Drumheller may be famous for dinosaurs, but this November the Alberta badlands town is turning the spotlight on movies made right at home. The Starland Film Festival, presented by Starland Studios, brings two days of Alberta-made cinema, filmmaker panels and live music to the historic Napier Theatre in the town's downtown.
The programme mixes genres freely — drama, horror, documentaries and science fiction all get a slot. Opening night on Friday starts at 6:30 p.m. with Hearts Creek, followed by Buffet Infinity at 8:45 p.m., then an after-party with live music at Yavis Restaurant from 9 p.m.
Saturday is the full-on day, running from 10 a.m. to late evening. The schedule bounces between screenings and industry talk: A Sauropod Abroad opens the morning (fitting, given the town's dino credentials), followed by a "So You Want to be a Filmmaker?" panel. Later highlights include The Global Grand Challenge: Can Earth Feed 10 Billion People?, the comedy Funny Money, a panel on building film-friendly communities, and The Last Howl. The evening pairs Not in My City: The Paul Brandt Story with In Cold Light, before sci-fi closer X-Communicado at 8:45 p.m.
Beyond the films, the Q&A sessions and three panels give a genuine peek into Alberta's growing screen industry — from breaking in as a filmmaker to what makes a community attractive for shoots. That's a rare chance to hear it from people actually doing the work, in a town of about 8,000 rather than a big-city festival hall.
Practicalities are refreshingly simple. Tickets are $25, bought online in advance or at the door. The Napier Theatre sits at 20 3rd Ave. E in downtown Drumheller, roughly a 1.5-hour drive northeast of Calgary, and there's free on-site parking — though arriving early is advised if you want a spot. If you're making a weekend of it, the town's Royal Tyrrell Museum, hoodoo trails and dramatic badlands scenery make it easy to fill the daylight hours between screenings.
For travellers, this is a neat excuse to pair a quirky cultural event with one of Alberta's most distinctive landscapes, while supporting homegrown filmmakers on a proper big screen. Just note the listing shows Friday, Nov. 13 to Saturday, Nov. 15, 2026 — check the official details before booking, since the programme itself reads as a two-day Friday–Saturday event.
