Calgary Film kicks off with gala and red carpet

By Thomas Johnson, September 20 2018 —

Calgary Film kicked off on Sept. 19 at the Jack Singer Concert Hall. The 12-day festival’s opening gala and red carpet were held at the venue, accompanied by the premiere of The Sisters Brothers.

The Sisters Brothers follows brothers Eli and Charlie Sisters (John C. Reilly and Joaquin Phoenix, respectively) as they trek through California and Oregon in search of a prospector with a key to instant wealth. The darkly comedic western’s script was an adaption of the 2011 novel of the same name by Canadian author Patrick deWitt, which won a Governor General’s Literary Award and the Rogers Writer’s Trust Fiction Prize.

Involving over 50 countries and up to 200 feature and short films, Calgary Film has been steadily growing since its inaugural 2000 edition. In fact, Calgary Film 2017’s 40,000-odd attendees broke the attendance record for the festival, doubling the number of film-goers from 2013. Film submissions have also been on the rise, as the 2,750 submissions last year tripled the 2013 amount.

Films screened at the festival in previous years have gone on to receive substantial critical acclaim, often culminating in Oscar nominations. Last year’s standouts included Call Me By Your Name, Lady Bird and The Square.