This year's Atlantic Film Festival will feature a strong lineup of more than 70 feature-length and short selections from the region, organizers announced this week.

The 29th edition of the annual festival will open its Atlantic Canada program with the 1960s-era romance Love & Savagery, about a young Newfoundland geologist who travels to Ireland and falls in love with a beautiful village girl destined for the local nunnery.

'It's by far the best depth of program we have seen at the festival yet.'—Atlantic Film Fest director Lia Rinaldo

The film is helmed by veteran director John N. Smith, best known for noted TV productions such as The Boys of St. Vincent, Random Passage, Prairie Giant: The Tommy Douglas Story and The Englishman's Boy.

Other features will include:

  • Crackie, directed by Sherry White.
  • Grown Up Movie Star, directed by Adriana Maggs.
  • Tulku, directed by Gesar Mukpo.
  • Love and Cameras in America, directed by Nathan Fielder.
  • Here I Am: Denny Doherty and The Mamas & The Papas, directed by Paul Ledoux.
  • Jiggers, directed by Adam Perry.

Organizers also singled out the strong program of shorts to screen this year.

"It's by far the best depth of program we have seen at the festival yet," Atlantic Film Fest director Lia Rinaldo said in a statement.

"We have features and shorts from all four provinces that demonstrate what truly is the growth and strength in our regional filmmaking."

The festival will officially kick off in Halifax on Sept. 17 with the previously announced Trailer Park Boys: Countdown to Liquor Day and a party featuring rock bands The Novaks and The Arkells.

Further lineup announcements are pending.

The Atlantic Film Festival runs Sept. 17-26.