Calgary International Film Festival Safer Spaces Policy

Last updated August 13, 2026

CIFF is committed to creating and maintaining a respectful festival environment that is free from discrimination, violence, bullying, harassment, sexual assault, stalking, abuse, and threats. Our goal is for all people feel safer and welcome at CIFF, and to challenge and address all forms of discrimination and oppression.

Under the Canadian and Alberta Human Rights Acts, all citizens are protected from discrimination based on the grounds of race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religious beliefs, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, physical disability, mental disability, marital status, family status, source of income, and sexual orientation. We recognize that people may also experience discrimination and oppression based on identities not listed.

In furtherance of these goals, CIFF requires all staff, board members, volunteers, invited guests and attendees to:

  • Creating a space that is free from discrimination, violence, bullying, harassment, sexual assault, stalking, abuse, and threats.
  • Ask for consent. Respect the emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual boundaries of other people.
  • Not interrupt speakers or take over the conversation, especially if the topic
     is discussing oppression that you do not personally experience.
  • Ask for permission before taking photos.
  • Apologizing if a mistake is made and being accountable for other reparations if needed.
  • Approaching individuals with curiosity rather than judgment.
  • Wear respectful attire that is free of derogatory images or words (e.g., a racist symbol)
  • Avoid asking individuals unnecessary personal questions about their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, sex, sexual practices, and medical status.
  • Address people by their chosen name (rather than legal name) and pronouns (e.g., name replacements such as “she/her/hers, he/him/his, and they/them/theirs”). If you do not know someone’s name or pronouns, you may share yours “Hi my name is____, I use ____ pronouns. How about you?”
  • The intentional or persistent refusal to respect a person’s gender identity (e.g., intentionally referring to a person by a name or pronoun that they indicated they do not use can constitute harassment and is a violation of this policy. This is applicable when the person is present and when they are not present.

CIFF staff, board members and volunteers are subject to additional conduct requirements outlined in its Code of Conduct Policy.

Safer Spaces Agreements

CIFF requires all staff, board members, volunteers, invited guests and attendees to agree to abide by this policy by completing a Safer Spaces Agreement.

Agreements are made as follows:

  • Staff (employees and core contractors) and board members must sign CIFF’s Policy Acknowledgement Form at the time of hiring (in the case of staff) or assumption of board duties (in the case of board members).
  • Volunteers must sign CIFF’s Safer Spaces Agreement each year as part of the volunteer orientation process.
  • Invited Guests must sign CIFF’s Safer Spaces Agreement prior to being issued their festival pass and physical guest badge.
  • Attendees (public and industry) must agree to abide by CIFF’s Safer Spaces Policy at checkout when purchasing tickets and passes to CIFF events.

Reporting

CIFF encourages an open and frank environment in which any problem, concern, complaint, question or suggestion can be brought forward to a CIFF manager for serious consideration. No employee, volunteer, invited guest or CIFF attendee will be penalized, formally or informally, for voicing a complaint in a reasonable manner.

CIFF will maintain a Safer Spaces Reporting Form in a well marked location on its public website. Any person who experiences or witnesses an incident that violates CIFF’s Safer Spaces Policy may report the incident to CIFF using the Reporting Form.

Incidents may also be reported directly to a staff or volunteer member of CIFF’s on-site venue team, especially if warranted for the immediate safety of any person(s) experiencing harassment, violence, abuse, threats or any other actions that violate this policy. Please contact Katherine (katherine@ciffcalgary.ca) to report the incident or if additional assistance is required. CIFF will ensure that its staff and volunteers receive regular annual training in how to respond to such situations, including engaged bystander training.

Right to Remove

CIFF reserves the right to remove any employee, board member, volunteer, invited guest or CIFF attendee upon violation of this policy. Any decision to remove and/or permanently ban employees, board members, volunteers, invited guests, or CIFF attendees from CIFF events will be made on a case-by-case basis, in consultation with directly affected parties when possible.

Definitions

Terms used in this policy and supporting documents are defined as follows:

DISCRIMINATION – A direct or indirect action or a decision that results in unfair and harmful treatment of a person or a group due to one or more identities they may hold.

HARASSMENT – Any unwelcome or objectionable, physical, emotional, and/or psychological, visual or verbal conduct, comment or display that makes someone feel afraid, uncomfortable, or ashamed whether intended or unintended.

OPPRESSION – When one social group has privilege at the expense of another social group. Oppression negatively affects the lives of those in the oppressed group while positively impacting the privileged group.

SEXUAL VIOLENCE – An umbrella term that refers to any form of non-consensual sexual behaviour, including sexual assault, sexual abuse, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation and sex trafficking, including any such violence or harassment perpetrated or facilitated through technology.

STALKING –  A form of criminal harassment, which  is an offence under the Criminal Code of Canada. The behaviour is such that the affected party feels fear for their personal safety and is conducted without a legitimate purpose. Generally, criminal harassment involves repeated instances. However, where the behaviour is overtly threatening, a single incident may be considered criminal harassment. Examples of criminal harassment include:

  • Calling the affected party over and over again and perhaps hanging up whenever they answer the phone
  • Contacting the affected party on the internet or through constant emails
  • Following the affected party, their family, or friends
  • Leaving threatening voice messages
  • Sending the affected party gifts they do not want
  • Watching the affected party or tracking where they go
  • Threatening the affected party, their children, family, pets or friends.

THREATENING a.k.a. UTTERING THREATS – A criminal offence in Canada that involves knowingly uttering, conveying, or causing any person to receive a threat to cause death or bodily harm to any person, or burn, destroy or damage real or personal property.

VIOLENCE – The intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community, that either results in, or has a high likelihood of, resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment, or deprivation.