CUFF Press

If you ever find yourself wishing you could see more romantic comedies, teenage gross-out movies or other films that generally offend intelligence, stop reading this article and don’t attend the first-ever Calgary Underground Film Festival (CUFF). However, if you have a hankering to see film and video of a thematically dissident or stylistically innovative nature, CUFF is promising to represent marginal work in this city.

Six industry people, who know the meaning of the word alternative, noticed a lot of solid work that didn’t fit the various screening mandates of Calgary’s current festival scene or artist-run centers such as the Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers (CSIF) or EMMEDIA, or art house cinemas like The Plaza or The Uptown.

The idea came from Andy Eyck, programming director and co-founder of the Calgary International Film Festival, and Brian Batista, production co-ordinator at EMMEDIA. Shortly after they put their heads together, they joined forces with Brenda Lieberman, the current programming co-ordinator at Fairy Tales International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival.

Part of CUFF’s goal is to provide a forum for local media artists and filmmakers to show their work. "At EMMEDIA, we have a lot of members who are making things that are not getting shown, because it’s not appropriate for the CIFF, it doesn’t fit their mandate or what they want," says EMMEDIA’s programming co-ordinator Kari McQueen. "It doesn’t fit Fairy Tales because it’s not gay/lesbian, maybe it doesn’t fit Herland because it’s not feminist. Maybe it doesn’t fit the CSIF because it’s video, or EMMEDIA because it’s film," Her comments get you wondering why there can’t be one all-inclusive non-mainstream festival representing all of the above.

"These mini festivals are filling a niche," says Eyck, who has noticed a drop in variety at Calgary’s art house cinemas. "It’s a totally positive aim to provide Calgary with the greatest variety of film possible."

McQueen also mentions that CUFF is timed right after the $100 Film Festival, put on by the CSIF, which is strictly film-based.
"It’s a valuable festival, that’s why we picked our time slot after it," she says. "It’s really important to us to complement what’s going on in the city and not take away from existing things."

As for CUFF’s contribution to Calgary’s festival lineup, they looked for material that wouldn’t stand a chance of being shown anywhere else in the city, but that also met their standards for quality. "We all ask ourselves, ‘Would I want to pay money to go and see this?’ Is this going to keep an audience engaged? – because that’s really crucial. We’ll be showcasing a lot of local talent in the shorts package, and in shorts that precede the features," says McQueen, adding that many of the shorts are more experimental in nature. In keeping with their unconventional ethos, the screenings won’t be held at a movie theatre but at The Venue, a new bar that is hosting CUFF as its inaugural event. McQueen estimates they will have a capacity of 100 for the screenings.

"It’s something different, in that people will be able to watch films, have a drink and enjoy live music as a part of an evening’s entertainment," says Eyck.

While CUFF is committed to representing local talent, their programming also reflects a national awareness of alternative video and film. McQueen mentions how EMMEDIA members would come in and mention great films they’ve seen at festivals in other cities, and lament the fact that there’s no room for it in Calgary’s screening milieu. "It’s a common complaint we’re hearing – there’s just no venue for it," says McQueen. Prompted by these complaints, the group’s idea for a festival gelled and the planning began roughly one year ago. Luckily, securing sponsorship was not the Herculean task they expected.

"It was really refreshing how easily people have jumped on board to help us out and it’s been really rewarding that people in the community are liking the idea and wanting to support it," says McQueen, citing in particular the support from the Calgary Region Arts Foundation.
McQueen thinks now is a good time for an underground festival to emerge in Calgary.
"I think that people are starting to become more aware of media arts and filmmaking in Calgary. I think they want content, they want something unusual, they want something different."

Judging from the sense these six individuals have of Calgary’s film and media zeitgeist, the CUFF is on its way to an auspicious beginning.

	CUFF Reviews 2004

	Working with the Underground: Local cinematic intelligentsia unveil the Calgary Underground Film Festival
	FILM by Andrea Huck, FFWD Weekly April 15, 2004

	If you ever find yourself wishing you could see more romantic comedies, teenage gross-out movies or other films that generally offend intelligence, stop reading this article and don’t attend the first-ever Calgary Underground Film Festival (CUFF). However, if you have a hankering to see film and video of a thematically dissident or stylistically innovative nature, CUFF is promising to represent marginal work in this city. Six industry people, who know the meaning of the word alternative, noticed a lot of solid work that didn’t fit the various screening mandates of Calgary’s current festival scene or artist-run centers such as the Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers (CSIF) or EMMEDIA, or art house cinemas like The Plaza or The Uptown. The idea came from Andy Eyck, programming director and co-founder of the Calgary International Film Festival, and Brian Batista, production co-ordinator at EMMEDIA. Shortly after they put their heads together, they joined forces with Brenda Lieberman, the current programming co-ordinator at Fairy Tales International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. Part of CUFF’s goal is to provide a forum for local media artists and filmmakers to show their work. "At EMMEDIA, we have a lot of members who are making things that are not getting shown, because it’s not appropriate for the CIFF, it doesn’t fit their mandate or what they want," says EMMEDIA’s programming co-ordinator Kari McQueen. "It doesn’t fit Fairy Tales because it’s not gay/lesbian, maybe it doesn’t fit Herland because it’s not feminist. Maybe it doesn’t fit the CSIF because it’s video, or EMMEDIA because it’s film," Her comments get you wondering why there can’t be one all-inclusive non-mainstream festival representing all of the above. "These mini festivals are filling a niche," says Eyck, who has noticed a drop in variety at Calgary’s art house cinemas. "It’s a totally positive aim to provide Calgary with the greatest variety of film possible." McQueen also mentions that CUFF is timed right after the $100 Film Festival, put on by the CSIF, which is strictly film-based. "It’s a valuable festival, that’s why we picked our time slot after it," she says. "It’s really important to us to complement what’s going on in the city and not take away from existing things." As for CUFF’s contribution to Calgary’s festival lineup, they looked for material that wouldn’t stand a chance of being shown anywhere else in the city, but that also met their standards for quality. "We all ask ourselves, ‘Would I want to pay money to go and see this?’ Is this going to keep an audience engaged? – because that’s really crucial. We’ll be showcasing a lot of local talent in the shorts package, and in shorts that precede the features," says McQueen, adding that many of the shorts are more experimental in nature. In keeping with their unconventional ethos, the screenings won’t be held at a movie theatre but at The Venue, a new bar that is hosting CUFF as its inaugural event. McQueen estimates they will have a capacity of 100 for the screenings. "It’s something different, in that people will be able to watch films, have a drink and enjoy live music as a part of an evening’s entertainment," says Eyck. While CUFF is committed to representing local talent, their programming also reflects a national awareness of alternative video and film. McQueen mentions how EMMEDIA members would come in and mention great films they’ve seen at festivals in other cities, and lament the fact that there’s no room for it in Calgary’s screening milieu. "It’s a common complaint we’re hearing – there’s just no venue for it," says McQueen. Prompted by these complaints, the group’s idea for a festival gelled and the planning began roughly one year ago. Luckily, securing sponsorship was not the Herculean task they expected. "It was really refreshing how easily people have jumped on board to help us out and it’s been really rewarding that people in the community are liking the idea and wanting to support it," says McQueen, citing in particular the support from the Calgary Region Arts Foundation. McQueen thinks now is a good time for an underground festival to emerge in Calgary. "I think that people are starting to become more aware of media arts and filmmaking in Calgary. I think they want content, they want something unusual, they want something different." Judging from the sense these six individuals have of Calgary’s film and media zeitgeist, the CUFF is on its way to an auspicious beginning.

	Seven films you won't see in the mainstream
	Alexandra Burroughs Wednesday, April 14, 2004 Calgary Herald

	Typically, a cultural movement ceases to be "underground" when mainstream media starts yapping about it. So as the largest circulating daily newspaper in the city, we run a risk of altering the essence of the The Calgary Underground Film Festival just by writng this. But with experimental films by some of the industry's most important alternative filmmakers, including Canada's own Guy Maddin - it's a risk worth taking. There's a lot of film falling through the cracks in Calgary," says Kari McQueen, a member of the festival's organizing collective responsible for choosing just seven feature films from more than 100, which have been shown at international film festivals this year. "This gives a voice to filmmakers, video-makers and audiences who want to see movies that you're not going to get in mainstream film or cinema." The first Calgary Underground Film Festival (CUFF), runs April 15 through 17 and features provocative, full-full length films that defy conventional form, style and content. The three day film fest, which organizers hope will become an annual event, will take place at The Venue, the city's newest nightclub, where movie buffs can enjoy a pint of beer during a flick and stick around after credits roll for live music by local DJs and bands. "The Venue is a big part of the festival experience, " says Andrew Eyck, programmer at CUFF. "We wanted to give Calgarians the chance to enjoy this kind of film in a laid-back setting." Offered in this unique theatre is CUFF's small but impressive roster of experimental films. They cover an endless offbeat spectrum, from the unique Japanese Anime flick Tamala 2010: A Punk Cat to the hip-hop documentary Five Sides of a Coin by Calgary-born filmmaker Paul Kell. One of the most anticipated movies is Cowards Bend the Knee by Guy Maddin, arguably Canada's foremost avant-garde filmmaker. "Although it contradicts the whole idea of underground and experimental film, we want to bring underground, independent, experimental film into the mainstream," says Joe Kelly, a local filmmaker whose latest video installation, entitled Protovision, is screening at the Art Gallery of Calgary as part of CUFF's three day celebration. "It's the kind of filmmaking that's important becuase it's art. Anyone can learn to appreciate it as long as they don't come in expecting a sitcom. All experimentalism influences the mainstream. A lot of people who make TV commercials are independent filmmakers who need to make money, so these same artists are using their experience as independent media artists to create commercial media because they want to buy food and pay the rent." The Calgary International Film Festival and smaller organizations such as the Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers and Quickdraw Animation Society are fostering a growing demand for independent film in Calgary. "Is there a demand for more independent film in Calgary? We think there is," says McQueen. "But the only way to find out is to do this and see if we get the audience." When local arts administrators, festival organizers and media artists created CUFF last year, they enlisted the help of the Calgary Region Arts Foundation, local businesses and volunteers to launch the city's newest festival. McQueen says the hope is to turn CUFF into an annual affair. "It's not just about adult content. It's not just about same-sex sex scenes, or something mainstream audiences might find shocking. It's about challenging content. It's about things that are subversive, " she says. "Its about things that are strictly experimental and - yes - it's about film that people in the mainstream might not want to see."

	Tamala 2010 to Screen at Calgary Underground Film Festival
	Posted on 2004-04-09 11:18:28 By Mo-chan EVENT: CALGARY UNDERGROUND FILM FESTIVAL MOVIE: TAMALA 2010: A PUNK CAT IN SPACE Anime Alberta

	The Calgary Underground Film Festival is presenting an anime release next Thursday as part of their 2004 event, and if you can attend, it's something you don't want to miss. "Tamala 2010" is one of the most bizarre anime ever made - when screened at Animethon last year, audiences walked out of the room with uniformly flabbergasted looks on their faces. It's in Calgary now, and if your taste in anime slips into the utterly wacky, this movie is for you. From their press release: "Tamala 2010 brings new meaning to Hello Kitty. Tamala begins with a series of seeming unrelated scenes as the story follows the one year old anti - animé punk cat. The plot thickens with the introduction of an ancient cat cult, Catty & Co., threats of world domination, love, and the mysteries of Tamala herself." Still with us? The pictures on the right don't do it justice - it's quite a different anime experience. Check this one out when it hits next week, and while you're at it don't forget the rest of the CUFF's selection of underground flicks.

	CUFF Reviews 2005




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