Actor Dan Aykroyd will be the St. Lawrence International Film Festival honored guest at its opening gala featuring a 35th anniversary screening of the musical comedy classic “The Blues Brothers.”

Aykroyd, the film’s co-creator and star, will introduce the film and participate in a question and answer session. The screening and reception will be held at the Canadian Museum of History in Canada’s National Capital Region in Gatineau, Quebec on Oct. 22.

A red-carpet arrival will precede the screening. To add to the festivities, Aykroyd is providing the gala with his own award-winning Crystal Head Vodka.

“Dan Aykroyd’s contributions to film and television couldn’t be more in line with the boundary-smashing DNA of this festival,” remarked Festival Executive Director and Founder Adam Paul. “We’ve chosen the theme ‘Beyond Borders’ to highlight the kind of unexpected and inspired body of work Mr. Aykroyd has demonstrated throughout his storied career. To have the opportunity to celebrate ‘The Blues Brothers’ anniversary is itself the perfect way to open this new event. To celebrate it with Mr. Aykroyd in attendance and as a benefit for the good work of the RCMP Foundation is a true honor for us.”

Strategically located at the center of the St. Lawrence River Valley with events in Ottawa and Brockville, Ont. and Canton and Potsdam, St. Lawrence International Film Festival is a celebration of film, with related events on both sides of the international border.

“The RCMP Foundation is honored to be selected as a the charity partner of choice for the 2015 St. Lawrence International Film Festival. While the St. Lawrence river may be the be border that divides our two great countries, the St. Lawrence International Film Festival will be the cultural bridge connecting us in celebration of excellence in the film industry. We look forward to the Festival and the benefits it will bring to the region and its generous support for our youth programs,” states Hope Henderson, President & CEO of the RCMP Foundation.

A limited number of All-Access VIP Badges for the Festival weekend include guaranteed seating for the opening gala screening and reception, as well as admission to all Festival screenings, panel discussions, parties and VIP lounge. Badges are on sale at www.stlawrencefilm.com. All other festival badges go on sale in September after the announcement of the full lineup of events.

The St. Lawrence International Film Festival advisory board is lead by industry notables Sara E. Johnson, Oscar-winning executive producer of “Birdman”; Mark Valley, “CSI”; Aaron Woolf, “King Corn”; Drea Clark, programming Slamdance Film Festival & Los Angeles Film Festival; Gloria Campbell, managing director of the American Pavillion at Cannes; Ann Marie Gardinier Halstead, co-chair of Performance & Communication Arts Dept. at St. Lawrence University; Brian Hauser, co-editor of The Journal of Short Film and Bob Penski , founder of Penski Inc.