The Calgary Underground Film Festival has a distinguished reputation for annually presenting an incredible array of genre films among its program of narrative films and documentaries, and this year’s 22nd edition continues that trend. From creatures to killers and cartoons to comedy, the fest is rich with exciting cinema and live events. Following is the official press announcement.
The Calgary Underground Film Festival has announced the full lineup of films playing the 22nd Festival, from April 17-27, 2025 at Globe Cinema. On-scale with last year’s milestone festival, which broke all previous attendance records with 11,500 attendees and more industry guests than ever before, CUFF 2025 will show 41 feature films, 45 shorts, and host 8 special events over 11 days.
From horror and sci-fi to indie comedies and documentaries, the festival showcases diverse programming of films that defy convention. CUFF is Western Canada’s largest genre film festival, internationally recognized as a top horror film festival on the circuit, and one of the most anticipated events for local film fans.
“Every year, we get so excited with the anticipation of the festival, showcasing so many wild films and welcoming so many guests. This year is no different, and the programmers have selected a super eclectic mix of films: a variety of genres, from around the world, with all sorts of budget levels, and awards behind them. There is no shortage of unique and absurd this year,” said CUFF Festival Director & Lead Programmer Brenda Lieberman.
Highlights of the CUFF 2025 program include:
- This year’s festival will open with the A24 release FRIENDSHIP on Thursday, April 17. The TIFF and SXSW-selected comedy starring Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd follows a suburban dad who falls hard for his charismatic new neighbour. Following the film, there will be an After Party at The Derrick, featuring a live DJ set from CJSW Station Manager Adam Kamis.
- The Closing Night Film is the Canadian premiere of the horror comedy CLOWN IN A CORNFIELD on Sunday, April 27. Earlier that day, CUFF will also present a 15th Anniversary screening of TUCKER & DALE VS. EVIL (2010), which was filmed in Alberta with local cast and crew who were part of the production. Both films were directed by Eli Craig, who will be in attendance.
- A CUFF favourite event, on Friday, April 25, the FOUND FOOTAGE FEST returns with the 20th Anniversary Show. The live show hosted by Joe Pickett (The Onion) and Nick Prueher (The Colbert Report) is an all-new guided tour celebrating two decades of their greatest VHS finds.
- Focusing on Alberta content, CUFF will premiere two local feature films, including episodic content and 10 short films.
- The North American premiere of Calgary director Mike Peterson’s SHADOW OF GOD, appropriately showing on Easter Monday, April 21. The film, which will be released on Shudder, follows an elite exorcist who suspects the entity he’s battling might be a holy being, perhaps even God.
- Rob Grant’s THIS TOO SHALL PASS, which was produced by Mike Peterson and shot in Calgary, is the story of a sheltered 16-year-old who rebels against his strict Mormon upbringing by skipping town with friends for a weekend in Canada (Saturday, April 26).
- On Saturday, April 26, CUFF will present a package of episodic content, all created in Calgary. The pilot episode of RENEGADE FEVER (Directed by Dallas Soonias), and Season 3: Episodes 1 & 2 of ABRACADAVERS, directed by Anna Cooley, Morgan Ermter and Reamonn Joshee.
- CUFF will also show 10 Alberta short films, playing across three short film packages and before features.
- This year’s Live Script Reading, MAN VS. TRUCK, on Saturday, April 26 is the latest work from multi-CUFF alumnus Ted Stenson, whose first feature film EVENTS TRANSPIRING BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER A HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL GAME was also showcased at CUFF’s 2019 Live Script Reading event before it was made into an award-winning feature film that played festivals around the world. Local and visiting actors will be cast for the reading.
- As always, CUFF welcomes the return of festival staples: the SATURDAY MORNING ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT-CEREAL CARTOON PARTY!, featuring three hours of retro cartoons plus an unlimited sugary cereal bar (Saturday, April 19); the 48-HOUR MOVIE MAKING CHALLENGE SHORT FILM SHOWCASE of projects completed in just two days, co-presented with NUTV on (Sunday, April 27); the third edition of INDIE GAME BASH (Friday, April 18) where participants compete in a legendary GoldenEye 007 tournament on the big screen; and the 10th Anniversary of CUFFcade, Calgary’s first independent video game arcade with custom-built cabinets and the only curated arcade of its type in Canada (available to play for free throughout the festival).
- At 4:20 PM on 4/20 (Sunday, April 20), CUFF will show the Canadian premiere of CHEECH & CHONG’S LAST MOVIE, a documentary about the duo’s five-decade career performing stand-up, making records, and starring in hit films.
- A timely documentary with the upcoming federal election, CUFF will host the international premiere of SOMETHING BETTER CHANGE about D.O.A. frontman Joey “Shithead” Keithley, who transitioned from a punk activist musician to politician when he was elected for the Green Party in Burnaby, BC as a city councillor.
- Notable North American, International and Canadian premieres include: THE UGLY STEPSISTER, GOOD BOY, DON’T LEAVE THE KIDS ALONE, EBONY AND IVORY, THE BLACK HOLE, TINSMAN ROAD, $POSITIONS, and the World Premiere of REVERIES: THE MIND PRISON, created by CUFF alumni filmmakers Matt Barats, Anthony Oberbeck, and Graham Mason.
- Over 65 filmmakers, actors, creators, and industry professionals will attend the festival to talk about their films in post-screening Q&As, participate in free panels open to the public, jury films eligible for awards, and network. More than 90 guests (local and visiting) have already registered for industry accreditation to take part in the festivities.
- On Wednesday, April 16, the day before the festival officially starts, CUFF will host Calgary’s flagship National Canadian Film Day event, a free 40th Anniversary Screening of the Winnipeg cult classic CRIME WAVE with Director John Paizs in attendance.
The full program and schedule is now available online, and tickets for all films are on sale now. Single tickets cost $12 ($10 for members, students, and seniors), with $50 5-film packs, and $139 festival passes also available.
Scroll down to view the full list of films and confirmed guests in attendance. Visit www.calgaryundergroundfilm.org for the festival schedule and more information.
CUFF 2025 Program & Guests in Attendance
$POSITIONS (Director Brandon Daley in attendance)
1978 (Directors Luciano Onetti and Nicolás Onetti)
48-HOUR MOVIE MAKING CHALLENGE SHORTS FILM SHOWCASE (various, local
filmmakers in attendance)
THE A-FRAME (Director Calvin Lee Reeder)
ART SPIEGELMAN: DISASTER IS MY MUSE (Directors Molly Bernstein and Philip Dolin)
THE BLACK HOLE (Director Moonika Siimets)
BROKEN BIRD (Director Joanne Mitchell)
BUSHIDO (Director Kazuya Shiraishi)
CHEECH & CHONG’S LAST MOVIE (Director David Bushell)
CLOWN IN A CORNFIELD: Closing Night Film (Director Eli Craig in attendance)
CRIME WAVE – 40TH ANNIVERSARY NATIONAL CANADIAN FILM DAY FREE SCREENING (Director John Paizs in attendance)
DON’T LEAVE THE KIDS ALONE (Director Emilio Portes)
EBONY AND IVORY (Director Jim Hosking in attendance)
EEPHUS (Director Carson Lund)
ELSE (Director Thibault Emin)
ENDLESS COOKIE (Directors Seth Scriver and Peter Scriver)
EPISODIC PROGRAM (Cast & crew in attendance for both series)
FOUND FOOTAGE FEST: 20TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW (Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher in attendance)
FRIENDSHIP: OPENING FILM (Director Andrew DeYoung)
THE GESUIDOUZ (Director Kenichi Ugana)
GOOD BOY (Director Ben Leonberg in attendance)
I’M YOUR VENUS (Director Kimberly Reed)
INDIE GAME BASH
THE LAST PODCAST (Director Dean Alioto, producer Ali Widdoes and cast Kaikane & Gabriel Rush in attendance)
LIVE SCRIPT READING: MAN VS. TRUCK (Director & Scriptwriter Ted Stenson and cast in attendance)
LUNATIC: THE LUNA VACHON STORY (Director Kate Kroll in attendance)
A MOTHER’S EMBRACE (Director Cristian Ponce)
MOVE YA BODY: THE BIRTH OF HOUSE (Director Elegance Bratton
- K (Director Tallulah H. Schwab)
NO ONE DIED: THE WING BOWL STORY (Director Pat Taggart)
PANEL: THE SHAPE OF GENRE FILMS TO COME
PATER NOSTER AND THE MISSION OF LIGHT (Director Christopher Bickel)
PORTAL TO HELL (Director Woody Bess)
PREDATORS (Director David Osit)
REVERIES: THE MIND PRISON (Director Graham Mason and producers Matt Barats & Anthony Oberbeck in attendance)
SATURDAY MORNING ALL-YOU YOU-CAN-EAT-CEREAL CARTOON PARTY (Curator David Bertrand)
SHADOW OF GOD (Director Michael Peterson in attendance, plus local cast & crew)
SHADOWLAND (Director Otso Tiainen)
SHORTS PACKAGE: LAUGHING THROUGH LIFE (AND DEATH) (Guests in attendance for several films)
SHORTS PACKAGE: A SERIES OF STARTLING EVENTS (Guests in attendance for several films)
SHORTS PACKAGE: THAT SPECIAL SOMEONE (Guests in attendance for several films)
SOMETHING BETTER CHANGE (Director Scott Crawford)
THE STAMP THIEF (Director Dan Sturman)
SUGAR ROT (Director Becca Kozak in attendance)
THIS TOO SHALL PASS (Director Rob Grant in attendance, plus local cast & crew)
TINSMAN ROAD (Director Robbie Banfitch in attendance)
TUCKER & DALE VS. EVIL: 15TH ANNIVERSARY (Director Eli Craig in attendance)
TWO WOMEN (Director Chloé Robichaud)
U ARE THE UNIVERSE (Director Pavlo Ostrikov)
THE UGLY STEPSISTER (Director Emilie Blichfeldt)
VAMPIRE ZOMBIES…FROM SPACE! (Director Michael Stasko in attendance)
VULCANIZADORA (Director Joel Potrykus)
