The 2nd Annual GeekFest Toronto is Back With More Films to Satisfy Your Geek Desires.

By: David Bragdon

Looking to do something this Valentine’s Day? Whether you have a date or not, GeekFest Toronto has the cure. With a total of sixteen films, music videos and documentaries playing, there’s something for everyone with a love of the esoteric.

It’s no coincidence that this film fest is taking place on February 14th for the second year in a row. In addition to trying to stand out from Toronto’s 109 other film festivals, Valentine’s Day represents something more to GeekFest Toronto than the stereotype of a dateless geek. Between sips of jasmine tea Shannonn Kelly, the Artistic Director and Lead Programmer for GeekFest Toronto, explains the festival is about celebrating geeks.

“Of course I’m a Geek,” she proclaims. “I’m a gadget freak. I need to have the latest and greatest. I have two-to-three areas of specialty that I drive people nuts with.”

“When putting the festival together,” Shannonn continues, “I knew it should encompass what we know, but, also what we don’t know.” GeekFest Toronto delves into the both the fun and the obscure featuring intriguing projects you never knew you’d find interesting.

If you didn’t know that fitness, and dating could go together, there’s a talk from Laura Davidson, the founder of Whistle APP, which lets you swipe left or right to find your ideal fitness partner. If you want to know more about the health and ecological benefits of eating bugs, Dr. Jarrod Goldin from Entomo Farms is giving a talk about cricket protein, and will have samples if you’re hungry. Both presentations are part of the first block of programing.

Ticket buyers can choose to see any block for $12 or they can get a day pass to the whole event for $30. There’s bound to be something for every type of geek especially the cinephile. The sixteen films, music videos and documentaries are broken up into 6 different time blocks, each with a specific theme:

Block #1 has science short documentaries and the two talks; Block #2 has a D&D and a fantasy card game short film; Block #3 is about Geeks in Spain; Block #4 has coffee, pie and banana treats to celebrate a short film inspired by David Lynch and a King Kong doc; Block #5 is the Canada Geeks film block; and Block #6 has Sci-Fi films, as well as a visit from the filmmakers of Space Detective, in all the way from Las Vegas.

Proceeds from GeekFest Toronto will be going to support children in need. $2 from every sale will go to Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital’s “Capes for Kids” program and Fadi Hakim co-owner of the Lakeview Restaurant, Publisher of Chapterhouse Comics and President of Captain Canuck Inc. is giving $1 from every plate sold at the Lakeview restaurant on Valentines Day to the “Capes for Kids” program too.

Whether you’re looking for love, trying to plan your romantic evening, or if you’re the type of person who loves to put cool sounding films in their “watch later” list but tend to forget about them, GeekFest Toronto is here for you. With an eclectic mix of films that you wouldn’t find anywhere else, you’re sure to fall in love with this annual film festival.

GeekFest Toronto runs Tuesday February 14th from 4pm to 2am at Cinecycle, 129 Spadina Avenue. You can purchase advance tickets online through geekfesttoronto.com.

This article was written as an in-kind collaboration between The Toronto Comic Jam and GeekFest Toronto as part of a cross promotion of each other’s events.


David Bragdon is an Oakville based artist best known for his work with the Toronto Comic Jam. Along with helping organize the monthly event and publishing the monthly Jam Books, David has contributed numerous articles to the Toronto Comic Jam collections, profiling various Comic Jammers, but mostly as an excuse to sneak his own drawings in.