Charlie Chaplin believed that tragedy and comedy were not far removed, and so sought inspiration in tales of deprivation and horror from the Klondike Gold Rush of the 1890s for this silent comedy classic. The Calgary Cinematheque is excited to present this masterpiece of physical comedy with a live score by Icarus 3.

In Polyester, suburban housewife Francine Fishpaw (Divine) navigates a crumbling world as her husband confesses infidelity, her daughter announces a pregnancy, and her son is suspected of bizarre crimes. Amidst chaos, she finds an unexpected romance with heartthrob Todd Tomorrow (Tab Hunter). Polyester is a cheeky comedy with outlandish characters and irreverent humor, starring Divine, the (drag) queen of flamboyance.

How the West Was Won won three Oscars and tells the story of a family saga covering several decades of Westward expansion in the 19th century, including the Gold Rush, the Civil War, and the building of the railroads. It boasts an all-star cast including James Stewart, John Wayn, Debbie Reynolds, Gregory Peck, Henry Fonda and dozens of other stars. While legendary western director John Ford (Stagecoach, The Searchers, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance) helms the Civil War Segment. 

Chronicling the world of fierce performance and competition at Harlem drag balls during the 1980s, Jennie Livingston’s Paris is Burning is a groundbreaking exploration of race, class, gender, and sexuality. The documentary follows the lives of Dorian Corey, Will Ninja, Sol, Freddie and Kim Pedavis, Octavia St. Laurent, Angie and Venus Xtravaganza, and Pepper LaBeija as they perform and tell their respective stories.