The 6th annual Calgary Black Film Festival opens with PASA FAHO, directed by Kalu Oji.
Featuring 42 Films from Around the World. Dynamic, Bold, and Inclusive Programming Amplifying Black Voices and Perspectives — Inspiring the Next Generation of Artists in Film and Beyond.
Full Program & All Access Passes are on sale now at www.CalgaryBlackFilm.com
Calgary, Alberta – (April 23, 2026) The Calgary Black Film Festival (#CBFF26) returns to Calgary for its sixth edition from May 22 to 26, 2026. Created by the Fabienne Colas Foundation and co-presented by Global Calgary, CBFF proudly announces its official programming for 2026. The hybrid festival features 42 impactful films from Canadian and international filmmakers, with screenings hosted in person at The Globe Cinema (617 8 Ave SW), panel discussions and workshops at the Calgary Memorial Park Library (1221 2 St SW) and online across Canada.
The kick-off to the festival features the award-winning Calgary debut of Pasa Faho, an exclusive red carpet and an after-party. Calgarians are invited to the Opening Night celebration on May 22, 2026, at the Globe Cinema at 7 p.m. Tickets are available now on the CBFF website. The festival brings audiences in Calgary and across Canada together to celebrate diverse talent and reflect on the experiences and challenges of Black creators.
“As we launch the 6th Calgary Black Film Festival, we are deepening our impact. Calgary audiences are hungry for diversity, and by championing bold Black filmmakers, we continue to tear down barriers and build a stage where authenticity has no limits. We aren’t just creating awareness; we are taking real action. Action to amplify Black voices. Action to open doors. Action to unite communities through the power of cinema. Join us to experience the brilliance of Black film and help build a future where every story is finally heard,” says Fabienne Colas, President and Founder of the Montreal, Toronto, Halifax, Ottawa, Calgary and Vancouver Black Film Festivals.
Pasa Faho isexecutive produced by Mimo Mukii, Ivy Mutuku and Loani Arman, and written and directed by Kalu Oji. The film stars Tyson Palmer. This film is a story based on Kalu Oji’s deeply personal real-life experiences, highlighting the importance of fatherhood, responsibility and reconnection in parenthood. This captivating film explores the silent friction of pride and duty, depicting a father and son’s desperate search for common ground before their world collapses entirely.
CBFF recognizes the support of Calgary Arts Development, the Government of Alberta, Telefilm Canada, Zaza Production, Calgary Public Library and the Fabienne Colas Foundation’s Festwave Institute. The Festival is also supported by the Foundation’s Black Film Festivals in Montreal, Toronto, Halifax, Ottawa and Vancouver.
Beginning at 9 p.m. on May 22nd, the festival expands beyond the in-person celebration as most films become available online until May 26, 2026.
CENTRAL PIECES
The sixth edition highlights several essential cinematic works. Of Mud and Blood, directed by Jean-Gabriel Leynaud, exposes the harsh realities of mining in the Congo through intimate storytelling. Also featured is Muganga, celui qui soigne (Muganga, The One Who Treats), executive-produced by Angelina Jolie and starring Isaach de Bankolé, a powerful portrait of healing and resilience.
The #CBFF26 lineup also includes must-see short films:
- Nomad’s Back
- Same Difference
- Leaving Ikorodu in 1999
- Home
- Beyond the Dark Glass
- To…Or Not To
- Out of Tune
- I Am Pleased
- Study Hall
CANADIAN SPOTLIGHT (ONLINE ONLY)
The Canadian Spotlight is a special showcase highlighting outstanding cinematic works that explore Black realities through a Canadian lens. All 8 titles will be available online from May 22–26, 2026.
- Subjects of Desire – Jennifer Holness
- Someone Like Me (Une Personne Comme Moi) – Sean Horlor & Steve J. Adams
- Il n’y a pas de faux métier – Olivier Godin
- Rumba Rules, Nouvelles Généalogies – David N. Bernatchez & Sammy Baloji
- Zo Reken – Emanuel Licha
- Kite Zo A: Leave the Bones – Kaveh Nabatian
- Stateless – Michèle Stephenson
- Dope is Death – Mia Donovan
SPECIAL EVENTS
FABIENNE COLAS FOUNDATION’S BEING BLACK IN CANADA
Presented by Netflix, in collaboration with National Bank, and supported by Telefilm Canada.
May 23 | Globe Cinema | 5 p.m.
The Being Black in Canada program supported 30 Black Canadian filmmakers in creating their first documentary short films. In Calgary, Vancouver, and Toronto, screenings will take place in person with the Calgary, Vancouver and Toronto cohorts, while the Halifax, Montreal, and Ottawa cohorts will be available online only.
THE CBFF BLACK MARKET
Presented by Festwave Institute | May 23 and 24, Calgary Memorial Park Library & Online
The Black Market returns IN PERSON and ONLINE! Join us for free, industry-focused panels and workshops offering practical insights, tools, and strategies to support your craft and grow your career, plus dynamic conversations and networking opportunities to connect with the community.
IN-PERSON DISCUSSIONS and WORKSHOPS | May 23, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Calgary Memorial Library
● The Digital Handshake: Why a Great Headshot Matters – Join photographer Fred Smith (Kallos Studio) for an essential session on mastering your professional image. Featuring a special-priced photo session with him.
● Spotlight Stories: Film Industry Q&A Series: Discover the craft of impactfulstorytellingwith Award-Winning Filmmaker Nico Abote
● WORKSHOP – Funding Your Vision – With Nick Haywood, Arts Development Consultant, Film and Video (Alberta Foundation for the Arts). Learn how to identify grants and master the application process for film and video projects
May 23, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. Globe Cinema
Young Gifted and Black – BEING BLACK IN CANADA FILM SCREENINGS with the (2025 Calgary, Toronto & Vancouver Cohort), including From Script to Screen: Q&A with Calgary filmmaker Mary Yohannes Getaneh, discussing her creative vision, technical process, and the unique experience of bringing her story to life as part of this year’s cohort.
ONLINE on YOUTUBE | May 24, 4 p.m.
● The Digital Handshake: Why a Great Headshot Matters – Join photographer Fred Smith (owner of Kallos Studio) for an essential session on mastering your professional image.
The #CBFF26 ALL ACCESS IN-PERSON PASS gives access to the entire In-person programming for $59 (+tx/fees). The ALL ACCESS ONLINE PASS is available for $49 (+tx/fees). Single tickets for regular films are available for $12; Opening Film only for $25, and the VIP OPENING NIGHT TICKET, which gives access to all films, red carpet and the afterparty, $100 (+tx/fees). All can be purchased on the Festival’s website and in person during the Festival (prices are subject to taxes & fees)
For the complete #CBFF26 programming and events, visit www.CalgaryBlackFilm.com
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For media inquiries, please contact:
Kristina Wheeler
PARKER PR
kristina@parkerpr.ca
403-819-0732
About the Calgary Black Film Festival – #CBFF26
The Calgary Black Film Festival (CBFF), an independent not-for-profit organization initially created by the Fabienne Colas Foundation, is about discovery and inclusion. CBFF wants to amplify more Black voices and showcase relevant Black films from here and abroad while creating a space to debate major cultural, social, and socio-economic issues. The Calgary Black Film Festival is dedicated to giving unique voices in cinema the opportunity to present audiences with new ways of looking at the world. CBFF aspires to fuel the growth and encourage the development of the independent film sector and advocate for more films depicting the realities of Black people worldwide.
About the Fabienne Colas Foundation
The Fabienne Colas Foundation (FCF) is Canada’s largest Black cultural organization. Created in 2005, the FCF is a not-for-profit arts organization dedicated to fostering education in the arts and enhancing the appreciation by the public for the arts – while also promoting Diversity and Inclusion in Cinema, Art and Culture in Canada and abroad. Along with Zaza production, the Fabienne Colas Foundation is also the creator of 12 Festivals, including the highly successful Montreal Black Film Festival, the hugely popular Toronto Black Film Festival, the Halifax Black Film Festival, as well as several other successful Festivals in Canada, the USA, Haiti and Brazil. These initiatives/festivals have showcased and supported over 10,000 artists and attracted over 2 million festival-goers. The Foundation is also the creator of the FCF’s Being Black in Canada program, Canada’s largest incubator dedicated to Black Filmmakers and Festwave Institute, created to empower the next generation of Black & underrepresented film & TV professionals.
