Filmmakers in limbo after Montreal World Film Festival fallout

The ongoing corrosion of the 40th edition of the Montreal World Film Festival has become so severe, one filmmaker is wondering if he should even bother catching his flight to Montreal — and no one is answering his calls.

Ignas Miskinis, the director of Kings' Shift, is scheduled to fly in from Lithuania on Friday morning. But after the sudden announcement that the eight screens the MWFF expected to use are suddenly down to only one, he's not sure his film will still be shown.

"I don't know what to do, because we have the tickets, we have a reservation in the hotel, and that's it. So no more information," Miskinis told CBC News.

The festival's website isn't offering updates and he hasn't been able to contact anyone with the festival.

Filmmaker in the dark

Miskinis reached out to CBC to ask for help finding out what was happening.

"We are [at] a dead end," he said.

His film was scheduled to have three screenings at the festival, two of which were set to include a question and answer period with attendees.

With his plane leaving in a few hours, Miskinis said he still isn't sure if he will go to the airport.

"It's painful because it's a lot of money. It's expensive to travel from Europe to Canada," he said.

The MWFF opened Aug. 25 and earlier in the week numerous employees quit citing the festival's financial uncertainty.