The Calgary International Film Festival recently unveiled its full lineup for the ’24 edition, and it can be a little overwhelming. Fear not: The Scene is here for you!
Here are some of our top picks of the festival, and a starting place to build your filmgoing experience.
The Hobby
Why should you see it? It’s a history-spanning documentary about board games screening at The Plaza — just across from the Hexagon Board Game Cafe!
Soul’s Road
Why should you see it? This Alberta-made film will debut to the world at this year’s festival. It stars country star Dallas Smith and blends narrative and musical elements.
Can I Get A Witness
Why you should see it? Grey’s Anatomy and Killing Eve fans will delight in seeing Sandra Oh in this film, while experimental movie fans will dig its animation/live-action hybrid vision of the future.
Sunburnt Unicorn
Why should you see it? Calgary animator and comic artist Nick Johnson has channelled his unique eye for character design into a surreal 3D odyssey that garnered accolades at the Ottawa International Film Festival.
Black Dog
Why you should see it? Canadian-Taiwanese actor Eddie Peng leads this quirky Chinese thriller, which earned the Un Certain Regard prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
Goddess of the Slide: The Forgotten Story of Ellen McIlwaine
Why you should see it? Immerse yourself in an offbeat piece of Calgary history. Ellen Mcllwaine was a slide-guitar legend who played with Hendrix before driving a school bus and teaching music in Cowtown.
CROW
Why should you see it? Numera Films originally shot CROW as a proof-of-concept for another film. The 13-minute short became a standalone piece of highly personal, Alberta-oriented storytelling.
Seeds
Why you should see it? Reservation Dogs alum Kaniehtiiio Horn makes her directorial debut with this Indigenous horror banger, which premieres at TIFF right before making its way to the prairies.
Enby Breast Cancer
Why you should see it? Local artist and drag performer Mike Hooves has been documenting their struggle with breast cancer through raw artwork posted to Instagram. This short documentary explores their experience of being a queer Calgarian navigating life after diagnosis.
We Forgot to Break Up
Why should you see it? Exclaim! described this story of an indie rock band led by a transmasculine singer as “a love song for Toronto’s music scene.” This sounds like a no-brainer with the bumpin’ music scene we enjoy here in Calgary.
The Calgary International Film Festival takes place from September 19 to 29. Check out the lineup and get tickets at ciffcalgary.ca.
