2017 Edmonton International Film Festival gets underway in Alberta’s capital

The 31st annual Edmonton International Film Festival (EIFF) gets underway on Thursday and will have Alberta’s capital buzzing with big screen productions for nine days and nine nights.

The EIFF’s mission is to “present an annual celebration of cinema” and this year, the event features 140 films from 32 different countries around the world.

Listen below: EIFF producer Kerrie Long on The Alberta Morning News on Saturday:

Over the years, the EIFF has drawn some high-profile attendees from the world of film and beyond including Werner Herzog, John Waters, Norman Jewison, Bruce McDonald, Don McKellar, Deepa Mehta, Naomi Klein among others.

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In 2016, the EIFF was designated as an “Oscar qualifying” film festival by the the Academy of Motion Picture and Sciences, meaning juried winners in the EIFF’s Best Short Film (Live Action) and Best Short Film (Animation) categories can advance in the OSCAR nomination process.

READ MORE: Edmonton International Film Festival selected as Oscar-qualifying festival

For more information on the EIFF, the films being screened in 2017 and the entire festival schedule, click here.