(Central Alberta Film Festival/Facebook)

By rdnewsNOW staff

Begins today

Central Alberta Film Festival returns to the big screen

Oct 1, 2025 | 11:15 AM

The Central Alberta Film Festival (CAFF) kicks off today in Red Deer and will continue through Saturday, Oct. 4.

The ninth annual edition of the event will take place on the big screen at Gameland Laser Tag & VRcade in the north part of the city.

It includes four days of film screenings as well as a celebrity red carpet awards gala on Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. at Gameland.

A full list of nominees for the awards ceremony and a list of the approximate 33 film screenings can be found on the Central Alberta Film Festival website.

“We’re ready to thrill audiences with four days of movie magic,” said Ranjit Mullakady, president of the CAFF..

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The CAFF is a non-profit organization that aims to bridge the audience to the filmmakers that want to showcase their work. It is a platform to showcase Albertan, Canadian, and international talent.

Tickets can be purchased at the door but also in advance on the CAFF website. A ticket for a single screening can be bought for $10 or $50 for the CAFF screening pass, which grants access to every screening during the festival. Meantime, tickets to the celebrity red carpet awards gala are available for $50.

“There are no overlapping screenings this year, so people up for a real movie marathon don’t have to miss a single film,” Mullakady added.

“If you are a movie lover, this is your chance to easily watch films you can’t usually see in most theatres. Central Alberta Film Festival is a simple and affordable introduction to independent films.”

One of the screenings includes a new Canadian documentary, Buddy Check for Jesse, screening at the CAFF on Oct. 4 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The film follows Dr. Stu Gershman, who lost his 22-year-old son Jesse to suicide. Amidst the tragedy, Gershman created Buddy Check for Jesse: a grassroots program that gives coaches the tools to talk about mental health in locker rooms based out of British Columbia.