BELL MANOR PARK
Friday, August 14, 2026

The princess bride

With the short films Fantas and Long Branch

Rob Reiner’s classic The Princess Bride is an ode to cinematic storytelling, beautifully spinning a fairy tale romance shaped by both physical and emotional journeys. Westley (Cary Elwes) is a sarcastically charming masked swashbuckler on a quest to reunite with his one true love, Buttercup (Robin Wright), with the aid of a ragtag group of compatriots, including a giant (André the Giant) and a vengeful Spaniard (Mandy Patinkin). The Princess Bride has endured for decades thanks to its feel-good, nostalgic aesthetic and a bevy of iconic lines delivered by unforgettable characters, not least Westley’s immortal declaration of love: “As you wish.” Reiner’s remarkable ability to draw audiences into the story – much like the doting grandfather in the film’s framing narrative – creates a warm, playful, and unforgettable experience.

The Princess Bride is paired with two Canadian short films that together set an adventurous tone for the evening. Fantas, directed by Halima Elkhatabi, is an unexpectedly thrilling story about a young woman’s bond with a beautiful stallion. When Tania’s journey on horseback into the city to meet her friends suddenly faces a tyrannical threat, she and her horse Fantas kick off a high-energy chase sequence. A visually elegant film, Fantas blends playful adventure with urgent real-world themes, revealing a story that feels both intimate and socially aware. In the lead role, Tania Doumbe Fines delivers a captivating performance marked by resilience and bravery.

A guy and a girl meet at a club in downtown Toronto and head home to hook up, but the journey to get there turns into a long ride – about two hours to be exact, all the way to Long Branch, Etobicoke. This premise sets the stage for playful banter and emerging connection between the two would-be lovebirds that echoes the playful banter of The Princess Bride, as they travel together in pursuit of a night they both expect to forget the next day. The winding, drawn-out path they follow takes audiences on a humorous ride, reflecting the many ways love and connection can emerge. Toronto filmmakers Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart’s Long Branch is a funny and highly relatable short romantic comedy that continues to resonate with audiences fifteen years later.