From Hollywood stars to local directors and actors, the red carpets at the 2024 Calgary International Film Festival are a celebration of the silver screen and the best of Canadian and international film.
Starting on Sept. 18, the 25th anniversary of CIFF is rolling out the glitz and glamour of the movie industry, and Calgarians are invited to meet the creators of a number of the festival’s films up close and personal.
This year, CIFF organizers scheduled 15 different red carpet events, taking place at The Globe Cinema, The Plaza Theatre, Contemporary Calgary, and at Cineplex Chinook Centre.
Brenda Lieberman, Lead Programmer for CIFF, said that the red carpets have been a way for the festival to highlight filmmakers, and to let the public meet and see them in a way they might not otherwise get to.
“I think it’s just a nice added touch, and it makes them feel special. It helps to generate just a bit more awareness within our public and our audience,” she said.
“Then too, you get celebrities who are coming—and each to his own on what they consider a celebrity, we all kind of geek out over a different type of person involved with a film. I was just saying to somebody else that for me, often it’s even the producers of certain titles that I’ve been dying to meet.”
Beyond stars like Leslie Grace, who headlined the gala evening for CIFF at the Jack Singer Concert Hall, and Andrew Phung who is set to walk the final red carpet of the festival, documentary producers like Mike Downey and Alfonso Maiorana have also walked the red carpet for fans.
For many of the red carpets planned, it also means Albertans getting to strut the walk and promote locally made films.
“It’s special and meaningful for everyone who’s on it. And even though we have a lot of them throughout the festival, it is highlighting Alberta, Albertans, and it makes them feel really important and special. And they are: it’s a huge accomplishment to get the films made and then to showcase in a festival and have people coming out to see it,” Lieberman said.
CIFF 2024 red carpets
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