Lights, camera, action! 2018 Edmonton International Film Festival begins

The 32nd annual Edmonton International Film Festival (EIFF) will officially begin on Thursday, Sept. 27 and will have Alberta’s capital buzzing with big screen productions, gala screenings, filmmaker chats, exciting food collaborations, veteran and emerging talent.

EIFF 2018 is an Oscar-qualifying festival, 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.

This year, EIFF will screen more than 150 films from over 50 countries, ranging from short to feature-length, dramatic to documentary, comedy to devastating, studio to independent.

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

It will kick off on Sept. 27 with the opening night gala and a screening of The Grizzlies, a true story based on a group on Inuit students in the small Arctic town of Kugluktuk.

The festival will wrap on Oct. 6 with a screening of The Push, a documentary that follows Grant Korgan who, just five months after his wedding, fractured his L1 vertebrae while filming a snowmobiling segment in the Sierra Nevada backcountry. The screening will be followed by an after-party closing night gala.

To buy tickets to this year’s film festival, click here.

You can view a complete EIFF 2018 schedule here.

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

Todd James will be reviewing films and conducting interviews with organizers, directors, actors and writers throughout the festival. You can watch his segments below.

Watch below: Todd James speaks to Edmonton International Film Festival producer Kerrie Long about what movies to go see before the festival is done for the year.

1:55 What to see before the Edmonton International Film Festival wraps up

Watch below: If you’re looking for a hometown hero to root for at EIFF, here he is. Dale Hildebrand is director of “Road to Lemon Grove.” He and Charly Chiarelli speak with Todd James.

1:56 EIFF: Creators behind ‘Road to Lemon Grove’

Watch below: Todd James finds out more about the challenges and rewards of making ‘The Push,’ a raw and moving film that follows Grant Korgan, who breaks his back while snowmobiling (Friday, Oct. 5).

8:46 EIFF: Extended interview with ‘The Push’s Grant & Shawna Korgan

Watch below: Todd James reviews ‘The Need to Grow’ film about sustainable farming, and speaks with directors Rob Herring and Ryan Wirick on Thursday evening at the Edmonton International Film Festival.

2:11 EIFF Oct. 4: ‘The Need to Grow’

Watch below: Todd James interviews the filmmaker who made “Beyond Our Mountains” at the Edmonton International Film Festival.

2:09 Interview with filmmaker who made “Beyond Our Mountains”

Watch below: Todd James is covering the Edmonton International Film Festival and caught up with former Edmontonian, producer Kyle Mann, following a film screening and Q&A session (Wednesday night).

2:02 EIFF: Q&A with ‘The New Romantic’ producer

Watch below: Todd James speaks to the producer of “The New Romantic” at the Edmonton International Film Festival on Wednesday.

1:32 Interview with the producer of “The New Romantic”

Watch below: After delving into the stories of so-called “sugar babies,” Kyle Mann knew someone would make a movie about them and he wanted to help. Todd James interviews ‘The New Romantic’ producer. (Wednesday, Oct. 3)

1:46 EIFF Oct. 3: Kyle Mann and ‘The New Romantic’

Watch below: Todd James speaks with one of the Edmonton International Film Festival’s producers about the selection process for the films it screens.

2:05 How films are selected for the Edmonton International Film Festival

Watch below: While the 2018 Edmonton International Film Festival has already been underway for days, there are still plenty of movie screenings you can go check out. Todd James told us about some of them on Tuesday.

2:02 Many movies still to be screened at the Edmonton International Film Festival

Watch below: The grand jury winners at the Edmonton International Film Festival were announced Monday, meaning they’ll now be eligible for Academy Awards consideration. Todd James talks to the festival producer about that, plus a preview of “Over the Limit,””The New Romantic” and “Shut Up and Play the Piano.”

1:42 EIFF Oct. 1: ‘Over the Limit’, ‘The New Romantic’, ‘Shut Up and Play the Piano’

Watch below: Todd James interviews Damian Calvo, director of the documentary film ‘Obini Bata: Women of the Drums‘ (Tuesday, Oct. 2)

3:38 EIFF Oct. 2 Damian Calvo interview

Watch below: The grand jury winners were announced at the Edmonton International Film Festival on Monday and as Todd James reports, these films can now move on for Oscar contention.

1:51 Grand jury winners announced at Edmonton International Film Festival

Watch below: ‘Knock Me Up, Knock Me Down’ is a dark comedy about how teens cope with dysfunctional families. Todd James speaks to the producer and director in Edmonton for the screening Sunday night.

3:13 EIFF Film from Malta showing Sunday evening

Watch below: Carl Bessai discusses his film ‘Kreuzberg’ with Kevin O’Connell on Sunday. The movie is showing at the Edmonton International Film Festival.

3:27 EIFF Kreuzberg, a modern day Romeo and Juliet story

Watch below: Darwin Serink director of the ‘The Avocado’ and Eva Colmers director or ‘The Suburbanight’ discuss their films on Saturday morning.

5:46 EIFF Short films featured: Avocado & Suburbanight

Watch below: Todd James speaks with the Edmonton International Film Festival’s producer on Friday.

2:13 Interview with the producer of the Edmonton International Film Festival

Watch below: Homegrown film writer and director Akash Sherman is showing his movie ‘Clara’ at the Edmonton International Film Festival. Todd James has more. (Friday, Sept. 28)

2:19 EIFF Sept. 28: ‘Clara’ writer/director Akash Sherman

Watch below: Todd James interviews Hayden Croft, who talks more about his short film Last Wish, a racy comedy about two friends, one of whom is on his death bed when he reveals a deep dark secret to his friend. (Friday, Sept. 28)

2:16 Edmonton International Film Festival: ‘Last Wish’ is a racy comedy

Watch below: The 10-day Edmonton International Film Festival is underway, featuring over 150 films. Todd James has more on the event and previews ‘Necessary Evil.’ (Thursday, Sept. 27)

2:29 Edmonton International Film Festival: preview of ‘Necessary Evil’

Watch below: The Edmonton International Film Festival kicks off with ‘The Grizzlies.’ Todd James has a preview. (Thursday, Sept. 27)

2:01 Edmonton International Film Festival kicks off with ‘The Grizzlies’