Calgary, get ready for 11 unforgettable days at the movies.
The 27th Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF), presented by Servus Credit Union, returns September 24 to October 4 with acclaimed films, major premieres, homegrown talent and stories from around the world. From opening night to the final screening, CIFF invites audiences to experience some of the year’s most exciting cinema on the big screen, together.
CIFF 2026 opens with the Alberta premiere of A Long Winter, directed by Andrew Haigh and filmed right here in Alberta. Based on a short story by Colm Tóibín, the film features a celebrated cast that includes Fred Hechinger, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Caitriona Balfe, Kit Connor and D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai.
The star-studded film lineup also includes Paper Tiger, starring Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson and Miles Teller; Fatherland, winner of Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival; Palme d’Or-winner Fjord with Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve; Wild Horse Nine, with John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell; and Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, starring two-time Academy Award-winner Mahershala Ali. Audiences can also discover new work from acclaimed filmmakers Pedro Almodóvar, Ryūsuke Hamaguchi, Hirokazu Kore-eda, Mike Leigh and Jesse Eisenberg.
Canadian stories take centre stage, too. Run Terry Run features never-before-seen footage of Terry Fox’s 1980 Marathon of Hope, offering an intimate portrait of one of Canada’s most inspiring figures. Man in Motion: The Rick Hansen Story revisits Hansen’s extraordinary 26-month, 40,000-kilometre journey and the lasting change it created in how Canadians think about accessibility.
CIFF Outdoors makes its triumphant return to Eau Claire Plaza on Saturday, September 26. Bring a chair and settle in for free screenings of Space Jam, Best in Show and Scream. Food trucks, activities and family fun begin at 2 p.m., making it an easy way to spend the day with friends, family and fellow film fans before the movies light up the outdoor screen.
More than 100 short films will screen throughout the festival, including award-winning international titles and a record number of Alberta-made shorts. Two dedicated Alberta Spirit packages put local filmmakers in the spotlight, while Youth by Youth Cinema presents work created by filmmakers under 18. The wider shorts program spans documentary, animation, experimental, family, youth, music, comedy, drama and after-dark horror genre selections. Whether you have a few minutes or a full evening, the shorts program offers plenty of opportunities to discover emerging filmmakers and unexpected stories.
The festival closes with the Calgary premiere of Cody Lightning’s Smudge the Blades, a spirited underdog hockey story about the Treaty 6 Blades fighting their way back into the league. Lightning returns to CIFF after presenting Hey, Viktor! as the festival’s Closing Night film in 2023.
With international award winners, Canadian premieres, Alberta stories, free outdoor movies and more than 100 shorts, CIFF 2026 has something for every kind of film fan.
Explore the full lineup, choose your films and get tickets at CIFFcalgary.ca. Bring a friend, take a chance on something new and discover your next favourite film.
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