CIFF Announces First Wave of Films for Its 25th Anniversary
Press release from the Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF)
Calgary, AB — The Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF), presented by connectFirst Credit Union, marks its 25th year with a robust program of local, national, and international cinema. This year’s festival will run from September 19 to September 29, 2024, across a constellation of downtown venues and Cineplex Scotiabank Theatre Chinook. The festival’s first wave of film selections and the return of the popular Trailer Party were announced today.
“We’ve curated a diverse slate of films from around the world, including strong entries from Iran, Argentina, Belgium and a notable showing of Alberta-made works,” said Brenda Lieberman, CIFF’s Lead Programmer. “This initial lineup blends genres — from horror to family animation and intimate dramas — and includes several Alberta and world premieres that showcase both emerging and established talent.”
Lieberman highlighted two world premieres in particular: SOUL’S ROAD by Joel Stewart, filmed in Alberta and featuring Canadian country star Dallas Smith, and Sanjay Patel’s second feature, THE BIRDS WHO FEAR DEATH, a dramatic thriller starring Graham Greene and Carmen Moore.
Featured Films at CIFF 2024
The first wave of feature films reflects CIFF’s commitment to storytelling across forms — documentaries, narrative features, music-centered films and animation. Below are the feature titles announced for the 2024 festival, with premiere information and selected awards where applicable.
7 BEATS PER MINUTE, directed by Yuqi Kang (Canada) — During a world-record freediving attempt, Jessea Lu blacks out and is lifeless for four minutes. Alberta Premiere.
ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT, directed by Payal Kapadia (France/India/Netherlands/Luxembourg) — In Mumbai, Nurse Prabha’s routine is disrupted when an unexpected gift arrives from her estranged husband. Alberta Premiere. Winner: Grand Prix, Cannes Film Festival 2024.
THE BIRDS WHO FEAR DEATH, directed by Sanjay Patel (Canada) — Two disinherited brothers travel into the Canadian wilderness searching for identity, their people and a chance at fortune. World Premiere.
THE BONES, directed by Jeremy Xido (Canada) — Paleontologists travel the globe seeking dinosaur fossils that could help humanity. Alberta Premiere.
BOOKWORM, directed by Ant Timpson (New Zealand) — A washed-up American magician and his estranged daughter journey into the New Zealand bush in search of a mythical black panther. Alberta Premiere.
CURL POWER, directed by Josephine Anderson (Canada) — A coming-of-age sports documentary following a team of young women pursuing a national curling championship. Alberta Premiere.
DARK MATCH, directed by Lowell Dean (Canada) — A small-time wrestling troupe accepts a job in a backwoods town controlled by a cult leader with sinister plans for the event. Alberta Premiere.
EUDAIMONIA, directed by Dylan Rhys Howard (Canada) — A young telepathic artist searches for connection in a world shaped by her eccentric vision. Calgary Premiere.
FLOW, directed by Gints Zilbalodis (France/Belgium/Latvia) — After a catastrophic flood, a solitary cat takes refuge on a boat with varied companions and must learn to cooperate. Alberta Premiere. Winner: Jury Award for Best Feature and Audience Award for Best Feature, Annecy International Animated Film Festival 2024.
GODDESS OF SLIDE: THE FORGOTTEN STORY OF ELLEN MCILWAINE, directed by Alfonso Maiorana (Canada) — An intimate documentary tracing the career and legacy of slide guitarist Ellen McIlwaine. World Premiere.
GRAND THEFT HAMLET, directed by Pinny Grylls and Sam Crane (United Kingdom) — Struggling actors stage Hamlet inside the video game Grand Theft Auto. Alberta Premiere. Winner: Documentary Feature Jury Prize, SXSW 2024.
THE HOBBY, directed by Simon Ennis (Canada) — A character-driven portrait of the global board game community, from ancient origins to contemporary competitions. Canadian Premiere.
LINDA PERRY: LET IT DIE HERE, directed by Don Hardy (United States) — A close look at the life and creative work of songwriter-producer Linda Perry. Canadian Premiere.
LUTHER: NEVER TOO MUCH, directed by Dawn Porter (United States) — An intimate portrait of R&B icon Luther Vandross, told through memories from collaborators and friends. Alberta Premiere.
A MAN IMAGINED, directed by Brian M. Cassidy and Melanie Shatzky (Canada) — A deeply intimate and hallucinatory portrait of a man living with schizophrenia. Alberta Premiere.
MISERICORDIA, directed by Alain Guiraudie (France/Spain/Portugal) — A man returns for a funeral and his stay in a strange village takes an unexpected turn. Alberta Premiere.
MY FAVOURITE CAKE, directed by Maryam Moghaddam and Behtash Sanaeeha (Iran/France/Germany/Sweden) — A 70-year-old woman breaks her solitude to open herself to romance, leading to an unexpectedly memorable evening. Alberta Premiere. Winner: Prize of the Ecumenical Jury and FIPRESCI Prize, Berlin International Film Festival 2024.
A NEW KIND OF WILDERNESS, directed by Silje Evensmo Jacobsen (Norway) — A family living off-grid confronts tragedy and its aftermath. Alberta Premiere. Winner: Grand Jury Prize, World Cinema Documentary, Sundance 2024.
OUR DREAM – A RIO DE JANEIRO FUNK STORY, directed by Eduardo Albergaria (Brazil) — A dramatized look at Claudinho and Buchecha’s rise in Brazilian funk. Canadian Premiere.
PORCELAIN WAR, directed by Brendan Bellomo and Slava Leontyev (United States/Ukraine) — Three artists struggle with the moral cost of staying to fight in Ukraine. Alberta Premiere. Winner: Grand Jury Prize US Documentary, Sundance 2024.
PRIDE VS. PREJUDICE: THE DELWIN VRIEND STORY, directed by Darrin Hagen (Canada) — The story of an Albertan fired for his sexuality whose case reshaped 2SLGBTQ+ rights. Calgary Premiere.
REINAS, directed by Klaudia Reynicke (Switzerland/Peru/Spain) — An absent father must confront his neglect and try to earn back his family’s trust as they prepare to flee 1990s Peru. North American Premiere. Winner: Grand Prix International Jury, Generation Kplus, Berlin 2024.
RESYNATOR, directed by Alison Tavel (United States) — In restoring a synthesizer invented by her late father, a woman discovers new connections to the man she never really knew. Canadian Premiere. Winner: Audience Award Best Documentary, SXSW 2024.
SECRET MALL APARTMENT, directed by Jeremy Workman (United States) — The true story of eight artists who built and lived in a secret apartment inside a shopping mall from 2003 to 2007. Alberta Premiere. Winner: Grand Jury Prize Best Documentary, Independent Film Festival Boston 2024.
SINGING BACK THE BUFFALO, directed by Tasha Hubbard (Canada) — Cree filmmaker Tasha Hubbard explores the return of the buffalo to the Great Plains and what that means for North America’s landscape and communities. Calgary Premiere.
SISTERS, directed by Susie Yankou (Canada/United States) — Two best friends face a new family dynamic when one discovers a long-lost half-sister. Alberta Premiere.
SOUL’S ROAD, directed by Joel Stewart (Canada) — A former rock star returns to his hometown to repair relationships and rebuild his life. World Premiere.
SUNBURNT UNICORN, directed by Nick Johnson (Canada) — A teen on a mission to rescue his father adopts the persona of a mythical unicorn and navigates surreal encounters. Alberta Premiere.
THEY ALL CAME OUT TO MONTREUX, directed by Oliver Murray (United Kingdom) — The story of Claude Nobs and the rise of the Montreux Jazz Festival. Canadian Premiere.
VERA AND THE PLEASURE OF OTHERS, directed by Romina Tamburello and Federico Actis (Argentina) — A 17-year-old who rents an apartment to teenagers for sexual encounters discovers her own sense of pleasure and agency. Alberta Premiere.
Short Films at CIFF 2024
CIFF’s short film program brings together a wide variety of international voices, styles and local stories. The festival will present roughly 100 short films across eleven curated programs that include animation, personal documentary, live-action narratives, and a new experimental shorts block focused on formal innovation.
“With record submissions from around the world, this year’s shorts program highlights diverse perspectives and adventurous filmmaking,” said Adam Keresztes, CIFF’s Lead Shorts Programmer and Programming Administrator.
Below is the first selection of short films announced for CIFF 2024, representing world, international and Canadian premieres alongside local Alberta work.
ALL IS NOT FORGOTTEN, directed by gbohunmi (Canada/Alberta) — A criminal network is thrown into chaos by an unknown threat. World Premiere.
ASMR DECONSTRUCTED, directed by Karolina Gliniewicz (United Kingdom) — A performative ASMR piece that explores overstimulation and self-exposure. North American Premiere.
BAIGAL NUUR – LAKE BAIKAL, directed by Alisi Telengut (Canada) — Hand-crafted animation reimagining the history of Siberia’s Lake Baikal. Calgary Premiere.
BEHIND THE DOOR, directed by Una Roulston (Canada) — A tense short about the unsettling feeling that someone may be hiding in your basement. World Premiere.
A CALM AND HUMBLE MIND: THE AN CHHAY STORY, directed by Nick Styles and Mitch Malyk (Canada/Alberta) — A portrait of a refugee displaced during the Khmer Rouge era. Alberta Premiere.
CAMPING, directed by Sasha Michaud, Alyssa Ashmore and Nicole Calfchild (Canada/Alberta) — A stop-motion story about Shawna, who lives in an urban encampment and seeks housing.
CIRCLES, directed by Sarah Houle-Lowry (Canada/Alberta) — A meditation on origin, mortality and what follows life.
CONCRETE WHISPER, directed by Jannis Lenz (Austria) — A medieval saga reimagined through surreal chat-group narratives, leading to a creature stalking the modern city. North American Premiere.
CROW, directed by Morgan Ermter (Canada/Alberta) — A film about becoming one with the birds. World Premiere.
DUCK, directed by Paola Contreras (Canada) — A new immigrant father struggles to support his child. Alberta Premiere.
EMERGENCE, directed by Scott Portingale (Canada/Alberta) — An animated creation story. Calgary Premiere.
IN THE SHADOW OF THE CYPRESS, directed by Hossein Molayemi and Shirin Sohani (Iran) — A compact story of a father, daughter and an unexpected guest. Canadian Premiere. Winner: Best Animated Short, Tribeca Film Festival 2024.
INISKIM – RETURN OF THE BUFFALO, directed by Leanne Allison, Pete Balkwill and Amethyst First Rider (Canada/Alberta) — An intercultural artistic response to the buffalo’s return to Western North America. Calgary Premiere.
THE LAKE IN THE SKY, directed by Caleb Reese Paul (United States) — An isolated teen explores memory and legacy through celluloid. International Premiere.
ME, directed by Don Hertzfeldt (United States) — A musical odyssey on pain and technology from the two-time Academy Award–nominated animator, presented alongside his feature IT’S SUCH A BEAUTIFUL DAY. Calgary Premiere.
Other shorts in this first announced slate include works by Alberta filmmakers and international artists covering themes of identity, culture, humor, grief and resilience.
The Trailer Party Returns for CIFF’s 25th Anniversary
September 3, 2024 — 6:30 PM, Globe Cinema
Tickets for The Trailer Party are on sale now. CIFF’s artistic team will present an exciting lineup of trailers and offer a preview of the talent and films featured at this year’s festival.
The full festival lineup will be announced on August 28, 2024, followed by a press conference at 11:00 a.m. MST. Single tickets go on sale September 5, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. MST. For additional details, please consult the Calgary International Film Festival’s official channels.
Videos and film reviews will be available through CIFF’s official channels and media platforms.