The Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF) is pleased to announce the expansion of its programming operations with the naming of the 2007 Programming Team. This year will mark a new and dynamic approach to the Festival’s programming, which will focus on growing the diversity and breadth and depth of CIFF’s program. The 2007 Programming Team will individually and collectively select the films that will make-up the 8^th annual Festival scheduled to run September 21-30, 2007.

Angela Kempf, CIFF’s Programming Manager, says she is thrilled to expand the CIFF Programming Team with individuals who exemplify a broad base of knowledge and experience. “We are extremely confident in the expertise of our programmers,” explains Kempf, “Their selections will bring added dimension to CIFF’s already exciting, challenging, and entertaining program of world-class films.”

Along with overseeing the Programming Team, Kempf is responsible for programming several series including the Aboriginal Spotlight, Contemporary World Cinema, including a special Spotlight on Brazil, Hump Night, and Art on Film.

Kempf will be joined by the following members of the 2007 Calgary International Film Festival Programming Team:

Film critic LOUIS B. HOBSON has been reviewing and writing about film in Calgary for almost three decades. Hobson will be programming and spearheading the Alberta Centennial Award, celebrating excellence in Short Filmmaking. Louis B. is currently reviewing film for Citytv’s Breakfast Television and Lite 96, as well as radio stations in Ottawa and Kitchener/Waterloo. 

Life long cinephile, filmmaker, and CIFF Festival Operations Manager since 2004, CHRISTIAN ARGYLL, will once again program the American Independent series.

Involved with CIFF since its very first year, PETE HARRIS, is excited to be back in 2007 in the capacity of Canadian Film programmer. Harris currently programs and manages the Plaza Theatre, is involved in the Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers and is on the Board of Directors of the Calgary Underground Film Festival.

WENDY FALLON has held a number of positions at the Festival since 2001, but currently is in the role of engaging young minds with the Films for Families and the Youth Film Series. This year she will target young filmmakers, as well as viewers, with the launch of the “Youth-by-Youth Cinema (YYC)” competition (TBA).

BRENDA LIEBERMAN, co-founder and producer of the Calgary Underground Film Festival, who has scared and amazed audiences with the finest of horror genre films, will take on programming the Late Shows.

With a degree in International Development Studies from the University of Toronto and work experience in Southeast Asia, JANICE DIXON brings first-hand knowledge to the Beyond Borders series.  She has worked for the last two CIFF events.

Joining CIFF this year to program Short Films (‘Shorts’) is JENNIFER CECCONI, a jack-of-all-trades with experience as a film producer, film and book reviewer, and curriculum director for the Toronto International Film Festival's Sprockets children’s film festival.

JASON LEWIS is a writer of entertainment documentaries for a Calgary-based media company and contributing writer to Fast Forward Weekly, who will focus his expertise on the Music on Film Series.

Though her studies focus on business – a diploma in Human Resource management and a degree program in Commerce – film remains a passionate interest for HEATHER PEARSON, who will support the Programming Team in the position of Programming Assistant.

The 8th Annual Calgary International Film Festival, the fourth largest Film Festival in Canada, will be held September 21 to 30, 2007, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Films completed after January 2006 are now being accepted. Early-bird registration runs until June 15, 2007, and the final submission deadline is July 6, 2007. For the PDF form and for more information, see the CIFF 2007 Submissions Regulations and Guidelines page at www.calgaryfilm.com/filmsub.php or contact CIFF Programming at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .