AMAAS recently asked festival producer Brenda Lieberman some questions about the upcoming Calgary Underground Film Festival, running April 15-21 at the Globe Cinema in Calgary. Check out this year’s fantastic line-up (and buy tickets early to avoid disappointment…).
Brenda Lieberman, CUFF Festival Producer
[click image for recent FFWD article on CUFF: photo by Josh Naud]
B) Like a huge accomplishment… and super exciting. I feel really proud of ourselves. When we started we weren’t sure if the festival had an audience for what we wanted to do, and now we wish we could do more all year round.
A) How would you describe the festival today? Has the description changed from year one?
B) We originally wanted to have more horror films when we started, but ended up being much more diverse in our genres. Mostly realizing there were lots of quirky, provocative … and diverse festival films we can screen that were not getting an opportunity to screen in Calgary otherwise. So now we focus on a wide variety of genres, styles and basically international films that target a range of niche audiences.
A) Can you pick one highlight from the last 9 years that you are especially proud of?
B) I’d have to say the 25th Anniversary of RAD, the movie from 1986. Such a huge weekend of events, guests and fan love. It was a massive undertaking and meant so much to so many people from around the world – but mostly Calgarians. Hard to express what an amazing feeling it was, and how many people it impacted. Plus the collaborations were incredible.
A) What is the role of a festival like yours in Calgary and Alberta?
B) To constantly challenge, entertain, connect and provide! To be a festival our audience (and potential audience) can look to for the best in new independent genre films, exposing them to works they may otherwise overlook and be able to follow through with what they want to see presented. In the end, we always make sure to create a fun festival environment, that is social, collaborative & innovative.
A) What will CUFF look like at 20?
B) A much bigger version of today!!
A) Thanks Brenda! We wish you and the CUFF gang an excellent festival – and don’t forget to eat! [official Provincial Arts Service Organization advice to all festival programmers…]
