You're tearing me apart, Calgary film schedule!

Last night I was faced with the dilemma of choosing between three different free outdoor film events. The stress proved to be too much and I ended up morosely watching The Lives of Others on Netflix.  I’ve already written about one awesome recurring film events in August – the Open Air screenings at the Simmons Building – but I thought I’d do a round-up of some of the other amazing events coming up, as lately there seems to be a cool new film event happening nearly every night. The problem of having too many cool films to choose from is a pretty great problem to have.

The Medic Premiere (August 10th, 11th, 12th) – Okay, I might be stretching the Calgary part of Calgary is Awesome a bit with this one, but I still think it warrants a mention. The Medic was filmed on a budget of $5,000 in southern Alberta. It follows the story of a Canadian paramedic who signs up to fight when aliens invade Earth in 2015. Tickets are $10 at Lethbridge’s Movie Mill.

Lloyd the Conqueror (August 15th) – As a thank you for all the support the film has received, the cast and crew are putting on a free screening at Eau Claire. Register now to get tickets, the seats are filling up quickly (almost 500 claimed already!) Our expert on all things nerdy, Nick Taylor, wrote a refresher on the star-studded, Calgary-filmed LARPing comedy here.

CUFF’s Rooftop Cannibal Cookout Screenings (August 16th and 23rd) – The Calgary Underground Film Festival has partnered up with the Oak Tree Tavern for some juicy free screenings with a side of meat. The first film of the trio, Cannibal: The Musical, played on August 9th. The screenings feature a special menu, and each item comes with a Steam Whistle:

• August 16th: Motel Hell (1980) – Farmer Vincent’s Fritter Sandwich (Fritters made of critters!) $10
• August 23rd: Delicatessen (1991) – Le Rib Tickler (Do these ribs taste funny?) $10

Roller Derby Double Feature (August 17th) – Chinook City Roller Derby is hosting a fundraiser at the Plaza. They’ll be showing two films for $15. The first, This Is How I Roll, follows the story of the 2% – men who compete in the Roller Derby Circuit. This Is How I Roll will be followed by an encore screening of Burlesque Assassins, a Calgary-made film about sexy, cold-war era spies that premiered last week with two sold out shows. For $22, you can get into the double feature as well as tickets to Chinook City’s double bout on August 18th.

CSIF Secret Cinema (August 21st or the 3rd Tuesday of every month) – Secret Cinema is a monthly event put on by the Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers. The free outdoor screenings are all-celluloid, and feature mysterious films. This month ‘s pick is curated by Gillian McKercher and features the hint “Written from a hospital bed, it won a Golden Globe for best foreign film in 1960.”

The Room (August 25th) – The Room is often called the Citizen Kane of bad movies. Tickets are $10 at the Plaza, and the event is being organized by former employees of the Uptown – what better way to celebrate the theatre’s existence and good memories than by throwing one more silly midnight screening. There will be plenty of chances for audience participation – spoons will be provided to throw.

Know of an awesome local film event I’ve missed? Let me know at @calgaryisawesome or @scpyn.