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CALGARY - It's no easy task staging a film festival when the last thing being reported is what's playing.
But that's the unenviable situation organizers of the Calgary International Film Festival find themselves in -- celebrating their 10th anniversary amid well-publicized stories of missing money, dwindling sponsors, government funding that never materialized and daunting debt in the middle of an economic downturn.
"All arts and cultural organizations are struggling with reduced sponsorship and public funding -- anywhere from 20-30%," says executive director Jacqueline Dupuis.
In CIFF's case, those recession-era difficulties have been exacerbated by a dispute with its ticketing retailer.
As well, CIFF didn't receive grant monies from the federal government -- designated to boost Canadian tourism -- it had been hoping for.
Despite all this, Dupuis, who joined the festival four years ago, insists the next 10 days will unspool as planned -- and that it's thriving under pressure.
(When the Uptown Stage and Screen pulled out as a participant, CIFF rebounded by booking more screens at the Cineplex Odeon in Eau Claire Market.)
Besides, the non-profit group has never had it terribly smoothly. A decade ago, some doubted CIFF -- grasping for sponsors and audience members -- would survive at all.
Now, says Dupuis, the festival has become part of the city's fabric -- a "cultural icon ... I think if the festival wasn't here, it would be missed ...
"Over time we've become something people look forward to and appreciate. That was really our goal for the past four years and I think we've managed to accomplish that."
Although the festival is slimmer than in years past -- only two galas this time out -- she says, "What remains are the integral pieces to the festival -- what we know our audience looks for and is interested in."
Moreover, CIFF is expanding. To wit: the debut of the long-in-development Mavericks program, a competition that will award a $25,000 prize -- from sponsor American Express -- to one of 10 emerging directors. "Mavericks was created to try to differentiate it from festivals from around the world," Dupuis says.
For the past several months, the new brand has been marketed mightily -- thanks to a provincial grant -- at such festivals as Sundance, Rotterdam, Tribeca, South by Southwest and Cannes.
"It has generated such interest and support from world- class distributors. The result is that our program is better and stronger than ever."
And while the original hope of luring in a marquee-value director to spearhead Mavericks is on hold, she adds, "We're thrilled to have introduced the competition in and of itself. We've made the festival a destination in our own city, now we want to make it a destination internationally.
"The next decade will be about internationalizing the festival -- establishing CIFF as a key stop for films and filmmakers on the international film festival circuit, thus increasing international tourism and business development opportunities for our city and the local film industry."
With more filmmakers come, the reasoning goes, more movies and possibly more filmgoers.
Last year CIFF attracted about 40,000 of them. This year the hope is to nudge closer to the 50,000 mark.
"One of the interesting results of some of the challenges we've had is that we've had to work really, really hard on how to market the festival," Dupuis says.
Thus they have turned to both grassroots tactics -- targeting specific individuals and groups who might be interested in a particular program -- as well as to such social networking tools as Facebook and Twitter. "Audiences may feel they haven't seen a lot of big brand awareness advertising this year, but I think the information is reaching them in a more effective way."
It all begins with tonight's American Express Opening Gala premiere of Crackie. The film, starring Mary Walsh and Kristin Booth, concerns a teenage girl dreaming of escaping her dreary Newfoundland home town.
Saturday boasts the VW Rock n Roll Red Carpet Party featuring Rock Prophecies, about rock photographer Robert Knight.
That's followed by the Black Carpet Party next Friday, Oct. 2, with the horror film Smash Cut starring porn star turned legit actress Sasha Grey (The Girlfriend Experience). Lastly next Saturday, Oct. 3, the closing gala is The Best of Alberta Award which celebrates the best of the province's shorts.
Other films on tap include Broken Embraces starring Penelope Cruz, Bright Star with Abbie Cornish, the Halloween-themed thriller Trick 'r Treat from producer Bryan Singer (X-Men) and An Education, a festival circuit favourite since its debut at this January's Sundance thanks to a star-making turn from Carey Mulligan.