Perspective Film Series Presents:

Beautiful Beings (Berdreymi)
Dir. Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson

Sunday, November 19
5:30-7:30 PM

2022 |  Icelandic  | 123 mins

This month’s perspective focuses on the expressive curiosity and exploration of boyhood and coming-of-age in a society riddled with toxic heteronormativity. How much of who we become is the consequence of coping? What biases do we carry forward in a seemingly happy society? Despite being filmed in Iceland, considered to be the third happiest country in the world, the beautiful and idealized landscape still contains fractured relationships, shame, and violence for young boys on their way to becoming men.

FREE with $10 admission to Contemporary Calgary. FREE for members. Our galleries are open 12-5 PM for viewing prior to attending the events.

Synopsis

Addi, a boy raised by a clairvoyant mother, decides to adopt a bullied misfit into his gang of outsiders. Left to their own devices, the boys explore aggression and violence but also learn about loyalty and love. As the group’s behavior escalates towards life-threatening situations, Addi begins to experience a series of dreamlike visions. Narrated by the desire for more, a seemingly transcendent and omnipresent perspective lives within the lead actor’s dreams, using magic realism as a tool to express the nuances of self-discovery. Can his newfound intuition guide him and his friends back to a safer path, or will they dive irrevocably into further violence?

Genre: Drama
Original Language: Icelandic
Director: Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson
Producer: Anton Máni Svansson
Writer: Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson
Distributor: Altered Innocence

About the Curator:
Alia Aluma (she/her)

Alia Aluma is an award-winning artist, designer, and writer who works in various industries, including academia, philanthropy, and creative. She has lived, worked, and studied on four different continents, gaining notable experiences with the fashion and fine art networks of Hong Kong, as a muralist in Italy, a fashion photographer in England, and creative director, curator, and designer in Calgary, AB. With three degrees from top ranked global universities, Alia also devotes a great deal of time to education as a public speaker, guest instructor, or mentor in her fields of study: Art & History, Communications, Commerce, Film, and World Culture. Her global and enriching experiences have lent her toward a pursuit in philanthropy, starting the Aluma Foundation with her Father and twin brother, which is a scholarship foundation in Uganda for students at all levels. Among all of this, Alia also donates hundreds of hours to in-kind services annually.

Perspective Film Series Presents:

Sweet Dreams
Directed by Ena Sendijarevic

Sunday, October 22nd | Doors: 5pm

2023 |  Dutch   | 102 mins

This month’s perspective explores major cultural themes related to Europe's troubled colonial history. Viewers will gain insight into the complex dynamics of colonialism, racism, and exploitation during the colonial era in the Dutch East Indies. Through a postmodern mix of satire, surrealism, and cinematic lyricism, the film delves into the consequences of colonialism as a prosperous sugar plantation family faces disruption and confronts the Indigenous people who resist subjugation. The film's use of the 1.33:1 Academy ratio and its division into chapters provide a contemporary prism for critiquing historical racism and exploitation, highlighting the enduring impact of colonialism on society and individuals.

FREE with $10 admission to Contemporary Calgary. FREE for members. Our galleries are open 12-5 PM for viewing prior to attending the events.

Synopsis

Sweet Dreams, directed by Ena Sendijarević in 2023, is a captivating and satirical film set against the backdrop of a sugar plantation in colonial-era Indonesia. The story unfolds on a remote island in the Dutch East Indies during the twilight of the colonial era, focusing on the lives of Dutch plantation owner Jan and his wife, Agathe. Their lives of privilege are disrupted when Jan unexpectedly passes away upon returning from a visit to his native concubine, Siti.

In a bid to preserve her position and privileges, Agathe compels her estranged son Cornelius and his pregnant wife, Josefien, to travel from Europe and assume control of the family business. Amid a backdrop of a workers' uprising, Cornelius introduces his vision for progressive change. However, complications arise when Jan's will places Siti at the forefront of the family estate, testing the strength of ideals against the bonds of blood.

Described as a "gorgeous, sardonic portrait of colonial decline," "Sweet Dreams" masterfully combines absurdity, satire, and surrealism to shed light on the complexity of Dutch-colonial dynamics. Director Ena Sendijarević's film emphasizes the banality of evil and serves as a thought-provoking mirror reflecting the present world while avoiding simplistic victim-hero narratives. The film is a testament to Sendijarević's talent in crafting compelling narratives that challenge conventional perspectives on history and power dynamics.

Genre: Drama
Original Language: Dutch
Director: Ena Sendijarevic
Writer: Ena Sendijarevic
Runtime: 1h 42m

About the Curator:
Alia Aluma (she/her)

Alia Aluma is an award-winning artist, designer, and writer who works in various industries, including academia, philanthropy, and creative. She has lived, worked, and studied on four different continents, gaining notable experiences with the fashion and fine art networks of Hong Kong, as a muralist in Italy, a fashion photographer in England, and creative director, curator, and designer in Calgary, AB. With three degrees from top ranked global universities, Alia also devotes a great deal of time to education as a public speaker, guest instructor, or mentor in her fields of study: Art & History, Communications, Commerce, Film, and World Culture. Her global and enriching experiences have lent her toward a pursuit in philanthropy, starting the Aluma Foundation with her Father and twin brother, which is a scholarship foundation in Uganda for students at all levels. Among all of this, Alia also donates hundreds of hours to in-kind services annually.

Perspective Film Series Presents:
Short Film Series

Sunday, September 10th | 5:30-7:30 PM

This month’s perspective brings together a collection of short films that focus on the human body in movement and growth. These short films link topics in childhood and adolescence, love and loss, and structure to liberation through the expressive body in forms of dance and sport, literal and metaphorical horticulture, and in recollection or future memory. Marked by breathtaking visual properties and enriched by robust musical compositions, these films are sensorily stimulating, clever, and otherworldly.  

INCLUDING THE FILMS:

• WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE
  Directed by: Darion Trotman
  2023 | English (Canada) | 14  mins

• MEAN HAKEEM
  Directed by: Evan Bourque
  2022 | English (Canada) | 6 mins

• FLOWERBOY
  Directed by: Thomas Hütte & Nicolas Schönberger
  2022 | German (Germany) | 9 mins

• REUNION
  Directed by: Natalie Vargas
  2023 | English (Calgary) | 13 mins

FREE with $10 admission to Contemporary Calgary. FREE for members. Our galleries are open 12-5 PM for viewing prior to attending the events.

Where Do We Go From Here (IAMTHELIVING x Teon Gibbs, directed by Darion Trotman) 

2023 | English (Canada) | 14  mins

Where do we go from here is a visual film speaking on the realities and issues of the world, and segregating these issues and singularly dealing with them only distances us as a human race and creates mass amounts of individual pain and suffering with no chance of change, or hope of betterment. If we approached issues such as war, police brutality, substance abuse, and mental health as human issues of the collective world rather than an individual group of people, or more specifically a sole person problem, and we joined forces to find solutions for these issues we might just get somewhere…

It usually takes one anomaly, one person to try something new and bring about change for the others believe it is possible.

Mean Hakeem (Asim Overstands, Vince Raquel, and Kiran Sthankiya) 

2022 | English (Canada) | 6 mins

Contains scenes with violence and drug use. 

Mean Hakeem tells the story of UFC fighter Hakeem Dawodu. The film describes his journey to overcome abuse, poverty, and drug addiction to become one of Canada’s highest ranked fighters in the UFC.

Flowerboy (Thomas Hütte & Nicolas Schönberger)

2022 | German (Germany) | 9 mins

Flowers are like people. Take care of them and they will blossom." To Flowerboy his customers' feelings are an open book. For every emotion he got the proper flower in store. Yet, as he effortlessly fills other peoples' vases his own remains empty. Only when a customer gifts a flower to him, Flowerboy must concede what he denied so far: his inability to feel. He must become his own vase's flower. A realization that takes him on a journey... And a tender feeling is what remains in the end.

Reunion (Natalie Vargas)

2023 | English (Calgary) | 13 mins

Reunion highlights the agency of Black joy and collective nostalgia to invite an exploration of how cross-generational exchange may be initiated through the visceral act of remembrance.

The development of the film was made possible through the support of The GRAND YYC, Decidedly Jazz Danceworks, Calgary Arts Development Authority and Alberta Foundation for the Arts.

Credits:

Ideation and Embodiment by Cindy Ansah & Tiara Matusin in collaboration with Christahh Ahh, Jared Tobias Herring & Mpoe Mogale of NAPPY Dance Collectives featuring Michèle Moss

Directed by Natalie Vargas

Videography and Editing by Jesse Klein-Waller

Music: I Don’t Want Nobody by Eddie Harris

The development of the film was made possible through the support of The GRAND YYC, Decidedly Jazz Danceworks, Calgary Arts Development Authority and Alberta Foundation for the Arts. 

About the Curator:
Alia Aluma (she/her)

Alia Aluma is an award-winning artist, designer, and writer who works in various industries, including academia, philanthropy, and creative. She has lived, worked, and studied on four different continents, gaining notable experiences with the fashion and fine art networks of Hong Kong, as a muralist in Italy, a fashion photographer in England, and creative director, curator, and designer in Calgary, AB. With three degrees from top ranked global universities, Alia also devotes a great deal of time to education as a public speaker, guest instructor, or mentor in her fields of study: Art & History, Communications, Commerce, Film, and World Culture. Her global and enriching experiences have lent her toward a pursuit in philanthropy, starting the Aluma Foundation with her Father and twin brother, which is a scholarship foundation in Uganda for students at all levels. Among all of this, Alia also donates hundreds of hours to in-kind services annually.

Perspective Film Series

The Scent of Green Papaya (1993), Directed by Tran Anh Hung

Sunday, August 13th | 5:30-7:30 PM
1993 |  Vietnamese (Vietnam)  | 144 mins

This month’s perspective focuses on connection in our most silent, yet intimate moments. In a curious composition, the cinematography of this film, the setting of Vietnam, and the chemistry of the actors tells a poetic and delicate story of life: it always goes on. Despite being a film with mere minutes of dialogue, we gain a sense of the everyday life of people, emphasizing the shifts that take place in life as we strive for contentment.

FREE with $10 admission to Contemporary Calgary. FREE for members. Our galleries are open 12-5 PM for viewing prior to attending the events.

Synopsis: The Scent of Green Papaya (1993)

The movie takes place in two timelines, separated by ten years. In the first section, the film revolves around, and follows a young girl ‘Mui', who arrives to work at an affluent Vietnamese household in Saigon, in 1951. She is a curious and sensitive young girl, attuned to the sounds of the world, that of small insects, of trees and other minutest qualities of nature within the confines of the property: a two-storey house with a sprawling compound of green that serves to highlight the dichotomy of the space, of gender as well as class,

In the second section, ten years later, Mui is a young woman of twenty, who now works at a wealthy pianist's home, a friend of the older son at her earlier home and someone she has admired from young. 

Over the course of the two timelines, the film documents the life of Mui intersecting with the decline of a once-prosperous household plagued by the indiscretions of men and the suffering of women, and then gradually moving on to work in another place, occupying space with a man and his fiance.

Genre: Drama
Original Language: Vietnamese
Director: Tran Anh Hung
Producer: Christophe Rossignon
Writer: Tran Anh Hung
Distributor: First Look, Cine Company S.A.

About the Curator:
Alia Aluma (she/her)

Alia Aluma is an award-winning artist, designer, and writer who works in various industries, including academia, philanthropy, and creative. She has lived, worked, and studied on four different continents, gaining notable experiences with the fashion and fine art networks of Hong Kong, as a muralist in Italy, a fashion photographer in England, and creative director, curator, and designer in Calgary, AB. With three degrees from top ranked global universities, Alia also devotes a great deal of time to education as a public speaker, guest instructor, or mentor in her fields of study: Art & History, Communications, Commerce, Film, and World Culture. Her global and enriching experiences have lent her toward a pursuit in philanthropy, starting the Aluma Foundation with her Father and twin brother, which is a scholarship foundation in Uganda for students at all levels. Among all of this, Alia also donates hundreds of hours to in-kind services annually.

Perspective Film Series Presents:

I Am Not a Witch (2017), Directed by Rungano Nyoni 

Sunday, July 23rd | 5:30-7:30 PM
2017 |  (Zambia, United Kingdom)  | 93 mins

This month’s perspective introduces audiences to ideas of spirituality that are often viewed with hesitation or fear within Western ideologies. Presented as majoritively satirical, this film questions the power of and control over children, the notions of female agency, and the abuse of influence.  

At the same time, as Canada is a nation that is in the process of learning to understand Indigenous spirituality,  we encourage viewers to consider approaching global notions of indigeneity. How do indigenous nations around the world develop relationships to their environments? How do they respond to outside influence? How have Western biases influenced how we perceive indigenous beliefs beyond our own regions and treaties? 

FREE with $10 admission to Contemporary Calgary. FREE for members. Our galleries are open 12-5 PM for viewing prior to attending the events.

Synopsis: I Am Not a Witch (2017)

“The debut film by Rungang Nyoni is a surreal and tragic social satire on womanhood and voyeurism, set in contemporary Zambia.”

- Naomi Keenan O'Shea, MUBI, 07 SEP 2018

In a remote Zambian village, 9-year old orphan Shula is accused of witchcraft, faced with an unfortunate ultimatum: to live a tethered life as a sorceress, or to cut her ties with local tradition and be transformed into a goat that may be killed and eaten for supper. Battling with this choice under exile in a witch camp run by a corrupt government official, as the only child witch, Shula is exploited by adults for financial gain. Showcasing magic and misogyny, this film uses satire to expose the conditions of women in girls in a country with a history of witch camps. 

Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Director: Rungano Nyoni
Producer: Juliette Grandmont, Emily Morgan
Writer: Rungano Nyoni
Distributor: Film Movement

About the Curator:
Alia Aluma (she/her)

Alia Aluma is an award-winning artist, designer, and writer who works in various industries, including academia, philanthropy, and creative. She has lived, worked, and studied on four different continents, gaining notable experiences with the fashion and fine art networks of Hong Kong, as a muralist in Italy, a fashion photographer in England, and creative director, curator, and designer in Calgary, AB. With three degrees from top ranked global universities, Alia also devotes a great deal of time to education as a public speaker, guest instructor, or mentor in her fields of study: Art & History, Communications, Commerce, Film, and World Culture. Her global and enriching experiences have lent her toward a pursuit in philanthropy, starting the Aluma Foundation with her Father and twin brother, which is a scholarship foundation in Uganda for students at all levels. Among all of this, Alia also donates hundreds of hours to in-kind services annually.

Perspective Film Series Presents:

Happiness (Baqyt) (2022), Directed by Askar Uzabayev

Friday, May 5th @ 7:00pm
2022 | Kazakh, Russian (Kazakhstan) | 131 mins

The fabricated and seemingly perpetual curation of happiness on social media creates a disillusioned society upon which we become dependent, consuming realities superficially. What exists on the other side, why do we turn to social media as a way to cope or escape? May’s perspective looks at the corrosivity of domestic violence and the frequency of which women in Kazakhstan suffer in their homes, as well as the means they take to seek relief.

Our galleries are open  12-7PM for viewing prior to attending the event.

Synopsis: Happiness (Baqyt) (2022)

A woman is standing in front of the mirror. She is beautiful and has a striking face and strong cheekbones. She is bracing herself, a last vestige of self-respect driving her on. Her body is black and blue from the marks of many years of abuse. She swathes it in the orange dress that represents her working life. In this world she is a successful influencer promoting a product line called “Happiness” that – as she demonstrates in her hypnotic sales pitches – is supposed to make women attractive and happy. But terror reigns at home; it even reigns in her newlywed daughter’s house too. A self-determined life is something about which a woman in Kazakhstan dares not even dream. 

Askar Uzabayev’s deceptively calm, demanding and persistent work examines the worldwide phenomenon of domestic violence, breaking it down here in the context of misogynistic Kazakh rituals. This film will leave its mark on anyone prepared to face the brutality of the average (married) man and the spiral of repression it causes. Having the courage not to look away and instead to speak out and fight back is precisely what this film is about. Bayan Maxatkyzy, a TV blog celebrity with millions of followers, has shown the way forward. Baqyt, which she produced herself, is a legacy to this.

(Berlinale Festival Description)

About the Curator:
Alia Aluma (she/her)

Alia Aluma is an award-winning artist, designer, and writer who works in various industries, including academia, philanthropy, and creative. She has lived, worked, and studied on four different continents, gaining notable experiences with the fashion and fine art networks of Hong Kong, as a muralist in Italy, a fashion photographer in England, and creative director, curator, and designer in Calgary, AB. With three degrees from top ranked global universities, Alia also devotes a great deal of time to education as a public speaker, guest instructor, or mentor in her fields of study: Art & History, Communications, Commerce, Film, and World Culture. Her global and enriching experiences have lent her toward a pursuit in philanthropy, starting the Aluma Foundation with her Father and twin brother, which is a scholarship foundation in Uganda for students at all levels. Among all of this, Alia also donates hundreds of hours to in-kind services annually.

Perspective Film Series Presents:

Embrace of the Serpent (2015), Directed by Ciro Guerra

Friday, April 14th @ 7:00pm
2015 | Cubeo, Huitoto, Ticuna, Wanano, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Catalan, Latin, English (Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina)  | 125 mins

April’s perspective explores the tension of difference in relationship with the inevitability of need. Consider each element of the environment to be a character in the story, just as Indigenous belief suggests, and then imagine being foreign and precedently dangerous within this sphere, yet dependent on it. How does a foreign substance known to be lethal to the environment convince fellowship?

Our galleries are open  12-7PM for viewing prior to attending the event.

Synopsis: Embrace of the Serpent (2015)

Inspired by the true diaries of In the early 1900s, a young shaman in the Colombian Amazon helps a sick German explorer and his local guide search for a rare healing plant.

Genre: Adventure, History, Drama

Original Language:Spanish

Director: Ciro Guerra

Producer: Cristina Gallego

Writer: Ciro Guerra, Jacques Toulemonde Vidal

Distributor: Oscilloscope Pictures

About the Curator:
Alia Aluma (she/her)

Alia Aluma is an award-winning artist, designer, and writer who works in various industries, including academia, philanthropy, and creative. She has lived, worked, and studied on four different continents, gaining notable experiences with the fashion and fine art networks of Hong Kong, as a muralist in Italy, a fashion photographer in England, and creative director, curator, and designer in Calgary, AB. With three degrees from top ranked global universities, Alia also devotes a great deal of time to education as a public speaker, guest instructor, or mentor in her fields of study: Art & History, Communications, Commerce, Film, and World Culture. Her global and enriching experiences have lent her toward a pursuit in philanthropy, starting the Aluma Foundation with her Father and twin brother, which is a scholarship foundation in Uganda for students at all levels. Among all of this, Alia also donates hundreds of hours to in-kind services annually.

Perspective Film Series Presents:

Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022), Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Friday, March 24th @ 7:00pm
2022 | Hindi (India) | 152 mins

To what extent is your body your own? And in what circumstance does it know true liberty?  When you imagine your own moments of liberation, what accompanies you? Is it pleasure? Peace? Control? Rights and affordances? As all people around the world are fighting for different rights and liberties, March’s perspective focuses on the stories of sex workers in Mumbai, where daughters, girlfriends, and wives can be sold to brothels. With specific interest in the story of Gangubai Kathiawadi, a 16-year-old woman sold by her husband into a brothel, to eventually become a mafia leader and political figure in women’s rights.

Our galleries are open  12-7PM for viewing prior to attending the event.

Synopsis: Gangubai Kathiawadi (2020)

Based on S. Hussain Zaidi’s book “Mafia Queens of Mumbai”, young Ganga is tricked by her boyfriend with the promise of a film career and persuaded to leave the countryside for Mumbai. Once there, she is sold to a brothel in Kamathipura – India’s main red-light district in the 1950s – where her resistance is broken and she is coerced into servicing clients. But Ganga’s rebellious spirit endures. She may have no choice but to accept her circumstances but she can at least bend them in her favour. She becomes the feared Gangubai, champion of prostitutes who, allied with the neighbourhood Mafiosi boss, will be the first woman to raise her voice to advocate for the rights of sex workers’ and their children. 

Director:Sanjay  Leela Bhansali

Producer: Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Jayantilal Gada

Writer:Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Utkarshini Vashishtha, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Utkarshini Vashishtha, Prakash Kapadia

About the Curator:
Alia Aluma (she/her)

Alia Aluma is an award-winning artist, designer, and writer who works in various industries, including academia, philanthropy, and creative. She has lived, worked, and studied on four different continents, gaining notable experiences with the fashion and fine art networks of Hong Kong, as a muralist in Italy, a fashion photographer in England, and creative director, curator, and designer in Calgary, AB. With three degrees from top ranked global universities, Alia also devotes a great deal of time to education as a public speaker, guest instructor, or mentor in her fields of study: Art & History, Communications, Commerce, Film, and World Culture. Her global and enriching experiences have lent her toward a pursuit in philanthropy, starting the Aluma Foundation with her Father and twin brother, which is a scholarship foundation in Uganda for students at all levels. Among all of this, Alia also donates hundreds of hours to in-kind services annually.

NEW DATE!

Perspective Film Series Presents:

Marighella (2019), Directed by Wagner Moura

Wednesday, February 15th @ 7:00pm
2019 | Portuguese (Brazil) | 155 mins

What do poetry and revolution have in common? How does one find a moment of relief in a warzone, an opportunity to dance in a burning room, or a reason to risk everything for a future you may never know or a person you may never meet? It all has to do with empathy; the ability to comprehend another’s point of view, and find hope or reason, in the most severe circumstances. 

February's perspective is about empathy. It's about encouraging people to step into the shoes of “Us” and “Them” during a time of political unrest. To see how and why people bind together and what they choose to preserve and to lose. We also encourage viewers to learn more about the world around them, the countries in which we are inherently connected.  

Our galleries are open 12-7 PM for viewing prior to attending the event.

Synopsis: Marighella (2019)

Beginning with a breathless, Robin Hood-style train robbery and ending with a highly provocative—and not for the faint of heart—final sequence, the directing debut from journalist, musician, and actor Wagner Moura (Elite Squad; Pablo Escobar in Narcos) is a searing and energized portrait of one of Brazil’s most divisive historical figures, Afro-Brazilian poet and politician Carlos Marighella (actor/singer Seu Jorge, The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou).

Driven to fight against the erosion of civil and human rights following the CIA-backed military coup of 1964 and the brutal right-wing dictatorship that followed, the revolutionary leaves behind his wife, Clara (Adriana Esteves), and son, Carlinhos, to take to the streets, authoring the highly influential Minimanual of the Urban Guerrilla,becoming a notorious enemy to the power structure, and being doggedly pursued by sadistic chief inspector Lucio (Bruno Gagliasso) before an untimely death in a dramatic police ambush in 1969.

Co-written with Felipe Braga and produced by City of God director Fernando Meirelles, Marighella has already become a lightning rod in its native Brazil at a time when the country is returning to the far-right authoritarianism Marighella himself fought against. An urgent call to action in an unsteady time, Marighella is not to be missed.

— Hebe Tabachnik, Seattle International Film Festival

Director: Wagner Moura

Producer: Andrea Barata Ribeiro, Bel Berlinck, Wagner Moura

Writer: Wagner Moura, Felipe Braga, Erez Milgrom

About the Curator: Alia Aluma (she/her)

An advocate for the creative industries and global contributor to arts and culture communities, Alia Aluma has worked and studied in four different continents and conducts her research and workplace tasks in three different languages. Her multilateral passions link grand interests such as architecture, film, writing, and entertainment, leading to experiences within the fields of fashion,  photography, technical and culture teaching, writing and publishing, and fine arts and curation. While her current focus is on capital culture and art direction, she is also a practising visual artist and writer who has had works on display in Rome, Canada, and England. Her work is deeply rooted in empathetic work ethic and diversity, proven by her studies in multilingualism and world cultures.

Before graduating with degrees in Art History, Communications, and World Literature & Culture, Aluma began working as a ghostwriter while studying abroad in Hong Kong. In this role, she began writing novels on behalf of international clients, specializing in science fiction and business literature. Upon returning to Canada, Aluma stepped into the role of Editor-in-Chief and teacher, mentoring an entire journalism department from the ground up with Alberta’s largest hip hop foundation. Eventually, Aluma’s written history would lead to the creation of a digital course with skillshare foundation UPWEGO.ai.  Currently, Aluma is working on publishing her Masters research in decentralized art and currencies (CryptoArt). 

Aluma’s research has placed her within new roles in the creative industry, including her current position as Creative Arts & Technology Director with Greta Bar YYC/YEG/YVR, where she manages a CryptoArt Creative Foundation with the intention of reviving Calgary’s art scene. After speaking at multiple international conferences, she has also engaged with a team of academics from various institutions and many notable crypto-artists, leading to a highly anticipated textbook on the matter (publishing date TBD).

Perspective Film Series x Human Capital Present:

Migrant Dreams (2016), Directed by Min Sook Lee

January 27 @ 7:00 pm
2016 | Canada | 88 mins

Join Contemporary Calgary for our January edition of the Perspective Film Series in collaboration with Human Capital. Curated by Alia Aluma, the series includes QTBIPOC films, diverse voices, global titles and narratives that confront prejudices. 

This month’s perspective highlights a group of migrant women farm workers who dare to resist the systemic oppression and exploitation from their brokers, employers and the Canadian government in small-town Leamington, Ontario.

FREE with $10 admission to Contemporary Calgary. FREE for members.

Our galleries are open  12-7PM for viewing prior to attending the event.

Synopsis: Migrant Dreams (2016)

Synopsis

A powerful feature documentary by multiple award-winning director Min Sook Lee (El Contrato, Hogtown, Tiger Spirit) and Emmy award-winning producer Lisa Valencia-Svensson (Herman’s House), tells the undertold story of migrant agricultural workers struggling against Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) that treats foreign workers as modern-day indentured labourers. Under the rules of Canada’s migrant labour program, low-wage migrants are tied to one employer. 

Migrant Dreams exposes the underbelly of a labour program that has built a system designed to empower brokers and growers to exploit, dehumanize, and deceive migrant workers. These workers pay exorbitant fees to work at minimum wage jobs packing the fruits and vegetables we eat in our homes, while they have virtually no access to support or information in their own language. These migrant workers deserve basic labour and human rights; Canada, it seems, has failed them. 

This film is presented in conjunction with Human Capital.

Director: Min Sook Lee

Producers: Min Sook Lee, Lisa Valencia-Svensson, Rose Gutierrez

Music composed by: Ken Myhr

Screenplay: Min Sook Lee

About the Curator: Alia Aluma (she/her)

An advocate for the creative industries and global contributor to arts and culture communities, Alia Aluma has worked and studied in four different continents and conducts her research and workplace tasks in three different languages. Her multilateral passions link grand interests such as architecture, film, writing, and entertainment, leading to experiences within the fields of fashion,  photography, technical and culture teaching, writing and publishing, and fine arts and curation. While her current focus is on capital culture and art direction, she is also a practising visual artist and writer who has had works on display in Rome, Canada, and England. Her work is deeply rooted in empathetic work ethic and diversity, proven by her studies in multilingualism and world cultures.

Before graduating with degrees in Art History, Communications, and World Literature & Culture, Aluma began working as a ghostwriter while studying abroad in Hong Kong. In this role, she began writing novels on behalf of international clients, specializing in science fiction and business literature. Upon returning to Canada, Aluma stepped into the role of Editor-in-Chief and teacher, mentoring an entire journalism department from the ground up with Alberta’s largest hip hop foundation. Eventually, Aluma’s written history would lead to the creation of a digital course with skillshare foundation UPWEGO.ai.  Currently, Aluma is working on publishing her Masters research in decentralized art and currencies (CryptoArt). 

Aluma’s research has placed her within new roles in the creative industry, including her current position as Creative Arts & Technology Director with Greta Bar YYC/YEG/YVR, where she manages a CryptoArt Creative Foundation with the intention of reviving Calgary’s art scene. After speaking at multiple international conferences, she has also engaged with a team of academics from various institutions and many notable crypto-artists, leading to a highly anticipated textbook on the matter (publishing date TBD).

Presented in collaboration with

Perspective Film Series Presents: IN THIS MOMENT (2022)

Directed by Eman Safadi, FOREIGNERZ

Friday, November 18, 2022 | Doors @ 7:00 PM

We are excited to announce the launch of BUMP Cinematheque - film premiere, exhibition and party on November 18th in partnership with PERSPECTIVES hosted at Contemporary Calgary.

Join us for BUMP’s first documentary film by FOREIGNERZ, IN THIS MOMENT, about Calgary-based muralist Alex Kwong and the creation of his mural for the 2022 BUMP Festival. The screening will be accompanied by an artwork showcase of nine local artists curated by Kwong, and an after-party to celebrate a year of incredible art in this city.

RSVP Includes FREE ENTRY, one free drink and complimentary appetizers. Sugar Water Bar will be serving wine, beer and cocktails all night with live music from DJ Yuujin & DJ BLKFT.

Event Details

Doors: 7:00 pm
Screening: 7:30-8:45 pm
Food & Cocktails: 7:00pm-Late
Live Music & Reception: 9:00pm-Late / ft. DJ Bikft & DJ Yuujin

Exhibiting Artists

Curtis Desiatnyk / Michelle Ku / Chris Malloy / John Ross / Lili Tayefi / Jae Sterling / Asim Overstands / Rhys Farrel / Megan Jentsch

This project has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada.
Ce projet a été rendu possible en partie grâce au gouvernement du Canada.

*Complimentary beverages offered between 7:00 - 7:30 PM                                                           *Merch table open after film screening, closes at 10 PM

IN THIS MOMENT (2022)

Synopsis:

Two years after the pandemic has begun, the city of Calgary is at a tipping point - culturally, economically, politically. The pandemic has pulled the city in many directions, but it has also created an undercurrent of new artists who are leaving their mark on the city, priming it to evolve into something new. Alex Kwong, a Calgary-based muralist, has spent the pandemic changing his life, growing as an artist and contemplating about human connection and the impermanence of all things. In 2022, when asked to create a giant mural in the heart of Calgary by a local public art entity, BUMP Festival, Kwong chooses to immortalize a moment in time between his close friend Curtis and his daughter Odette, spurring a series of conversations between people connected to this mural to reflect on art, love and the significance of this era. IN THIS MOMENT takes a deeper look at how an artist can change during the pandemic and the importance of personal connections in our community.

Full Credits:

Directed by: Eman Safadi
Executive Produced By: The Beltline Urban Mural Projects
Funded By: The Government of Canada
Cinematography: Jashan Makan
Editing: Jashan Makan
Sound Design: Eman Safadi
Production House: FOREIGNERZ
Additional Cinematography: Vince Raquel, Tyrell Bonnick, Jevan Bailey

About the Curator: Alia Aluma (she/her)

Alia Aluma is a Curator and writer working in tech, fine art, film and cultural wellbeing with numerous organizations, including Contemporary Calgary, Ralph Lauren Hong Kong, 10 at 10 Hip Hop & Culture, Alcove, ADVANCE Canada, NUFS UK, TICE UK, universities and others. Before graduating with degrees in Art History & Commerce, Communications, and World Literature & Culture, Aluma began working as a ghostwriter while studying at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. In this role, she began writing novels on behalf of international clients, specializing in business literature. Her career has led to appearances on international discussion panels, a TEDx, and has placed her on multiple international projects.

Presented in collaboration with

Perspective Film Series Presents:
Run Woman Run (2020), Zoe Leigh Hopkins

September 30, 2022 | 7:00-9:30 PM

Join Contemporary Calgary for our final screening in our Perspectives Film Series in partnership with Pink Flamingo. Curated by Alia Aluma, the series includes QTBIPOC films, diverse voices, global titles and narratives that confront prejudices. 

What an amazing year this has been for Film at Contemporary Calgary. Due to incredible feedback and engagement from the community, the series will continue with new partnerships under the same curator and the same goal of introducing diverse perspectives to our community. Thank you to Pink Flamingo and all others who support the series. 

September’s Perspective introduces audiences to the different circumstances that families face, with special emphasis on understanding the role of parenthood. Run Woman Run teaches us that regardless of who our children, neighbours, or communities are, we all experience challenges when raising a family while also learning or remembering to care for ourselves. 

FREE with $10 admission to Contemporary Calgary. FREE for members.

Synopsis: Run Woman Run (2020)

Run Woman Run is a magical dramedy about Beck, a single mom who learns how to reclaim her dreams, family and honour her life, all thanks to an unlikely coach. Beck is goaded into running a marathon by the ghostly appearance of legendary Onondaga marathon runner Tom Longboat and through running gets her life back on track and runs to honour those that she loves.

Director: Zoe Leigh Hopkins

Cast: Dakota Ray Herbert; Asivak Koostachin; Lorne Cardinal; Braeden Clarke

Genre: Comedy, Independent

Running Time: 101 mins

About the Curator: Alia Aluma (she/her)

An advocate for the creative industries and global contributor to arts and culture communities, Alia Aluma has worked and studied in four different continents and conducts her research and workplace tasks in three different languages. Her multilateral passions link grand interests such as architecture, film, writing, and entertainment, leading to experiences within the fields of fashion,  photography, technical and culture teaching, writing and publishing, and fine arts and curation. While her current focus is on capital culture and art direction, she is also a practising visual artist and writer who has had works on display in Rome, Canada, and England. Her work is deeply rooted in empathetic work ethic and diversity, proven by her studies in multilingualism and world cultures.

Before graduating with degrees in Art History, Communications, and World Literature & Culture, Aluma began working as a ghostwriter while studying abroad in Hong Kong. In this role, she began writing novels on behalf of international clients, specializing in science fiction and business literature. Upon returning to Canada, Aluma stepped into the role of Editor-in-Chief and teacher, mentoring an entire journalism department from the ground up with Alberta’s largest hip hop foundation. Eventually, Aluma’s written history would lead to the creation of a digital course with skillshare foundation UPWEGO.ai.  Currently, Aluma is working on publishing her Masters research in decentralized art and currencies (CryptoArt). 

Aluma’s research has placed her within new roles in the creative industry, including her current position as Creative Arts & Technology Director with Greta Bar YYC/YEG/YVR, where she manages a CryptoArt Creative Foundation with the intention of reviving Calgary’s art scene. After speaking at multiple international conferences, she has also engaged with a team of academics from various institutions and many notable crypto-artists, leading to a highly anticipated textbook on the matter (publishing date TBD).

Presented in collaboration with

Perspective Film Series Presents:
Nine Days (2020), EDSON ODA

August 11 @ 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm
Rated R, 18+ Viewing

Join Contemporary Calgary in partnership with @pinkflamingoyyc for the eighth screening of our 10-part Perspectives Film Series. Curated by @aliaaluma, the series includes QTBIPOC films, diverse voices, global titles and narratives that confront prejudices. 

August’s Perspective is belonging. With so much of our lives completely out of our hands, how do we decide what to hold on to? At the same time, who do we become after that one choice that changes everything? These films are adverse and unconventional stories about figuring out who we are and fighting for a place to belong; to be seen, heard, and accounted for. 

FREE with $10 admission to Contemporary Calgary. FREE for members. Our galleries are open Thursdays  12-7 PM for viewing prior to attending the events.

Synopsis: Nine Days (2020)

Will (Winston Duke) spends his days in a remote outpost watching people going about their lives from their POV, waiting until one subject perishes, leaving a vacancy for a new life on earth. Soon, several candidates — unborn souls — arrive at Will's to undergo tests determining their suitability for life on Earth, facing oblivion when they are deemed unsuitable. But Will soon faces his own existential challenge in the form of free-spirited Emma (Zazie Beetz), a candidate who is not like the others.

Making his feature-film debut after a series of highly acclaimed and award-winning short films and music videos, Japanese Brazilian director Edson Oda delivers a heartfelt and meditative vision of human souls in limbo, aching to be born against unimaginable odds, yet hindered by forces beyond their will.

Director: Edson Oda

Rating: R (Language) 

Genre: Fantasy, Drama 

Producer: Jason Michael Berman, Mette-Marie Kongsved, Matthew Linder, Laura Tunstall, Datari Turner

Writer: Edson Oda

Runtime: 2hrs 4mins

Production Co: Sony Pictures Classics

About the Curator: Alia Aluma (she/her)

An advocate for the creative industries and global contributor to arts and culture communities, Alia Aluma has worked and studied in four different continents and conducts her research and workplace tasks in three different languages. Her multilateral passions link grand interests such as architecture, film, writing, and entertainment, leading to experiences within the fields of fashion,  photography, technical and culture teaching, writing and publishing, and fine arts and curation. While her current focus is on capital culture and art direction, she is also a practising visual artist and writer who has had works on display in Rome, Canada, and England. Her work is deeply rooted in empathetic work ethic and diversity, proven by her studies in multilingualism and world cultures.

Before graduating with degrees in Art History, Communications, and World Literature & Culture, Aluma began working as a ghostwriter while studying abroad in Hong Kong. In this role, she began writing novels on behalf of international clients, specializing in science fiction and business literature. Upon returning to Canada, Aluma stepped into the role of Editor-in-Chief and teacher, mentoring an entire journalism department from the ground up with Alberta’s largest hip hop foundation. Eventually, Aluma’s written history would lead to the creation of a digital course with skillshare foundation UPWEGO.ai.  Currently, Aluma is working on publishing her Masters research in decentralized art and currencies (CryptoArt). 

Aluma’s research has placed her within new roles in the creative industry, including her current position as Creative Arts & Technology Director with Greta Bar YYC/YEG/YVR, where she manages a CryptoArt Creative Foundation with the intention of reviving Calgary’s art scene. After speaking at multiple international conferences, she has also engaged with a team of academics from various institutions and many notable crypto-artists, leading to a highly anticipated textbook on the matter (publishing date TBD).

Presented in collaboration with

Perspective Film Series Presents:
Sorry to Bother You (2018)

June 30 @ 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Rated R, 18+ Viewing

Join Contemporary Calgary in partnership with @pinkflamingoyyc for the eighth screening of our 10-part Perspectives Film Series. Curated by Alia Aluma, the series includes QTBIPOC films, diverse voices, global titles and narratives that confront prejudices. 

June’s Perspective exposes social norms that need renegotiation, breaking down societal expectations and constructs.  Between alternate realities, polyamorous relationships, and inter-racial dating tensions, these films question the harmony  between different people and their societies.  

FREE with $10 admission to Contemporary Calgary. FREE for members.

Our galleries are open Thursdays  12-7PM for viewing prior to attending the events.

This is an in-person program. Masks are encouraged and will be made available at our welcome desk. Physical distancing will be maintained in seating arrangements.

Synopsis: Sorry to Bother You (2018)

In an alternate reality of present-day Oakland, Calif., telemarketer Cassius Green finds himself in a macabre universe after he discovers a magical key that leads to material glory. As Green's career begins to take off, his friends and co-workers organize a protest against corporate oppression. Cassius soon falls under the spell of Steve Lift, a cocaine-snorting CEO who offers him a salary beyond his wildest dreams.

• Genre: Comedy, Fantasy

• Producer: Nina Yang Bongiovi, Forest Whitaker, Charles D. King, George Rush, Jonathan Duffy, Kelly Williams

• Writer: Boots Riley

• Runtime: 1h 45m 

• Production Co: Annapurna Pictures

About the Curator: Alia Aluma (she/her)

An advocate for the creative industries and global contributor to arts and culture communities, Alia Aluma has worked and studied in four different continents and conducts her research and workplace tasks in three different languages. Her multilateral passions link grand interests such as architecture, film, writing, and entertainment, leading to experiences within the fields of fashion,  photography, technical and culture teaching, writing and publishing, and fine arts and curation. While her current focus is on capital culture and art direction, she is also a practising visual artist and writer who has had works on display in Rome, Canada, and England. Her work is deeply rooted in empathetic work ethic and diversity, proven by her studies in multilingualism and world cultures.

Before graduating with degrees in Art History, Communications, and World Literature & Culture, Aluma began working as a ghostwriter while studying abroad in Hong Kong. In this role, she began writing novels on behalf of international clients, specializing in science fiction and business literature. Upon returning to Canada, Aluma stepped into the role of Editor-in-Chief and teacher, mentoring an entire journalism department from the ground up with Alberta’s largest hip hop foundation. Eventually, Aluma’s written history would lead to the creation of a digital course with skillshare foundation UPWEGO.ai.  Currently, Aluma is working on publishing her Masters research in decentralized art and currencies (CryptoArt). 

Aluma’s research has placed her within new roles in the creative industry, including her current position as Creative Arts & Technology Director with Greta Bar YYC/YEG/YVR, where she manages a CryptoArt Creative Foundation with the intention of reviving Calgary’s art scene. After speaking at multiple international conferences, she has also engaged with a team of academics from various institutions and many notable crypto-artists, leading to a highly anticipated textbook on the matter (publishing date TBD).

Presented in collaboration with

This screening has been cancelled and tickets will be refunded. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.

Perspective Film Series Presents:
Ballast

Join Contemporary Calgary in collaboration with Pink Flamingo, May 20 at 7:00pm, for the seventh presentation of our ten-part Perspective Film Series—Ballast (2008) will be screened in the Dome Theatre.

This month’s Perspective focuses on the intricate levels of grief that families endure when they lose a loved one to a battle of mental health. Set in the depressing, damp Mississippi Delta, one man’s suicide leaves his twin brother Lawrence (Micheal J. Smith Sr.), his wife Marlee (Tarra Riggs) and his son James (JimMyron Ross) to cope with the staggering loss. This ambient drama shows the rhythmic chaos of grief, poverty, and loneliness.

Make it a date night—bring a friend and enjoy a variety of drinks and snacks from our concession bar. After the film, we invite YOUR perspective on the larger themes of grief, brotherhood and loneliness. Stay and socialize with fellow attendees for a short post-film discussion and survey.

Ballast (2008): Synopsis

The trials of survival and loneliness within a series of unprecedented circumstances of grief connect these films. From the desolate Mississippi Delta, to the frozen shores of Lake Superior, the human will to survive and protect are challenged in moments of scarcity, fear, violence, and compassion.

• Genre: Drama 

• Producer: Nina Parikh,Lance Hammer 

• Writer: Lance Hammer 

• Runtime: 1h 36m 

• Production Co: Alluvial Film Company

Recommended Films Based on Ballast (2008) 

BURNING CANE (2019) 
PHILIP YOUMANS 
Stream on Netflix. 

CLEMENCY (2019) 
CHINONYE CHUKWU 
Stream on Hulu, Rent/Buy on VUDU ($3.99, $14.99), Prime Video ($3.99, $14.99), Apple TV ($3.99, $9.99) 

ABANDONED: ANGELIQUE’S ISLE (2019) 
DEE REES 
Apple TV ($14.99)

About the Curator: Alia Aluma (she/her)

An advocate for the creative industries and global contributor to arts and culture communities, Alia Aluma has worked and studied in four different continents and conducts her research and workplace tasks in three different languages. Her multilateral passions link grand interests such as architecture, film, writing, and entertainment, leading to experiences within the fields of fashion,  photography, technical and culture teaching, writing and publishing, and fine arts and curation. While her current focus is on capital culture and art direction, she is also a practising visual artist and writer who has had works on display in Rome, Canada, and England. Her work is deeply rooted in empathetic work ethic and diversity, proven by her studies in multilingualism and world cultures.

Before graduating with degrees in Art History, Communications, and World Literature & Culture, Aluma began working as a ghostwriter while studying abroad in Hong Kong. In this role, she began writing novels on behalf of international clients, specializing in science fiction and business literature. Upon returning to Canada, Aluma stepped into the role of Editor-in-Chief and teacher, mentoring an entire journalism department from the ground up with Alberta’s largest hip hop foundation. Eventually, Aluma’s written history would lead to the creation of a digital course with skillshare foundation UPWEGO.ai.  Currently, Aluma is working on publishing her Masters research in decentralized art and currencies (CryptoArt). 

Aluma’s research has placed her within new roles in the creative industry, including her current position as Creative Arts & Technology Director with Greta Bar YYC/YEG/YVR, where she manages a CryptoArt Creative Foundation with the intention of reviving Calgary’s art scene. After speaking at multiple international conferences, she has also engaged with a team of academics from various institutions and many notable crypto-artists, leading to a highly anticipated textbook on the matter (publishing date TBD).

Presented in collaboration with

PERSPECTIVE FILM SERIES PRESENTS:
CURTIS (2020)

Join Contemporary Calgary in collaboration with Pink Flamingo, April 7 at 7:00pm, for the sixth presentation of our ten-part Perspective Film Series—Curtis (2020) will be screened in the Dome Theatre.

This month’s Perspective focuses on compassion and empathy. The weight of loneliness is relieved in this film, as individuals with stigmatized struggles are met with encouragement from unlikely companions. Each person is looking for something from the past, from within, and for the future—intended to reframe ideas about mental health, disability, and teen pregnancy.

Make it a date night—bring a friend and enjoy a variety of drinks and snacks from our concession bar. After the film, we invite YOUR perspective on the larger themes of compassion and empathy. Stay and socialize with fellow attendees for a short post-film discussion and survey.

• Doors: 7:00 pm

• Screening: 7:30 pm

• Runtime: 1h 25m 

• Perspective Discussion: 9:00pm

• Drink & Snack Bar open from 7:00 – 9:30 pm

Curtis (2020): Synopsis

Curtis (Dwight Henry), a former basketball star now living on the streets of Detroit while struggling with mental illness is triggered by the loss of his championship ring. Drake (Alex Henderson), a passionate young basketball player in dire need of coaching meets Curtis. The two work together to help one another in this story about empathy.

Rating: TV-MA
Genre: Drama/Sport
Runtime: 85 mins

Recommended Films Based on Curtis (2020) 

37 SECONDS (2011)
HIKARI
Stream on Netflix

THE BODY REMEMBERS WHEN THE WORLD BROKE OPEN (2019)
ELLE-MAIJA TAILFEATHERS, KATHLEEN HEPBURN
Stream for free on CBC Gem, Buy on Youtube for $7.99

About the Curator: Alia Aluma (she/her)

An advocate for the creative industries and global contributor to arts and culture communities, Alia Aluma has worked and studied in four different continents and conducts her research and workplace tasks in three different languages. Her multilateral passions link grand interests such as architecture, film, writing, and entertainment, leading to experiences within the fields of fashion,  photography, technical and culture teaching, writing and publishing, and fine arts and curation. While her current focus is on capital culture and art direction, she is also a practising visual artist and writer who has had works on display in Rome, Canada, and England. Her work is deeply rooted in empathetic work ethic and diversity, proven by her studies in multilingualism and world cultures.

Before graduating with degrees in Art History, Communications, and World Literature & Culture, Aluma began working as a ghostwriter while studying abroad in Hong Kong. In this role, she began writing novels on behalf of international clients, specializing in science fiction and business literature. Upon returning to Canada, Aluma stepped into the role of Editor-in-Chief and teacher, mentoring an entire journalism department from the ground up with Alberta’s largest hip hop foundation. Eventually, Aluma’s written history would lead to the creation of a digital course with skillshare foundation UPWEGO.ai.  Currently, Aluma is working on publishing her Masters research in decentralized art and currencies (CryptoArt). 

Aluma’s research has placed her within new roles in the creative industry, including her current position as Creative Arts & Technology Director with Greta Bar YYC/YEG/YVR, where she manages a CryptoArt Creative Foundation with the intention of reviving Calgary’s art scene. After speaking at multiple international conferences, she has also engaged with a team of academics from various institutions and many notable crypto-artists, leading to a highly anticipated textbook on the matter (publishing date TBD).

Presented in collaboration with

PERSPECTIVE FILM SERIES PRESENTS:
GOOD MANNERS [AS BOAS MANEIRAS] (2017)

JULIANA ROJAS, MARCO DUTRA
Genres: Comedy, Horror, Drama

Join Contemporary Calgary in collaboration with Pink Flamingo, March 24 at 7:00pm, for the fifth presentation of our ten-part Perspective Film Series—Good Manners (As Boas Maneiras) will be screened in the Dome Theatre.

This month’s Perspective focuses on diverse gender and sexual identities. Often exposing the crude reality of discrimination and ignorance, the film also showcases the joys of self-acceptance at all stages of life.

Make it a date night—bring a friend and enjoy a variety of drinks and snacks from our concession bar. After the film, we invite you to hear YOUR perspective on the larger themes of class, gender and sexuality. Stay and socialize with fellow attendees for a short post-film discussion and survey.

• Doors: 7:00 pm

• Screening: 7:30 pm

• Runtime: 2h 15m 

• Concession Bar Open Until 10pm

Recommended Films Based on Good Manners [As Boas Maneiras] (2017)

Disclosure (2020)
Same Feder 
Stream on Netflix 

Paris is Burning (1990)
Jennie Livingston
Rent/Buy on Apple TV ($3.99, $12.99) 

Tongues United (1989)
MARLON RIGGS
Stream on Kanopy; Rent/Buy on Vimeo ($3.99) 

About the Curator: Alia Aluma (she/her)

An advocate for the creative industries and global contributor to arts and culture communities, Alia Aluma has worked and studied in four different continents and conducts her research and workplace tasks in three different languages. Her multilateral passions link grand interests such as architecture, film, writing, and entertainment, leading to experiences within the fields of fashion,  photography, technical and culture teaching, writing and publishing, and fine arts and curation. While her current focus is on capital culture and art direction, she is also a practising visual artist and writer who has had works on display in Rome, Canada, and England. Her work is deeply rooted in empathetic work ethic and diversity, proven by her studies in multilingualism and world cultures.

Before graduating with degrees in Art History, Communications, and World Literature & Culture, Aluma began working as a ghostwriter while studying abroad in Hong Kong. In this role, she began writing novels on behalf of international clients, specializing in science fiction and business literature. Upon returning to Canada, Aluma stepped into the role of Editor-in-Chief and teacher, mentoring an entire journalism department from the ground up with Alberta’s largest hip hop foundation. Eventually, Aluma’s written history would lead to the creation of a digital course with skillshare foundation UPWEGO.ai.  Currently, Aluma is working on publishing her Masters research in decentralized art and currencies (CryptoArt). 

Aluma’s research has placed her within new roles in the creative industry, including her current position as Creative Arts & Technology Director with Greta Bar YYC/YEG/YVR, where she manages a CryptoArt Creative Foundation with the intention of reviving Calgary’s art scene. After speaking at multiple international conferences, she has also engaged with a team of academics from various institutions and many notable crypto-artists, leading to a highly anticipated textbook on the matter (publishing date TBD).

Presented in collaboration with

PERSPECTIVE FILM SERIES PRESENTS:
In the Mood for Love (2000)

Join Contemporary Calgary in collaboration with Pink Flamingo, December 2 at 7:00pm, for the fourth presentation of our ten-part Perspective Film Series—In the Mood for Love (2000) will be screened in the Dome Theatre.

Bring a friend and enjoy the film with a Fonda Fora Cocktails & Canapés package for two. After the film all guests can present their ticket at Fonda Fora for a complimentary Salsa Tasting.

• Doors: 7:00 pm

• Screening: 7:30 pm

• Runtime: 1h 37m

This is an in-person program. Masks are mandatory, and physical distancing will be maintained. Contemporary Calgary requires visitors ages 12 and older to provide proof of vaccination by scannable QR code, documentation of a medical exemption, or a negative PCR or rapid test within the last 72 hours in order to enter the gallery.

About PerspectivesFilm Series

Contemporary Calgary collaborates with Pink Flamingo to launch a new film series curated by Alia Aluma, that centres QTBIPOC films, diverse voices, global titles and narratives that confront prejudices.

This month’s Perspective focuses on forbidden affairs. Where there is love, there are ghosts. In this selection of films, societal imposition and borders haunt lovers and their intense affairs. Even more, these films are visually stunning and intellectually complex, leading toward a consuming visceral viewing experience. Notable for decadent scenery and cinematography, the sets in each film are just as much contributing characters as those who act within them.

In the Mood for Love (2000): Synopsis

In 1962 Hong Kong, Chow Mo-wan (Tony Leung Chiu Wai) and his wife moved into a new apartment. With Chow’s spouse occupied with business trips, he soon meets his alluring neighbour Su Li-zhen (Maggie Cheung Man-yuk), who’s suffering from similar loneliness while her partner is frequently away for work. Eventually, the new friends realize that their partners are having affairs with others, consequently tempting their faithfulness as they begin to fall in love with one another. 

Rating:PG (Thematic Elements|Brief Language)
Genre: Drama, Romance
Original Language: Chinese
Producer: William Chang Suk-ping Writer: Kar Wai Wong
Runtime: 1h 37m
Production Co: Paradis Film, Jet Tone Productions, Block 2 Pictures

Recommended Films Based on In the Mood for Love (2000) 

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)
Céline Sciamma
Rent/Buy on VUDU ($2.99, $8.99), Prime Video ($2.99, $8.99), Apple TV ($3.99, $9.99) 

Daughters of the Dust (1991)
Julie Dash
Rent/Buy on Apple TV ($3.99, $9.99), Prime Video ($2.99, $9.99)
The Handmaiden (2016)
Park Chan-Wook
Rent on VUDU ($2.99), YouTube ($4.99) 

About the Curator: Alia Aluma (she/her)

An advocate for the creative industries and global contributor to arts and culture communities, Alia Aluma has worked and studied in four different continents and conducts her research and workplace tasks in three different languages. Her multilateral passions link grand interests such as architecture, film, writing, and entertainment, leading to experiences within the fields of fashion,  photography, technical and culture teaching, writing and publishing, and fine arts and curation. While her current focus is on capital culture and art direction, she is also a practising visual artist and writer who has had works on display in Rome, Canada, and England. Her work is deeply rooted in empathetic work ethic and diversity, proven by her studies in multilingualism and world cultures.

Before graduating with degrees in Art History, Communications, and World Literature & Culture, Aluma began working as a ghostwriter while studying abroad in Hong Kong. In this role, she began writing novels on behalf of international clients, specializing in science fiction and business literature. Upon returning to Canada, Aluma stepped into the role of Editor-in-Chief and teacher, mentoring an entire journalism department from the ground up with Alberta’s largest hip hop foundation. Eventually, Aluma’s written history would lead to the creation of a digital course with skillshare foundation UPWEGO.ai.  Currently, Aluma is working on publishing her Masters research in decentralized art and currencies (CryptoArt). 

Aluma’s research has placed her within new roles in the creative industry, including her current position as Creative Arts & Technology Director with Greta Bar YYC/YEG/YVR, where she manages a CryptoArt Creative Foundation with the intention of reviving Calgary’s art scene. After speaking at multiple international conferences, she has also engaged with a team of academics from various institutions and many notable crypto-artists, leading to a highly anticipated textbook on the matter (publishing date TBD).

Presented in collaboration with

PERSPECTIVES FILM SERIES PRESENTS:
SMOKE SIGNALS (1998)

Contemporary Calgary collaborates with Pink Flamingo to launch a new film series curated by Alia Aluma, that centres QTBIPOC films, diverse voices, global titles and narratives that confront prejudices. Join us November 12 at 7:00pm for the third screening of our ten part series.

This month’s Perspective focuses on family and identity; road films and self-discovery. These stories explore the realities of learning who you are while also understanding how you connect to your cultural identity, heritage, and family during the younger years of life. What does it mean to be Indigenous? What are the expected qualities of Iranian women? How does family impact the identity we present the world or better yet, the identity we hide.

This is an in-person program. Masks are mandatory, and physical distancing will be maintained in seating arrangements. Contemporary Calgary requires visitors ages 12 and older to provide proof of vaccination, documentation of a medical exemption, or a negative PCR or rapid test within the last 72 hours in order to enter the gallery.

Smoke Signals (1998): Synopsis

Victor (Adam Beach) has grown up believing his father, Arnold (Gary Farmer) to be a violent alcoholic who abandoned his family. On the other hand, Victor’s good friend Thomas (Evan Adams) considers Arnold to be a hero after saving him from a fire when he was a child. This tension, among many, leads to plenty of interesting conversations on the reservation between Thomas and Victor, and to a banter-filled road trip to Pheonix, Arizona to collect Arnold’s ashes after he passes. This award-winning road film, and entirely Indigenous production, is recognized for its excellent delivery of humour, seriousness, and connection.

Rating:PG-13 
Genre: Comedy, Drama 
Original Language:English 
Producer: Scott Rosenfelt,Larry Estes 
Runtime: 1h 28m 
Production Co: Miramax

RECOMMENDED FILMS BASED ON SMOKE SIGNALS (2018) 

THE INCREDIBLE 25TH YEAR OF MITZI BEARCLAW (2019) 
SHELLY NIRO  Stream on Prime Video 

CIRCUMSTANCE (2011) 
MARYAM KESHAVARZ 
Rent/Buy on Prime Video ($3.99,$7.99), VUDU ($3.99,$5.99), Apple TV ($4.99, $9.99)

About the Curator: Alia Aluma (she/her)

An advocate for the creative industries and global contributor to arts and culture communities, Alia Aluma has worked and studied in four different continents and conducts her research and workplace tasks in three different languages. Her multilateral passions link grand interests such as architecture, film, writing, and entertainment, leading to experiences within the fields of fashion,  photography, technical and culture teaching, writing and publishing, and fine arts and curation. While her current focus is on capital culture and art direction, she is also a practising visual artist and writer who has had works on display in Rome, Canada, and England. Her work is deeply rooted in empathetic work ethic and diversity, proven by her studies in multilingualism and world cultures.

Before graduating with degrees in Art History, Communications, and World Literature & Culture, Aluma began working as a ghostwriter while studying abroad in Hong Kong. In this role, she began writing novels on behalf of international clients, specializing in science fiction and business literature. Upon returning to Canada, Aluma stepped into the role of Editor-in-Chief and teacher, mentoring an entire journalism department from the ground up with Alberta’s largest hip hop foundation. Eventually, Aluma’s written history would lead to the creation of a digital course with skillshare foundation UPWEGO.ai.  Currently, Aluma is working on publishing her Masters research in decentralized art and currencies (CryptoArt). 

Aluma’s research has placed her within new roles in the creative industry, including her current position as Creative Arts & Technology Director with Greta Bar YYC/YEG/YVR, where she manages a CryptoArt Creative Foundation with the intention of reviving Calgary’s art scene. After speaking at multiple international conferences, she has also engaged with a team of academics from various institutions and many notable crypto-artists, leading to a highly anticipated textbook on the matter (publishing date TBD).

Presented in Partnership By

PERSPECTIVES FILM SERIES PRESENTS: TAKE OUT GIRL (2020)

Contemporary Calgary in partnership with Pink Flamingo launch a new film series curated by Alia Aluma, that includes QTBIPOC films, diverse voices, global titles and narratives that confront prejudices. Join us October 7 at 7:00pm for the second screening of our ten part series.

This month’s Perspective touches on the theme of Devotion & Loyalty; The (illegal, dangerous, and inspiring) things we do for our family. From becoming a student drug hustler, brushing death for your fraternity brothers, or sisters becoming gold-winning world class wrestlers to honour their father’s legacy. Hisonni Mustafa’s film, Take Out Girl (2020), shows the true lengths people will go to honour, protect, and serve the people they care about. 

This is an in-person program. Masks are mandatory, and physical distancing will be maintained in seating arrangements. Contemporary Calgary requires visitors ages 12 and older to provide proof of vaccination, documentation of a medical exemption, or a negative PCR or rapid test within the last 72 hours in order to enter the gallery.

Take Out Girl (2020): Synopsis

Tera Wong delivers Chinese food for her mother's struggling restaurant located in the "Low Bottoms," an infamous south Los Angeles neighborhood. Everyone around her, including her unpredictable brother (Saren), are financially trapped in this crime and violence-ridden area. Her fortune changes when Tera takes a job from the local drug kingpin (Lalo) and begins moving his product inside her take-out food containers. With the cash rolling in, Tera intends to move the family restaurant to the suburbs and go clean. But after a series of tragic events, the dream that Tera built on a foundation of deception may crumble.

RECOMMENDED FILMS BASED ON TAKE OUT GIRL (2020) 

BURNING SANDS (2018) GERARD McMURRAY
Stream on Netflix

DANGAL (2016) NITESH TIWARI
Stream on Netflix 

About the Curator: Alia Aluma (she/her)

An advocate for the creative industries and global contributor to arts and culture communities, Alia Aluma has worked and studied in four different continents and conducts her research and workplace tasks in three different languages. Her multilateral passions link grand interests such as architecture, film, writing, and entertainment, leading to experiences within the fields of fashion,  photography, technical and culture teaching, writing and publishing, and fine arts and curation. While her current focus is on capital culture and art direction, she is also a practising visual artist and writer who has had works on display in Rome, Canada, and England. Her work is deeply rooted in empathetic work ethic and diversity, proven by her studies in multilingualism and world cultures.

Before graduating with degrees in Art History, Communications, and World Literature & Culture, Aluma began working as a ghostwriter while studying abroad in Hong Kong. In this role, she began writing novels on behalf of international clients, specializing in science fiction and business literature. Upon returning to Canada, Aluma stepped into the role of Editor-in-Chief and teacher, mentoring an entire journalism department from the ground up with Alberta’s largest hip hop foundation. Eventually, Aluma’s written history would lead to the creation of a digital course with skillshare foundation UPWEGO.ai.  Currently, Aluma is working on publishing her Masters research in decentralized art and currencies (CryptoArt). 

Aluma’s research has placed her within new roles in the creative industry, including her current position as Creative Arts & Technology Director with Greta Bar YYC/YEG/YVR, where she manages a CryptoArt Creative Foundation with the intention of reviving Calgary’s art scene. After speaking at multiple international conferences, she has also engaged with a team of academics from various institutions and many notable crypto-artists, leading to a highly anticipated textbook on the matter (publishing date TBD).

Presented in Partnership By

PERSPECTIVES FILM SERIES PRESENTS: TANGERINE (2015)

Magnolia Pictures, Duplass Brothers Productions and Through Films present in association with Cre Film & Freestyle Pictures Co. A film by Sean Baker.

Contemporary Calgary collaborates with Pink Flamingo to launch a new film series curated by Alia Aluma, that centres QTBIPOC films, diverse voices, global titles and narratives that confront prejudices. Join us September 2 at 7:00pm for the first screening of our ten part series.

This month’s Perspective touches on the theme of Women & Men; Vibrant, poetic, and real, Tangerine (2015) reveals the true challenges that women face in different regions and stages of their lives. Exploring the realities of violence against women, coming-of-age, love and relationships, these titles will bring tears and genuine laughter, forcing us to confront our biases and notions of freedom. 

This is an in-person program. Masks are strongly encouraged and will be made available at our welcome desk. Physical distancing will be maintained in seating arrangements.

Tangerine (2015): Synopsis

It's Christmas Eve in Tinseltown and Sin-Dee (newcomer Kitana Kiki Rodriguez) is back on the block. Upon hearing that her pimp boyfriend (James Ransone, STARLET, "Generation Kill") hasn't been faithful during the 28 days she was locked up, the sex worker and her best friend, Alexandra (newcomer Mya Taylor), embark on a mission to get to the bottom of the scandalous rumor. Their rip-roaring odyssey leads them through various subcultures of Los Angeles, including an Armenian family dealing with their own repercussions of infidelity. Director Sean Baker’s prior films (STARLET, PRINCE OF BROADWAY) brought rich texture and intimate detail to worlds seldom seen on film. TANGERINE follows suit, bursting off the screen with energy and style. A decidedly modern Christmas tale told on the streets of L.A., TANGERINE defies expectation at every turn.

Rating:R (Drug Use|Disturbing Sexual Content | Graphic Nudity| Language Throughout | Strong Sexual Content)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Producer: Sean Baker, Karrie Cox, Marcus Cox, Darren Dean, Shih-Ching Tsou
Writer: Sean Baker
Production Co: Duplass Brothers, Through Films

RECOMMENDED FILMS BASED ON TANGERINE (2015) 

PINK (2016) ANIRUDDHA ROY CHOWDHURY
Stream on Netflix

PARIAH (2012) DEE REES
Stream on OUTtv

ALIFU, THE PRINCE/SS (2017) WAN YU-LIN
Screened at 2017 Tokyo Film Festival

About the Curator: Alia Aluma (she/her)

An advocate for the creative industries and global contributor to arts and culture communities, Alia Aluma has worked and studied in four different continents and conducts her research and workplace tasks in three different languages. Her multilateral passions link grand interests such as architecture, film, writing, and entertainment, leading to experiences within the fields of fashion,  photography, technical and culture teaching, writing and publishing, and fine arts and curation. While her current focus is on capital culture and art direction, she is also a practising visual artist and writer who has had works on display in Rome, Canada, and England. Her work is deeply rooted in empathetic work ethic and diversity, proven by her studies in multilingualism and world cultures.

Before graduating with degrees in Art History, Communications, and World Literature & Culture, Aluma began working as a ghostwriter while studying abroad in Hong Kong. In this role, she began writing novels on behalf of international clients, specializing in science fiction and business literature. Upon returning to Canada, Aluma stepped into the role of Editor-in-Chief and teacher, mentoring an entire journalism department from the ground up with Alberta’s largest hip hop foundation. Eventually, Aluma’s written history would lead to the creation of a digital course with skillshare foundation UPWEGO.ai.  Currently, Aluma is working on publishing her Masters research in decentralized art and currencies (CryptoArt). 

Aluma’s research has placed her within new roles in the creative industry, including her current position as Creative Arts & Technology Director with Greta Bar YYC/YEG/YVR, where she manages a CryptoArt Creative Foundation with the intention of reviving Calgary’s art scene. After speaking at multiple international conferences, she has also engaged with a team of academics from various institutions and many notable crypto-artists, leading to a highly anticipated textbook on the matter (publishing date TBD).

Presented in Partnership By