from Canadians and Windsorites and people who love film."

'We don't want it to end'

He added that Canada has a great film industry which he thinks doesn't get the respect it deserves.

"I'd like the world to see more Canadian film because Canadian film deserves that."

Windsorite Michelle Johns keeps coming back to the festival each year for her love of movies, the theatre, and the atmosphere.

"Please keep the funding going," she said. "Keep WIFF going, we don't want it to end."

Now, Georgieis already lookingahead to next year for WIFF's15th anniversary, and an expanded 10-day festival.

"It'll definitely be a celebration of the first 15 years and also of all things to come," he said.

"We're very, very proud of the festival."

The final screening of this year's WIFF is Black Tide which plays Sunday night at 10:45 p.m.