Mr. Speaker, la dolce vita has arrived. On Thursday, June 9, the fifth annual Italian Contemporary Film Festival kicked off at the TIFF Lightbox in Toronto. This 10-day event runs in six cities and is one of the top 10 film festivals in North America. With nearly 30,000 attendees, the ICFF brings audiences together with internationally acclaimed filmmakers, producers, and actors through movies, talks, and panel discussions.
A part of Italian heritage month, the ICFF mission is to bring the Italian lifestyle, la dolce vita, to Canada. In addition to the cultural contributions the festival brings to Toronto, Hamilton, Niagara, Montreal, Quebec City, and the city of Vaughan, it also provides real economic and lasting benefits to Canadian businesses.
Please join me in applauding the co-founders of the Italian Contemporary Film Festival, Cristiano de Florentis and Maurizio Magnifico, and Canada's vibrant Italian Canadian community.