Here we are on the eve of the 21st edition of the festival, so this is one final 'call to arms' for everyone! It's been MONTHS of hard work pulling this event together, and the continued success of the festival depends on YOU! That's right - I'm going all PBS on ya!

Plain and simple, we need people to ATTEND, and I really hope each and every one of you will be able to check out at least ONE FILM in the next 8 days. There is something to appeal to every taste, and I can guarantee it will be an experience you'll enjoy immensely - particularly if you come to a film which has a guest filmmaker in attendance (for Q&A after the screening). It's really a different way of viewing a movie, with audiences who still appreciate watching a movie without half the people in the cinema text-messaging!!!

You don't have to buy a pass, or even a 6-coupon package (although that is certainly encouraged!). You can buy tickets for individual films, right at the door, day of the screening. And your ticket even gets you into that night's afterparty, where you can hobnob with the directors and stars.

Some highlights:

FRIDAY SEPT 28 at the Garneau:
Opening Night GALA film - NORMAL, from EDMONTON'S OWN Carl Bessai. This is a really powerful movie in the vein of 'Crash', one that will stick with you for days afterward. And it's got Carrie-Anne Moss!! Ticket price includes a wicked post-show party at Café Select, with tons of food and perhaps even a little champagne…it’s a steal of a deal, and a nice reason to dress up.

SATURDAY, SEPT 29 - all at the Garneau:
6:00 pm - An Evening with Stuart Gordon!!!! Christian Zyp moderates an entertaining, 45-minute conversation with the legedary director, YOU WILL NOT GET AN OPPORTUNITY LIKE THIS IN EDMONTON AGAIN! Followed by 7:00 pm screening of his new film, STUCK.
9:15 pm - NETHERBEAST INC - Darrell Hammond, Dave Foley, Jason Mewes, Judd Nelson...and STAR Steve Burns - from BLUE'S CLUES (!!!!!) - who IS IN TOWN for the screening! Directing team the Ronalds Brothers are ALSO here for the screening, so this is going to be a hoot.
11:15 pm - An Evening with UWE BOLL - the most notorious filmmaker working today is HERE in Edmonton to present his outrageously offensive new comedy, POSTAL, followed by a special trailer reel AND a rare theatrical screening of his early film, HEART OF AMERICA. DON'T MISS OUT!!!!!!!!!!!

SUNDAY SEPT 30 at the Empire City Centre Cinema (3rd floor of the former 'Eaton Centre', by Elephant & Castle):
7:00pm - THE WONDER OF IT ALL - amazing doc about the original astronauts who WALKED ON THE MOON...and ONE OF THE ASTRONAUTS  - Edgar Mitchell - IS HERE for the screening!! When will you even get this chance again? Never. This is a GREAT film to take your dad or grand-dad to.

MONDAY OCT 1 at Garneau:
7:00 pm - Patrick Warburton (Seinfeld! The Tick!! Family Guy!!) is IN EDMONTON to attend the screening of his sure-to-ignite-controversy film, THE CIVILIZATION of MAXWELL BRIGHT. He's taking his 3 days off from shooting his new sitcom just to fly to Edmonton for this screening, so the least we can do is give him a FULL HOUSE!
9:15 pm - CONTROL, the Joy Division movie. This is one of THE most highly-anticipated movies of the year, and it was IMPOSSIBLE to get a ticket when it played Toronto earlier this month. This will not be released in North American theatres for MONTHS yet, so be among the very first to discover this amazing movie!!

TUESDAY OCT 2 at Empire City Centre:
AWESOME double-header....
7:00 pm - THE GITS, an absolutely GREAT music doc, about a Seattle band on the rise in the early 90's (circa Nirvana era), who had to deal with the murder of their lead singer. Incredible story, and the director's here!
9:15 pm - THE MAN WHO SOULED THE WORLD, very entertaining skateboard doc, with the director Mike Hill in attendance, ALL THE WAY FROM AUSTRALIA!

Then EVERYONE'S invited to the VELVET UNDERGROUND for a kick-ass afterparty featuring a performanceAND DJ set by hot Edmonton band The Secretaries!! This is going to be a VERY special night, and you'll kick yourself if you miss it.

WEDNESDAY OCT 3 at the Garneau:
7:00 pm - here's a GREAT GREAT GREAT "event" to bring your mom or grandma to: DANCE OF MY HEART, the incredible story of world-renowned Cuban ballet dancer Alberto Alonso. A great night out for anyone who loves DANCE - and judging by the ratings for Dancing with the Stars...that's a LOT OF YOU!!! And Alberto, who is now NINETY years old - is COMING TO EDMONTON, all the way from Miami, just for this one-time screening. And I can guarantee there's also an incredible 'twist' to the evening, something that will leave everyone weeping tears of joy.

THURSDAY OCT 4 at the Garneau:
9:15 pm - If you can only see one film at this year's festival, then I HIGHLY recommend the film TAKE. This is the Canadian Premiere, and the director will be in attendance! Minnie Driver gives one of the most AMAZING performances you'll see this year, in an absolutely gut-wrenching drama.

FRIDAY OCT 5:
Book this whole night off to catch some films, as there is a FEAST of awesome films on this night: ROCK PAPER SCISSORS: The Way of the Tosser - a HILARIOUS mockumentary having its NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE right here in Edmonton!! THE UNION: The Business Behind Getting High - awesome documentary about the pot industry!!! CALLBACK and THE MEMORY THIEF, 2 super cool and quirky American indies playing at The Metro Cinema. And since it's Friday night, either join us for a smokin afterparty at Hudson's Oliver Square (with the Tosser crew in attendance), or take in the EXCLUSIVE EDMONTON PREMIERE of the LONG-AWAITED NZ comedy EAGLE VS SHARK - 11:15 pm at the Garneau - followed by the SCARIEST movie you'll see this year: END OF THE LINE. It's a late-night double feature that'll keep you UP ALL NIGHT!

SATURDAY OCT 6:
7:00 pm at Empire City Centre is our FANTASTIC closing night film, STRICTLY BACKGROUND - a ridiculously entertaining documentary about people who make their living as background extras in the movies!!! The whole evening, including the post-screening AWARDS ceremony and champagne reception (included in your ticket price!) will be hosted by Citytv’s very own Bridget Ryan. Then check out TOMMY LEE, dj'ing in the mall's underground parkade!

AND DON'T FORGET TO VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE CANADIAN FILM at http://www.citytv.com/.

KEEP THE FILM FESTIVAL ALIVE AND KICKING FOR YEARS TO COME - SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL FILM FEST!

This is just the tip of the iceberg...for the FULL SCHEDULE and list of all the PARTIES, go to http://www.edmontonfilmfest.com/.

Thanks, and I hope to see you all there!

Guy