SUDBURY -- There are no lineups wrapped around Sudbury’s Silver City, as Cinefest attendees wait to get in the theatre, but the annual film festival is still happening this week.

53 feature films and 18 shorts are in the lineup this year.

With pandemic guidelines and restrictions in effect, Cinefest officials had to find other ways to make sure the show still went on.

“The set up is very different, no hospitality so that’s different. Really dealing with customer service making sure that everything is online from a virtual stand point,” said Cinefest Executive Director Tammy Frick.

“There’s no big line up getting into the theatre. Driving here tonight, it’s just a different feel, but the excitement about the films is still there.”

In theatre, shows are running every day as Cinefest officials and Silver City staff follow social distancing guidelines, while also allowing movie enthusiasts to view each film from home with the purchase of a virtual ticket.

“People are gathering in homes, they are screening films together,” said Frick.

“People are still embracing the whole celebratory aspect of the festival which is really what we are encouraging.”

Virtual tickets have been sold across Ontario, which will see this year's Cinefest Festival reach audiences outside of Greater Sudbury.

With the addition to the virtual side of the festival, Cinefest has also implemented a new program called “Cinema Indiginized.”

“It’s about diversity right? It’s important to showcase people who haven’t had a chance necessarily to have their voices be heard,” said program creator Christa Corbiere.

“So indigenous story telling is really, really important especially in this day and age.”

Other programming available includes: galas, special presentations, world cinema, features Canada, world documentaries and Canada documentaries.

Cinefest Sudbury is on until September 27th and you can buy in theatre or virtual tickets on their website