Sweet Sixteen of the Annual Fairytales Film Festival
Check out the line-up of events for the 16th Annual Fairytales Film Festival out on by the Fairytales Presentation Society
by Kaity Brown, Publishing Editor
The Fairy Tales Film Festival is back – this time celebrating their sweet sixteen!
Running from May 23 to May 25 and then from May 28 to 31, the Festival is loaded with local and international queer films, a little something for everyone, such as “Sexy Shorts”, “But I’m a Cheerleader”, “I’m a Pornstar” and many more.
“As the Festival turns 16 we are on the verge of full adulthood. We are taking steps in new directions, challenging existing boundaries, and ready to party!,” it says on their website.
The event is put on by Calgary’s Fairytales Presentation Society, a non-for-profit dedicated to building a safer and more accepting city by providing diversity education to the community.
Each night hosts a different theme:
• May 23: Opening Night
• May 24: Retro Night
• May 25: Bring-a-Straight Night
• May 28: Centrepiece Night
• May 29: Shorts Night
• May 30: Kink Party
• May 31: Closing Party
Intermittently between films, the week-long festival hosts gatherings, parties and live shows as well.
But the society is really about inclusion. Despite the humour in the “Bring-a-Straight Night”, the Fairytales Presentation Society strives for the inclusion and education for all groups.
“While the term queer often refers to people who are LGBTTQ [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, two-spirit and questioning), Fairytales understands queer to also include those who subscribe to culturally, politically, artistically, and otherwise alternative and innovative ways of contributing to society. We see queer as a vista, a way of looking at the world differently- with an eye towards diversity, criticality and inclusion.”
Beginning in 1999 within the name Calgary Society of Independent Film Makers, the Fairytales Presentations Society started as of Jan. 30, 2004. In the beginning they were a volunteer based organization but now they have achieved federal charitable status, a large sponsorship support network and around 14,000 patrons.
Don’t miss out on a celebration of achievement and of “growing up” for the Fairytales Presentation Society. The showings are happening at The Plaza Theatre 1133 Kensington Rd. NW and various locations around Calgary so be sure to check the calendar of events.
For more information about the event and to purchase tickets, check out the website at http://fairytalesfilmfest.com/ For a full line up of the entertainment, events and films click here.
