Each year, VIFF welcomes thousands of secondary students to experience exceptional international and Canadian cinema at the festival. This year, thanks to generous support from the Far Star Impact Fund, we are now offering films for high schools throughout the 2024-25 school year, bringing back some of the top sold-out favorites from past VIFF Ignite programs. These Ignite films are available in cinema and can also be streamed at school for limited dates, all completely free for schools.
From stories of tradition and history to films that capture impactful events as they’re unfolding, great world cinema challenges and expands our perspectives, promotes inquiry, develops critical thinking skills, and ignites imaginations. Be they set around the world, or right here in Canada, this year’s selected films for the Ignite High School program present memorable stories that connect youth with powerful themes and human experiences shaping our contemporary world, our identities, and our planet.
Ignite films for November are now open for booking!
Supported by
November Films
Counted Out
Counted Out investigates major current issues like political polarization, racial and economic inequity, a global pandemic, and climate change through an unexpected lens: math. To inspire students to look at the world critically, this is the film to see.
Mlle Bottine
A struggling opera composer is forced to take in his eccentric orphaned niece. Despite their opposite personalities, they soon see that they may need each other more than they thought, and begin to believe in second chances.
© Immina Films and Danny Taillon
Red Fever
Red Fever reveals the many ways Indigenous peoples have left their mark on culture we all share, including fashion, sports, politics, the environment and more. This film may just change the way students understand the world.
Singing Back the Buffalo
Indigenous nations across Canada and the USA are working together to restore buffalo herds to the land. This doc explores the profound cultural, spiritual, and powerful ecological impacts of the buffalo’s remarkable return.
How to Book
Free for schools, capacity for all films is limited. To book, submit your request with the online form linked below. Our Ignite team will respond to confirm availability and complete your booking.
Questions? Contact our Ignite team at [email protected]
How Ignite Works
Cinema In-Person & Online
All Ignite films will be screened in-cinema at International Village.
Exclusive Dialogue with Filmmakers and Subject Experts
After most screenings, students will have a live Q&A with filmmakers or subject experts connected to the film. Ask questions about careers in filmmaking, what inspired them to tell this story, how the film was really made, and more.
Educational Film Resources & Curriculum Ties
These films offer bold approaches to pressing social and environmental concerns and personal journeys, offering thought-provoking connections to subjects across the BC curriculum. Prior to the screenings, teachers will receive film resource guides. Written with the curriculum in mind, these guides are designed to open up in-depth exploration and facilitate discussion that connects the cinema and the classroom.
