SUCK IT UP[/caption]
The Calgary International Film Festival announced a full slate of 13 films and television series with an Alberta connection coming to the 2017 festival this fall.
Executive Director Steve Schroeder said, “One of the biggest goals of our festival is to celebrate local filmmaking talent. This year, the opportunities to do so were more abundant than ever. Approximately 25% of our programmed Canadian feature content is Albertan, representing 7% of our overall lineup. We want to showcase as much local content as possible.”
Several of the titles are part of special presentations and galas showcasing the local industry talent.
Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre will host a special presentation of NO ROADS IN on Wednesday, September 27, followed by a performance from the documentary subject, singer-songwriter Blake Reid and the Blake Reid Band.
The final Saturday of the festival will be a busy day, with a Showcase Alberta event featuring an interactive Q&A panel with the cast of the locally created WYNONNA EARP.
Meanwhile, SUCK IT UP, shot in Calgary and Invermere with local cast and crew, will be the Closing Gala film. In this locally funded feature, Ronnie (Grace Glowicki) lost her brother, and Faye (Erin Carter) lost her true love. These two best friends take a raucous mountain journey to cope with the loss of the man they both adored. A special three-course dinner is available before the film, which will be followed by a party at Workshop Kitchen + Culture.
Calgary International Film Festival
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13 Films + Television Series with an Alberta Connection on 2017 Calgary International Film Festival Lineup
[caption id="attachment_23680" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] SUCK IT UP[/caption]
The Calgary International Film Festival announced a full slate of 13 films and television series with an Alberta connection coming to the 2017 festival this fall.
Executive Director Steve Schroeder said, “One of the biggest goals of our festival is to celebrate local filmmaking talent. This year, the opportunities to do so were more abundant than ever. Approximately 25% of our programmed Canadian feature content is Albertan, representing 7% of our overall lineup. We want to showcase as much local content as possible.”
Several of the titles are part of special presentations and galas showcasing the local industry talent.
Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre will host a special presentation of NO ROADS IN on Wednesday, September 27, followed by a performance from the documentary subject, singer-songwriter Blake Reid and the Blake Reid Band.
The final Saturday of the festival will be a busy day, with a Showcase Alberta event featuring an interactive Q&A panel with the cast of the locally created WYNONNA EARP.
Meanwhile, SUCK IT UP, shot in Calgary and Invermere with local cast and crew, will be the Closing Gala film. In this locally funded feature, Ronnie (Grace Glowicki) lost her brother, and Faye (Erin Carter) lost her true love. These two best friends take a raucous mountain journey to cope with the loss of the man they both adored. A special three-course dinner is available before the film, which will be followed by a party at Workshop Kitchen + Culture.
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First Wave of Films Announced for 2017 Calgary International Film Festival, BORG/MCENROE and More
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BORG/MCENROE[/caption]
The Calgary International Film Festival (Calgary Film) announced the First Wave of Films playing at the 2017 festival. The first 10 films include BORG/MCENROE which opens the Toronto International Film Festival just weeks before Calgary Film begins. Based on a true story, this film recounts the legendary 1980 Wimbledon match between fierce rivals Björn Borg and John McEnroe.
“We’re always looking for standout films that are buzzing on the circuit, but we handpick for Calgary, with themes that do particularly well with our audiences,” said Brenda Lieberman, Programming Manager of the Calgary International Film Festival. “It’s one of the best parts of our job when we find the perfect combination of titles that excite our festival fans.”
FIRST WAVE FILMS – 2017 Calgary International Film Festival
BORG/MCENROE – Directed by Janus Metz This highly-anticipated biopic about one of the world’s greatest sports rivalries will have its world premiere as the Opening Night Film of the Toronto International Film Festival, mere weeks before it’s on screen in Calgary. THE DIVINE ORDER – Directed by Petra Biondina Volpe Even though this Swiss suffrage story takes place in the 1970s, it still feels relevant today. Lighthearted with a powerful message, women’s voices are at the centre of the narrative and behind the lens. A FANTASTIC WOMAN – Directed by Sebastián Lelio When Marina’s much older boyfriend dies, she must confront the taboo of their relationship to his family and society. Just announced as part of TIFF’s Galas & Special Presentations, this Spanish film was nominated for the Golden Berlin Bear for Best Picture and took home the Silver Berlin Bear for Best Screenplay at the Berlin International Film Festival. FÉLICITÉ – Directed by Alain Gomis With a mesmerizing soundtrack featuring the Kinshasa Symphonic Orchestra, the Congo-set film won the Grand Jury Prize at this year’s Berlin International Film Festival. THE LIGHT OF THE MOON – Directed by Jessica Thompson A woman struggles to regain control of her life after being sexually assaulted. Audience Award Winner for at SXSW, this first-time feature filmmaker casts BROOKLYN NINE-NINE’s Stephanie Beatriz in a revelatory performance. LIPSTICK UNDER MY BURKHA – Directed by AlanKrita Shrivastava This narrative feature from India, packed with humour and plenty of heart, features four women united in their yearning for freedom from society’s restrictive framework. NOBODY’S WATCHING – Directed by Julia Solomonoff An Argentine actor’s failure to establish himself in New York City mirrors the struggle of many immigrants who stumble in their new setting. Star Guillermo Pfening won the Best Actor at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival in the International Narrative Feature category. SCORE: A FILM MUSIC DOCUMENTARY – Directed by Matt Schrader Some of Hollywood’s greatest film score composers come together to give viewers an unparalleled, behind the scenes look at the creative process, resulting in this fascinating celebration of some of the most iconic scores of all time. SMALL TOWN CRIME – Directed by Ian Nelms This critically-acclaimed, noir-ish thriller features a powerful cast, including Academy Award Nominee John Hawkes (WINTER’S BONE, DEADWOOD), Academy Award Winner Octavia Spencer (THE HELP, HIDDEN FIGURES) and Academy Award Nominee Robert Forster (JACKIE BROWN). A SWINGERS WEEKEND – Directed by Jonathan Cohen Packed with recognizable Canadian actors, including Erin Karpluk from Calgary and Jonas Chernick from previous Calgary Film Selections including MY AWKWARD SEXUAL ADVENTURE and HOW TO PLAN AN ORGY IN A SMALL TOWN, this sex comedy explores the relationships and kinks of three couples, who are all swinging for different reasons. What could possibly go wrong?
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Calgary International Film Festival Picks Comedy Film “THE GRAND SEDUCTION” to Kickoff 2013 Festival
The comedy film “THE GRAND SEDUCTION” has been selected to open 2013 Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF) on Thursday, September 19, 2013. “The Grand Seduction is a laugh-out-loud comedy, and we’re overjoyed to present the Western Canadian premier of this major release. The film is a who’s who of talent from across Canada, from director Don McKellar and the incredible cast, to co-writer Michael Dowse, who is well known in Calgary and abroad for Fubar and others. Last year’s Opening Gala was the largest and most talked about in the festival’s history, and we look forward to an even bigger night this year.” – Steve Schroeder, Executive Director, The Calgary International Film Festival
THE GRAND SEDUCTION, a remake of Ken Scott’s 2001 film Le Grande Séduction (Seducing Doctor Lewis), we follow along as a small Newfoundland fishing town looks for a new lease on life. Plans for a lucrative factory contract in tiny Tickle Head are contingent on the town’s ability to secure a resident doctor—and none have jumped on board. Things are looking grim, until Murray French (Brendan Gleeson) concocts an elaborate scheme and enlists his neighbors to charm a big-city doctor (Taylor Kitsch) to stay behind.
The 11-day festival continues through to September 29, showing nearly 200 multi-genre films.
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Director David Dusa wins Calgary International Film Festival 2011 Mavericks for FLEURS DU MAL (Flowers of Evil)
Director David Dusa’s FLEURS DU MAL (FLOWERS OF EVIL) earned him the coveted title as Calgary International Film Festival’s 2011 Maverick filmmaker. Dusa was one of the eight first-time feature filmmakers competing for the $5,000 cash prize.
Beginning with a man in Tunisia burning himself to death in December 2010, and continuing through the Syrian and Lybian revolutions, pro-democracy rebellions erupted across the Middle East in the “Arab Spring.” Dusa’s film is the first to document the on-the-ground reality of technology-fuelled social change now sending shockwaves through the Arab world. It also has the eternally captivating power of a good old-fashioned love story.
Gecko, a young, carefree Parisian street-dancer, meets Anahita, an Iranian in exile, and finds himself tangled up in her history and the live internet broadcasts of the chaos in Iran following the controversial election in June of 2009. When the Islamic government cracked down on the traditional media, the citizens started broadcasting information through the internet. These brutal images reached the world directly – and now David Dusa’s FLEURS DU MAL personalizes them.
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Calgary International Film Festival Lays Off Almost All Fulltime Staff
A decline in funding has forced the Calgary International Film Festival to lay off most of its full-time staff, including the director of programming, Trevor Smith, director of operations Christian Argyll and sponsorship marketing manager Danielle Kondruk, leaving executive director Jacqueline Dupuis as the only full-time staff member.