Reel Alternatives has kicked off its 28th season in Huntsville with an extensive selection of films.
The non-profit film group will screen 15 films across more than 22 screenings throughout the 2026-27 season at the Algonquin Theatre, most of which are featured at the Toronto International Film Festival.
The season opened on Sept. 14 with the Irish drama-comedy Once Upon a Time in the Cinema.
Reel Alternatives president Laura Kennedy said the expanded lineup reflects the group’s goal of bringing audiences back to the theatre for a shared cinematic experience.
“This will be the most robust season we’ve planned since before Covid,” Kennedy said.
Among the highlights this season is a new Filmmaker Favourites series, featuring four vintage films selected by Reel Alternatives committee member and local filmmaker Geordie Sabbagh.
“They’re all movies that have inspired filmmakers or changed cinema,” he said. “Some of the films will be pushing the boundaries a bit, something you might not have otherwise seen, and I hope people come out and get surprised.”
Sabbagh will attend the Filmmaker Favourites screenings to discuss the films and their influence on cinema and contemporary filmmakers.
The group is also looking to make its regular screenings more of an event, with plans to invite special guests from the film industry and the wider community.
For a screening of The Towering Inferno, Sabbagh is hoping to bring in firefighters from the Huntsville Fire Department.
“We’re going to try to make more event cinema and make them fun and get people back into the movies because movies are one of the best things in life,” Sabbagh said. “It’s a communal experience, being in the cinema and laughing and crying and screaming all at the same time. There’s something really magical about it that you can’t replicate on your couch.”
The next scheduled screening is Cinema Paradiso on Sept. 23.
For a full list of screenings and to purchase tickets, click here.
