The 8th annual Kingston Canadian Film Festival opens tomorrow with a series of workshops and hobnobbery for fortunate festival attendees. The curtains officially rise on the 29th at numerous cinemas around the city for local movie fans and critics, who will be on the lookout for the next big indie hit. Kingstonist will be representing, so be sure to come back for a few reviews and maybe a celebrity spotting or two. The opening night’s stellar lineup includes: All Hat, starring Rachael Leigh Cook and Oscar-winner Keith Carradine, and The Tracey Fragments, starring the white-hot Canadian sensation, Ellen Page.

Such recognizable names are more abundant than in years past, however that doesn’t necessarily insinuate that Hollywood is taking over our modest Canadian-centric festival. Rather, the involvement of such high caliber talent is testament to the excellent quality of the Canadian film industry, and the festival itself, which features eight Genie-nominated and two Oscar-nominated films.

In addition to critically acclaimed titles and superstar casts, the festival will also include a good mix of homegrown talent. Kingstonian Justin Chenier makes his directorial debut with his $500 film, Cabfair, which he categorizes as a mockumentary. This relatively new comedic genre was forged by the the likes of The Trailer Park Boys, and Borat, so it definitely won’t appeal to everyone out there. If you’re up for supporting emerging artists, Cabfair airs at 3:25 at The Screening Room on Sunday, but if you’d prefer something more polished, check out the complete festival schedule.