Friday One Sheet: Calgary Underground Film Festival 2026

Western Canada's ever-expanding genre extravaganza, the Calgary Underground Film Festival (or CUFF for short) has put out its key art in anticipation of its April 16th launch. In keeping with its maximalist underground comix design ethos, and always using a local artist, the key art leans heavily into shades of purple, with a wispy hint of ghost-blue and warm orange. 

Designer Nick Johnson (also the director and producer of the animated feature film Sunburnt Unicorn) prominently features CUFF's home, the double-decker movie-house Globe Cinema. With a host of beasties taking over the place, one of them is even offering up the theatre's iconic hotdogs, along with double passes and popcorn. Friendly monsters, these. Given the energy of the CUFF crowd and festival organizers, that these horror fiends are howling at the moon and busting up the place while having a gay time at the movies, well, this is most decidedly on brand.

On a Canadian festival note, the design is also a nice nod (accidental or intentional) to a historic Toronto After Dark Film Festival piece key art at its former home of The Bloor Cinema from fellow Canuck, "Ghoulish" Gary Pullin.

The Calgary Underground Film Festival takes place from April 16-26, 2026 in downtown Calgary.