​​​We love every aspect of making movies – from the inception of a great idea to the thrill of applause after an amazing premiere. Simply put, our goal is to celebrate innovative films and filmmakers from around the world and around the corner.

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 MEET THE SFF CO-FOUNDERS

​SFF Executive Director, Megan Smith-Harris, is a Canadian writer, producer, and filmmaker who began her career acting and writing comedy (The Second City, CBC Radio) and producing independent documentaries. A graduate of the Canadian Film Centre’s Producer Lab, Megan met her husband, SFF General Manager Bill Harris, during HotDocs. At the time, Bill was a senior programming executive with A&E Television and The History Channel. The couple got engaged on their fifth date and married in Toronto a year later during HotDocs.

 

Moving to New York, Megan expanded her professional portfolio producing network television programs, independent documentaries and feature films. When Bill left the corporate world he began teaching graduate film and television production and oversaw the restoration and reopening of a century-old theatre in Connecticut.

 

Together, Megan and Bill produced several acclaimed independent documentaries, while also curating and hosting a monthly screening series for over a decade. Asked to revitalize a film festival in Connecticut, they took on the challenge and quadrupled audience attendance, increased the donor and sponsorship base, and consistently ranked in FilmFreeway’s “Top 100 Best Reviewed Film Festivals.”  

 

Relocating to Stratford in late 2021, Megan and Bill are now fully committed to leveraging their extensive experience to launch the newly reimagined Stratford Film Festival and making it an integral part of the city’s vibrant arts community.

 

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​​​​​​​Originally launched in 1956 under the direction of Stratford’s patron saint of the Arts, Tom Patterson, the Stratford Film Festival was one of the first events in North America to celebrate international film. Paused in 1961, the film festival was revived in 1971 and ran until 1975.

 

50 years later, the Stratford Film Festival returns with a new mission: to celebrate exceptional films and filmmakers with a true commitment to  Canadian content, gender parity and inclusivity.

 

In a world bloated with more content than context, the SFF stands apart from the crowd, inspiring new perspectives through live screenings, panel discussions, filmmaker Q&As and vibrant social gatherings.

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​​The Stratford Film Festival Monthly Screening Series will

showcase a curated film followed by an engaging moderated discussion.

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