GIRAF, or the Giant Incandescent Resonating Animation Festival (est 2005), is an annual animation festival that runs each November at the Plaza Theatre in Calgary.  GIRAF celebrates the spirit of independent, underground, and experimental animation, showcasing Canadian animators and presenting diverse animations from around the globe. We’ve showcased the award winning independent work artists including Don Hertzfedlt, Bruce Bickford, Brandon Bloomaert, Barry Doupe, Cordell Barker, Richard Reeves, Chad Van Gaalan, Nick Fox-Geig, Amy Lockhart, Stu Hughes, Madi Piller, and Cam Christiansen, among many others.

GIRAF is committed to gaining greater awareness for animation as an art form. Through 5 days of interactive activities: workshops, artist talks, visiting artists, and animation screenings, our festival showcased over 80 animations in 2010 alone. We focus on presenting works that push boundaries through the development of new techniques, hybrid forms of creation, and challenging subject matter, and thus animation that is rarely seen at other festivals.

The 2011 Sydney Underground Film Festival will take place from Thursday 8 September to Sunday 11 September at The Factory Theatre, Marrickville, Sydney Australia.

The festival will only program unique, quality independent films that transgress the status quo and challenge the conservative conventions of filmmaking. The festival is devoted to renewing local interest in independent and experimental film as part of an international underground film culture and aims to change an engrained culture of cinematic complacency and revitalize an enthusiasm for cinema.

Mission Statement

The Sydney Underground Film Festival is dedicated to nurturing an alternative film culture through the promotion of independent and experimental films. The festival seeks to support filmmakers who operate outside established film industry infrastructures, by providing a platform for exhibition, exposure and critical discussion.