It is one of just a small handful of festivals in the world to exclusively screen small format film.
Originally known as the $100 Film Festival, Artifact Small Formal Film Festival is Calgary’s ONLY film festival dedicated to the rich, humble, personality filled beauty of small-format celluloid film. Originating in 1992 with spirit and a handful of rolls of Super 8 film the original challenge was simple, make a short film for under $100. However, the vision quickly outgrew the budget.
The festival slowly evolved, welcoming 16mm film and then ditching the financial constraints that preceded that change. From a shoestring budget and ingenuity to showcasing the beauty and artistry of analog film. In 2017 they officially changed their name to Artifact.
It is one of just a small handful of festivals in the world to exclusively screen small format film. A pilgrimage for fans of the format and medium, Artifact helps breathe life into a very niche film community.
This year Artifact will be taking place over 4 days, running Thursday April 3rd until Sunday April 6th. Thursday, opening night, has a special feature airing. Vito A. Rowland’s “Ovid, New York”, this film is “Seven tales of transformation poetically reimagine Ovid’s Metamorphoses and paint a picture of violence and catharsis, anchored in mythical landscapes” will be airing tonight. Friday has 9 films airing. Saturday is a workshop with Sandy McLennan, an intro to black and white film where filmmakers will explore photochemical black and white image making, understanding how light chemistry works! There will also be a Secret Cinema Screening at CSIF, including some classic Hollywood cinema projected on 16mm film. On closing night of their 30th festival they’ll celebrate international and homegrown films alike, opening with highlights curated from global submissions before moving onto the <$100 section of the night.
If you’re looking for a new obsession, a new way to experience film, or just something to do this weekend we highly recommend checking out Artifact Small Format Film Festival for something exciting to throw into the mix!