Justin Oakey’s haunting new project; Taylor Olson’s emotional third feature; a comedic spin on aging with Canadian icons Mary Walsh and Sheila McCarthy; and an unflinching look at a crumbling marriage from Sherry White lead the World Cinema program with intimate, home-grown stories from Atlantic talent.

BLUEBERRY GRUNT will have its World Premiere at AIFF in September.

July 23, 2025 (Halifax, NS) – Atlantic International Film Festival (AIFF) kicks off their Early Bird Ticket Package sales with the announcement of four world premieres of East Coast-made films. Award-winning filmmaker and Newfoundlander Justin Oakey (The King Tide) brings HANGASHORE to AIFF for its World Premiere; followed by award-winning filmmaker and actor Taylor Olson’s WHAT WE DREAMED OF THEN; the latest comedy starring a trifecta of Canadian icons Mary Walsh, Sheila McCarthy, and Amanda Brugel in DANCING ON THE ELEPHANT; as well as the latest feature-length project from Sherry White (Maudie), BLUEBERRY GRUNT. All four films were made in the Atlantic provinces and will premiere at the Atlantic International Film Festival running from September 10-17, 2025 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

“The films coming out of the Atlantic provinces this year tell intimate, vulnerable, and emotional stories,” says Lisa Haller, Director of Programming at Atlantic International Film Festival. “We are thrilled to welcome back AIFF alumni and award winners to debut their newest projects to the AIFF audience and share their stories with our dedicated movie-goers.”

Justin Oakey’s HANGASHORE follows a haunted Vera, played by Icelandic actor Hera Hilmar (See), as she chases the ghost of her father to the rocky shores of Newfoundland. Moody and visually arresting, the film errs on the side of supernatural, and marks Oakey’s follow-up to THE KING TIDE for which he served as editor and won an AIFF Award for Best Editing.

A marriage begins to unravel under the weight of a shared trauma in writer-director Sherry White’s BLUEBERRY GRUNT. A couple, seemingly at odds, embark on a camping trip that quickly unravels the seams of their partnership and forces them into a fight for survival. BLUEBERRY GRUNT marks the highly-anticipated follow-up to MAUDIE (2017) starring Ethan Hawke and Sally Hawkins, which was written by White.

Award-winning actors Sheila McCarthy and Mary Walsh star in DANCING ON THE ELEPHANT, which will have its World Premiere at AIFF in September.

From the award-winning playwright and screenwriter Lisa Hagen, DANCING ON THE ELEPHANT explores aging and womanhood with a knock-out cast including Mary Walsh (This Hour Has 22 Minutes), Sheila McCarthy (Women Talking), and Amanda Brugel (The Handmaid’s Tale). Equally comedic and moving, the film from Nova Scotian producers Tanya Preyde and Walter Forsyth follows two new friends as they navigate the isolation of a retirement home and the advances of dementia.

WHAT WE DREAMED OF THEN weaves together two converging story-lines where Gideon, a young father experiencing invisible homelessness, is forced to grapple with the future that might have been. Taylor Olson’s third feature is a refreshingly vulnerable portrait of a man trying to hold his family and the fragments of his life together.

This year, AIFF introduces MEET THE FESTIVALS, a conversation with prominent festivals on the East Coast including St. Johns Women’s Film Festival (SJWFF), Halifax Independent Film Festival (HIFF), Charlottetown Film Festival (CHFF), and Lunenburg Doc Fest (LDF) with Katie Bignell of Festival Formula as host; as well as NORTHERN LIGHTS, a co-production panel with the Nordic Film Commissions, PictureNL, and Telefilm.

For the 45th edition of Atlantic International Film Festival, AIFF brings back the AIFF Weekender Pass which provides access to all screenings, panels, and live events from Friday, September 12 to Sunday, September 14, 2025 (excluding Gala presentations).

Early-bird packages and tickets are now on sale through the AIFF online ticket portal here.

All single tickets for screenings and special events will go on sale on Wednesday, August 13 at 12PM at the AIFF Online Box Office at atlanticfilmfestival.ca. Tickets and passes will also be available at the physical AIFF Box Office located in the Upper Lobby of Cineplex Cinemas Park Lane, opening and operating daily beginning on Monday, September 8 at 10AM. Visit atlanticfilmfestival.ca for box office hours.

The full 2025 program of films and events will be announced on Wednesday, August 13, 2025. The full schedule will be posted online at atlanticfilmfestival.ca.

About AIFF

The Atlantic International Film Festival (AIFF) is an eight-day celebration of cinema from all over the world featuring screenings of over 100 films, Q&As, receptions, panels and industry events. The festival celebrates new and established filmmaking voices from Atlantic Canada and around the globe, helping audiences discover new artists, uncover new perspectives and better understand the world through the medium of cinema. Founded as a small grassroots organization in St. John’s, Newfoundland in 1981, AIFF moved to Halifax the following year. For over four decades, AIFF has grown into one of Canada’s premier film festivals and continues to be a strong advocate for Atlantic Canadian filmmakers. AIFF is a registered charity and offers year-round programming including AIFF Kids and other partnered screenings and events.

The 45th annual Atlantic International Film Festival will take place from September 10 to 17, 2025, inviting film enthusiasts, industry professionals, and curious onlookers to connect and engage through a shared love of cinema.