At the Atlantic International Film Festival’s awards ceremony this evening, Dancing on the Elephant won two! The AIFF jury recognized Mary Walsh, who played Edna, with a Best Performance award and our editor Angela Baker with a Best Editing award. Proud of the film and thrilled for Mary and Angela.
Sold Out Standing Ovation Crowd in Halifax!
So excited and grateful that our World Premiere screening was such a terrific hit. Sold out the 340-seat theater with an enthusiastic audience and a standing ovation afterward.
DOTE Premiere Screening Sold Out (But You Can Still Get In)
The buzz is real! Dancing on the Elephant is making its World Premiere at the Atlantic International Film Festival this Saturday, Sept 13 at 4:45pm 🎉
This screening with special guests Sheila McCarthy and the iconic Mary Walsh is officially sold out — but don’t worry, the space available Rush Line is your chance to be part of this very special premiere. You can arrive as early as 4:00 and they will start giving out rush tickets at 4:30.
Global News Morning: Mary Walsh Interview!
Global News Morning: Mary Walsh coming to AIFF for Dancing on the Elephant premiere
“We check in with actress and comedian Mary Walsh to find out more about her latest movie Dancing on the Elephant, which makes it’s world premiere at this weekend’s Atlantic International Film Festival.”
AIFF Showcasing Homegrown and International Talent
The Coast: This year’s Atlantic International Film Festival will showcase homegrown and international talent
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Other local highlights include Mary Walsh’s Dancing on the Elephant, a comedy-drama that celebrates resilience, friendship and the joy of aging boldly. Walsh, the celebrated actor and comedian, stars alongside Sheila McCarthy in a story about two women in a seniors’ home who refuse to stop chasing adventure.
“It was great to be transported to Cape Breton while we were in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and we were prepping for our film. Halifax is like my second home. It is always fun to be back,” Walsh said.
“It is a very hopeful and somewhat inspirational film, and when you are an old woman in Canada you tend to believe that there are no older women around, but in Canada we have been late in the game to recognize older women on the screen. It feels good to be that representation. It is going to be refreshing for people to see actresses above the age of 40 in a film, and the best part is they are Canadian, and they represent Canada.”
Elephant premieres at AIFF 2025
Halifax Presents, September 2, 2025
From stage to screen: Dancing on the Elephant premieres at AIFF 2025
Receiving its premiere at this year's Atlantic International Film Festival, Sheila McCarthy and Mary Walsh star in Lisa Hagen’s bittersweet tale of friendship, dementia, and living boldly at any age.
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‘The essence of Edna is my grandma through and through,' Hagen says. 'Many of her sayings and wild stories found their way into the script.' Years after she first wrote the play, Hagen’s father was diagnosed with dementia—a journey that deepened the story’s emotional core. 'I witnessed firsthand the fortitude it takes to continue dancing day by day.'
The DOTE World Premiere: Atlantic International Film Festival in Halifax!
We are thrilled to share that the Dancing on the Elephant world premiere is now set for September 13 at the Atlantic International Film Festival in Halifax
Please join us at the World Premiere screening!
Saturday, September 13 at 4:45pm
"Heartbeat of the Maritime film industry"
CTV News: Don't give up': Maritime actress still on the silver screen at 86-years-old.
Known to many as the heartbeat of the Maritime film industry, 86-year-old Alvena Poole, also known as "Mama Alvena," is still making appearances on the silver screen.
“You can’t get a bigger compliment than to say to somebody you were very believable,” Alvena told CTV Atlantic's Katie Kelly in an interview Monday.
“As long as I can hear the cue, because you know, my hearing is not that great.”
In fact, the Nova Scotian performer has been busy on set for a new film.
“I am working on ‘Dancing on the Elephant,’” she said.
