A variety of old DVD cases on a wooden shelf. (Sierra Anderson, CMRU.ca)
Calgary’s International Film Festival or CIFF, has officially begun! From September 18th to 29th the CIFF is celebrating its 25th anniversary, and movies are premiering all over Calgary. This 11-day event showcases over 200 multi-genre feature and short films made in Canada and around the world.
Most anticipated mainstream films
Though its theatre premiere date has passed, The Thicket starring Peter Dinklage created significant buzz among Calgarians and Albertans, as it was filmed entirely in and around Calgary. The Apprentice, starring Sebastian Stan as a young Donald Trump follows his rise to power with the help of Roy Cohn. It will be shown on September 29th at Chinook Scotiabank Theatre. Sebastian Stan stars in another featured film at Chinook Theatre in A Different Man which follows an aspiring actor who undergoes a radical plastic surgery procedure that drastically alters his appearance into his ‘dream face’. Things go south as he loses his dream role and becomes obsessed with what was lost. Viewing for this film will be on September 26th.
Most anticipated Canadian films
Universal Language, Canada’s submission for Best International Feature at the 2025 Academy Awards, is a surreal film set close to Winnipeg. It will be playing on September 28th at Chinook Theatre. The world premier of Lucky Star, written and directed by Gillian McKercher (who grew up in Calgary), is set to play on September 28th at Chinook Theatre. The movie centers on a reformed gambler and father, who returns to poker after falling victim to a tax scam.
These are just a few examples of the multitude of movies, documentaries and short films that are playing throughout Calgary this year. CIFF also includes an industry week which has already passed this year; but there’s always next year! All upcoming movie premiers can be found on the CIFF schedule.
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