Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) opener Passchendaele will be presented to Canadian military personnel serving in Afghanistan at an advance screening Oct. 3 in Kandahar. The WWI saga is released across Canada Oct. 17 through Alliance Films. Paul Gross, writer, director and star of the film, said the screening acknowledges the sacrifice of Canadian soldiers past and present.

A group of Canadian soldiers participated in the film as background figures and choreographed battle sequences and slept rough on the location. They named their encampment Camp Hornber in honour of Corporal Nathan Hornberg, who was killed while serving in Afghanistan.

The film screens today in Ottawa, followed by a national press tour. Gross will introduce the film with the participation of fellow actors Caroline Dhavernas, Joe Dinicol and Meredith Bailey. War veterans have been invited to make appearances.

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