Toronto events on June 26th, 2013

FILM | Italian Contemporary Film Festival
The Italian Contemporary Film Festival begins tonight. For eleven days during Ontario's "Italian Heritage Month", this festival will bring you the best in modern Italian filmmaking, both from Italy itself, or other locations where an undeniable "Italian footprint" is part of the work. The screenings will take place at three different venues, and will be mixed in with various parties, lectures, Q & A sessions, and more. Tonight the festival kicks off with the first North American screening of director Simone Massi's short film Io so chi sono ("I Know What I Am"), followed by Benvenuto Presidente!, directed by Riccardo Milani. The festival runs until July 6th.
TIFF Bell LightBox, Cinema 1 (350 King Street West) 6:30PM $12 (students $10)

MUSIC | Maylee Todd at the TD Toronto Jazz Festival at Shops at Don Mills
If you happen to be hanging out in the North end of the city tonight, you can catch Maylee Todd perform what will be one of many free concerts that the TD Toronto Jazz Festival is presenting at The Shops at Don Mills. Maylee Todd has made quite a splash both locally and abroad with some recent touring, and her latest album, Escapology unashamedly fuses jazz with funk and disco, and delivers stellar results that are catchy, deeply funky, and make you want to move. Her band consists of Andrew Scott, on horns and synth; Eric Woolston, acoustic bass; and Chris Kettlewell on drums and vibes.
Shops at Don Mills (1090 Don Mills Road) 7PM

FILM | Outdoor Screening of the "Lost Rivers" Documentary at Fort York
Tonight, some outdoor film fun at Fort York! The evening will begin with a campfire and a workshop on plants native to the area. Then, at eight o'clock, a National Canoe Day celebration: you will have a chance to help with the planting of Toronto's first Community Canoe garden. The film Lost Rivers begins at nine o'clock, and tackles the mysterious subject of the many bodies of water that used to traverse different urban centres, and how they might have disappeared. Different environmental experts, artists, pundits and activists contribute their opinions. The screening is free, and there will be free marshmallows! Food, hot beverages, and beer will be available, courtesy of Rome 'n' Chariot, Merchants Of Green Coffee, and Steam Whistle.
Fort York National Historic Site (250 Fort York Blvd) 7PM

BOOKS & LIT | Descant 161: Into the Unknown, A Summer Reader Launch
The Summer issue of Descant launches this evening at The Ossington. Descant is a quarterly literary publication that features all of the essentials: poetry, prose, essays, art, and more. Descant 161 is titled, Into the Unknown, and you can definitely pick up a copy this evening. Contributors Richard Greene, Trista Gilbert, Linda Dobbs, David Mason, Shane Neilson and Hugh Graham will be reading excerpts from their work for you, as well. There will also be free food, and a raffle, with prizes supplied by supporting Toronto small presses and zines. Come out and be a part of Toronto's literary community!
The Ossington (61 Ossington Avenue) 7PM

Also Of Note

• ROM Out & About - Ancient Culture Trivia Night
• Contexts: Lectures at the ROM - Nakht: A Hard Life in Interesting Times
• School's Out Fundraiser
• The Art of Gourmet Raw Cooking with Doug McNish

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Photo by Alejandro Santiago