Media Release
JASMINE ROAD to premiere on Super Channel and in-theatre at Landmark Cinemas 9 City Centre on THURSDAY, October 1.
September 8, 2020. Edmonton. – EIFF is proud to announce that this year’s Opening Night Gala film is JASMINE ROAD, directed by Canada’s Warren Sulatycky.
Historically, EIFF kicks off its 10-day celebration of cinema with a salute to our own storytellers and again this year, Canadian filmmakers offered up much to ponder when choosing the ‘right film’ for the festival’s prestigious Opening Night slot.
Calgary filmmaker, Warren Sulatycky wrote, produced AND directed this, his second feature film. “A widowed conservative cowboy takes in a Syrian refugee family of Arabic ice cream makers” writes Sulatycky. Realism with just a touch of fantasy, JASMINE ROAD is a film that dreams about a world in which we welcome newcomers with open arms, and leaves us all more determined to embrace empathy, and compassion, for all that is beautiful in this culturally fractured world.
“I have always believed that the best stories are small stories you find in your backyard. With all the negativity and the talk of building walls around ourselves, our countries, our lives, I want people to come away from this film with the message of opening their hearts,” says filmmaker Sulatycky
JASMINE ROAD stars Aixa Kay, Greg Ellwand (LONESOME DOVE), and Melody Mokhtari. Written and Directed by Warren Sulatycky (APRIL IN AUTUMN), Executive Producers are Allen Sulatycky and Warren Sulatycky. Co-produced with Caitlyn Sponheimer.
EIFF Opening Night | October 1
JASMINE ROAD @ 6:30pm and 9pm in Landmark Cinemas 9 City Centre
JASMINE ROAD also broadcast on Super Channel at 6:30pm
Warren and Allen Salutycky in attendance for audience Q&A in-theatre which will also be available on Facebook LIVE following the 6:30pm screenings.
About EIFF
The 34th Edmonton International Film Festival presented by Super Channel takes place October 1 to 10. EIFF is an OSCAR® Qualifying festival and is ranked as a 2019 ’50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee’ by MovieMaker Magazine.
This year, for the first time, EIFF is proud to be presenting a selection of the full 2020 program in partnership with Super Channel! We’re proud to announce that EIFF will be screening 15 feature-length films and over 20 shorts packages on Super Channel, most of which will be simultaneously screened in theatre! While we have some theatrically exclusive content, we encourage our audience to watch however and wherever they feel most comfortable, and we’re very excited to be presenting the festival in 2020.
Media Contact :
Paul Mennier, Publicist (EIFF) | C : +1.506.999.5799 | E : pmennier@gmail.com
Ingrid Hamilton | Publicist (Jasmine Road) | C : +1416.731.3034 | E : ingrid@gat.ca