Representatives from the community groups choose the film from their country, with the criteria being that they are from the last couple of years and be acclaimed.
There are a number of entries that will live up to European cinema’s reputation for being serious and grim. Bulgaria’s Women Do Cry is about an HIV-positive woman dealing with her country’s homophobia and misogyny. Let There Be Light, from Slovakia, is about a father who must deal with his eldest son’s involvement in a violent para-military youth group.
But the 28 films come in all shapes and sizes. The Last Race, from the Czech Republic, is a fact-based sports drama about a 1913 ski race through the Giant Mountains. Cream is a Hungarian romantic comedy about a jilted woman who founds a pastry shop. Sonata is a feel-good, against-the-odds, Polish drama about a boy who dreams of becoming a concert pianist despite his hearing loss.
The festival relies on its partner organizations for networking and to get the word out about the lineup to their respective communities. But Downton says the festival’s reputation has grown over the years and it often attracts film buffs who are not necessarily from Europe but are curious about its cinema.
“Because we have this unique approach of being a community-based festival where the different participating communities bring in the movies, they are also bringing in their audience,” she says. “But they choose the film, it’s also about sharing it with Calgary and picking themes that address all of our experiences in life. We definitely see people coming who have no connection to the specific ethnic community.”or a schedule and ticket information.