Well-known Canadian icon, Fred Penner, has a brand-new 45 minute documentary playing in this years Gimli Film Festival, called "Take Good Care of Each Other: a Fred Penner Story".

The festival showcases Manitoban and Canadian films, as well as documentaries and feature films from around the world. 

Usually this event draws a crowd of roughly 13,000 people including free film nights on the beach. However, the town will feel empty during the festival taking place July 21-26, as this year they're going digital due to COVID-19. 

Aaron Zeghers, the Festivals Director, says, "Frankly we didn't have much of an option. The province of Manitoba announced months ago that there's going to be no mass events before September. We wanted to keep our community safe, our film goers, and our volunteers and staff safe so we made the call pretty early on."

Penner's documentary, being shown at the festival, will highlight all of his past acting and music endeavors that worked for all ages, not just children.

"I've been a professional entertainer for forty-five plus years. Prior to "The Cat Came Back", I was doing theatre, Rainbow Stage, Musical Comedy, MTC, so I've covered a pretty broad range of performing styles, which, I bring to the stage now that I'm working with families." Says Penner. 

The idea for the film started five years after Penner heard from a local film maker. 

"About five years ago I was approached by Aaron Floresco, a videographer in Winnipeg, who's always looking for projects and directions to go, and he really wanted to do something with me. He took film of shows, he came to a show I did in Ottawa, and the children's festival in Winnipeg."

Officially the film was released in 2019, however, it is being showcased at the festival. 

"Part of the "Take Good Care of Each Other" was showing both sides of the scale. The family entertainment that I did and then those kids growing up to be young adults having their own children. It's a project basically showing the range of work that I have done over these four plus decades."

Floresco also shows interviews with Penner's immediate family, his children, and even friends throughout the film. 

This year would have been busy with concerts for Penner, but many shows have cancelled.