CJFF Community Screenings, Discussions, and Workshops - JustREEL events

Curating four JustREEL community events in 2026 will extend the work of the Calgary Justice Film Festival (CJFF) and its Peace Market into year-round community engagement. Each November, CJFF hosts the Peace Market alongside its free documentary screenings, where over 30 non-profits share their work related to justice, human rights, and social equity. This project will deepen that impact by co-developing events that bring curated film screenings, panel discussions, workshops, and resource-sharing into neighbourhoods across Calgary.

Each JustREEL event will feature a justice-focused documentary followed by a live panel and facilitated dialogue or workshops co-hosted with participating Peace Market organizations. Themes will align with pressing community needs: legal literacy, mental health, women’s and immigrant rights, youth justice, homelessness, and access to healthcare. In this way, the project will not only amplify the work of local non-profits but also foster dialogue, increase public understanding, and connect people with resources and support in their communities.

Community partners will co-curate the topics and provide expert speakers, workshop facilitators, and lived-experience voices. Events will be held in accessible public venues such as libraries, community centres, and cultural hubs, encouraging broad attendance, especially among underserved groups. Each event will also include a “Justice Resource Hub” – a pop-up space with take-home materials, service referrals, and sign-up opportunities for further learning or volunteering.

This initiative transforms CJFF’s powerful model, film as a catalyst for change,into an ongoing, mobile platform for education, conversation, and action. It will build legal and social literacy, connect people with grassroots solutions, and embed justice discourse more deeply into community life. Most importantly, it brings the spirit of the festival beyond the theatre and into neighbourhoods, schools, and everyday spaces, making justice more accessible, visible, and shared.

This project will benefit a wide range of Albertans, with emphasis on communities facing systemic barriers to justice, healthcare, education, and social inclusion. By curating events that combine documentary film, expert dialogue, workshops, and resource sharing, it will serve both general audiences and equity-seeking groups whose lived experiences are often underrepresented in civic discourse.

Individuals seeking to better understand legal rights and social systems will benefit significantly. Events will promote legal literacy by presenting complex issues in accessible, visual formats, followed by discussions with practitioners, advocates, and those with lived experience. Students, educators, newcomers, and community members will engage with topics such as housing rights, immigration law, criminal justice, and human rights frameworks in ways that encourage informed citizenship and participation.

People navigating mental health challenges or gaps in healthcare access will also benefit. Films, panels, and workshops will highlight intersections of mental health, trauma, and inequity. By partnering with health-focused non-profits and service agencies, the project will create opportunities to access information, reduce stigma, and connect with supports. The inclusion of professionals and peer advocates in discussions will foster validation, trust, and shared learning.

Women, particularly immigrant and refugee women, will benefit through events that address gender-based violence, family reunification, caregiving burdens, and barriers to integration. By collaborating with organizations active in the Peace Market, the project will support women in accessing resources, amplifying their voices, and engaging with peers in a respectful setting.

At-risk youth and individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness will be supported through events focused on youth justice, housing precarity, and pathways to stability. Accessible venues such as youth centres and outreach hubs will provide low-barrier opportunities for dialogue, education, and connection with support networks.

Finally, artists, cultural workers, and community organizations will gain new platforms to engage the public in meaningful conversations. Recognizing the arts as a critical medium for justice dialogue, the project will support creative and cultural leaders in expanding their community impact.