Both the Calgary and Edmonton International film festivals are running this week – the Calgary festival is in its last week and Edmonton’s festival has just begun.
Each of the two will show dozens of movies, and that’s a lot of content to filter through. To make things easier for you, here are our recommendations for what to see.
PRO TIP 1: Next year, volunteer with one of the festivals or get your kids to volunteer. This way, you can get free tickets to all the movies you want and you can meet more people in your community! You only need to volunteer one day if you want.
PRO TIP 2: Individual screenings for the movies in Calgary run at $17/ticket but if you’re big into movies, you can get a 5-ticket bundle for $77. Edmonton is even more affordable – individual movies run at $15/ticket but a 6-ticket bundle costs $75.
Memoir of a Snail
Calgary – Sunday Sept 29 @ 3:45 PM | Chinook 15
Edmonton – Saturday Sept 28 @ 6:30 PM | Telus World of Science
This is a kid-friendly movie – it’s animated and tells the story of Grace, a snail whose mother passes away during pregnancy.
She lives with her brother and father until her father, too, dies. Orphans, she and her brother must now live in separate homes. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry.
Soul’s Road
Calgary – Friday Sept 27 @ 6:45 PM | Chinook 12
Edmonton – Sunday Sept 29 @ 7:30 PM | Landmark Cinemas 9
Canadian country singer Dallas Smith stars in this story about a disgraced musician who heads home after a decade of touring.
He has to reconnect with his hometown. He gets a job and starts figuring out how to live his life again.
Bob Trevino Likes It
Calgary – Sunday Sept 29 @ 11:00 AM | Chinook 10
Edmonton – Sunday Sept 29 @ 8:00 PM | Landmark Cinemas 9
This movie tells the story of a young woman who loses contact with her father.
She searches for him on Facebook because she hopes to get back in touch with him, and ends up messaging another man who has the same name. The two strike up a friendship.
Drive Back Home
Calgary – Sunday Sept 29 @ 4:30 PM | Chinook 11
Edmonton – Sunday Sept 29 @ 8:00 PM | Landmark Cinemas 9
Drive Back Home tells the story of a road trip.
A plumber from small-town New Brunswick has to drive his brother 1000 km back home from Toronto after the brother gets arrested for having sex in a park.
The brothers don’t necessarily get along, so the ride proves to be filled with conflict and revelations.
Disco’s Revenge
Calgary – Saturday Sept 28 @ 4:45 PM | Chinook 12
Edmonton – Friday Oct 4 @ 6:30 PM | Telus World of Science
Ok, this one just sounds really cool, and apparently, it has a great soundtrack.
It’ll make you want to dance. It talks about the impact that disco has made on music.
It’s less kid-friendly though, it contains coarse language and mature themes and is recommended for teens 14 years old and up.
Bookworm
Calgary – Sunday Sept 29 @ 1:30 PM | Chinook 10
Edmonton – Wednesday Oct 2 @ 6:30 PM | Landmark Cinemas 9
This adventure comedy is another great one if you have kids.
When Mildred’s mother ends up in the hospital, her magician father comes to look after her.
The two embark on a journey to find the legendary Canterbury Panther.
Dark Match
Calgary – Sunday Sept 29 @ 11:00 AM | Chinook 15
Edmonton – Thursday Oct 3 @ 9:00 PM | Landmark Cinemas 9
Be warned, this last one is a horror film. A female wrestler wants to make it big and so decides to participate in a wrestling show called “Dark Match.”
Little does she know that the show pits wrestlers against each other in a fight to the death. Sounds like a typical Monday!
