Trains and cinema have been interlinked ever since the Lumière brothers’ The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat Station wowed audiences in 1896. We are absolutely delighted to invite you to a special reception at the Royal Canadian Pacific Pavilion in downtown Calgary in celebration of the World Premiere of Eric González’s PULSE OF THE CONTINENT, an electrifying documentary that captures the first steam locomotive to travel across Canada, the United States, and Mexico on a single, continuous route. Enjoy a selection of refreshments as you mingle with other train enthusiasts, members of the 2816 steam crew and take in the greatness of The Empress (yes the 2816 steam locomotive will be in attendance)!*

Reception location: Royal Canadian Pacific Pavilion, 201 9 Ave SW, Calgary, Alberta (Adjacent to the Palliser Hotel)

Director Eric González and guests will be in attendance at the September 20 screening.

Set against the backdrop of the largest railway merger in North American history — the union of Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern — this visually arresting documentary follows the resurrection of Locomotive 2816, a 1930s steam engine affectionately known as "The Empress".

Over the course of an 11,000-kilometre odyssey from Calgary to Mexico City, the film captures the first steam locomotive to cross all three nations on a single continuous route. Through the eyes of the steam crew – engineers, firemen, mechanics – and bystanders, from small towns to major cities, PULSE OF THE CONTINENT becomes a lyrical meditation on heritage, memory, and motion.

*Please note, the $45 ticket that includes access to the film and to the party must be purchased separately, and is not eligible for booking on any pass, or using any code.