In a fitting nod to hockey’s birthplace, the 2026 Kingston Canadian Film Festival (KCFF) is framed by two stories that challenge the sport’s traditional narratives.
This year’s festival opens with Youngblood, a reframing of a classic story which centres the experience of a Black hockey player, and closes with a special screening of the final episode of Heated Rivalry, followed by a panel discussion examining the show’s cultural impact.
Both projects highlight marginalized players in a sport that has long struggled with issues of inclusion, at a moment when hockey culture is a heated topic.
“I think that’s why it’s important to be showing these films and the show that we are, is because it shows hockey through a different lens…,” said KCFF Director Marc Garniss. “…it’s refreshing because that’s not always the story that we hear about hockey in the headlines.”
