For its 26th year, the Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF) is back with a huge variety of films from September 18 to September 28. Choose from more than 200 feature and short films screening at various locations throughout the city.
Along with film screenings, there are plenty of other CIFF events to check out including Industry Week keynote speakers covering topics like the use of AI in filmmaking or the state of Alberta’s film industry, as well as Q&As with directors after film screenings and the CIFF Centrepiece Gala.
Here are 10 films to add to your festival itinerary this year.
Bif Naked
When: September 18 and 27
Where to watch: Globe Cinema, 617 8 Ave. S.W. (September 18); Scotiabank Theatre Chinook, 6455 Macleod Tr. S.W. (September 27)
At the world premiere of this documentary, follow the life story of one of Canada’s most iconic and memorable musicians from her birth in India to her rise through the punk scene. After the September 18 screening, Bif Naked and guitarist Peter Karroll will host a live Q&A and acoustic session.
John Candy: I Like Me
When: September 19
Where to watch: The Plaza Theatre, 1133 Kensington Rd. N.W. (September 19); Scotiabank Theatre Chinook, 6455 Macleod Tr. S.W. (September 23); Globe Cinema, 617 8 Ave. S.W. (September 26)
This documentary explores the life and career of one of Canada’s biggest comedy icons, John Candy. The film features never-before-seen home videos and interviews with some of his closest friends and comedy collaborators.
No Other Choice
When: September 19 and 26
Where to watch: Globe Cinema, 617 8 Ave. S.W. (September 19); Scotiabank Theatre Chinook, 6455 Macleod Tr. S.W. (September 26)
Directed by Park Chan-wook and adapted from the novel Point Blank by Donald E. Westlake, this Korean dark comedy follows Man-soo (Lee Byung-hun) as he hatches a plan to get a new job after being fired from his job of 25 years. This film is a ruthless look at the culture of status and corporate politics.
Still Single
When: September 19 and 25
Where to watch: The Plaza Theatre, 1133 Kensington Rd. N.W. (September 19); Scotiabank Theatre Chinook, 6455 Macleod Tr. S.W. (September 25)
In Still Single, directors Jamal Burger and Jukan Tateisi take viewers behind the scenes for a look into the life of sushi master and Canada’s first two-star Michelin chef, Masaki Saito. The film looks at how his intense approach to cooking reflects his own way of life.
Peak Everything
When: September 20 and 23
Where to watch: Globe Cinema, 617 8 Ave. S.W. (September 20); Scotiabank Theatre Chinook, 6455 Macleod Tr. S.W. (September 23)
A quirky, French language rom-com, Peak Everything follows kind-hearted, hypersensitive and depressed kennel owner Adam, who orders a therapeutic solar lamp to help with his anxieties. In a strange twist, the woman on the other end of the lamp supplier’s technical support hotline ends up being the cure to his problems, leading to a unique love story.
SIRÂT
When: September 22 and 25
Where to watch: Scotiabank Theatre Chinook, 6455 Macleod Tr. S.W.
A winner of the Cannes Jury Prize and Soundtrack Award in 2025, this film explores loss and grief through the story of a father and son looking for their lost daughter/sister at a rave in Morocco. Set to a backdrop of techno music, the pair find themselves lost in an unfamiliar environment and forced to confront their limits.
Shorts: Night Crawling
When: September 23
Where to watch: Scotiabank Theatre Chinook, 6455 Macleod Tr. S.W.
In this crowd-favourite shorts package, watch a lineup of 11 spooky, scary, strange and genre-bending short films. From a severe case of earworm that drives a man mad to a locksmith hired to lock a door permanently, these short films will keep you up at night.
The Pitch
When: September 23
Where to watch: The Grand, 608 1 St. S.W.
The Pitch follows Olympic soccer star Diana Matheson’s journey to create a Canadian women’s soccer league (the Northern Super League that’s now home to teams like the Calgary Wild FC), confronting resistance and naysayers along the way. The September 23 screening will be attended by Matheson, director Michele Hozer and Canadian soccer star Christine Sinclair.
People & Meat
When: September 23 and 26
Where to watch: Globe Cinema, 617 8 Ave. S.W. (September 23); Scotiabank Theatre Chinook, 6455 Macleod Tr. S.W. (September 26)
When an elderly trio bond over their love of food and small pensions, they eat all around Seoul for free, eventually becoming known as the “Dine and Dash Trio.” As they continue their streak of free meals, life begins to feel worth living again as their friendship grows.
After the Hunt
When: September 27 and 28
Where to watch: Globe Cinema, 617 8 Ave. S.W. (September 27); Scotiabank Theatre Chinook, 6455 Macleod Tr. S.W. (September 28)
Starring huge Hollywood names like Julia Roberts, Ayo Edebiri and Andrew Garfield, After The Hunt is a psychological drama in which a professor’s dark secrets resurface after a male colleague is accused of sexual assault by one of her star pupils.
