The Milton Film Festival has announced that Ron Base will be stepping down after five years as the Festival’s MC and host. Taking his place will be former journalist and long-time Festival supporter Indira Naidoo-Harris.
Ms. Naidoo-Harris comes to the position with an extensive background in journalism, having worked as a news anchor for CBC Newsworld, CBC’s The National and CTV Newsnet, as well as for local stations CBC Toronto, CBC Ottawa, TVO and OMNI Television. She has also anchored for CBC Radio regional and national programs, including World Report and The World at Six, and hosted the current affairs shows Cross Country Check-Up and The Current.
Before being elected as MPP for Halton in 2014, Naidoo-Harris sat on the Board of Directors for the Reel World Film Festival, and has won numerous awards for her work and volunteerism in national and international causes.
“Indira has been there for us from the very beginning ” said Festival founder and director Jennifer Smith. “We first met at the old Super ‘A’ Video store along with (Festival programmer) Katie Pearce, and would spend hours talking about film. When we started the Festival, she went out of her way to attend and has made the opening remarks every single year but one – and for that one she made sure to send a video message.
“Her journalism background, her experience with the ReelWorld Film Festival, and her passion for film, all make her the perfect fit for our MFF family.”
Author and former film critic Ron Base had expressed a desire to spend more time promoting his books in Florida where his ‘Sanibel Sunset Detective’ novels are set. For the past five years, Base would either delay his annual trips south or fly back to Milton from Florida to host the Festival in January.
Jennifer Smith expressed gratitude for Base’s generosity, describing him as “my secret weapon. His charm and wit, combined with his skills as an interviewer and his encyclopedic knowledge of film made him an enormous asset. But if anyone can fill those shoes, it would be Indira.”
The Milton Film Festival takes place January 25-27, 2019 at the FirstOntario Arts Centre Milton. Weekend passes are now available at the box office, or at miltonfilmfest.com.
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