Our Mission

The Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers is an inclusive, non-profit, arts-based society that exists to fuel filmmakers, support storytellers, and connect the cinematic community. By encouraging filmmaking as art, reflecting and challenging our changing cultural landscape through production, exhibition and distribution of the filmmaker's work.

CSIF provides access to workshops and clubs, production and post-production equipment, mentorships, and programming- including the annual Artifact Film Festival - one of only a few festivals worldwide that exhibits exclusively on small-format celluloid!

About Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers

CSIF was founded in 1978 by a collective of twelve filmmakers who saw the growing need for film resources and film equipment in Calgary. Throughout the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, funding was established through the Canada Council for the Arts, the Alberta Foundation for the Arts and the Calgary Region Art Foundation to provide the equipment and resources for independent filmmakers in Calgary. Memberships grew as did interest in learning the techniques of 8mm and 16mm filmmaking so workshops were introduced to increase the skill level of members. 

In 1998 CSIF partnered with the Gay and Lesbian Services Community Association to present the first annual FairyTales International Queer Film Festival which has become one of the leading LGBT film festivals in Canada.

Many of our members have gone on to excel in the Canadian independent film industry due to their hard work and imagination, aided by CSIF’s focus on production, exhibition and providing resources such as workshops and information sharing. Members today are still benefiting from this focus and, as their technical needs diversify and change, CSIF attempts to keep up with these changes.  

Now in our 40th year of operations, we remain an integral part of the growing cultural community in Calgary, and are excited for new collaborations and opportunities.