It’s time for the always-popular Snakebite Film Festival in Penticton.
Formed in 2017 by Carl Meadows, the weekend-long event features films that highlight unique stories from Penticton and South Okanagan.
Landmark Cinemas hosts all the action from Feb. 1 to 4, with John Waters’ classic ‘Hairspray’ serving as the event’s opening film on Thursday at 7 p.m.
The festival’s vision remains the same, according to organizers: “Awakening Culture, Uniting Communities,” and to “highlight the rich diversity that may be perceived as invisible.”
Kicking off the action Friday is a wine tour from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. before ‘The Inspection’ and ‘Polarized’ hit the big screen Friday at 4 and 7 p.m., respectively.
Also on deck is a showing of ‘Seagrass’ on Saturday at 1 p.m. and the conclusion of the “5-day Film Challenge” at 4 p.m. The 5-day Fil Challenge invited individuals and groups to write, shoot, and edit their own films in January for the chance to win up to $1,000.
Organizers called the festival a “major success” in 2023, with more than 650 movie passes sold.
Ahead of this year’s event, the Snakebite Film Festival joined forces with the Okanagan Society for Independent Filmmaking (OSIF). The partnership includes a bursary for young filmmakers and a new collaboration that will produce short films for the 2024 edition of the festival.
“The festival is a place to showcase those human stories and connect us to the fabric of a culturally rich community,” organizers said.
The festival’s full film schedule can be found here. Tickets, including day passes, can be purchased here.
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