Listen to Christian Zyp interview Janine Marchessault (curator), Leila Sujir (artist/filmmaker) and Catherine Mondragon about a FREE screening presented by the Public Access Collective. On Thursday, October 9 at 7 p.m., see OUTER WORLDS at the Telus World of Science IMAX Theatre in Edmonton. This cross Canada program features five experimental IMAX films by leading Canadian artists: Michael Snow, Lisa Jackson, Oliver Husain, Kelly Richardson, and Leila Sujir. The program is curated by York University professor Janine Marchessault, who will be at the opening of the event.

The evening begins with a rare screening of North of Superior (1971), one of the very first IMAX films ever shown in Canada, returning to Edmonton’s historic IMAX Dome Theatre for this special occasion. Directed by Graeme Ferguson, co-inventor of IMAX, North of Superior was commissioned by Ontario Place for the 1971 opening of the Cinesphere in Toronto, the world’s first permanent IMAX theatre. The film takes the viewer on a breathtakingly immersive tour of the Northern Superior region in Ontario. Its form and techniques would have a massive influence on IMAX documentaries in the decades to follow.

There will be a post screening Q&A with Janine Marchessault and Leila Sujir.

FREE TIX: www.eventbrite.ca/e/outer-worlds-i…ts-1707877731269
LEILA SUJIR WEBSITE: leilasujir.com/
INSTAGRAM: @outerworlds2023
@janinemarchessault
@leilasujir

Mark Davies interviews Woody Bess (writer/director) and Trey Holland (producer/actor) about the feature PORTAL TO HELL. See it as part of the Edmonton International Film FEstival (EIFF) Sat Sep 27th @ 7:00 PM and Wed Oct 1st @ 4:00 PM at Landmark Cinemas 9 City Centre. Woody Bess will be in attendance for a post screening Q&A on Saturday.

PORTAL TO HELL... Dunn (Trey Holland) is a debt collector. His life is interrupted when a demon (Richard Kind) explains in no uncertain terms that he’s come through a portal to drag Dunn’s neighbour, Mr. Bobshank (Keith David), to hell over a debt.

EIFF WEBSITE: edmontonfilmfest.com/films/
INSTAGRAM: @portaltohell
@treyholland

Christian Zyp interviews Julia Neill and Jacob Z. Smith (directors) about their film DANCING ON THE ELEPHANT. See it as part of the Edmonton International FIlm Festival (EIFF) Friday September 26th @ 6:00 PM & Monday September 29th @ 2:00 PM at Landmark Cinemas 9 City Centre. Following each screening, co-director Jacob Smith will be in attendance for a Q&A.

DANCING ON THE ELEPHANT... When Nora’s (Sheila McCarthy) son drops her off at Shady Rest Retirement Home, she’s pretty sure there's not much left to hope for. That is, until unfiltered firecracker Edna (Mary Walsh) wheels into her life and reminds her it ain’t over till it’s over. The pair kindle a friendship around a love of Fat Archies cookies, disdain for “Chair-xercise,” and Edna’s quest to escape the “fox farm.” Edna’s failing memory eventually lands her in the secure memory care wing, leaving Nora to plot one last grand adventure in hopes of reminding her friend there are still elephants left to dance on.

EIFF Website: edmontonfilmfest.com/films/
WEBSITE: www.dancingontheelephant.com/
INSTAGRAM: @dancingonthelephant
@jacobzsmithofgolden

Lucas Anders interviews Adam Scorgie (producer) about the doc BIF NAKED. You can see it as part of the Edmonton International Film Festival (EIFF) Friday September 26th @ 6:30 PM at Metro Cinema at Garneau Theatre. There will be a Q&A and special performance with director Pollyanna Hardwicke-Brown, and stars Peter Karroll and Bif Naked. This interview & film contains discussions of sexual assault and rape.

BIF NAKED... more than just a rock star documentary—it's about a survivor, a poet, and a trailblazer who shattered expectations at every turn. Born in India, adopted by American missionaries, and raised in Canada, Bif’s unconventional upbringing set the stage for a life that would be anything but ordinary. Bursting onto the music scene in the early ‘90s, she carved out a space in the male-dominated punk and alternative rock world with her unmistakable voice, raw lyrics, and fearless attitude. But behind the tattoos, the powerhouse performances, and the rebellious persona, was a woman fighting battles far beyond the stage. From surviving cancer to overcoming addiction, heartbreak, and industry hurdles, Bif has never backed down.

EIFF Website: edmontonfilmfest.com/films/
INSTAGRAM: @bifnakedofficial
@scoreg

Lucas Anders interviews Jessie Anthony (director), Kat McDermott (producer), Bracken Burns (producer), Willow Auguer (junior producer) & Katrinka Scott (producer) about the documentary WHAT WE CARRY. See it as part of the Edmonton International Film Festival (EIFF) on Tuesday September 30th @ 3:30 PM at Landmark Cinemas 9 City Centre on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. There will be a Q&A following this screening with producers/subjects Bracken Burns, Kat McDermott, and Willow Auguer, and writer & subject Katrinka Scott. This film contains discussions of abuse and trauma sustained by residential school survivors.

WHAT WE CARRY... In 1963, a restless Jennifer Notley spots an ad in a teacher’s magazine for a position in Northern Alberta. She leaves her life in England and arrives by bush plane to Wabasca-Desmarais—an isolated place with bad roads, no electricity, limited services, and a residential school. Jennifer taught 5 years at Desmarais Indian Residential School as it transitioned from a residential school to a day school. In 2022, her daughter Katrinka and granddaughter Bracken return to this beautiful northern lakeside community in the heart of Treaty 8 territory (one of the largest Treaty Nations in Canada) with questions, carrying a trunk full of history. Kat McDermott and Willow Auger, both members of the Bigstone Cree nation, introduce Bracken and Katrinka to the community. Together, they open the trunk and open the doors to discovery.

EIFF Website: edmontonfilmfest.com/films/
INSTAGRAM: @whatwecarrydoc

Christian Zyp interviews Omar Mouallem (director) about his short film NADER'S GIRL. See the Premiere of the film as part of Studio A at the Edmonton International Film Festival (EIFF) on Sat Sep 27th @ 6:30 PM at Landmark Cinemas 9 City Centre (Theatre 8). Omar and guests will be in attendance for a post screening Q&A.

NADER’S GIRL is adapted from Saeed Teebi’s short story "Cynthia". It's a darkly funny and sometimes disturbing exploration of masculinity, assimilation and performative allyship. The film follows a lonely Palestinian international student, Nader (Anas Hasan), desperate to fit in with his Western roommates — two misogynistic bros who exploit him for rent money and social currency during a wave of pro-Palestinian campus protests. Hoping to earn their respect, Nader invents a girlfriend named "Cynthia" (Megan Tracz). At first a fantasy of self-validation, Cynthia gradually devolves into a warped projection of Nader’s insecurities as a foreigner. But as reality blurs, he must decide whether to end the illusion or keep clinging to the only 'person' who values him.

TICKETS: edmontonfilmfest.com/films/
WEBSITE: omarmouallem.com/
INSTAGRAM: @omar_aok

Christian Zyp interviews Akash Sherman (director) and Shane Fennessy (producer) about the documentary SINGHS IN THE RING. It's the Opening Night film for the Edmonton International Film Festival (EIFF). See it Thursday September 25th, 2025 @ 6:30 PM at Landmark CInemas 9 CIty Centre. Following the film Akash Sherman, Shane Fennessey, the legendary Gama Singh and Raj Singh from SINGHS IN THE RING will be in attendance for a Q&A.

SINGHS IN THE RING is an exuberant, heart-forward dive into the legacy and impact of Gama Singh, the Canadian Stampede Wrestling icon who turned prejudice into power, and the trials of his son, Raj, in carrying on the family name. Featuring WWE superstars Bret Hart, Chelsea Green, and Jinder Mahal, this doc is an action-packed, joyous homage to the wild, high-flying bygone era—while wrestling with the hard truths of identity, culture, and the challenging echoes of the past that still linger today.

EIFF TICKETS: edmontonfilmfest.com/films/
Website: www.singhsinthering.com/
Instagram: @singhsinthering
X: @singhsinthering

Christian Zyp interviews Maura Smith (director) about the documentary STEVE SCHAPIRO: BEING EVERYWHERE. See it as part of the Edmonton International Film Festival (EIFF) Sunday September 28, 2025 @ 3:00 PM at the Landmark City Centre Cinemas downtown. Maura Smith will be in attendance for a post-screening Q&A.

STEVE SCHAPIRO: BEING EVERYWHERE focuses on the fascinating story of a photographer and photojournalists' entire career in his own gentle and humble words. Steve Schapiro is famous for documenting the Civil Rights Movement and providing America with iconic images to magnify the voices of James Baldwin, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and John Lewis among others. Schapiro also took some of the most classic photographs of Andy Warhol, Muhammad Ali, David Bowie, Ray Charles, Barbra Streisand, The Godfather, Taxi Driver, Bill Evans, Cannonball Adderley, and countless more.

EIFF Website: edmontonfilmfest.com/schedule/
INSTAGRAM: @steveschapirobeingeverywhere
STEVE SHAPIRO WEBSITE: www.steveschapiro.com/index