Western sets stage for CIFF as locals shine on red carpet
It may have seemed like a bit of genre confusion Wednesday night at the Jack Singer Concert Hall.
But the opening gala of the Calgary International Film Festival officially began with what looked like an astronaut and two robots walking the red carpet, perhaps on loan from the overlapping Beaker head Festival.
It gave it all a bit of a surreal vibe. Because it was not a sci-fi film, of course, but the highly anticipated western The Sisters Brothers that would be the first film to screen at the 2018 edition of the festival. It’s the first time since the festival’s 2007 opening gala screening of The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford that a western kicked off the festivities in Calgary.
It is also the highest-profile opening film at the festival since Jesse James, which unfortunately meant that no one from the starfilled cast nor director Jacques Audiard, who recently picked up a best-director win at the Venice International Film Festival, were on hand Wednesday night. Rumours swirling around the crowd that Jake Gyllenhaal, who also stars in the film, would make an appearance proved inaccurate.
“We can’t win them all,” said Stephen Schroeder, executive director of the festival. “We never know when we book the film for the opening gala if any guest from the film can make it. I saw this movie and I said, ‘That’s the opening gala, for sure.’ We knew it would be a risk because it’s very, very hard to get people of Jake Gyllenhaal and John C. Reilly and Jacques Audiard’s calibre. They do maybe one or two festivals. But our business model is not celebrity sightings. It’s nice to have them here, but what we want to do is show this film to our audience.”
So the red carpet featured mostly locals Wednesday night, which is perhaps fitting given that the festival has always highlighted Albertashot films.
Calgary talent such as actorproducer Julian Black Antelope, actor-comedian Andrew Phung of Kim’s Convenience, stuntman Brent Woolsey and veteran horse wrangler John Scott also walked the red carpet.
Calgary filmmakers included Gary Burns and Donna Brunsdale, whose film Man Running will be screened at the festival. Also on hand was director Gillian McKercher, whose oil industry satire Circle of Steel is getting its world premiere here.
“It feels fitting,” McKercher said. “The film was made for these people, for Albertans and Calgarians, so I’m glad that the first time we’re sharing it is with the intended audience. I’m nervous but I’m excited.”
Ironically, the Sisters Brothers was almost shot in Alberta a few years back. Scott, an Alberta film industry veteran, was initially set to work on it.
“It was supposed to be made here and then they pulled it out and took it to Europe,” he said. “It was pretty sad. I hope it’s a good picture. It was a good script.”
The Calgary International Film Festival will run at various venues in Calgary, featuring films from around the world. Schroeder, who said early ticket sales are in line with last year, challenged audiences to expand their horizons when attending the festival this year.
“I would say see a shorts package,” says Schroeder. “See an Alberta film like Circle of Steel or Man Running, and also buy a six-pack (of tickets) and dive in. The average audience member sees four films. So, see if you can see five. Push yourself to be above average.”
The Calgary International Film Festival runs until Sept. 30. Visit calgaryfilm.com.
We never know when we book the film for the opening gala if any guest from the film can make it.