Calgary International Film Festival

The Calgary International Film Festival is a 12-day showcase of up to 200 short and feature length multi-genre films, from Canada and over 40 other countries. With Academy Award® accreditation and juried cash prizes of up to $20,000, our Festival is world class in its celebration of cinema’s best and brightest.

To achieve our mission, we host participating filmmakers – both locally and from abroad – and connect them with the audience through interactive post-screening Q&A’s, networking events, and moderated panels that are attended by the general public.

Each year’s line-up is grouped into 11 unique categories – Headliners, Canadian, New American, World Cinema, Documentaries, Music on Screen, Late Shows and Shorts. In addition to our five juried awards with a total cash value of almost $20,000 CAD, we present ten audience awards to outstanding films selected by our viewers and esteemed jurors.

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®.

Highlights from our Program’s past three seasons include: Lady Bird, Moonlight, and Science Fair.

SERIES:
We divide our program into 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.