Top 5 Must-Watch Films at CIFF (Calgary International Film Festival)

Link to all CIFF films: HERE

5. Evil Does Not Exist

Takumi and his daughter Hana live in Mizubiki Village, close to Tokyo. One day, the village inhabitants become aware of a plan to build a glamping site near Takumi’s house offering city residents a comfortable “escape” to nature.

Director: Ryusuke Hamaguchi

Showtimes at CIFF:

• Sat, Sep 23rd, 12:30 PM @ Globe Down
• Tue, Sep 26th, 8:00 PM @ Eau Claire 5

Wide Release Date: TBD (2024)

“A gorgeous eco-fable that ends with a mythical mic drop.”

Time Out

Why You Should Check It Out:

EVIL DOES NOT EXIST is Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s follow-up to DRIVE MY CAR, which earned him Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay, along with an Oscar win for Best International Feature Film (no pressure…) With such acclaim, there’s no doubt that Hamaguchi is a director in peak form.

His style and vision are largely influenced by his experience with stage plays and documentary filmmaking. In fact, he considers “all films [to be] fiction and documentary at the same time” (The Nikkei). It is this unique ability to convince the audience that what the characters are experiencing on-screen is, in fact, “real”, that allows him to create a world in which we have no choice to be invested in.

In EVIL DOES NOT EXIST, Hamaguchi expands his horizons, aiming to make nature itself a character in the story. This ambition is a testament to his visionary approach. Early reviews of the film have been overwhelmingly positive, with a standing ovation at the Venice International Film Festival and the Grand Jury prize (the second most prestigious award of the festival – second only to the “Golden Lion”, which was awarded to Yorgos Lanthimos’ POOR THINGS).

If you’re looking for a film that showcases a director’s peak performance and a unique storytelling experience, EVIL DOES NOT EXIST is a must-see.

4. Seven Veils

Jeanine, an earnest theatre director, has been given the task of remounting her former mentor’s most famous work, the opera Salome. Haunted by dark and disturbing memories from her past, she allows her repressed trauma to color the present as she re-enters the opera world after so many years away.

(Okay, this isn’t a poster, but they’ve literally released only ONE still from the film – enough to know that Seyfried is going to crush this)

Director: Atom Egoyan

Showtimes at CIFF:

• Fri, Sep 29th, 6:30 PM @ Eau Claire 5
• Sun, Oct 1st, 11:30 AM @ Eau Claire 6

Wide Release: TBD (2024)

“[Seyfried] brilliantly plays a woman dealing with complex and explosive relationships.”

Atom Egoyan

Why You Should Check It Out:

In SEVEN VEILS, director Atom Egoyan reunites with lead Amanda Seyfried for the first time since their 2009 erotic thriller, CHLOE (you know, the one with lustful call girls and murderous gynecologists). Outside of this singular moment in cinematic history, Egoyan is widely regarded as one of Canada’s most acclaimed directors of his time. He has received multiple Academy Award nominations and is also renowned for his work in the world of theatre and opera, which will come into play in this latest film.

From what we know about SEVEN VEILS, it appears as though Egoyan is sticking with themes of trauma, isolation, and manipulation, which have been present in the majority of his work. Furthermore, this project marks the first time he has formally brought together his filmmaking prowess and his love of opera. It seems he has been building toward this monumental capstone moment in his cinematic career for quite some time, having directed a number of operas for the Canadian Opera Company as early as 1996, but until now, he hasn’t brought this passion to the big screen.

Ultimately, if anyone can properly bring the power of opera to cinemas, it’s Egoyan. But don’t worry; if hearing the word “opera” makes you want to run in the opposite direction, remember that SEVEN VEILS is almost surely going to include a thorough unraveling of moral and psychological constructs and by no means will require a love of opera to appreciate its inevitable twists and turns. Egoyan will also be at CIFF in person, so maybe you can catch a peak of his iconic thick-rimmed glasses, or at minimum, you can see more frantically trying to score an interview with him on the red carpet.

And if that isn’t enough to convince you, remember that Amanda Seyfried is a badass—just look at her in that still image and imagine what she’ll be bringing to the theatre.

3. Monster

When her young son Minato starts to behave strangely, his mother feels that there is something wrong. Discovering that a teacher is responsible, she storms into the school demanding to know what’s going on. But as the story unfolds through the eyes of mother, teacher and child, the truth gradually emerges.

Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda

Showtimes at CIFF:

• Fri, Sep 22nd, 6:30 PM @ Globe Down
• Sun, Sep 24th, 9:00 PM @ Eau Claire 1
• Thu, Sep 28th, 8:00 PM @ Eau Claire 5

Wide Release: Already out in Japan, but TBD (2024) for the rest of us

“Created with a great moral intelligence and humanity.”

The Guardian

Why You Should Check It Out:

Hirokazu Kore-eda is back with MONSTER, which appears to be on track to bring him his most success since 2018’s critical darling, SHOPLIFTERS. It has already competed for the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Festival and has been universally praised for its writing (Yuji Sakamoto) and score (Ryuichi Sakamoto – who passed two months before its release). This film also takes advantage of the ‘Rashomon Effect,’ in which an event is told through multiple points of view. It appears as though Kore-eda and Sakamoto are attempting to illustrate the difficulty in discerning ‘good’ and ‘evil’ – or whether any one being can ever be accurately characterized as a ‘monster.’

This line of moral questioning is almost certainly going to provide intrigue for viewers. Given Yuji Sakamoto’s propensity for subtle combinations of lightness and solemnity, it should provide a nuanced exploration of these important themes. The international scene has also caught onto Sakamoto’s writing ability, as he inked a five-year deal with Netflix this summer. So, stay tuned for more of his work in the near future.

In essence, the combination of Sakamoto’s writing and Kore-eda’s direction promises a film that will challenge our preconceived notions of morality.

2. Hey, Viktor!

Twenty-five long years after his time in the limelight, former child actor Cody Lightning tries to revive his fortunes with a self-produced sequel to Smoke Signals in this smart, irreverent new comedy.

Director: Cody Lightning

Showtimes at CIFF:

• Sun, Oct 1st, 7:30 PM @ Eau Claire 5

Wide Release: TBD (2024)

“Brilliant dissection of fame and objectification.”

Ryan Kampe (Visit Films)

Why You Should Check It Out:

Twenty-five years after the release of SMOKE SIGNALS, we have a meta-style ‘mockumentary’ from the actor who played Young Victor (yes, the ‘K’ in HEY, VIKTOR! is intentional). That might be a hefty opening sentence for us to digest, but with some unpacking, we should be able to understand why this film is an absolute must-watch at this year’s festival.

To start, we need to recognize that SMOKE SIGNALS has become a film within the Indigenous community in Canada that has taken on a life of its own in the two-plus decades after its release. Not only has it become a bedrock of meme material, but it has also served as a tool to subtly shift perceptions of Indigenous stereotypes and representation in film.

Given the cultural impact of its predecessor, HEY, VIKTOR! is carrying significant weight on its shoulders. Instead of leaning into an artifice of pretension, Cody Lighting has decided to use his debut film as an opportunity to demonstrate a tremendous capacity for self-awareness by embracing its irreverent comedic traits while still making a statement. There are few Canadian directors whose first feature films have captured such buzz, and this buzz has been rewarded with critical acclaim after its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival this past summer.

In the end, HEY, VIKTOR! has rightfully been selected as the closing film for this year’s festival and will certainly sell out in the coming days. Get your ticket(s) before they’re gone!

1. Anatomy of a Fall

Sandra, Samuel and their visually impaired son Daniel have been living in a remote mountain location for the past year. When Samuel is found dead outside the house, an investigation for death in suspicious circumstances is launched. Amidst the uncertainty, Sandra is indicted: was it suicide or homicide? A year later Daniel attends his mother’s trial, a veritable dissection of his parents’ relationship.

Director: Justine Triet

Showtimes at CIFF:

• Fri, Sep 22nd, 8:00 PM @ Eau Claire 5
• Sun, Oct 1st, 11:00 AM @ Eau Claire 5

Wide Release: October 13th (US) – Canada Release TBD

“Thought-provoking.”

Variety

Why You Should Check It Out:

Look, this film IS going to win some Oscars. You’re welcome to quote me on this. Were you one of the lucky ones who got tickets to watch PARASITE at CIFF 2019? No? Well… ANATOMY OF A FALL is your chance to make up for that. Watch it now so that you can be that cool person in your friend group when the rest of the world catches on come awards season.

This film, directed by Justine Triet and co-written with her husband Arthur Harari, follows a woman trying to prove her innocence in the death of her husband (run, Arthur, run?). In all seriousness, Triet and Harari have formed a formidable duo in the past, with their collaborations on acclaimed films like AGE OF PANIC and IN BED WITH VICTORIA. None of their previous works, however, hit the road with the velocity of ANATOMY OF A FALL.

Not only has this project won the most prestigious award (the Palme d’Or) at the 2023 Cannes Festival, but it has also achieved box office success in their home country of France. Released on the weekend of “Barbenheimer,” ANATOMY OF A FALL managed to bring in over $2 million domestically on its opening weekend, which barely trailed BARBIE and actually finished ahead of OPPENHEIMER. If this tells you anything, it is that Triet’s latest film is not only on pace to be a critical darling but also has the rare ability to reach mainstream audiences.

The lead of the film, Sandra Hüller, has received tremendous praise for her complex portrayal of a woman facing an impossible situation. There is no doubt that this riveting courtroom procedural is the number one must-watch film of this year’s Calgary International Film Festival.