Highlights of the Calgary International Film Festival

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The Calgary Film Festival is gearing up for its annual event with several special events and features this year.

There are several Red Carpets planned at this year’s festival, which kicks off with Canadian music icon Bif Naked on Sept. 18 at the Globe Cinema. The musician will do a question-and-answer session and an acoustic performance following the screening of her documentary.

Montreal-based scratch DJ, music producer and graphic novelist Kid Koala will be on the red carpet at Contemporary Calgary on Sept. 19 for the animated feature Space Cadet.

The next night, Sept. 20, American screenwriter and film producer Charlie Kauman will showcase his short How to Shoot a Ghost during a Red Carpet event at the Plaza Theatre, highlighting four shorts.

Some films to mark on the calendar could include After the Hunt with Julia Roberts and Matter of Time, a benefit concert documentary featuring Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam — both making their Canadian premieres at CFF 2025.

“This is one of the strongest line-ups in the festival’s history,” says Brian Owens, CIFF’s artistic director. “With films featuring Julia Roberts, Ayo Edebiri, Andrew Garfield, Jodie Foster, Jennifer Lopez, Rami Malek, Ethan Hawke, Andrew Scott, and the Palme d’Or-winning It Was Just an Accident, there are Academy Award-winning and nominated filmmakers in nearly every section, as well as some delightfully over-the-top horror and comedy films in the After Dark section. Hosting the Canadian Premiere of Luca Guadagnino’s After the Hunt (starring Julia Roberts) is especially thrilling. There is so much to choose from for cinephiles of all stripes,” added Owens.

The Centrepiece Gala makes a return to the festival on Sept. 23 at The Grand, with the Alberta premiere of The Pitch. The documentary is a behind-the-scenes look at Canadian Olympic soccer star Diana Matheson and fellow players as they set out to build a professional women’s soccer league in Canada. Along with Matheson, retired Olympic gold and bronze medallist Christine Sinclair will be on the red carpet, along with film director Michele Hozer.

The 26th annual festival, which runs from Sept. 18 to 28, will close with Cannes Grand Prix winner Sentimental Value, written and directed by Academy Award-nominee Joachim Trier. It stars Cannes Award-winning actress Renate Reinsve, Golden Globe-winner Stellan Skarsgård, and Emmy-nominee Elle Fanning.

“The Pitch is such a great portrait of perseverance, and Diana Matheson is truly a hero for what she’s done for Canadian women’s soccer, and Sentimental Value is a surefire player in this year’s awards season. Renate Reinsve and Stellan Skarsgård exude such amazing chemistry,” says Owens.

For the full list of films and showings, go to ciffcalgary.ca.