International Documentaries about a variety of life and death experiences. The struggles of humanity but also the hopefulness and resiliency.

Watching a child learn how to swim is like witnessing a great opera. It is a story filled with intense agony and ecstasy, absurdism, fear, hope, despair, joy, connection and love. Some vomit. And belching. Lots of belching. The maestro of this emotional orchestra is Bill Marsh. Bill makes kids feel safe and free and respectful of the water and their place in it. He’s basically Mr. Rogers in chlorine. Swimming is the closest human beings will ever get to flying. And there is no greater joy (or fear) than watching your kid take the leap. Watching Bill teach kids how to swim is the parable we need, because inside his lessons are profound universal truths.We see this film not as a biography of Bill, but as kids learning how to Swim through Bill’s teachings, which becomes beloved wisdom for us all.

A SWIM LESSON

Kids learn to swim - and, in their lessons, we discover profound wisdom for all.

As the biggest Chinese restaurant in the US, KOWLOON is a fantasyland that represents the Wong family’s American Dream come true. However, as third-generation owner Bobby Wong and his brothers approach their seventies, they consider the weight of their family and community legacy.

KOWLOON!

KOWLOON, the biggest Chinese restaurant in the US, is a fantasyland that represents the Wong family's American Dream come true.

Between loads of laundry at the corner laundromat, Cooper (Cooper Josephine Holt) shares the story of her gender reassignment journey. Piecing together her memories from her childhood in a small fishing village through her tumultuous medical process, Cooper attempts to make peace with the last male imprint remaining on her body: that annoying deep voice that sticks to her skin.

HELLO STRANGER

Between loads of laundry at the corner laundromat, Cooper shares the tumultuous story of her gender reassignment journey.

BRIGHT WHITE LIGHT is a short animated documentary exploring near-death experiences through five culturally diverse narratives, using real audio recordings. Through experimental visuals, it guides viewers on a transcendent voyage beyond mortality, unveiling how these experiences profoundly impact the essence of life, blurring the boundaries between existence and the mysteries of the afterlife.

English

BRIGHT WHITE LIGHT

BRIGHT WHITE LIGHT explores near-death experiences through real audio recordings, unveiling the boundaries of life and the mysteries of the afterlife.

While reliving memories, images, and conversations, downhill skateboarder Melissa endeavors to create a tribute to her friend Pastrana. As she retrieves the past, with the assistance of her friends and family, Pastrana's inherent presence helps her fill the silence left behind and gain a deeper understanding of time.

PASTRANA

While downhill skateboarder Melissa relives memories of a friendship, Pastrana’s inherent presence helps her gain a deeper understanding of time.

CHRISTMAS, EVERY DAY gives a slice-of-life glimpse of preteen influencers Peyton and Lyla Wesson, ages 11 and 12, as they perform for their online fans under their mother’s watchful guidance. Shot in a series of highly composed, locked-off takes, the film examines everyday cultural practice under late stage capitalism, juxtaposing rural life with the patina of the virtual world. As Peyton and Lyla shift between performance and reality, ideas of self-presentation as empowerment, female confidence, and self-branding come to the fore.

CHRISTMAS, EVERY DAY

From their rural Alabama home, two preteen girls market fashion and beauty products to thousands of online fans.

As kids in a small Quebec town, sisters Eisha and Seema made an innocent decision to go on a diet. United by their mission to lose weight, the pair became more than sisters, they became soul mates. However, what began as a carefree project took a dark turn, pushing Eisha to the very brink of death in a battle with Anorexia. Decades later, in this stunning documentary, Eisha addresses a tender love letter to the troubled girl she once was, reaching contemporary audiences with a timely reflection on body image and self-acceptance. Content Warning: Discussions of Eating Disorders &amp; Depictions of Self-harm

AM I THE SKINNIEST PERSON YOU'VE EVER SEEN?

Two young sisters make an innocent decision to go on a diet, kickstarting a life-long battle against anorexia.

SHORTS: REFLECTION

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All of our shorts packages will play in cinema first, then be available to stream online. Watch any shorts package starting September 26th at 10:00am MST and start watching the package by September 29th at 11:59pm MST.

The 25th Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF) takes place September 19 -29 in the city of Calgary, Canada.

Here's what's coming up soon. Can't make it? No sweat. Many live streams will be available for on-demand viewing as well.