The 27th annual Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF) opened with a new feature by Andrew Haigh (director of All of Us are Strangers) titled A Long Winter which played at The Grand. Featuring a stellar cast led by Fred Hechinger, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Caitriona Balfe and D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, CIFF audiences are taken to the snowy backdrop of Colorado in this wistful, ambient film.
Film4 and Calgary-based production company Nomadic Pictures co-produced the film, which was distributed by Mubi.
Present at the opening night was Tanya Fir who is currently serving as the Minister of Arts, Culture and Status of Women, Ian Burns, Servus Credit Union’s President and Chief Executive Officer and CIFF Executive Director, Katherine Penhale. At the opening night, Fir announced that CIFF was approved to receive $142,500 in funding for 2026-2028. The funds will be introduced to help the Alberta film industry grow and connect industry professionals from around the province to the international stage.
Shot in Alberta’s mountainous backyard, A Long Winter takes Hechinger’s character, Mikey, on a journey of self-discovery, isolation and grief in the Colorado wintertime. The screenplay, derived from Colm Toibin’s short story of the same name, is Haigh’s exploration of the concept of self-fulfillment and the extent one would go to for someone they love.
The film begins on the eve of a snow storm, as Mikey and his family prepare for Tommy’s (Kit Connor) departure to fight in the Korean War. What was once a celebratory evening turns sour as Lester (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and Louise (Caitriona Balfe) fight about how their lives and their love have become a hollow shell of what they once had. This talk of ambition and escape prompts the boys to retreat to their room and talk about what plans they each have for their future. Mikey, who lives in a listless state, has no idea what he wants his life to look like aside from providing for his unraveling family.
Once Tommy leaves, Mikey is left with his mother and father who are constantly butting heads. The tension onscreen is palpable, the audience holding its breath as Lester and Lousie snipe at each other and throw items at each other’s heads. Their anger makes the house a hollow home filled with disdain which leaves Mikey isolated and on his own. After Louise storms out infuriated with the life that she has lived, snow descends from the mountaintop leaving her separated and lost in the woods.
The once listless Mikey immediately springs into action in a desperate attempt to find his mother. Hechinger has an incredibly raw performance and conveys Mikey’s growth into independence in a delicate manner.
He trudges through snow, narrates his experience and expresses his longing in a way that showcases how deeply he loves his mother despite her flaws and her drinking.
To capture this isolation that Mikey is feeling, Andre Turpin’s cinematography and shots of Banff national park creates an immersive experience where everything is larger than life and highlights how the family are forced to be at the mercy of the elements. Adding onto cinematography is Jonathan Alberts’ editing that showcases the harsh differences between the daytime and nighttime where Mikey sits with his grief at all times of the day. While the film is visually stunning, the pacing feels long and may lose the audience in its constant shift in scenes and quiet dialogue.
As the snow begins to thaw, Mikey and Lester are both finding their own ways to process their loss and move forward. Mikey befriends Jimmy (D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai), his housemate, where their friendship hints to the potential to blossom into more. When spring finally arrives Mikey is a changed man who learns that family does not have to restrain an individual's own desire.
Haigh’s version of A Long Winter is attempting to use Mikey’s journey during the winter season to mirror his character arc. While the film ends with audiences pondering Mikey’s future, viewers left the theatre celebrating the A Long Winter’s success in the film festival circuit and discussing Alberta’s bright future in the international film industry.
Details on A Long Winter can be found at the CIFF website.
