Top 15 Films to Watch at CUFF 2026 (Calgary Underground Film Festival)
Now in its 23rd year, the Calgary Underground Film Festival has long since outgrown any “local hidden gem” label. CUFF has become one of the most exciting genre festivals in Canada, and the kind of festival that keeps proving why programmers still matter. Running April 16 to 26 at the Globe Cinema, this year’s edition brings together 45 feature films, 35 shorts, and 6 special events over 11 days, with a lineup that moves comfortably between horror, sci-fi, dark comedy, documentary, and the sort of work that does not sit neatly in any one box. Coming off a record-setting 2025, CUFF 2026 looks just as packed, with hidden gems, major premieres, and a strong showing from emerging filmmakers, including a lineup where more than half the features are directorial debuts.
That mix is a big part of what makes CUFF feel so distinct. It is a festival that can champion scrappy local work, bring in some of the most interesting titles on the genre circuit, and still make room for the weird side of movie culture through its live events and offbeat programming. The ten films below are not just the biggest titles or the easiest recommendations. They feel like strong examples of CUFF at its best: adventurous, personal, a little strange, and fully open to the kinds of films that bigger festivals and wider audiences can be slower to embrace. Whether you are at the Globe all week or just trying to figure out where to start, these are 15 films that feel especially worth your time.
15. Hokum
Premiere Status: Canadian Premiere
When novelist Ohm Bauman retreats to a remote inn to scatter his parents’ ashes, he is consumed by tales of a witch haunting the honeymoon suite. Disturbing visions and a shocking disappearance forces him to confront dark corners of his past.
Directed by: Damian McCarthy
Starring: Adam Scott, Peter Coonan, David Wilmot, Florence Ordesh, Will O’Connell
Why Hokum Might Be Worth a Watch
Hokum would likely rank even higher here if it had not sold out so quickly. Speaking with CUFF lead programmer Brennan Tilley at SXSW, his advice was simple: know as little as possible before going in. After emerging as one of the most anticipated premieres in Austin, it feels like an ideal get for CUFF. Damian McCarthy builds on the promise of Oddity, pushing his grief-soaked horror into even more unsettling territory. Adam Scott continues his excellent post-Severance run, bringing the kind of dramatic weight that has always existed beneath his earlier typecasting. With returning cinematographer Colm Hogan behind the camera, the film carries the marks of a tightly controlled and visually precise piece of genre filmmaking. For anyone who missed out on tickets, NEON will release it theatrically on May 1.
What Others are Saying About Hokum
Damian McCarthy’s first project with Neon checks so many personal boxes, using largely a single setting to tell a story that seems inspired by personal touchstones like “The Shining” and “The Innocents,” but also affirms its writer/director as one of the most interesting voices in the genre today.
Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com
When is Hokum playing at CUFF 2026?
14. I Love Boosters
Premiere Status: International Premiere
A crew of professional shoplifters takes aim at a cutthroat fashion maven. It’s like a community service.
Directed by: Boots Riley
Starring: Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige, Poppy Liu, Eiza González, Demi Moore, LaKeith Stanfield, Will Poulter, Don Cheadle
Why I Love Boosters Might Be Worth a Watch
Another sold-out title that would otherwise land higher on this list, I Love Boosters feels like an ideal way to close out CUFF. Boots Riley remains one of the most singular filmmakers working today, and this latest project doubles down on the qualities that make his work so distinctive. Following a crew of shoplifters played by Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, and Taylour Paige as they target a late-capitalist fashion tyrant played by Demi Moore, Riley turns a sharp premise into something expansive, funny, and politically charged. Backed by NEON’s reported $20 million budget, the film channels surreal heist energy while engaging directly with Marxist language and dialectical materialism without losing its sense of play. With Natasha Braier behind the camera and custom hybrid lenses helping shape an even more off-kilter visual texture, I Love Boosters stands out as one of the most distinctive titles in the lineup. If you missed tickets at CUFF, it arrives in theatres on May 22.
What Others are Saying About I Love Boosters
if you’re wondering whether the rapper-producer-filmmaker has toned down his brash satirical style of funk surrealism, have no fear: The new movie is every bit as out there, maybe more so.
Owen Gleiberman, Variety
When is I Love Boosters playing at CUFF 2026?
13. Earth to Colby
Premiere Status: World Premiere
An aspiring vlogger discovers a mysterious notebook detailing hidden portals in her hometown, leading her on a journey to discover the city’s supernatural history.
Directed by: Rino Mioc
Starring: Saylor McPherson, Casey Coston, Elisa Collard, Kevin Morrison, Anne Hawthorne
Why Earth to Colby Might Be Worth a Watch
Supporting local talent always matters, and Calgary filmmaker Rino Mioc gives CUFF exactly that with Earth to Colby. Produced with support from TELUS STORYHIVE, which continues to serve as a valuable entry point for emerging artists, the film uses the found-footage horror framework as an effective calling card. Rather than chasing technical polish for its own sake, Mioc leans into the form’s natural looseness, allowing for an approach that feels immediate and lived-in. That choice also helps keep the film from becoming overly weighed down by its horror elements, giving it a more grounded and accessible register. It is equally exciting to see Saylor McPherson take on the title role after her strong work in This Too Shall Pass, which played at CUFF last year.
What Others are Saying About Earth to Colby
Earth to Colby is making its world premiere at CUFF 2026, so you will be the first to share your thoughts!
When is Earth to Colby playing at CUFF 2026?
Director, screenwriter Rino Mioc, screenwriter Stephanie Kvellestad and local cast & crew in attendance.
12. The Killing Cell
Premiere Status: International Premiere
In the summer of 2006, five teenagers break into an abandoned prison that is supposedly haunted, only to discover that what inhabits the place is much more dangerous than the paranormal.
Directed by: Karsen Schovajsa, James Bessey
Starring: Karsen Schovajsa, James Bessey, Stephen Lamar Lewis, Erin Caitlin Collins, Jordan Whitley, Luc Sabatier
Why The Killing Cell Might Be Worth a Watch
There is something deeply satisfying about a film like The Killing Cell finding its place in a festival lineup. This is unapologetically a horror-head title, an ultra-low-budget found-footage project that taps into themes of karma and retribution without losing sight of the raw appeal of the format. Its abandoned prison setting does much of the heavy lifting, not simply as a backdrop but as a force that looms over the cast and shapes the film’s mood through harsh practical lighting and oppressive scale. It may not be trying to reinvent found-footage horror, but that is not really the point. What gives the film its appeal is the way it speaks to one of the great pleasures of festival genre programming: filmmakers working within clear limitations and still finding ways to create atmosphere, tension, and identity. The collaborative effort behind it only adds to that interest, with James Bessey and Karsen Schovajsa taking on nearly every role imaginable, from directing and writing to producing and performing, with Schovajsa also handling editing.
What Others are Saying About The Killing Cell
James Bessey and Karsen Schovajsa are wildly talented filmmakers with big ideas rattling around in their brains, and I’ll without a doubt, be lined up for whatever they have next.
Brendan Jesus, Horror Press
When is The Killing Cell playing at CUFF 2026?
Director James Bessey in attendance.
11. Bad Haircut
Premiere Status: Alberta Premiere
When a college kid goes to a new place to get a haircut, he discovers that his barber is a psychopath.
Directed by: Kyle Misak
Starring: Spencer Harrison Levin, Frankie Ray, Nora Freetly, Martin Klebba, Jake Busey
Why Bad Haircut Might Be Worth a Watch
A festival lineup like CUFF’s needs some room to breathe, and Bad Haircut seems well positioned to provide exactly that without losing its edge. Writer-director Kyle Misak brings horror, comedy, and thriller energy to a story that begins with a simple haircut and spirals into something far stranger and more dangerous, making it an easy fit for a festival that thrives on offbeat genre work. After playing Fantastic Fest 2025 and several other genre stops, the film arrives at CUFF with the kind of scrappy, crowd-pleasing appeal that can reset the mood of a lineup. Frankie Ray is a major part of that draw as Mick, a character festival coverage has already singled out as one of the film’s biggest hooks.
What Others are Saying About Bad Haircut
“Bad Haircut” is a promising genre flick, a strange horror/comedy that is a bit rough around the edges but contains enough clever storytelling to see it turning into a cult hit on the midnight movie circuit.
Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com
When is Bad Haircut playing at CUFF 2026?
Director Kyle Misak & producer Jon Petro in attendance.
10. Grind
Premiere Status: International Premiere
Four interconnected stories centre around the gig economy, hustle culture, and evils of late-stage capitalism in this timely horror comedy anthology.
Directed by: Brea Grant, Ed Dougherty, Chelsea Stardust
Starring: James Paxton, Christopher Rodriguez Marquette, Rob Huebel, James Urbaniak, Barbara Crampton
Why Grind Might Be Worth a Watch
Anthology films are notoriously uneven, but Grind finds a clear throughline in its central idea. Framed as a satire of labour and systemic exploitation in the modern gig economy, the film taps into themes that feel immediate and painfully familiar. As with any anthology, some segments carry more weight than others, and certain filmmakers will connect differently depending on individual sensibilities. Still, the project’s appeal rests in the way those varied voices remain tied to a shared thematic focus. Grind is not trying to reinvent cinema, nor does it need to. What it offers is a smart, topical, and consistently engaging piece of festival programming built around ideas that feel both recognizable and timely.
What Others are Saying About Grind
The ingenious horror-comedy anthology Grind achieves the almost unthinkable: while it delivers the requisite laughs and shocks, never an easy balance to strike, even at the best of times, it is just as effective in its jabs at the gig economy.
Damon Wise, Deadline
When is Grind playing at CUFF 2026?
9. The Fox
Premiere Status: Canadian Premiere
In this dark comedic folktale, an affable foxhunter encounters a shape-shifting fox who offers him an opportunity to transform his partner into the perfect woman and in doing so take control of the natural world.
Directed by: Dario Russo
Starring: Jai Courtney, Olivia Colman, Sam Neill, Emily Browning, Miranda Otto, Damon Herriman
Why The Fox Might Be Worth a Watch
Olivia Colman voicing a fox is the kind of hook that immediately catches attention, but The Fox has more going for it than novelty alone. In a festival lineup where horror occupies so much space, this kind of tonal shift feels especially welcome. A distinctly Australian fantasy-comedy shaped by magical realism, the film moves comfortably across genres while keeping a darker undercurrent alive beneath the humour. That tension gives it added bite, particularly as it begins to explore the instability and awkwardness of modern relationships. Rather than relying solely on charm, The Fox uses its playful surface to probe something sharper, stranger, and more recognizably human.
What Others are Saying About The Fox
When Russo looks to find human nature in another species, he seems to get the best of both worlds as he puts a finger on how that abstract feeling of being all alone in a relationship can lead the mind to wander to funny places.
Stephen Saito, Variety
When is The Fox playing at CUFF 2026?
April 17, 6:30PM and April 20, 4:30PM
8. Decorado
Premiere Status: Alberta Premiere
Arnold, an unemployed middle-aged mouse, confides to his wife Maria that he suspects his entire world is nothing more than a set, and his life a scripted performance. When his best friend Ramiro dies under mysterious circumstances, he traces the conspiracy to a monolithic corporation whose influence reaches every corner of their daily lives.
Directed by: Alberto Vázquez
Starring: Asier Hormaza, Aintzane Gamiz, Kandido Uranga, Mikel Garmendia, José Felipe Auzmendi
Why Decorado Might Be Worth a Watch
In the interest of highlighting different options across this list, Decorado gives us a fully-animated route to explore. Directed by the singular artist and animator Alberto Vázquez, the film expands on his own award-winning short. Its striking 2D animation draws on the language of early 1930s cartoons while following an existential journey with a darkly comic edge. Like several other standouts on this list, it blends surrealism and fantasy with pitch-black comedy. Vázquez’s influences reportedly range from Mickey Mouse to Scenes from a Marriage, which gives some sense of the film’s unusual tonal and visual terrain. It begins a small North American theatrical release on May 15.
What Others are Saying About Decorado
Decorado is full of imagination, oddness, and horror, all coming from the feeling of life catching up suddenly.
Matthew Allan, The Rolling Tape
When is Decorado playing at CUFF 2026?
April 19, 1:00PM and April 24, 4:30PM
7. Camp
Premiere Status: Alberta Premiere
A story of impossible redemption, feminine power, and duels that repeat themselves like cursed cycles.
Directed by: Avalon Fast
Starring: Zola Grimmer, Alice Wordsworth, Cherry Moore, Ella Reece, Lea Rose Sebastianis, Austyn Van de Kamp
Why Camp Might Be Worth a Watch
Camp represents a strong piece of Canadian cinema loaded with familiar CUFF connections. Directed by Avalon Fast, whose Honeycomb played the festival in 2022, the film is backed by Calgary industry mainstay producer Michael Peterson and features local talent like Mike Tan in the cast. Regional ties aside, what makes the project especially compelling is Fast’s commitment to what she has described as “girl horror,” an emerging mode of genre filmmaking centred on feminine terrors within a space still largely shaped by male perspectives.
What Others are Saying About Camp
CAMP is further evidence that Fast is one of her generation’s brightest voices, one that sings about the beautiful and ugly sides of female friendship, as well as the horrors of existing as a young woman in a society that refuses to understand us.
Mary Beth McAndrews, Dread Central
When is Camp playing at CUFF 2026?
Director, screenwriter Avalon Fast, producer Taylor Nodrick & executive producer Michael Peterson in attendance.
6. The History of Concrete
Premiere Status: Canadian Premiere
After attending a workshop on how to write and sell a Hallmark movie, filmmaker John Wilson tries to use the same formula to sell a documentary about concrete.
Directed by: John Wilson
Why The History of Concrete Might Be Worth a Watch
Having covered classic horror, dark comedy, and animation, this list absolutely needs a documentary in the mix. The History of Concrete is far more compelling than its title might initially suggest. Rather than functioning as a dry historical text, the film opens out into a sharp piece of meta-commentary on American commercialism and the broader search for meaning. Premiering at Sundance to a somewhat quiet but deeply positive response, it appears to be the kind of documentary that works on multiple levels while moving in directions that feel surprising, personal, and intellectually engaging.
What Others are Saying About The History of Concrete
“The History of Concrete” is nothing if not a sprawlingly beautiful self-portrait of a man trying to strike a balance between letting go and holding on. A man trying to make space for grief at the same time as he scrambles for self-preservation.
David Ehrlich, IndieWire
When is The History of Concrete playing at CUFF 2026?
April 23, 7:00PM and April 26, 5:45PM
5. Feels Like Home
Premiere Status: Canadian Premiere
Rita, an ordinary, but lonely woman is kidnapped. Her captors are the Árpáds; they claim she is not called Rita but Szilvi, a runaway from their family. Rita eventually understands that the only way out is in – to escape she must impersonate Szilvi. The more she becomes the lost girl the more she finds out about the family – and understands that her life is on the line.
Directed by: Gábor Holtai
Starring: Rozi Lovas, Áron Molnár, Dorka Gryllus, Tibor Szervét, Bettina Józsa, István Znamenák
Why Feels Like Home Might Be Worth a Watch
Feels Like Home ranks among the more under-discussed horror entries in this year’s lineup. This 124-minute Hungarian thriller, directed by Gábor Holtai, centres on a woman kidnapped by a family convinced she is their missing daughter, and that setup opens onto questions of oppression, conformism, confinement, and unstable identity. In that sense, the film’s political subtext carries added resonance in the immediate wake of Viktor Orbán’s ouster after 16 years as Hungary’s prime minister.
What Others are Saying About Feels Like Home
Feels Like Home (Itt Érzem Magam Otthon) has captured moviegoers not only with its striking visuals but also with its timing – its release coming before Hungary’s pivotal parliamentary elections.
Flora Garamvolgyi, The Guardian
When is Feels Like Home playing at CUFF 2026?
4. Bagworm
Premiere Status: Canadian Premiere
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.
Directed by: Oliver Bernsen
Starring: Peter Falls, Michelle Ortiz, Robbie Arnett
Why Bagworm Might Be Worth a Watch
Another under-the-radar title in the lineup, Bagworm feels primed to catch plenty of viewers off guard. After playing at SXSW 2026, Oliver Bernsen’s feature debut picked up enthusiastic notices from genre outlets, which only adds to the appeal of its CUFF stop. What begins with an absurdly grim premise gradually opens into something stranger, funnier, and more psychologically frayed, with body horror, dark comedy, and social unease all sharing the same space. That tonal balancing act is a large part of the draw. Rather than leaning on shock alone, Bagworm seems built around instability, discomfort, and escalating paranoia, making it one of the more intriguing wildcard discoveries in this year’s festival lineup.
What Others are Saying About Bagworm
Falls does a very good job of showing the tragedy of Carroll’s situation without ever playing the role for pity; the toxic world of the manosphere seldom has been so graphically or gruesomely rendered.
Damon Wise, Deadline
When is Bagworm playing at CUFF 2026?
Director Oliver Bernsen, screenwriter Henry Bernsen & associate producer, art director Angus Bernsen in attendance.
3. Black Zombie
Premiere Status: Alberta Premiere
From the flickering screens of Hollywood horror, to the haunted cane fields of colonial Haiti, Black Zombie unearths the buried origins of the zombie, reclaiming it as a symbol of survival and spiritual resistance.
Directed by: Maya Annik Bedward
Why Black Zombie Might Be Worth a Watch
Rounding out the non-fiction selections, Black Zombie serves as the second documentary on this list. Canadian filmmaker Maya Annik Bedward traces the cinematic zombie back to Haiti, uncovering a history far more complex than many viewers likely realize. In doing so, the film reframes one of horror’s most familiar figures through a much richer cultural and political lens. That makes it an especially strong fit for a genre festival, offering necessary context for a monster that appears constantly on screen. Bedward also incorporates stylized reenactments in a way that feels purposeful and fully integrated into the film’s broader approach.
What Others are Saying About Black Zombie
Black Zombie opens and closes with a cinematic short story, shot in black and white. It’s a beautiful frame for a documentary that is itself an act of reclamation.
Jessi Cape, Austin Chronicle
When is Black Zombie playing at CUFF 2026?
2. Obsession
Premiere Status: Alberta Premiere
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.
Directed by: Curry Barker
Starring: Michael Johnston, Inde Navarrette, Cooper Tomlinson, Megan Lawless, Andy Richter
Why Obsession Might Be Worth a Watch
Obsession has quickly established itself as one of the more talked-about titles in this year’s lineup. Curry Barker continues a striking rise from digital horror to studio-backed feature filmmaking, with Focus Features releasing the film after its TIFF Midnight Madness premiere and subsequent runner-up finish for the festival’s People’s Choice Award in that section. Working from a supernatural premise built around wish fulfilment and obsession, Barker channels horror and dark comedy through a sensibility that feels current without sacrificing its genre bite. The film’s origin in a Simpsons monkey’s paw episode only adds to that mix of irony and menace, while Taylor Clemons helps give the project a distinct visual identity through centre-composed framing and extra headroom designed to create a sense of lonely unease.
What Others are Saying About Obsession
“Obsession” is proof that the Cregger-ification of 2020s horror is in full effect, as its combination of sadistic violence, ironic needle drops, and comedy mined from people responding to tragedy in pathetically self-serving ways will merit plenty of comparisons to “Barbarian” and “Weapons.”
Christian Zilko, IndieWire
When is Obsession playing at CUFF 2026?
1. The Scout
Premiere Status: Alberta Premiere
Sofia is a location scout for a TV show in New York City. Over the course of one day, she is invited into homes, businesses, and lives across the city, witnessing the private spaces and dramas of countless strangers, until her work takes a sudden, personal turn.
Directed by: Paula Andrea Gonzalez-Nasser
Starring: Mimi Davila, Rutanya Alda, Max Rosen, Ikechukwu Ufomadu, Sarah Herrman
Why The Scout Might Be Worth a Watch
I will fully own my bias here: The Scout feels almost custom-built for my particular taste in film. The Scout carries the kind of intimate, low-key confidence that can be easy to overlook in a festival lineup crowded with louder titles. Set over the course of a single day, the film follows a New York location scout moving through the private spaces and personal rhythms of the city, turning that structure into something that feels both close and quietly revealing. That approach gives the film a natural way into questions of vulnerability, drift, and reinvention, with New York functioning as more than a backdrop. It also makes for an especially intriguing directorial debut from Paula Andrea González-Nasser, whose own background as a location scout on projects including Search Party and Never Rarely Sometimes Always gives the premise an added sense of lived-in specificity.
What Others are Saying About The Scout
González-Nasser’s understated, low-key debut offers all the pleasures of slice-of-life realism. The Scout is as pretty-gloomy as an off day in New York, as winning as a good work anecdote, as defeating as another day on the job, and as listless as a generation starting to feel the shadow of their looming midlife crisis.
Jacob Oller, AV Club
