Calgary, AB – August 30, 2023: The Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF), proudly presented by connectFirst Credit Union, is has lifted the curtain on its highly-anticipated 2023 Festival roster, featuring a groundbreaking selection of must-see global films.
This year’s festival will commence with the captivating opening night feature, “GEOFF MCFETRIDGE: DRAWING A LIFE,” directed by Dan Covert. The documentary celebrates the life and artistry of Calgary-native Geoff McFetridge, renowned for collaborations with luminaries like Sofia Coppola and Spike Jonze. The film recently clinched the Audience Award for Best Documentary at SXSW, prompting McFetridge to express his gratitude, “I don’t know who I would be if I hadn’t grown up in Calgary. I am so grateful to be able to open the film in a place I owe so much to.”
The festival’s grand finale will be “HEY, VIKTOR!”, directed by Cody Lightning, making its way to CIFF following screenings at Tribeca and TIFF. This film traces the journey of an Indigenous child star striving to recapture former glory by creating a sequel to the film that catapulted him to fame two decades ago.
Brian Owens, CIFF’s Artistic Director, remarked, “When you look at the lineup as a whole, you see an incredibly bold and diverse selection of films. From World Premiere short films to Award-winning features from prestigious festivals like Cannes and Toronto, there is something for everyone.”
The 2023 lineup boasts 16 World, North American, and International Premieres, along with 20 Canadian feature Premieres. CIFF 2023 will run from September 21 to October 1, 2023. In addition to the thrilling film lineup, the festival promises Special Experiences, including the World Premiere Screening of HEARTLAND’s 250th Episode, Virtual Reality, and Video Games, with further announcements on the horizon.
Bob Webb, Chief People and Brand Officer of connectFirst Credit Union, expressed their passion for supporting local talents, stating, “At connectFirst, we’re passionate about supporting Albertans to help make their dreams come true… We’re incredibly excited to be back as the presenting partner for CIFF; supporting local filmmakers and artists in the creative industries to tell their stories, and celebrating their passions.”
As one of Canada’s largest credit unions headquartered in Calgary, connectFirst Credit Union takes pride in welcoming the world to their local stage and nurturing homegrown talent. “We can’t wait to see everyone at the theatre to enjoy these amazing films,” Webb added.
Lineup of 2023 Calgary International Film Festival
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
- ANATOMY OF A FALL, Directed by Justine Triet (France)
- ANSLEM (3D), Directed by Wim Wenders (Germany)
- A DIFFICULT YEAR, Directed by Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledano (France)
- DUMB MONEY, Directed by Craig Gillespie (United States)
- EVIL DOES NOT EXIST, Directed by Ryüsuke Hamaguchi (Japan)
- GEOFF MCFETRIDGE: DRAWING A LIFE, Directed by Dan Covert (United States)
- HEY, VIKTOR! Directed by Cody Lightning (Canada)
- LA CHIMERA, Directed by Alice Rohrwacher (Italy/Switzerland/France)
- MONSTER, Directed by Hirokazu Kore-Eda (Japan)
- THE OLD OAK, Directed by Ken Loach (United Kingdom/France/Belgium)
- PERFECT DAYS, Directed by Wim Wenders (Japan/Germany)
- THE POT AU FEU, Directed by Tràn Anh Hùng (France)
- SEVEN VEILS, Directed by Atom Egoyan (Canada)
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES
- ABOUT DRY GRASSES, Directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan (Turkey/France/Germany/
Sweden) - BIG BOYS, Directed by Corey Sherman (United States)
- THE DELINQUENTS, Directed by Rodrigo Moreno (Argentina/Brazil/Chile/
Luxembourg) - FALLEN LEAVES, Directed by Aki Kaurismäki (Finland/Germany)
- HOW TO HAVE SEX, Directed by Molly Manning Walker (United Kingdom)
- IF ONLY I COULD HIBERNATE, Directed by Zoljargal Purevdash (France/Mongolia)
- INSIDE THE YELLOW COCOON SHELL, Directed by Pham Thien An (Vietnam/
Singapore/France/Spain) - ISLE OF HOPE, Directed by Damian Romay (United States)
- JERICHO RIDGE, Directed by Will Gilbey (United Kingdom)
- KIDNAPPED, Directed by Marco Bellocchio (France/Germany/Italy)
- LITTLE BROTHER, Directed by Sheridan O’Donnell (United States)
- A LITTLE PRAYER, Directed by Angus MacLachlan (United States)
- PEAK SEASON, Directed by Steven Kanter & Henry Loevner (United States)
- THE PROMISED LAND, Directed by Nikolaj Arcel (Denmark/Germany/Sweden)
- ROBOT DREAMS, Directed by Pablo Berger (Spain/France)
- THE TEACHERS’ LOUNGE, Directed by Ilker Çatak (Germany)
- TELLING OUR STORY, Directed by Kim O’Bomsawin (Canada)
Episodes 1 – 4 - THEY SHOT THE PIANO PLAYER, Directed by Fernando Trueba & Javier Mariscal
(Spain/France)
INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE COMPETITION
- 20,000 SPECIES OF BEES, Directed by Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren (Spain)
- ANIMALIA, Directed by Sofia Alaoui (France/Morocco/Qatar)
- BENJI’S HOUR, Directed by Gabriel Kahane (United States)
- BLAGA’S LESSONS, Directed by Stephan Komandarev (Bulgaria/Germany)
- CLOSE TO YOU, Directed by Dominic Savage (Canada/United Kingdom)
- ELAHA, Directed by Milena Aboyan (Germany)
- MARTÍNEZ, Directed by Lorena Padilla (Mexico)
- THE MATTACHINE FAMILY, Directed by Andy Vallentine (United States)
- THE OTHER WIDOW, Directed by Ma’ayan Rypp (Israel/France)
- THE PERSIAN VERSION, Directed by Maryam Keshavarz (Turkey/United States)
- RILEY, Directed by Benjamin Howard (United States)
- TÓTEM, Directed by Lila Avilés (Mexico/Denmark/France)
INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
- BETWEEN THE RAINS, Directed by Moses Thuranira & Andrew H. Brown (Kenya/
United Kingdom) - BREAK THE GAME, Directed by Jane M. Wagner (United States)
- FANTASTIC MACHINE, Directed by Axel Danielson & Maximilien Van Aertryck
(Sweden/Denmark) - FOUR DAUGHTERS, Directed by Kaouther Ben Hania (France/Tunisia/Germany/
Saudi Arabia) - GOING VARSITY IN MARIACHI, Directed by Alejandra Vasquez & Sam Osborn
(United States) - GREAT PHOTO, LOVELY LIFE, Directed by Amanda Mustard & Rachel Beth
Anderson (United States) - JESSZILLA, Directed by Emily Sheskin (United States)
- ON THE ADAMANT, Directed by Nicolas Philibert (France)
- SILVER DOLLAR ROAD, Directed by Raoul Peck (United States)
- SMOKE SAUNA SISTERHOOD, Directed by Anna Hints (Estonia/France/Iceland)
- WERNER HERZOG – RADICAL DREAMER, Directed by Thomas von Steinaecker
(Germany/United Kingdom) - YOU CAN CALL ME BILL, Directed by Alexandre O. Philippe (United States)
LATE SHIFT
- ANIMAL KINGDOM, Directed by Thomas Cailey (France)
- HUMANIST VAMPIRE SEEKING CONSENTING SUICIDAL PERSON, Directed by
Ariane Louis-Seize (Canada) - MAYHEM! (FARANG), Directed by Xavier Gens (France/Thailand)
- THE PUPPETMAN, Directed by Brandon Christensen (United States)
- THE SACRIFICE GAME, Directed by Jenn Wexler (United States/Canada)
- SLEEP, Directed by Jason Yu (South Korea)
- VINCENT MUST DIE, Directed by Stéphan Castang (France)
- WHEN EVIL LURKS, Directed by Demián Rugna (Argentina)
Shorts Lineup
SHORTS: A BETTER TOMORROW
- I HAVE NO TEARS, AND I MUST CRY, Directed by Luis Fernando Puente (United
States) Alberta Premiere. - DETOUR, Directed by Kargo Chen (Hong Kong) World Premiere
- PACIFIC BELL, Directed by Sandrine Béchade (Canada) Alberta Premiere.
- BEAUTY VISTA, Directed by Kate He & Simeon Hu (United States) World Premiere.
- PALM SUNDAY, Directed by Wes Andre Goodrich (United States) International
Premiere - KOLAJ, Directed by Gülce Besen Dilek (Germany) Canadian Premiere
- 6 MINUTES PER KILOMETER, Directed by Catherine Boivin (Canada) Alberta
Premiere - TINY, Directed by Ritchie Hemphill & Ryan Haché (Canada)
SHORTS: AFTER LAUGHTER COMES TEARS
- NOODLES FOREVER, Directed by McKinley Carlin (United States) International
Premiere. - POOF, Directed by Margaret Miller (United States) Canadian Premiere
- DEAD CAT, Directed by Annie-Claude Caron & Danick Audet (Canada) Alberta
Premiere - DEATH TO THE BIKINI!, Directed by Justine Gauthier (Canada) Alberta Premiere
- THE SPERM BANK, Directed by Margaux Susi (United States) International
Premiere - BASRI & SALMA IN A NEVER-ENDING COMEDY, Directed by Khozy Rizal
(Indonesia) Canadian Premiere - DON’T COME IN…YET, Directed by Isaac Elliott (Australia) Canadian Premiere
- FÁR, Directed by Gunnur Martinsdóttir Schlüter (Iceland) Alberta Premiere
- PIECE BY PIECE, Directed by Reza Rasouli (Austria) Alberta Premiere
SHORTS: ALBERTA SPIRIT
- CONVICTION, Directed by Bruce Miller (Canada) Alberta Premiere.
- CHEMICAL SOMNIA, Directed by Scott Portingale (Canada) Canadian Premiere
- OLD DRAGON MAN, Directed by Douglas Cook (Canada) World Premiere
- RISE OF THE AFROBEATS IN THE PRAIRIES, Directed by Fahad Suleiman (Canada)
- UNVEILED TRADITIONS, Directed by Lili Yas Tayefi (Canada)
- THE GATEWAY, Directed by Kamala Parel-Nuttall (Canada) World Premiere
- NO MORE KÎYÂM, Directed by Lese Skidmore (Canada) World Premiere
- MAKING MONEY IN… MANITOU, MANITOBA, Directed by Austin Ladouceur
(Canada) World Premiere - JINN JULIAN, Directed by Jae Sterling & Contra (Canada) World Premiere
SHORTS: BACK IN THE GAME
- COACHING WHILE BLACK, Directed by Alex Eskandarkhah (Canada) World
Premiere. - WAVE RIDER, Directed by Dustin Chok (Canada) Canadian Premiere
- OVERTIME, Directed by Jenny Lee-Gilmore (Canada) World Premiere
SHORTS: BIOCHEMICAL EQUATION
- BLOND NIGHT, Directed by Gabrielle Demers (Canada) Alberta Premiere
- POWER SIGNAL, Directed by Oscar Boyson (United States) Alberta Premiere
- SOLEIL DE NUIT, Directed by Fernando Lopez Escriva & Maria Camila Arias
(Canada) - À LA VIE À L’AMOR, Directed by Emilie Mannering (Canada) Alberta Premiere
- WHITE ANT, Directed by Shalini Adnani (India & United Kingdom) Canadian
Premiere - DEATH & RAMEN, Directed by Tiger Ji (United States) Alberta Premiere
- LO-TECH REALITY, Directed by Guillermo Garcia Lopez (Spain) Canadian Premiere
- MYSTIC TIGER, Directed by Marc Martínez Jordán (Spain) Canadian Premiere
SHORTS: CASH RULES EVERYTHING AROUND ME
- SHADOW BROTHER SUNDAY, Directed by Alden Ehrenreich (United States)
Canadian Premiere - 27, Directed by Flóra Anna Buda (France & Hungary) Alberta Premiere
- GRILL, Directed by Jade Hærem Aksnes (Norway) North American Premiere
- CLOSING DYNASTY, Directed by Lloyd Lee Choi (United States) Canadian
Premiere - SIMONE, Directed by Aisha Amin (United States) International Premiere
- HIT MAN: SECRETS OF LIES, Directed by Elias Plagianos (United States) Canadian
Premiere. - OKEM, Directed by Joshua Okwuosa (Nigeria & United States) International
Premiere.
SHORTS: I CAN’T GO TO SLEEP
- HIDE YOUR CRAZY, Directed by Austin Kase (United States) Canadian Premiere
- FISHMONGER, Directed by Neil Ferron (United States) International Premiere
- NIAN, Directed by Michelle Krusiec (United States) Alberta Premiere.
- A KIND OF TESTAMENT, Directed by Stephen Vuillemin (France) Alberta Premiere
- CALF, Directed by Jamie O´Rourke (Ireland) Alberta Premiere
- ZIP, Directed by Ava Maria Safai (Canada) Alberta Premiere.
- IN THE HEAT, Directed by Sam Chou (Canada) Alberta Premiere.
SHORTS: IF WHAT YOU SAY IS TRUE
- JACK AND SAM, Directed by Jordan Matthew Horowitz (United States)
International Premiere - LOSING BLUE, Directed by Leanne Allison (Canada) World Premiere
- BETWEEN EARTH & SKY, Directed by Andrew Nadkarni (United States) Alberta
Premiere. - THE ORCHESTRA CHUCK BUILT, Directed by Christopher Stoudt (United States)
Canadian Premiere - THE SYRIAN COSMONAUT, Directed by Charles Emir Richards (Türkiye) Canadian
Premiere.
SHORTS: MY HEART GENTLY WEEPS
- CODDLE NO MORE, Directed by Nicholas Bentgen (United States) International
Premiere - THE BREAKTHROUGH, Directed by Daniel Sinclair (United States)
- THE FIREFIGHTER’S BALL, Directed by Baptiste Drapeau (France) Alberta
Premiere - MY EYES ARE UP HERE, Directed by Nathan Morris (United States) Alberta
Premiere. - HOOKS, Directed by Charles Parisé (Canada) Alberta Premiere
- KONPA, Directed by Al’Ikens Plancher (United States) International Premiere.
- CATHERINE & MICHAEL, Directed by Kathy Fusco (United States) World Premiere
- PUSSY LOVE, Directed by Linda Krauss (Germany) Canadian Premiere
- AT LAST, Directed by Resmiye Emir (Türkiye) World Premiere
SHORTS: RADIANT JEWELS
- BOAT PEOPLE, Directed by Thao Lam & Kjell Boersma (Canada) Alberta Premiere
- CHRISTOPHER AT SEA, Directed by Tom CJ Brown (France) Alberta Premiere
- EEVA, Directed by Lucija Mrzljak & Morten Tšinakov (Estonia & Croatia)
- THE FAMILY PORTRAIT, Directed by Lea Vidakovic (Croatia, France & Serbia)
Alberta Premiere - TWO ONE TWO, Directed by Shira Avni (Canada) Alberta Premiere
- THE GIRL WITH THE RED BERET, Directed by Janet Perlman (Canada) Alberta
Premiere. - HUMAN RESOURCES, Directed by Trinidad Plass Caussade, Titouan Tillier & Isaac
Wenzek (France) Alberta Premiere - THE BRAVE LOCOMOTIVE, Directed by Andrew Chesworth (United States)
Canadian Premiere - NINETY-FIVE SENSES, Directed by Jerusha Hess & Jared Hess (United States)
Alberta Premiere. - YELLOWBIRD, Directed by Tsvetelina Zdraveva & Jerred North (United States)
PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED FILMS & SPECIAL EXPERIENCES
The festival also features Alberta Spotlight, Music on Screen, and Chad VanGaalen. Additionally, Canadian Titles in Competition will showcase outstanding talent. Notably, the World Premiere of Season 17 and the 250th Episode of HEARTLAND adds a special touch to the festival’s program, promising an unforgettable cinematic experience.
