‘Hokum’ and ‘I Love Boosters’ Bookend 23rd Calgary Underground Film Festival Lineup

The 23rd Calgary Underground Film Festival, set to take place from April 16-26, 2026, at Globe Cinema, revealed the lineup of 45 feature films, 35 shorts, and 6 special events.

This year’s festival will open with the Canadian Premiere of the Damian McCarthy’s supernatural horror Hokum starring Adam Scott (The Overnight, CUFF 2015) as a novelist who is haunted at a remote inn during a trip to scatter his parents’ ashes.

The festival will close with the International Premiere of Boots Riley’s comedy I Love Boosters, starring Keke Palmer, LaKeith Stanfield, and Demi Moore, about a crew of professional shoplifters who take aim at a cutthroat fashion maven.

“I always love watching how the lineup comes together, and this year we have a ton of variety once again and so many hidden gems. There’s everything from unique character-driven quirky documentaries to lots of horror and comedies in this year’s lineup,” said Festival Director & Lead Programmer, Brenda Lieberman.

In addition to premieres of some of the year’s biggest indie films, CUFF also continues to showcase emerging talent and fresh voices in film. ”Over half the lineup is feature directorial debuts, which makes me proud,” said Lieberman.

Focusing on Alberta content, CUFF will premiere 4 Alberta features – Earth to Colby, NOFX – 40 Years of Fuckin’ Up, Camp, and Buffet Infinity.

Features with Alberta connections include The Bearded Girl, Young Female Playwright, Tracy and Martina: Goin’ Out West, and The Fox (Director Dario Russo).

CUFF will host two World Premieres: Little Doors, the feature directorial debut of multi-CUFF alum and festival guest Anthony Oberbeck, about a lonely woman who finds a small wooden door on the side of her body, and the local feature Earth to Colby.

CUFF 2026 Program

Feature Films

AFFECTION (Director BT Meza): A woman confronts a disturbing condition resetting her memory. Each reset disorients her, leaving haunting recollections of an unfamiliar life.

BAGWORM (Director Oliver Bernsen): After a sexually frustrated hammer salesman steps on a rusty nail, he must determine whether the world’s sudden and violent turn against him is real or the result of an infection consuming his body and mind. Director Oliver Bernsen, Screenwriter Henry Bernsen & Associate Producer, Art Director Angus Bernsen in attendance!

BAD HAIRCUT (Director Kyle Misak): When a college kid goes to a new place to get a haircut, he discovers that his barber is a psychopath. Director Kyle Misak and producer Jon Petro in attendance!

THE BEARDED GIRL (Director Jody Wilson): The story of a bearded girl who is tired of being a freak. Director Jody Wilson in attendance!

BEYOND THE DUPLEX PLANET (Director Beth Harrington): Artist David Greenberger’s conversations with seniors in the ’70s became the cult ‘zine The Duplex Planet. Now a senior himself, he shares insights on art, conversation, and aging.

BLACK ZOMBIE (Director Maya Annik Bedward): From the flickering screens of Hollywood horror to the haunted cane fields of colonial Haiti, the documentary unearths the buried origins of the zombie, reclaiming it as a symbol of survival and spiritual resistance.

BUFFET INFINITY (Director Simon Glassman): Local businesses duke it out by making increasingly unhinged commercials to outdo their competitors in this absurdist, cosmic horror about the town of Westridge, Alberta. Director, screenwriter Simon Glassman & producer Michael Peterson in attendance!

CAMP (Director Avalon Fast): Haunted by a traumatic past, Emily finds solace as a camp counselor while navigating grief, witchcraft and the power of female friendship. Director, screenwriter Avalon Fast, producer Taylor Nodrick & executive producer Michael Peterson in attendance!

CLAIRE’S HAT: THE UNMAKING OF A FILM (Director Bruce McDonald): Legendary Canadian Director Bruce McDonald documents the unmaking of his 2001 flop PICTURE CLAIRE in this rarely screened alternate version. Director Bruce McDonald & cast Callum Keith Rennie in attendance!

DECORADO (Director Alberto Vázquez): An unemployed middle-aged mouse suspects his entire world is merely a set, tracing the conspiracy to a corporation influencing every corner of his life.

EARTH TO COLBY (Director Rino Mioc): An aspiring vlogger discovers a notebook detailing hidden portals in her hometown, leading her on a journey to discover the city’s supernatural history. Director, screenwriter Rino Mioc, screenwriter Stephanie Kvellestad and local cast & crew in attendance!

EVERY HEAVY THING (Director Mickey Reece): Director Mickey Reece takes us on a journey centered around an ad-seller for one of the last alt-weeklies in the country, who, after witnessing a murder, is intimidated into being the killer’s reluctant accomplice. Director, screenwriter Mickey Reece and Producer Peter Kuplowsky in attendance!

FEELS LIKE HOME (Director Gábor Holtai): Kidnapped by a family convinced she is their missing daughter, a woman must assume another identity to survive as she seeks a way out of this nightmare.

FIFTEEN (Directors Jack Zagha and Yossy Zagha): Two best friends preparing for their quinceañera face desire, cruelty, and social pressure – until one girl’s body begins to transform into something monstrous.

FLOATING CAROUSEL (Directors Delilah Napier and Lucy Powers): A web of dystopian dating scenarios collide in modern-day New York City as five 20-somethings attempt to find love in a time that has been called the loneliest century. Directors, screenwriters & cast Lucy Powers and Delilah Napier in attendance!

THE FOX (Director Dario Russo): Nick is an average Aussie guy, but when his fiancée Kori cheats on him, he is unwise enough to listen to a sly fox who promises to transform his partner into the perfect woman and, in doing so, take control of the natural world.

FRIDAY THE 69TH (Director Alex Montilla): Porn filmmakers in 1981 cash in on the slasher craze with a ripoff about spring break coeds stalked by a killer beekeeper at a cursed camp. Director, screenwriter & cast Alex Montilla, and cast Rob Zoppo in attendance!

GOODY GOODY (Director Raymond Creamer): A home birth turns terribly wrong when complications arise during a raging blizzard. Director Raymond Creamer in attendance!

GRIND (Directors Ed Dougherty, Brea Grant and Chelsea Stardust): Four interconnected stories centre around the gig economy, hustle culture, and evils of late-stage capitalism in this timely horror comedy anthology. Director, screenwriter Ed Dougherty in attendance!

HANGASHORE (Director Justin Oakey): Haunted by nightmares and visions, an artist chases the ghost of her father to the remote coast of Newfoundland. Director, screenwriter Justin Oakey in attendance!

THE HISTORY OF CONCRETE (Director John Wilson): A filmmaker applies lessons from a Hallmark movie writing workshop to pitch a documentary about concrete.

HOKUM (Director Damian McCarthy): A novelist is haunted at a remote inn during a trip to scatter his parents’ ashes. Opening Night Film!

I LOVE BOOSTERS (Director Boots Riley): A crew of professional shoplifters take aim at a cutthroat fashion maven. It’s like community service. Closing Night Film!

IMPOSTERS (Director Caleb Phillips): After a couple’s baby boy is taken, the desperate mother learns of a way to bring him back. However, her husband begins to suspect that what she returned with isn’t their son. Producer Thomas Bond in attendance!

JARIPEO (Directors Efraín Mojica and Rebecca Zweig): A hybrid documentary that journeys to Michoacán’s hypermasculine rodeos. What starts as a celebration of tradition, descends into the subconscious of memory, queer desire, and longing.

THE KILLING CELL (Directors James Bessey and Karsen Schovajs): Five friends break into an abandoned prison hoping to document proof of the paranormal. What they find is worse. Director James Bessey in attendance in attendance!

KINGS OF VENICE (Directors Sveinn Ingimundarson and S.D. Saltarelli): Spend a day on the boardwalk with KINGS OF VENICE, a madcap look at the paddle tennis community of Venice Beach.

LITTLE DOORS (Director Anthony Oberbeck): In a quietly apocalyptic world, a lonely woman discovers a small wooden door on the side of her body, and must decide whether or not to open it. Director, screenwriter, cast Anthony Oberbeck & cast Megan Koester in attendance!

LONG LIVE THE STATE (Director Matthew Perniciaro): Members of ‘90s comedy troupe The State reunite for a live tour, blending classic sketches with behind-the-scenes stories from their influential journey in comedy.

LUCID (Directors Ramsey Fendall and Deanna Milligan): A 1990s art student uses a lucid dreaming elixir to break through creative blocks, but soon finds herself trapped in a nightmarish underworld. Directors Ramsey Fendall and Deanna Milligan in attendance!

LUGER (Director Bruno Martín): Hired by a crooked lawyer to recover a stolen car, a couple of small-time thugs are dragged into a violent situation that quickly spirals out of control, forcing them into a brutal confrontation against the owner of a shady junkyard.

MAG MAG (Director Yuriyan Retriever): After her beloved is killed by the MAG MAG ghost, Sanae vows revenge, but soon discovers the true identity of the person she truly owes her revenge to.

MĀRAMA (Director Taratoa Stappard): A young Māori woman sets out to connect with her family heritage, but instead uncovers a dark and unsettling reality.

MOCKBUSTER (Director Anthony Frith): A struggling Australian filmmaker’s chance at redemption collides with chaos and compromise as he navigates the eccentric world of notorious Sharknado production house, The Asylum.

MY BLOODY VALENTINE – 45TH ANNIVERSARY (Director George Mihalka): Cross your heart…and hope to die. Celebrate the 45th Anniversary of this cult Canadian slasher with the 4K uncut version of MY BLOODY VALENTINE! Director George Mihalka in attendance!

NOFX – 40 YEARS OF FUCKIN’ UP (Director James Buddy Day): NOFX – 40 YEARS OF FUCKIN’ UP chronicles the chaotic four-decade career of the punk rock band NOFX. Director James Buddy Day, band member Erik “Smelly” Sandin and local crew in attendance!

OBSESSION (Director Curry Barker): After breaking the mysterious “One Wish Willow” to win his crush’s heart, a hopeless romantic finds himself getting exactly what he asked for but soon discovers that some desires come at a dark, sinister price.

SACCHARINE (Director Natalie Erika James): A lovelorn medical student becomes terrorized by a hungry ghost after taking part in an obscure weight-loss craze: eating human ashes.

SANTACON (Director Seth Porges): Santacon is perhaps the single most hated event on the planet. A dreaded day in which tens of thousands of drunk idiots dress like Santa and invade countless cities around the world to live out their drunkest and most violent instincts.

THE SCOUT (Director Paula Andrea Gonzalez-Nasser): Over the course of one day, a location scout connects with a handful of New York City residents as she struggles to lock down shooting locations for a TV show.

THANKS FOR NOTHING (Director Stella Marie Markert): When a rebellious teen in a chaotic group home vows not to live past 18, her friends secretly race to stop her suicide attempts before her birthday – without exposing the truth that could destroy their only home.

TRACY AND MARTINA: GOIN’ OUT WEST (Director Brendan Lyle): Two Cape Breton best friends head west to Alberta for the first time with the hopes of making a few bucks as they open for a local band, but things go south when their accommodations fall through and they run out of money before booking a flight back home. Director Brendan Lyle in attendance!

THE WEED EATERS (Director Callum Devlin): An idyllic New Year’s getaway in isolated New Zealand takes an unexpected turn when a bad batch of cursed weed unleashes horrific after-effects.

YOUNG FEMALE PLAYWRIGHT (Director Pony Nicole Herauf): When her professional debut play is branded “deeply personal,” a young playwright must fight to question the line between truth, fiction, and art. Director Pony Nicole Herauf & Screenwriter, cast Ellie Moon in attendance!

Short Film Packages

SHORTS PACKAGE – FRIDAY IN THE PARK WITH GORE: Whether children and art, people that do not belong together, or a dog, when put all together, these shorts all bring the horror. Local & visiting directors in attendance!

SHORTS PACKAGE – A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE CINEMA: These films are here for a good time, not a long time. You will get comedy tonight in these pretty little pictures. Local & visiting directors in attendance!

SHORTS PACKAGE – HOW TO SUCCEED IN LOVE WITHOUT REALLY TRYING: When it has been a long day, you may just need someone to believe in you. There are a lot of ways to find love, some are easier than others. Local & visiting directors in attendance!

Special Events

48-HOUR MOVIE MAKING CHALLENGE SHORT FILM SHOWCASE: Presented in partnership with NUTV, join us for the completed shorts showcase of this year’s 48-Hour Movie Making Challenge. Filmmaking teams in attendance!

HARD CORE LOGO – 30TH ANNIVERSARY NATIONAL CANADIAN FILM DAY FREE SCREENING (Director Bruce McDonald): Bruce McDonald’s beloved cult classic is now celebrating its 30th anniversary! This pseudo-rockumentary follows punk band Hard Core Logo on a harrowing and hilarious last-gasp reunion tour. Director Bruce McDonald and cast Callum Keith Rennie in attendance!

INDIE GAME BASH: Indie Game Bash returns with FOREHEAD CHIP, a platformer multiplayer game from Calgary developer David Kerr. Game Developer Dave Kerr in attendance!

LIVE SCRIPT READING: QUEEN OF THE VAMPIRE PENGUINS: Join a cast of actors for a live script reading of the upcoming Alberta feature-length film QUEEN OF THE VAMPIRE PENGUINS.

PANEL: Join a panel of the industry’s best and brightest in this free event open to the public.

SATURDAY MORNING ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT-CEREAL CARTOON PARTY!: In this all-new program, you’ll see both faves and obscurities spanning the ’40s through the ’90s, all punctuated with vintage commercials, PSAs and station IDs! Jammies encouraged! ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT CEREAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!