This February we’re delighted to present three new series, A New Chapter, Celebrating Black Futures and …to glimpse: African Cinema Now!. We’re also paying tribute to the late Charles Officer, with a free screening of his inspiring documentary Mighty Jerome (Feb 4).
A New Chapter brings back the made-in-Vancouver festival hit Union Street for a limited engagement at the VIFF Centre (Feb 2-7), presenting the definitive film record of Hogan’s Alley. Additionally, director Jamila Pomeroy has selected two inspiring international films as a sidebar to these screenings: Boots Riley’s Sorry to Bother You, and Suhaib Gasmelbari’s Talking About Trees.
In partnership with the Vancouver Art Gallery, on successive Thursdays through the month we’re presenting Celebrating Black Futures. Then, as the month draws to a close, …to glimpse: African Cinema Now! begins, kicking off a new monthly series at VIFF.
See below for full program details.
Community Partner
Celebrating Black Futures
Co-Presented with the Vancouver Art Gallery | Curated by Kika Memeh
This series brings together Black & African films that reflect the present and exciting future of cinema. In three feature films and a series of shorts, these filmmakers present a contemporary snapshot of the multilateral nature of African, African-American, Caribbean, and Black Canadian culture and cinema.
Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes + Feven Kidane Sextet Live
Legendary drummer and activist Max Roach was one of the prime instigators of bebop, but his influence goes way beyond that. This film records his creative peaks, personal struggles and his inspiring commitment to Civil Rights. + Live Jazz Show.
This event has passed.
All the Colours of the World Are Between Black and White
Babatunde Apalowo’s luminously photographed debut feature is a brave, empathetic treatment of a Nigerian man struggling to come to terms with his sexuality in a society where homosexuality is illegal and taboo.
This event has passed.
Short Film Showcase
The four short films in this program range from humorous dark comedy to sombre drama. These films explore existential crises, beauty standards and daring ambitions in the lives of the protagonists.
This event has passed.
When Morning Comes
Nine-year-old Jamal (a radiant Djamari Roberts) is getting bullied at school and his mum — a widow — decides she needs to get him out of Jamaica and educated in Canada, with his grandmother. Only one problem: Jamal is not on board.
This event has passed.
...to glimpse: African Cinema Now!
Curated by Ogheneofegor Obuwoma
Curated by Nigerian writer and storyteller Ogheneofegor Obuwoma, this series showcases contemporary African cinema that draws inspiration from the continent’s oral and filmic history. Expect an exploration of alternate possibilities—and whispers of the unexpected.
A Tribute to Charles Officer: Mighty Jerome
The rise, fall and redemption of Harry Jerome, Canada’s most record-setting track and field star, is the subject of this typically astute and passionate film from the late Charles Officer, who passed last year at the age of just 48.
This event has passed.
A New Chapter
Curated by Jamila Pomeroy
Centering community, resilience and positive action, these films invite us to break generational cycles, laugh and co-create an afrofuturism that honors a multiplicity of African experiences for years to come.
Union Street
Mar 3 & 8
Interspersing interviews with archival footage, Union Street documents the history of Vancouver’s Hogan’s Alley, the formerly Black neighbourhood destroyed by the Georgia viaduct construction in the 1970s.
Sorry to Bother You
In an alternate Oakland, telemarketer Cassius Green discovers a magical key to professional success that also propels him into a macabre universe. Is the corporate American dream truly his to bear?
This event has passed.
Talking About Trees
Embarking on a journey to revive an old cinema and restore cinema-going culture, the Sudanese Film Club encounters insurmountable resistance and emotional hardship. But their love of film and dream of Sudanese liberation prevails.
This event has passed.
All Films
A Tribute to Charles Officer: Mighty Jerome
The rise, fall and redemption of Harry Jerome, Canada's most record-setting track and field star, is the subject of this typically astute and passionate film from the late Charles Officer, who passed last year at the age of just 48. Free event.
This event has passed.
Talking About Trees
Embarking on a journey to revive an old cinema and restore cinema-going culture, the Sudanese Film Club encounters seemingly insurmountable resistance and emotional hardship. However, their love of film and dream of Sudanese liberation prevails.
This event has passed.
Sorry to Bother You
In an alternate Oakland, telemarketer Cassius Green(Lakeith Stanfield) discovers a magical key to professional success that also propels him into a macabre universe. Is the corporate American dream truly his to bear?
This event has passed.
Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes + Feven Kidane Sextet Live
Legendary drummer and activist Max Roach was one of the prime instigators of bebop, but his influence goes way beyond that. This film records his creative peaks, personal struggles and his inspiring commitment to Civil Rights. + Live Jazz Show.
This event has passed.
All the Colours of the World Are Between Black and White
Babatunde Apalowo's luminously photographed debut feature is a brave, empathetic treatment of a Nigerian man struggling to come to terms with his sexuality in a society where homosexuality is illegal and taboo.
This event has passed.
Black History Month: Short Film Showcase
The four short films in this program range from humorous dark comedy to sombre drama. These films explore existential crises, beauty standards and daring ambitions in the lives of the protagonists.
This event has passed.
When Morning Comes
Nine-year-old Jamal (a radiant Djamari Roberts) is getting bullied at school and his mum -- a widow -- decides she needs to get him out of Jamaica and educated in Canada, with his grandmother. Only one problem: Jamal is not on board.
This event has passed.