Calgary International Film Festival
When: September 24 to October 4, 2026
As one of Calgary’s biggest film festivals, Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF) is a must for local film buffs. Now in its 27th year, CIFF brings together more than 100 full-length feature films and over 60 short films from around the world.
Multiple venues, ciffcalgary.ca
TMFF Calgary
When: October 15, 2026
TMFF, which stands for Toronto Motorcycle Film Festival, is a travelling film festival making a stop at Calgary’s Plaza Theatre in October. It features a variety of motorcycle-centric short and feature-length films. Presented by Ill-Fated Kustoms, this year’s festival brings nine films that capture the motorcycling experience through stories about topics like motocross, career-ending injuries and rides spanning thousands of miles through jungles, the desert and the Andes.
Plaza Theatre, 1133 Kensington Rd. N.W., motorcyclefilmfest.com
Freshtival Ski Film Fest
When: October 16 and 17, 2026
Freshtival has been bringing the gnarliest ski films to Calgarians since 2003. The festival merges the skiing and film worlds, with multiple movies showing at Globe Cinema over two days.
Globe Cinema, 617 8 Ave. S.W., freshtival.ca
India Film Festival of Alberta
When: Calgary dates from October 16 to 18, 2026
While India’s film industry might be one of the biggest in the world, the India Film Festival of Alberta (IFFA) started in 2015 to showcase the smaller independent filmmakers. The festival takes place in three cities including Sherwood Park, Calgary and Edmonton.
Globe Cinema, 617 8 Ave. S.W., 2025.indiafilmfestival.ca
Calgary Justice Film Festival
When: November 5 to 7, 2026
The Calgary Justice Film Festival (CJFF) showcases a mix of social justice and environmental films. The best part is that CJFF is free to attend, so it’s easy to catch one of these movies. The festival also features a Peace Market with non-profit organizations.
The Confluence Historic Site & Parkland, 750 9 Ave. S.W., justicefilmfestival.ca
Giant Incandescent Resonating Animation Festival (GIRAF)
When: November 12 to 15, 2026
Presented by Calgary’s Quickdraw Animation Society, GIRAF showcases independent animation of all kinds from around the world.
2011 10 Ave S.W., giraffest.ca
CUFF.Docs Documentary Film Festival
When: November 18 to 22, 2026
Calgary Underground Film Festival’s sister festival is back for its 14th year and brings a varied mix of full-length and short non-fiction films. The CUFF.Docs lineup for 2026 hasn’t been announced yet, but expect more than 15 full-length screenings, as well as shorts, this year.
Globe Cinema, 617 8 Ave. S.W., calgaryundergroundfilm.org