This year marks Calgary International Film Festival’s 25th anniversary, and there’s no shortage of interesting films — plus events like keynote speakers and a red carpet opening gala — packing the festival’s lineup. From September 19 to September 29, you can choose from more than 200 films screening at various locations throughout the city.
Here are 10 films to get you started on filling out your festival itinerary.
The Thicket
When: September 19
Where to watch: Jack Singer Concert Hall, 225 8 Ave. S.E.
With Calgary in the backdrop, The Thicket follows bounty hunter Reginald Jones (Peter Dinklage of Game of Thrones fame) who puts together a band of unlikely heroes to help him track down a ruthless killer known as Cutthroat Bill. As this is CIFF’s opening-night film, the ensuing red carpet gala will feature The Thicket star Leslie Grace in attendance, and tickets can be purchased through the Jack Singer Concert Hall’s website.
7 Beats Per Minute
When: September 21 and 27
Where to watch: Contemporary Calgary, 701 11 St. S.W. (September 21); Scotiabank Theatre Chinook, 6455 Macleod Tr. S.W. (September 27)
Award-winning director Yuqi Kang’s documentary follows Chinese freediving champion Jessea Lu as she returns to the site of her traumatic, near-death experience during a world-record freediving attempt in 2018. The film dives into Lu’s life story and features personal interviews and breathtaking underwater imagery.
Grand Theft Hamlet
When: September 22 and 27
Where to watch: Plaza Theatre, 1133 Kensington Rd. N.W. (September 22); Globe Cinema, 617 8 Ave. S.W. (September 27)
If you’re a fan of Grand Theft Auto or Hamlet — or both — this just might be the niche film for you. Strap in and watch as two theatre actors, Sam Crane and Mark Oosterveen, attempt to stage a full production of Hamlet within the unlikely setting of the video game Grand Theft Auto, while isolating at their respective homes during COVID-19 lockdown restrictions in the U.K.
Memoir of a Snail
When: September 22 and 29
Where to watch: Globe Cinema, 617 8 Ave. S.W. (September 22); Scotiabank Theatre Chinook, 6455 Macleod Tr. S.W. (September 29)
Academy Award-winning animator Adam Elliot brings to life this bittersweet, stop-motion memoir set in 1970s Australia. Twins Grace and Gilbert are separated from each other after their father dies. As the years pass and hardships happen, Grace strikes up a friendship with an eccentric, elderly woman, Pinky, that gives her a new lease on life.
Universal Language
When: September 23 and 28
Where to watch: Scotiabank Theatre Chinook, 6455 Macleod Tr. S.W.
Universal Language, Canada’s submission for Best International Feature at the 2025 Academy Awards, is a surreal film set somewhere between Tehran and Winnipeg. The lives of multiple characters interweave in this bizarre comedy of misdirection. This includes a group of confused tourists who are taken on a walking tour of Winnipeg, a Tim Horton’s logo written in Farsi, money found frozen in ice by a pair of school children and more.
The Apprentice
When: September 23 and 29
Where to watch: Globe Cinema, 617 8 Ave. S.W. (September 23); Scotiabank Theatre Chinook, 6455 Macleod Tr. S.W. (September 29)
Sebastian Stan stars as Donald Trump in The Apprentice, from director Ali Abassi. This film is not a coming-of-age story by any means, but rather charts a young Trump’s rise to power with the help of Roy Cohn.
Heavier Trip
When: September 24 and 28
Where to watch: Scotiabank Theatre Chinook, 6455 Macleod Tr. S.W. (September 24); Globe Cinema, 617 8 Ave. S.W. (September 28)
Directors Juuso Laatio and Jukka Vidgren follow up their film Heavy Trip with this sequel. Death metal band Impaled Rektum is incarcerated in a Norwegian prison, but must escape when they find out a family member of their guitarist is in financial trouble. They break out, and the band journeys across Northern Europe with hopes of performing at the largest metal festival in the world with some hijinks and adventures along the way.
Rita
When: September 25 and 28
Where to watch: Scotiabank Theatre Chinook, 6455 Macleod Tr. S.W. (September 25); Globe Cinema, 617 8 Ave. S.W. (September 28)
After running away from home, 13-year-old Rita is sent to stay in an oppressive, state-run orphanage. There, Rita meets a group of girls who believe in a prophecy that an angel will come and save them. Soon, Rita and her companions plan an escape to freedom and to expose the orphanage’s abusive practices. The film is based on a true story from Guatemala.
Paper Flowers
When: September 25 and 28
Where to watch: Scotiabank Theatre Chinook, 6455 Macleod Tr. S.W.
Based on a true story, Paper Flowers is the story of a recent U.S. college graduate, Shalin Shah, who discovers he has a rare and aggressive form of cancer while volunteering abroad in the Peace Corps. Upon returning home, Shah and his family, friends and loved ones collectively begin an inspirational journey of love and loss.
Lucky Star
When: September 28
Where to watch: Scotiabank Theatre Chinook, 6455 Macleod Tr. S.W.
This will be the world premiere of Calgary writer and director Gillian McKercher’s sophomore feature. Lucky Star centres on a reformed gambler and father, Lucky, who returns to the poker table to make money after becoming a victim of a tax scam, while his family continues to struggle to get by. The family drama promises to showcase a “slice of life” of the Chinese-prairie diaspora.