Short Film Night - CEFF 2026

Short Film Night at the Calgary European Film Festival 2026
1. Gaia’s Children (2026) | 13mGenre: Magical Realism, ArthouseCountry: Canada / UkraineDirector: Roman HenseStory by: Vernon Frolick
A Ukrainian teenage girl, uprooted by war and the murder of her family, wanders through a foreign city in a dissociated haze. Seeking help yet unsure whom to trust, she falls into the hands of a false church that promises healing but poisons her instead. That betrayal invokes a mysterious intervention by Grace, which gifts her the experience of another life, a powerful yet fragile and brief existence; and then, resurrected once more, she is freed. Blending mysticism with the psychology of trauma, the film explores exile, betrayal, mythic transformation, and the enduring human spirit.
2. Ad lib (2025) | 3m 23sGenre: Drama, PsychologicalMedia: Stop-MotionCountry: CanadaDirector: Victoria Chirciu
Caught between her family's expectations at the dinner table, a young woman escapes into a surreal theatre stage inside her mind. There she must piece together her identity and decide whether to keep playing the role she's been given.
3. Vaterland or A Bule Named Yanto (2026) | 25mGenre: Fiction, DramaCountry: Germany / IndonesiaDirector: Berthold Wahjudi
When German-Indonesian Yanto (mid 20s) visits his younger sister in Yogyakarta, he expects a simple reunion – until he realises she belongs more effortlessly than he ever has. As envy and dissonance between siblings surface, Yantos' journey becomes a bittersweet exploration of mixed-race identity.
4. Dammi (2023) | 19mGenre: DramaCountry: France / UKDirector: Yann Mounir Demange
Returning to Paris, his birthplace, a man moves through memories of his past and surreal fragments of the present, searching for connection with his estranged father. On his journey, he meets a French Algerian woman who welcomes him into her world. As their intimacy grows, he is confronted with his shame and fears while exploring his lost Arab identity… Behind Paris is Algiers.
All films at CEFF are presented in their original language with English subtitles.
The 15th Edition of the festival will take place from November 6 to November 15, 2026, at La Cité des Rocheuses Theatre. You can view the full program on our website.