Cast & Crew screening at Toronto’s famous Royal Cinema.

Play it Loud! opened the 2025-25 Doc Soup Season to 2 sold out screenings at the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema in Toronto! The screenings were followed by a Q&A with director Graeme Mathieson, musician Jay Douglas and producer Andrew Munger, moderated by Heather Haynes, Hot Docs' Director of Programming.

Play it Loud! was featured as part of The Black Nerds film club programming at Toronto’s legendary west-end Revue Cinema. Another packed house with Q&A from Jay Douglas and director Graeme Mathieson, hosted by Faduma Gure.

revuecinema.ca/films/the-black-nerds-play-it-loud-how-toronto-got-soul-qa-with-director-cast

Play it Loud! is headed to the west coast! Vancouver International Film Festival hosted 4 screenings of the film, followed by a Q&A with Jay Douglas and producer Andrew Munger.

“Still going strong, Jay Douglas proves the perfect guide to this seriously grooving reclamation of Canadian soul and funk history.”

Available Light Film Festival - FESTIVAL

Play it Loud! was proud to be selected in the 2025 program of Yukon’s Available Light Film Festival. ALFF is Canada's largest film festival north of 60°. Both screenings included Q&A with Jay Douglas, Graeme Mathieson (director) and Andrew Munger (producer).

Sonic Boom - LIVE PERFORMANCE

In-store performance by Jay Douglas, in promtion of our TV/streaming premiere weeknd, and it was an opportunity to purchase the sought after re-release of the Jamaica To Toronto compilation, featured in the film – an 8.1 review from Pitchfork:

“As great as all these songs are, there’s one particular track that stands out: The Cougars’ cover of “I Wish It Would Rain”, a Whitfield/Strong/Penzabene composition originally recorded by the Temptations. Though it has some rhythmic echoes of reggae in places, this song is so oddly arranged that it feels completely out of time or genre. The verses are minimally arranged, with Jay Douglas and Jackie Richardson trading leads over heartbeat drums and a lone, regular guitar chord. Smears of organ color the front and back of each verse, and there are two bridges of instrumental soul that rip right into the starkness of the verses with towering horns and thick bass. It’s an improbable interpretation, but it’s utterly haunting.”

The Drake Hotel - LIVE PERFORMANCE

A live performance by Jay Douglas & The All Stars, in support of the film’s TV premiere on Feb. 16th on TVO.

In Hamilton at Ontario’s historic Westdale theatre. Presented in partnership with the Hamilton’s Afro-Canadian Caribbean Association (ACCA).

COMMUNITY SCREENING at the Jamaican Canadian Association, in Toronto

Founded in 1962, the JCA will be hosted a packed house screening of Play it Loud! under the distinguished patronage of the Consul-General of Jamaica - Mr.Kurt Davis. With very special guest in attendance, Jay Douglas and the mayor of Toronto - Olivia Chow.

Kitchener/Waterloo’s premiere art house cinema screened the K/W premiere event of Play it Loud!, with Jay Douglas & director Graeme Mathieson in attendance. Presented in partnership with Vintage Black Canada.

Play it Loud! will had it’s 3rd Hot Docs presented screening. Our director Graeme Mathieson and Jay Douglas himself were in attendance for a Q&A for this encore screening.

Cameron Bailey special TIFF presentation of Play it Loud! followed by a Q&A with special guest Jay Douglas, director Graeme Mathieson and producer Andrew Munger.