48 Hours of Magic

48 Hours of Magic kicks off on Friday 4 September, the 11th edition of the Atlantic Canada 48 Hour Film Project. It's a filmmaking competition that works exactly as the name suggests: teams have 48 hours to write, shoot and edit a short film from scratch. The clock starts at the kickoff on Friday 4 September at 6:00 PM, and the finished films have to be dropped off online by 7:30 PM on Sunday 6 September.

There's a twist to keep things level. At the kickoff, every team draws a genre, and they're also given a required character, a prop and a line of dialogue that have to appear in the film. It's as much about working under pressure as it is about the filmmaking itself. The best film from the regional competition goes on to Filmapalooza, and from there it's eligible for the Cannes Film Festival Short Film Corner.

The screenings come a few weeks later. The premiere screenings are on Saturday 26 September at 10:30 AM at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, 1728 Bedford Row. The gallery is Atlantic Canada's largest art museum, housed in two restored heritage buildings—the Provincial Building and the Dominion Building—divided by Ondaatje Court, a large public space that hosts temporary exhibitions and permanent sculptures and is linked by an underground exhibition room. Its collections range from bold contemporary art to local, regional and national works, Indigenous perspectives and the iconic paintings of Maud Lewis, whose house is also on display. The gallery is Rainbow Registered, offers free access to visitors under 25 and runs programmes and workshops for art enthusiasts and professionals.

The final stage is on Sunday 27 September at 1:30 PM at Carbon Arc Cinema, inside The Museum of Natural History at 1747 Summer Street, for the Best of and Awards. Team registration is C$150 for regular entry until 24 August, and C$180 for late entry until 4 September.