Sorry to get your hopes up. It won’t be Johnny Depp but Victoria’s best known impersonator of the hunky Hollywood superstar you’ll find bumping into actors, directors and film buffs here for the Victoria Film Festival that starts unspooling today.
It’s a given special guests such as John Landis and Linda Blair will be mobbed during this year’s festival, of course.
Heck, I’m guessing even guys like Michael Peterson and his cast from Lloyd the Conquerer might even by mobbed by participants in Victoria’s local LARP (Live Action Role Playing) scene that they so playfully pay homage to in that festival flick.
But when Denise Pearson, as Depp, and a Marilyn Monroe lookalike will join local songstress Maria Manna to create their own mob scene at Bay Centre Saturday at 2:30, it will be for a good reason.
Film commissioner Kathleen Gilbert and her colleagues at the Vancouver Island South Film and Media Commission were inspired by a flash mob at last year’s Victoria Film Festival, so they thought they’d stage one of their own this year.
“All I can say from a economic perspective is ‘Hooray for Hollywood!”” Gilbert said, explaining why 35 students from Vic High’s performing arts progam will join Manna, attired in an Oscar-worthy gown, as she breaks into that showbiz anthem.
The event, which should take about 15 minutes, is to draw attention to the film commission’s major fundraiser — its upcoming Oscar Viewing gala at Westin Bear Mountain.
“We wanted people to think about buying a ticket to our Gala as a Valentines gift for their sweetie,” she said.
You can get more details at filmvictoria.com.
