It is September, which means no rest for the serious cineaste! We have just returned from the Toronto International Film Festival, and the fall festival calendar still includes London, New York, Busan, Tokyo, and Zurich. Yet one festival remains nearest and dearest to our hearts: the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF).
Now in its 45th year, VIFF will screen more than 160 films at the beginning of October, at venues across the city, including the Playhouse, the Cinematheque, the Park, the Rio, and VIFF’s eponymous cinema on Seymour Street. Following the successful addition of Alliance Française last year for French-language films, the festival continues to widen its footprint with the Lindsay Family Stage on Granville Island, extending its presence beyond the downtown core.
This year’s lineup features numerous international award-winners and acclaimed titles, among them Fjord, The Debut, Club Kid, La Bola Negra, and I Play Rocky. Here are some of the most exciting films on the program.
Behemoth!
Pedro Pascal stars as a classical musician escaping his New York life for home in Los Angeles. But what is he leaving behind beyond his career? The latest from Oscar-nominated director Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton) arrives at VIFF following its world premiere at Lincoln Center during the New York Film Festival.
Rose
Oscar nominee Sandra Hüller won Best Actress at this year’s Berlinale for her role as a disfigured soldier who, in the aftermath of the Thirty Years’ War, attempts to lay claim to a valuable plot of land. I would keep an eye on the October 5 screening, as it includes a Q&A with director Markus Schleinzer.
Fatherland
If you cannot get enough of Hüller, her other major festival title is also on the VIFF slate. The latest from Paweł Pawlikowski (Cold War) follows celebrated author Thomas Mann’s return to Germany in 1949, after the end of the Second World War. Fatherland was co-winner of the Best Director award at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
Smudge the Blades
One of the most anticipated films in the “Northern Lights” selection of Canadian cinema, this debut feature from Cody Lightning follows an Indigenous youth hockey team as they face obstacles in pursuit of our national sport. Co-starring Ed Helms (The Office) and Lightning himself, the film won the Best Canadian Discovery Award at TIFF. Lightning will be present for a post-screening Q&A at the October 3 screening at the Rio.
All the Lovers in the Night
Based on the acclaimed novel by Mieko Kawakami, one of Japan’s foremost novelists, this new drama follows a freelance proofreader who discovers that true romance can arrive unexpectedly and happily. VIFF has the honour of presenting the film’s Canadian premiere.
Wicker
What happens when you cannot find a husband? Apparently, you invent one. Wicker is a bonkers fable follows a fishmonger in a remote English village (Olivia Colman) who asks a local weaver (Peter Dinklage) to craft her an enchanted husband out of wicker. Following last year’s unusual and unapologetically gay S&M black comedy Pillion (cheekily dubbed a “dom-com” by its creative team), I can safely say that it is not a proper VIFF without Alexander Skarsgård starring in an unorthodox (read: nutty) romantic comedy.
School for Defectors
This eye-opening documentary follows the children of North Korean defectors as they adjust to life in South Korea. The film is directed by Jeremy Workman and produced by Daniel Dae Kim (Lost, Hawaii Five-O, and Always Be My Maybe). The October 4 screening is noteworthy, as it is followed by an extensive Q&A with both Workman and Kim.
Special Events
Beyond its array of top-notch international films, VIFF is home to a robust marketplace and a slate of special events. Among them is The KLF: 23 Seconds to Eternity, a retrospective on the beloved 1990s UK house band, performed live with Vancouver experimental act CHXMERAS.
In Conversation With Carrie Coon
Most intriguingly, VIFF has just announced a new “In Conversation With…” series, pairing audiences with a major film actor for a one-on-one discussion. The inaugural ICW features Emmy-nominated actress Carrie Coon (The Gilded Age, The Leftovers, and Gone Girl), who will speak about her career and receive VIFF’s Luminary Award for distinguished achievement. The event coincides with the opening of Coon’s latest film, The Liberation, which just played to a rousing reception at TIFF.
Author Profile
- Ritchie Po is a privacy consultant, cybersecurity lawyer, and AI ethics advisor passionate about the intersections of technology, creativity, and culture. Ritchie is also a cineaste who draws inspiration from his love of music and figure skating—often fuelled by the avant-garde genius of Björk.
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