The 23rd EIFF kicks off Sept. 25th!

Dates have been locked for a year now -- we always kick off on the final Friday in September and go for 9 days. But no matter how much we prepare for in advance, there's always the crush where we have to print the program guide, secure film dates, invite filmmakers, print the marketing materials, the list goes on. So right now we're swimming with the alligators. And immediately following the festival all of us here at EIFF central will ask ourselves the big question 'Will we do it again'?

How we answer that question often comes down to you -- our visiting filmmakers and audiences. It's up to you to show us you support an International Film Festival in Edmonton. To date, festival attendance and awareness has grown steadily over the past 5 years. Thank-you for that. It inspires us. Make it your mission this year to bring just one newbie to the film festival experience. We'd appreciate that!

Over the upcoming weeks, we'll raise the curtain on events happening before and during the festival. Our printed program guide will be available on Sept. 17 through limited SEE magazine boxes and at select Second Cup locations -- but it won't be the hard & fast 'bible' that we'd like it to be. Our festival is very organic, and until the day a film screens, everything can change.

Please check our website for the most up-to-date information. And have fun sampling the cinematic feast we've cooked up for you!

Sneek Peaks

Some of 2008’s most highly-acclaimed and hotly-anticipated titles will be premiering EXCLUSIVELY at the 22nd Edmonton International Film Festival...

Among them:
Jonathan Demme’s RACHEL GETTING MARRIED has already wowed ‘em at TIFF, and the Oscar buzz for star Anne Hathaway is reaching fever pitch. EIFF is pleased to present the exclusive Edmonton premiere of one of this fall’s most anticipated films, Wednesday, October 1st at 7:15pm.

Winner of both the Audience Award AND Grand Jury Prize for Documentary at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, one of 2008’s BEST-reviewed films, the thrilling MAN ON WIRE, screens on Tuesday, September 30th at 6:45pm, as part of our Doc Central series.

Nominated for a 2008 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, Nikita Mikhalkov’s 12 is a brilliant Russian remake of the courtroom classic, 12 ANGRY MEN, and is screening on Monday, September 29th at 9:15pm, part of our World Cinema series.

Kevin Smith’s raucous, raunchy, and rowdy new crowd-pleaser ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO comes to Edmonton for a very special festival screening on Monday, September 29th at 6:45pm. Dispelling any notions that he might ‘mellow with age’, Kevin Smith has delivered his funniest, raunchiest, and yes – sweetest movie to date.

Winner of the Best Screenplay Award at this year’s Phoenix Film Fest, DAKOTA SKYE makes its triumphant Canadian Premiere on Friday, October 3rd, with director John Humber and star Eileen Boylan in attendance! Screening as part of our Contemporary Independents series, see why DAKOTA SKYE is already being hailed as ‘this year’s Juno’ (with a touch of ‘Heroes’ thrown in for good measure!).

Full festival line-up will be online this Wednesday, September 17th! Watch for program guides in the Sept. 18 edition of SEE Magazine.

You Made It!

We've been waiting for you! We're totally gearing up for the 22nd EIFF and are confident that you'll find a film or two that will inspire and, we hope, delight.

Lots of new things going on... how do you like the new site design thanks to Christine and Kim over at Ratcreek -- who, by the way, did all the animation work on the feature film we'll be screening Freezer Burn: Invasion of Laxdale. The nerd is our very own Ryan Parker of the infamous, ukulele cover band The Be Arthurs and hot diva is Marissa Meekins. Huge applause goes out to Dale Roth and Michelle Ramberg of (get this) Roth & Ramberg for taking the snappy photos of Ryan and Marissa, and the uber-talend Mitch Winnicki at Parcom Marketing for his design work.

Keep checking back. We'll post film descriptions and times as quickly as they are confirmed. Get set to feast on films that are reel, and very fabulous!

Welcome to the 2008 Edmonton International Film Festival!

2008 marks the 22nd anniversary of the Edmonton International Film Festival!

MISSION & OBJECTIVE
The Edmonton International Film Festival... international, independent and eye-opening. Our Festival is about 'discovery'. We strive to uncover cinematic gems and celebrate unique voices in movie-making such as directors, writers and producers. EIFF is about films and the people who make them.

Click here for details on submitting your film to the festival. Postmarked entry deadline is June 15, 2008.