
Let the Festival Begin!
The wait is over! We are excited to share with you the stellar line-up for the 44th Vancouver International Film Festival, October 2 – 12. Over 170 films, 80 shorts, VIFF Live performances, Talks and special events will light up the screens and stages across Vancouver. Take a moment, explore the program and get ready to VIFF!
Today's Highlights

It Was Just an Accident
Oct 2 & 9
Dir. Jafar Panahi
“The plot twists and turns are startling, almost unreal.” – Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian
Palme d’Or, Cannes 2025

Renoir
Oct 2, 6 & 8
Dir. Chie Hayakawa 早川千絵
“Renoir looks almost vintage, like a cut scene from a technicolor 1960s Japanese youth movie.” – Jessica Kiang, Variety

Late Shift
Oct 2, 3 & 8
Dir. Petra Volpe
“[Director Leonie] Benesch could be cornering the market in tough, competent, hardworking young women doing their best in a stressful situation.” – Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian
Oscar submission for Switzerland

Little Trouble Girls
Oct 2, 4 & 7
Dir. Urška Djukić
“Affecting performances from two newcomers and arresting cinematography make this a tactile, tender portrayal of doomed first love.” – Laura Venning, Little White Lies
FIPRESCI Jury Prize: Perspectives, Berlinale 2025; Best Cinematography, Tribeca 2025

Calle Malaga
Oct 2 & 4
Dir. Maryam Touzani
“A bright, light confection about resilience and joie de vivre into old(er) age.” – Boyd Van Hoeij, Screen Daily
Audience Award, Venice 2025

A Useful Ghost
Oct 2, 4 & 8
Dir. Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke
“A darkly hilarious film that deserves to be remembered for much more than its shock value.” – Christian Zilko, IndieWire
Grand Prix: Critics’ Week, Cannes 2025
Ticket Release
More tickets will be releasing at noon today for these popular films:*
*Tickets will be available online or by phone only.
Special Tip
Is the movie you want to see on Standby? Check the VIFF Daily emails or this page every morning for seats to your most-wanted films! More tickets may become available throughout the Festival.

It Was Just an Accident
Having offered some late-night assistance to a stranger in the wake of an auto accident, a mechanic grows convinced that he recognizes the supposed stranger’s voice as that of his torturer during a grueling prison spell.
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The Golden Spurtle
Each year the sleepy highland village of Carrbridge awakens with excitement as locals and competitors from around the globe vie for the honour of winning The Golden Spurtle in the World Porridge Making Championships.
Magellan
Magellan (Gael García Bernal) undertakes a bold expedition to the fabled lands of the East. Upon reaching the islands of the Malayan Archipelago, he becomes obsessed with conquest and conversion, which sparks violent uprisings beyond his control.
Levers
After the world is plunged into darkness, an intrepid civil servant undertakes an odyssey into a world shrouded in mystery. An ominous story conveyed through a potent mixture of bewitching fantasy and the idleness of the everyday.
Now Playing
Factory
Shot inside a Lenovo factory in Wuhan, Factory is a chilling study of life under global capitalism. Hao Zhou captures a world of control, exhaustion, and quiet revolt. where employees work under surveillance and time itself becomes a mechanism of power.
The Blue Trail
In a near-future Brazil, elderly citizens are forcibly relocated to live out their days in a senior housing colony. When 77-year-old Tereza learns that she will soon be taken away, she embarks on a fantastical odyssey into the Amazon.
Orwell: 2+2=5
Oscar-nominated director Raoul Peck reimagines 1984 in this urgent essay on power, language, and control. With narration by Damian Lewis, it’s a chilling portrait of how Orwell’s warnings became our reality.
The President's Cake
Winner of the Caméra d’Or and Director’s Fortnight Audience Award at Cannes, Hasan Hadi’s fable-like drama set in 1990s Iraq follows an impoverished child's quest into the city to scrounge up ingredients for birthday cake for Saddam Hussein.
Ma - Cry of Silence
This bracing political drama tells the story of female sweatshop workers in Myanmar and their courageous struggle for justice. It’s a dark, unflinching work, in which the depiction of oppression is meant to spark outrage and action.
A Useful Ghost
Wacky, whimsical, and always engaging, this tale about Thailand’s bloody modern history starts with a ghost in a vacuum cleaner and ends with a guerilla attack on an orgy. In between there’s romance, deadpan comedy, and subversive historical excavation.
VIFF Live
Live performances that push the boundaries of traditional film programming, intersecting cinema culture with music, comedy, podcasting, and performance in unique, cinema-infused live shows.
Mad Professor: Live AV in Dub
Dub legend Mad Professor performs a rare live set celebrating his No Protection Massive Attack remix album’s 30th anniversary – a hypnotic trip into the psychedelic worlds of dub and trip-hop with live visuals from Vancouver artist Saghi Ehteshamzadeh.
claire rousay, The Bloody Lady (Live Score) and Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe
An evening of haunted sound and cinema with claire rousay performing her live score of the animated classic The Bloody Lady and composer Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe presenting a performance tethered to his cinematic sound worlds (Candyman; Seeds; After Life).
Julianna Barwick and loscil
Acclaimed ambient, experimental musicians Julianna Barwick and loscil share the stage for the first time to immerse audiences in their ethereal soundscapes and hypnotic new live AV performances.
Wilfred Buck's Star Stories Live With Wilfred Buck and Lisa Jackson
Join renowned Ininew (Cree) astronomer, star knowledge keeper, and author Wilfred Buck for Star Stories: a cosmic journey into teachings and tellings of the northern night sky, narrated live by Buck, and in conversation with co-director Lisa Jackson.
Image: Courtesy of Door Number 3 Productions
Closing Gala: Köln 75 With Live Performance by Chris Gestrin
Experience the transcendent power of music: Vancouver pianist Chris Gestrin performs a set of Keith Jarrett-inspired music to accompany Köln 75, which tells the story of Jarrett’s iconic concert, which became the best-selling solo album in jazz history.
VIFF Talks
The world’s leading creators share expertise on their craft.
Breaking the Rules: Janicza Bravo on Unconventional Narratives and Fearless Filmmaking
From her Sundance winner Gregory Go Boom to the acclaimed Zola, Janicza Bravo transforms chaos into surrealist cinema gold. Her bold vision has elevated episodes of Atlanta, The Bear, and Poker Face. Join us for a talk with this fearless storyteller.
Visual Architect: Frederick Elmes on Four Decades of Cinematic Collaboration
Legendary cinematographer Frederick Elmes has spent decades helping to define the visual language of directors like David Lynch and Jim Jarmusch. Don't miss this opportunity to hear about the craft behind some of cinema’s most unforgettable moments.
Image: © Vague Notion
Choreographed Chaos: Ramon and Silvan Zürcher on Domestic Surrealism and Cinematic Precision
Employing collaboration and a shared vision, Ramon and Silvan Zürcher create meticulously observed, drolly absurd dramas that transform domestic spaces into surreal landscapes.
Image: © Iris Janke
From Intimate to Infinite With Writer, Creator Jenny Lumet
From Rachel Getting Married to Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Jenny Lumet is a master storyteller. She's forged a unique path, building a career that champions diverse voices and crafts deeply human stories. Join us as she shares her journey.
Making It Happen With Jeremy Dawson, Producer: From Aronofsky to Anderson
From title designer to award-winning producer, Jeremy Dawson has played a role in some of your favourite movies. Join us to hear about his journey through cinema and his collaborations with filmmaking giants like Wes Anderson and Darren Aronofsky.
Bringing Monsters to Life With VFX Supervisor Dennis Berardi, Frankenstein
While classic creatures remain timeless, modern audiences demand something that feels authentically alive. VFX supervisor Dennis Berardi (Frankenstein, The Shape of Water) is a master of balancing practical artistry with digital innovation.
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