10 Films to Watch at the 2026 Calgary Underground Film Festival

Whether you’re a horror fiend or a documentary aficionado, Canada’s largest genre film festival has a movie you are going to love.

From April 16 to 26, cinephiles and casual movie watchers alike will gather at Globe Cinema for the Calgary Underground Film Festival (CUFF). This year’s festival will show 45 feature films and 35 shorts over the course of 11 days. The lineup includes niche documentaries, offbeat coming-of-age stories and international films starring big names like Adam Scott and Demi Moore.

In between films, be sure to check out festival activities like the All-You-Can-Eat-Cereal Cartoon Party on the morning of April 18, or show off your video game prowess at the fourth edition of the Indie Game Bash on April 25.

If you’re looking for movies unlike anything you’ve seen before, CUFF has plenty to offer. You can grab tickets for individual movies for $12 ($10 for members, students, and seniors), or watch more with a $50 five-film pack or $149 festival pass.

Here are 10 films to check out at this year’s CUFF.

The Fox

When: April 17 and 20

Talking animals aren’t just for kid’s movies, as evidenced by Australian filmmaker Dario Russo’s fantasy-comedy The Fox. The film follows Nick, the heir to a wealthy landowner, who discovers his wife Kori is cheating on him. Nick captures a fox who promises to save his relationship — though it doesn’t go as expected. The Fox features an all-star cast starring Jai Courtney as Nick, Emily Browning as Kori and Olivia Coleman as the voice of the fox.

Saccharine

When: April 18 and 21

In the film Saccharine, medical student Hana takes her weight-loss efforts to the extreme by eating human ashes. As her obsession with weight loss builds, she is tormented by a literal ghost of hunger. For folks that liked The Substance, this Australian body horror from filmmaker Natalie Erika James is sure to make your skin crawl.

Claire’s Hat: The Unmaking of a Film

When: April 19

If you haven’t heard of Canadian director Bruce McDonald’s 2001 film Picture Claire, nobody could blame you. It was a flop, and after screening the film at the 2002 Toronto International Film Festival, McDonald recut the film into Claire’s Hat: The Unmaking of a Film. Constructed like a DVD commentary with funny behind-the-scenes anecdotes of the filmmaking process and rife with self-criticism, Claire’s Hat is a delight for anyone who has worked on a project that hasn’t turned out quite right. Director Bruce McDonald and cast member Callum Keith Rennie will be in attendance.

My Bloody Valentine

When: April 19

It’s the 45th anniversary of Canadian cult slasher My Bloody Valentine, and you can catch the 4K uncut version at this year’s CUFF. Set on Valentine’s Day in the fictional town of Valentine Bluffs, Nova Scotia, a group of rebellious teenagers arrange their own party after the town’s official Valentine’s dance is cancelled. But it was cancelled for good reason — a vengeful cannibalistic killer is on the loose. A film that Quentin Tarantino once called one of his favourite slasher movies, it’s a must-watch for lovers of the genre. As a bonus, director George Mihalka will be in attendance to answer all your burning questions.

Decorado

When: April 19 and 24

If The Truman Show starred an animated mouse, then we might’ve gotten something like Decorado. The film follows Arnold, a middle-aged mouse who’s convinced that the world around him is fake and run by an evil mega corporation. When his suspicions turn out to be true, he and his wife plan for a way to escape in pursuit of true freedom. It’s a darkly comedic take on the themes of social control and authentic human connection.

Young Female Playwright

When: April 22

A 26-year-old playwright sees huge success after the debut of her play at Canada’s National Theatre, but tensions rise when everyone around her interprets the dark contents of the play as autobiographical. This dark comedy examines who is allowed to tell which stories, and what happens when a young writer takes on a story beyond her years. Director Pony Nicole Herauf and screenwriter and cast member Ellie Moon will be in attendance.

Kings of Venice

When: April 22

For folks that love documentaries about topics they know nothing about, Kings of Venice is the perfect pick. It focuses on Venice Beach’s paddle tennis community (If you don’t know what paddle tennis is, don’t worry, the film explains it) and the threat they face when the trendy new pickleball players threaten to take over their courts. Watch a group of oddball paddle tennis players fight in a tournament to keep paddle tennis alive.

The History of Concrete

When: April 23 and 26

It may not sound like the most thrilling watch, but you can’t judge a movie by its title. Applying the principles he learned in a workshop about selling a Hallmark movie, John Wilson (from HBO’s How To with John Wilson) tries to sell a documentary about concrete to network executives. This strange and funny documentary about an everyday building material turns unexpectedly thought-provoking with meditations on life, death and the built world we all live in.

Fifteen

When: April 25

It’s nearly time for best friends Ligia and Mayte’s quinceañera. They’re excited for the glamour, the status and the transition into womanhood — until Ligia goes through a monstrous transformation instead. Fifteen explores themes of consent, power and the pressures faced by growing young women.

Camp

When: April 26

This whimsical and dreamy film follows Emily, a troubled young woman who becomes a camp counsellor. She befriends her fellow counsellors, and embarks on a journey into witchcraft and the power of female friendship. Camp stars a number of Calgary actors and was shot in Alberta. It’s been making waves in the festival circuit, winning the “Next Wave” award at Austin’s Fantastic Fest 2025. Director and screenwriter Avalon Fast, producer Taylor Nodrick and executive producer Michael Peterson will all be in attendance.

The post 10 Films to Watch at the 2026 Calgary Underground Film Festival appeared first on Avenue Calgary.