The London local film festival returns for the seventh year for two additional days and 85 films, many of which are related to Southwestern Ontario. The festival begins with a film starring London-born Connor Kalopsis.

The Forest City Film Festival (FCFF) runs from October 15 to 23, featuring features, documentaries, animations, short films, and music videos.

Virtual on-demand streaming is available from October 23 to 29, but Executive Director Dorothy Downs said she is excited to return to in-person programming. This year's festival lasts eight days, while previous festivals were six days.

Downs said: We have to keep in mind that we were kind of from a changing world and it would be good to give people more opportunities and space to watch these wonderful films. So we thought it would be good to start with one weekend and get a full week and then the whole next weekend this year.

FCFF added to the list of the world's best film festivals, giving London residents a chance to see titles that premiered and won awards at international festivals.

The programming also includes a range of Indigenous screenings sponsored and hosted by Oneida filmmaker Judith Schuyler. Downs said there are already two films in the festival produced in London: Burden, directed by Ethan Heike, and The Rebel Angel, directed by Christopher Laurie.

The festival starts Saturday night with The Prank, starring London-born Connor Kalopsis.

In the film, Kalopsis plays a student who pulls a revenge prank on a science teacher, played by EGOT award winner Rita Moreno. The 19-year-old Kalopsis now lives in Los Angeles and has already shared the screen in other projects with the likes of Jason Biggs, Rob Lowe, and Fred Savage.

He said he will stop by his hometown on the FCFF opening night. Being able not only to film with someone like Rita Moreno and anyone else involved in the film, but the ability to bring it home and premiere it at the Forest City Film Festival is a really great moment.

Kalopsis said: I have been a huge fan of the Forest City Film Festival since its beginning and I am always happy to help and be a part of what they want to grow here.

FCFF screenings will be held at City Plaza, at both Wolf Performance Hall and Imagine Cinema. Downs said: "Filmmakers often attend these events." "You can have creators rubbing shoulders with the facilities and the atmosphere will be brighter and more interesting. And the conversations that happen afterward will never happen in a Multiplex."

The fourth edition of the Forest City Youth Film Festival for high school students from the area will be held on October 20, and awards totaling $60,000 will be given to one winner in the Project Showcase competition for the best feature film project ready to move to camera in London. The presentations will be held live on October 24.

Edited by: Yusra Bamtarf