Calgary International Film Festival

The 20th Anniversary Calgary International Film Festival takes place September 18-29, 2019 in the heart of Calgary, showcasing 200 short and feature length multi-genre films, from Canada and around the world. With Academy Award® accreditation and juried cash prizes of up to $20,000, our twelve day Festival is world class in its celebration of cinema’s best and brightest. As part of our continued mission, we host participating filmmakers and connect them with the general public and audiences through events such as interactive post-screening Q&A’s, networking events, and moderated panels.

Each year’s line-up is grouped into 11 unique series – Headliners, Canadian, New American, World Cinema, Documentaries, Music on Screen, Late Shows and Shorts.

We host five juried awards with a total cash value of almost $20,000 CAD. In additional to this, the recipient of the Calgary International Film Festival's Best of Shorts Award is eligible for consideration in the Animated Short Film / Live Action Short Film category of the Academy Awards®.

We also present 11 audience awards to outstanding films selected by our viewers and esteemed jurors.

11 UNIQUE SERIES:

Galas
Shining a light on marquee films, galas celebrate the year’s highest accomplishments with a screening and a party.

Headliners
The most anticipated, not-to-be-missed, most buzzed-about films of the festival circuit – from award winners and high-profile projects to celebrities and master directors.

Alberta Scene
A celebration of films created in our home province, from the highest mountain peaks to the endless prairie skies.

Canadian Cinema
From sea to sea – this series celebrates our country’s most inspiring, diverse and promising films.

New American Cinema
New and emerging voices from the United States’ vibrant independent movement, with an emphasis on under-the-radar and cutting-edge style and story.

World Cinema
A spin of the globe: a captivating world of rich stories from beyond our borders. All foreign language films are presented with English subtitles.

Documentaries
An uncensored view of the real world: showcasing gripping, entertaining and enlightening stories from around the globe.

Music on Screen
From the grassroots of rock n’ roll to hip-hop and folk and everything in between: the best of movies where music plays the starring role.

Late Shows
Dark, twisted and daring late night selection of genre films, ranging from sci-fi to horror, thriller and fantasy films from around the world, with no shortage of high-intensity suspense, shock, gore and action.