View guide or buy tickets 

Local filmmakers
get down to business
at the VIFF’s Trade Forum
Tuesday, October 2, 2001

Vancouver, Canada – The 16th Annual Film & Television Trade Forum delivered on its pledge to present local industry professionals with the creative and business expertise they need to succeed in the global marketplace. (Read more)

COMPLETE LINE-UP OF 20TH ANNIVERSARY VIFF UNVEILED
Wednesday, September 5, 2001

Vancouver – With a total of 217 feature films and 78 shorts, the 20th Anniversary Vancouver International Film Festival is poised to unfurl across eight area screens from September 27 to October 12. Of the 217 features, there are eight World Premieres, 23 International Premieres, 47 North American Premieres, 20 Canadian Premieres and 21 English-Canadian Premieres.

Our theme for this year remains SAME PLANET, DIFFERENT WORLDS and our purpose as a non-profit society continues to be "to encourage understanding of other nations through the art of cinema, to foster the art of cinema, to facilitate the meeting in British Columbia of cinema professionals from around the world, and to stimulate the motion picture industry in British Columbia."

ANNIVERSARY GALA – MULHOLLAND DRIVE

Festival Director Alan Franey announced that David Lynch’s MULHOLLAND DRIVE will screen as the Anniversary Gala on Saturday, October 6 at 7pm at the VISA Screening Room at the Vogue. A self-described "love story in the city of dreams," MULHOLLAND DRIVE finds director David Lynch at peak form. In this zigzagging noir, the underlit and overimagined streets of Los Angeles are a launching point for the exploration of the dark recesses of the mind. This mesmerizing cross between LOST HIGHWAY and TWIN PEAKS stars unknowns Naomi Watts and Laura Elena Harring as two starstruck Nancy Drews in the seamy underbelly of the city of angels. One thing is for sure – MULHOLLAND DRIVE is no straight story. "Having earlier given Vancouver audiences a preview of TWIN PEAKS, we are pleased to offer David Lynch’s latest film up for speculative interpretation. It is safe to say that MULHOLLAND DRIVE is Lynch at his most structurally ambitious and mind-blowing best," Franey said.

Return to top

SPECIAL PRESENTATION – LILITH ON TOP

In addition to the previously announced ATANARJUAT (THE FAST RUNNER), another Canadian film will screen as a Special Presentation at the 20th Anniversary VIFF. LILITH ON TOP is Lynne Stopkewich’s definitive portrait of Sarah McLachlan’s groundbreaking Lilith Fair tour, and will screen on Monday, October 8, at the VISA Screening Room at the Vogue. Featuring the crème de la crème of women in music, this raucous documentary is the cinematic equivalent of the concert tour it chronicles –- smart, provocative and enormously fun. "With this highly entertaining film, audiences will have the opportunity to re-live both the rocking energy and the humanist spirit of Lilith Fair," Canadian Images programmer Diane Burgess announced. Partial proceeds from the $10 ticket price will be donated to the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre, a drop-in centre for women providing food and advocacy services. McLachlan and Stopkewich will both be in attendance.

Return to top

DRAGONS & TIGERS: THE CINEMAS OF EAST ASIA
Wednesday, September 5, 2001

With the wild success of the winner of last year’s Dragons & Tigers competition, Wisit Sasanatieng’s TEARS OF THE BLACK TIGER (FA TALAI JONE) – which screened in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard selection after the Vancouver World Premiere – Asian cinema may have reached a new peak of international acclaim. (Read more)

Return to top

Dragons & Tigers Award for Young Cinema
   Wednesday, September 5, 2001

For the eighth year running, the Dragons & Tigers Award for Young Cinema will be awarded for the most creative and innovative first or second feature-length film by a new director from Pacific Asia. (Read more)

Return to top

SEX AND THE CITY: TOKYO
Wednesday, September 5, 2001

Last year, Japanese producer Arakawa Reiko put together coalitions of smallish independent production companies to finance a series of low-budget features, to be shot on digital tape. To make them, she hand-picked directors from the grey area between mainstream commercial filmmaking and the indie fringe, many of whom have been guests of ours in Vancouver. Her one stipulation was that the films should deal in some way with sexual issues; she called the series Love Cinema. (Read more)

Return to top

SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY PROGRAM: A LOOK BACK
Wednesday, September 5, 2001

We are pleased to provide further details of our Anniversary program of archival films, A Look Back. The series will consist of eight films: five chosen by noted directors who are friends of the Festival, and two "audience favourites" that screened to much acclaim when first presented, now returning to Vancouver for the first time since. The last film is a special Archival Screening of John Cassavetes’ masterpiece A WOMAN UNDER THE INFLUENCE, which will be presented by actor Gena Rowlands, who received an Oscar nomination for her spellbinding performance as a housewife driven insane by the agonies of the human heart. (Read more)

Return to top

NON-FICTION FEATURES
Wednesday, September 5, 2001

This year’s Nonfiction Features program, including the already announced series THE 10 COMMANDMENTS, consists of 43 films, including one World Premiere, seven International Premieres, 22 North American Premieres and six Canadian Premieres. Screening as a Special Presentation as well is George Butler’s gripping documentary THE ENDURANCE: SHACKLETON’S LEGENDARY ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION. Butler utilizes old footage, including the amazing images of expedition photographer Frank Hurley, and new to create an exceptionally vivid picture of the disastrous but ultimately heroic 1914 Antarctic expedition led by Sir Ernest Shackleton. This film makes a wonderful companion piece to the sensational IMAX hit, SHACKLETON’S ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION. (Read more)

Return to top

THE JURY FOR THE NATIONAL FILM BOARD AWARDS
   Wednesday, September 5, 2001

For the tenth year, the National Film Board of Canada will present an award for Best Documentary feature. The nonfiction jury will be comprised of: Gerald Peary, film critic for the Boston Phoenix; Diane Weyermann, director of the Sundance Institute’s International Programs and former director of the Soros Documentary Fund; and noted documentarian Nettie Wild, director of A Place Called Chiapas. (Read more)

Return to top

CANADIAN IMAGES HIGHLIGHTS
Wednesday, September 5, 2001

This year’s Canadian Images program, the largest public exhibition of Canadian film in the world, contains 35 features and 59 shorts. Included in the features are three World Premieres, one North American Premiere and five English-Canadian Premieres. The first screening showcases two key works from CBC Vancouver – the witty, courageous THE EDUCATION OF PHYLLISTINE (1964), directed by Philip Keatley. and the internationally recognized cinéma vérité classic, SKID ROW (1956), directed by Allan King. This year’s program also includes an archival screening of Laurence Kent’s THE BITTER ASH (1963), a compelling document of the Beat generation and the sexual revolution, and, arguably, the first modern Canadian feature. (Read more)

Return to top

THE JURY FOR TELEFILM CANADA AND
  ROGERS VIDEO AWARD
   Wednesday, September 5, 2001

For the 13th year running, we are pleased to be presenting the Telefilm Canada Award for Best Emerging Western Canadian Feature Film Director and the Best Emerging Western Canadian Director of a Mid-length or Short Film. We will also be continuing our emphasis on the art of screenwriting with the Rogers Video Western Canada Screenwriters Award. The Telefilm and Rogers Video Jury consists of: Martin Bilodeau, film critic for the Montreal daily newspaper Le Devoir; Colin Browne, filmmaker and Professor in the Fine Performing Arts at Simon Fraser University; and Wolfgang Kabisch, editor of Cultural News for the television channel ARTE in Strasbourg.

Return to top

SPOTLIGHT ON FRANCE
Wednesday, September 5, 2001

This is an especially strong year for films from France. French cinema goes from strength to strength and we are pleased to be including film in this year’s Spotlight on France from Grand Masters like Jacques Rivette, whose VA SAVOIR is receiving its Canadian Premiere, and newcomers like Yves Caumon, director of BOYHOOD LOVES and Bertrand Bonello, whose THE PORNOGRAPHER stars French icon Jean-Pierre Léaud. We are also pleased to welcome back controversial new films from French bad girl Catherine Breillat (FAT GIRL) and perennial troublemaker Michael Haneke, whose Isabelle Huppert-starring THE PIANO TEACHER took three awards at this year’s Cannes festival. (Read more)

Return to top

DIVERSITY IN SPIRIT AWARD
Wednesday, September 5, 2001

For the second year, the Vancouver International Film Festival is pleased to present, with the support of the Ministry of Multiculturalism and Immigration, the annual Diversity in Spirit Award – to help further public awareness of anti-racism education. (Read more)

Return to top

AMÉLIE, LAST WEDDING TO BOOK-END VANCOUVER FESTIVAL
Monday, August 27, 2001

Vancouver – Festival Director Alan Franey today announced that the 20th Annual Vancouver International Film Festival will open on Thursday, September 27, with a gala screening of Jean-Pierre Jeunet's exhilarating romance AMÉLIE (Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain). "A wildly entertaining film of unadulterated charm and beauty, AMÉLIE has delighted audiences all around the world, and will open our 20th Anniversary Festival with exceptional style, wit and charm," Franey said. (Read more)

Return to top

CANADIAN IMAGES HIGHLIGHTS: MILE ZERO AND ATANARJUAT (THE FAST RUNNER)
Monday, August 27, 2001

Canadian Images programmer, Diane Burgess, announced two highlights of the Canadian Images program, the opening night film and a special presentation. The program will open on Saturday, September 29th with a screening of Andrew Currie's MILE ZERO. (Read more)

Return to top

SPOTLIGHT ON ARGENTINA
Monday, August 27, 2001

This year's Festival also includes a spotlight on new feature films and documentaries from Argentina, a country that in recent years has spawned an attention-grabbing New Wave of realist-based cinema. (Read more)

THE 10 COMMANDMENTS
Monday, August 27, 2001

As part of the Festival's 20th Anniversary, the Nonfiction Features of 2001 program is highlighted by a special event, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (De 10 Geboden). This documentary equivalent of Krzysztof Kieslowski's cinema milestone THE DECALOGUE is a profound series of films from the Netherlands. (Read more)

Return to top

CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP ZOOMS
Monday, August 27, 2001

Jane MacDonald, Director, Communications and Corporate Affairs, highlighted the VIFF's partners' contributions with Air Canada's prize of a trip for two to London, England, VISA's ticket purchase offerings one full week ahead of general ticket sales and AGF's $5,000 prize dream contest.

"Sponsorship support in our 20th year has hit an unprecedented high, with Bell Canada, Bell Mobility, Volkswagen Canada, the Documentary Channel, the Independent Film Channel, Altoids mints and Jackson Triggs wine joining our family of loyal and generous premier sponsors," MacDonald said.

Return to top