Article content continued

Georgie said WIFF would never have hit such a milestone without a big boost from the City of Windsor. In early 2018, city council approved giving the festival $250,000 for capital improvements to buy equipment and improve technology.

Mayor Drew Dilkens said Friday the aim was to help the festival reach the “next level.”

“Mission accomplished,” he said. “Now we set our sights on the next bar and say where do we want to go after this and what kind of investment will that take? From a city perspective, it’s not easy to get money, but it’s easier to support events that appeal to a wide range of folks. Certainly WIFF, with the features they offer and the number of shows and the types of shows that they offer here, really there is something for everyone.”

Dilkens said the city will continue to support the festival. But no details have been finalized, he said, so he couldn’t be more specific.

“The way the community here has responded to this particular event year over year for the last 15 years, and the exponential growth in attendance, we see something here that we think is very positive for the community,” he said. “Something we want to continue to support and help raise to the next level, whatever that next level may be.”

Expansion plans are already in motion. For the festival’s 15th anniversary this year, WIFF will expand from seven to 10 days. It will run Nov. 1 to 10.

The festival now also offers year-round screenings through its monthly WIFF365 program and the new weekly Summer Series.

Georgie also announced Friday that starting this year, WIFF will offer an annual $10,000 award for Best Canadian Feature.

To celebrate the recent achievements, the Windsor International Film Festival, in partnership with LiUNA! Bluesfest Windsor, will host a free screening of The Russian Five on July 9 at the Windsor Festival Plaza. The film, last year’s LiUNA! People’s Choice Award winner, will start at 7 p.m. Gates open at 5 p.m.

twilhelm@postmedia.com

twitter.com/WinStarWilhelm