The Festival of Animated Objects turns 15 this year. For anyone who suffered childhood trauma involving dusty marionettes, it proves puppetry can be fun and surprising.
What may seem like a niche art form has quietly built momentum in Calgary, exposing more puppet and mask artists. Cosmo Christoffersen, managing producer at FAO, attributes the city’s success to its community. “A lot of people out there are on the whimsical side, and they love puppetry,” she said. “We have a devoted audience that keeps coming back and keeps growing every year.”
Over the course of 10 days, three curators will shape the program: Ali DeRegt (live performance), Claudia Chagoya (exhibitions), and Tia DeLauria (screenings). Each brings a distinct artistic background and sensibility, resulting in a lineup that’s diverse not only in medium but also in theme and tone.
National Productions
For the first time, the festival hosts multiple touring national productions. From Yukon comes Radio Silence, a fictional tale centred on the disappearance of the territory’s first female bush pilot. Featuring signature masks by Wonderheads and sweeping visuals from Yukon artists, the piece follows a family journeying into the wilderness to find her.
From B.C., Otosan offers a more intimate experience. Based on one of the creators’ childhood memories, it follows a girl who hides in her father’s suitcase to travel north with him. The show is entirely non-verbal and was developed with deaf consultants, making it accessible to audiences with hearing loss.
Film is another growing arm of the FAO. Among this year’s screenings is Memory Hotel, a puppetry feature about a girl whose family flees the Russian front in 1945 and encounters Nazis along the way. “One of the great things about puppetry and animation is how they let us talk about more difficult subjects in a more approachable way,” Christoffersen said.
Puppetry Across Generations
Beyond the headliners, the festival continues to nurture emerging artists through its incubator program. Launched during the pandemic to support creators when venues shut down, it now offers mentorship from established puppeteers.
And for those curious but hesitant to commit to a full show, FAO also offers free family workshops at local YMCAs. “Those are great for kids and families and anybody who just wants to get their hands dirty and have a little bit of fun with puppets.”
Puppetry is often dismissed as a children’s medium. In reality, it has long been a powerful tool for political dissent, unpacking complex social issues, and most importantly, a space where artists can take creative risks.
As an art form dating back 3,000 to 4,000 years, puppetry has continually evolved. 15 years may seem like a brief moment in that history, but in that time, the Festival of Animated Objects has expanded both its scale and its definition of what puppetry can be.
For Xstine Cook, festival founder & artistic director, its relevance today isn’t surprising: “Puppetry touches something universal in humans,” she explained. “That playful imagination that everyone is born with.”
The Festival of Animated Objects runs from March 14 to 22.
There is free and pay-what-you-can programming, as well as ASL-interpreted performances. Detailed accessibility listings and a virtual tour are available at puppetfestival.ca.
Dolly Wiggler: Puppets for Adults
Once upon a time, there was Itonia, a bar in Amsterdam that faced the police station. Every Wednesday, it hosted a themed cabaret where anyone could perform. It was about bringing people together to try something, to try anything. That spirit of freedom became the seed for one of the festival’s most beloved events.
Although Dolly Wiggler happens once a year and focuses on mask and puppetry, it shares the same idea of trying things in front of a receptive audience. “We have a super fun audience,” said Cook. “They love the inventiveness, the creativity, the huge, wild span of different types of puppetry, as well as different types of subjects that happen at the Cabaret.”
The best part, Cooks believes, is watching newcomers discover how welcoming the Cabaret feels and how it awakens wonder. “It’s really cool for people to go like, ‘What?’ I never knew this was happening.”
Traditionally a late-night show, this year the Cabaret introduces a “liquid brunch” — an afternoon edition featuring mimosas and sangria. Evening performances include two intermissions, giving audiences time to mingle and process the chaos.
Dolly Wiggler Cabaret takes place on March 20 and 21 at the #1 Legion.
