As a predominantly settler organization, VIFF acknowledges the injustices that have been visited on the Indigenous peoples of this land in the past and which remain deeply engrained in the present.
We wish to pay our respect to the victims and survivors of the Residential School system, and to the children and families who still bear the scars of that genocidal policy.
We recognize our responsibility to listen to, learn from, and work with Indigenous communities, filmmakers, and artists. In particular, we acknowledge the Musqueam, the Squamish and the Tsleil-Waututh people and their stewardship of the land upon which our festival takes place.
We encourage you to experience the work of the Indigenous filmmakers whose rich and powerful stories light up the screen at this year’s festival.
Free Leonard Peltier
Leonard Peltier spent nearly 50 years in prison for a crime he says he didn’t commit. This searing, award-winning documentary revisits his case and the fight for his freedom — exposing a justice system built to punish resistance and erase Indigenous voices.
Landmarks
Lucrecia Martel’s first documentary is a haunting portrait of land, violence, and resistance. With rare access to trial footage and the Chuschagasta community, Landmarks reframes a 2009 murder within centuries of Indigenous dispossession in Argentina.
Meadowlarks
Fifty years after being separated during the Sixties Scoop, four Cree siblings reunite for the first time on a long weekend trip to Banff. Tasha Hubbard’s sensitive drama relates an emotional and life-affirming story of kinship and belonging.
Blood Lines
In this emotional second feature from filmmaker Gail Maurice (Rosie, VIFF 2022), a proud lesbian Métis journalist struggles to reconcile with her estranged mother, while a new entanglement with a captivating stranger threatens to upheave their lives.
Nika & Madison
Two young Indigenous women become fugitives following an act of self-defence and are forced to flee into the wilderness. Inspired by Thelma and Louise, this compelling story of unbreakable friendship sheds light on systemic injustices.
Remaining Native
Teenager Ku Stevens runs toward his dreams while retracing the path of his great-grandfather’s escape from an "Indian boarding school". An impressive, urgent debut from Paige Bethmann about memory, endurance, and what it truly means to remain Native.
Wrong Husband
In a remote Arctic village, two young lovers are promised to each other from birth. When the girl’s father suddenly dies, however, her mother remarries a man from another camp, forcing her to leave her betrothed and upsetting the balance of their lives.
Walls – Akinni Inuk
A Greenlandic woman held in indefinite detention forms a life-changing bond with the filmmaker documenting her case. Walls – Akinni Inuk is a gripping story of survival, systemic injustice, and the quiet freedom found in human connection.
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.
VIFF 2025 Program: See It Now!
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!
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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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