From hyper-local documentaries to star-studded dramedies, the 27th annual Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF) offers something for everyone. From September 24 to October 4, choose from more than 200 films to watch at venues around the city.
Along with feature length films, there are a variety of short films to catch throughout the festival, grouped together in themes like romance, animation and documentary. You can also catch talks with keynote speakers covering topics such as the current state of film criticism, the state of Alberta filmmaking and completing your first feature film.
Here are 10 films to catch at this year’s festival.
Run Terry Run
When: September 25 and October 2
Where to watch: The Grand, 608 1 St. S.W.
Revisit the story of Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope with Run Terry Run from Canadian director Sean Menard, which features never-before-seen footage from Fox’s historic cross-country run. Guests from the production will be in attendance at the October 2 screening
The Debut
When: September 25 and October
Where to watch: Cineplex Chinook 10, 6455 Macleod Trl. S.W.
Community theatre doesn’t always get as much attention as major theatre company productions, but that doesn’t mean the actors don’t take it seriously. In Jesse Eisenberg’s The Debut, a housewife (Julianne Moore) takes her commitment to the next level in her community theatre bit part, even challenging the show’s director (Paul Giamatti). It’s the perfect dark comedy for anyone who’s ever taken part in a theatre production.
Jim Queen
When: September 26 and 29
Where to watch: The Plaza Theatre, 1133 Kensington Rd. N.W.
When a virus called “heterosis” sweeps Paris’ gay scene, it causes gay men to suddenly become straight. Jim Queen, a popular figure who once reigned supreme in the scene, goes on a quest to find the cure, helped by his last devoted follower Lucien in this hilarious animated romp.
Paper Tiger
When: September 26 and September 30
Where to watch: The Grand, 608 1 St. S.W., and The Globe Cinema, 617 8 Ave. S.W.
With an illustrious cast of Hollywood stars including Miles Teller, Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson, Paper Tiger is a crime drama set in 1980s Queens that explores familial bonds and pollution in all its forms. For each ticket purchased for the September 30 screening, CIFF is donating $2 to the Urban Society for Aboriginal Youth.
Once Upon a Time in Harlem
When: September 26 and October 2
Where to watch: Cineplex Chinook 10, 6455 Macleod Trl. S.W.
In 1972, filmmaker William Greaves filmed a dinner party where he invited living legends of the Harlem renaissance. A decade after Greaves’ death, his son David assembled this footage into an exploration of the people who transformed African-American art, music, theatre, fashion and more throughout the 1920s and 1930s. William Greaves’ intention in making the film was not only capturing this part of history, but also how it has been passed down through generations.
WWW: The Women’s Group
When: September 27
Where to watch: The Plaza Theatre, 1133 Kensington Rd. N.W.
WWW: The Women’s Group follows a group of senior women who meet every Wednesday at various bars, cafés and The Plaza Theatre in Calgary’s Kensington neighbourhood. The film is heartwarming, but also touches on the realities of getting older — loved ones dying, divorce, loneliness and dating later in life. Guests from the production will be in attendance at the film’s screening.
Nuisance Bear
When: September 28, September 30 and October 3
Where to watch: The Plaza Theatre, 1133 Kensington Rd. N.W. (September 28); Cineplex Chinook 10, 6455 Macleod Trl. S.W. (September 30); The Globe Cinema, 617 8 Ave. S.W. (October 3)
Based on a short film of the same name that was featured at CIFF 2021, Nuisance Bear follows a polar bear in Churchill, Manitoba that encounters modern life along its historic migration path. The documentary explores whether wildlife can really be branded a “nuisance” for existing in the shared landscape. This strikingly shot co-production between Canada and the United States took home the prize for best documentary at Sundance 2026. For each ticket purchased for the September 30 showing, CIFF will donate $2 to the Urban Society for Aboriginal Youth.
The Only Living Pickpocket in New York
When: September 29 and October 3
Where to watch: The Globe Cinema, 617 8 Ave. S.W. (September 29) and Cineplex Chinook 10, 6455 Macleod Trl. S.W. (October 3)
In modern day New York City, where everyone’s wallets contain little cash and easily-frozen credit cards, an aging pickpocket (John Turturro) struggles to make ends meet. Things get dicey when he accidentally steals a USB stick that gets him into trouble with a crime family. Alongside Turturro, the film stars fellow big names like Steve Buscemi, Giancarlo Esposito, Tatiana Maslany and Will Price.
Pocket Mirror
When: October 3
Where to watch: Cineplex Chinook 14, 6455 Macleod Trl. S.W.
Shot in Ontario, Pocket Mirror follows Maisie (Sofia Banzhof) as strange happenings in her mundane life lead her to believe that her beloved cat, Shimmer, has been replaced by a doppelgänger. She hires a private investigator to find out the truth, and ends up learning more than she bargained for. Directed by Adrian Murray, a notable name in the Canadian film festival circuit, the film explores alienation in a world that keeps changing before our eyes.
Smudge the Blades
When: October 4
Where to watch: The Grand, 608 1 St. S.W.
CIFF’s closing night presentation is a perfect one for fans of the coming-of-age sports film genre à la The Mighty Ducks. Smudge the Blades is directed by Cree actor and filmmaker Cody Lightning. The film follows the Treaty 6 Blades, a youth hockey team who get kicked out of their league and end up getting coached by their local hockey rink’s zamboni driver.