The year’s most highly anticipated films
This year’s Special Presentations lineup is the largest in VIFF’s history, with every one of the films fully deserving of the designation. As always, Cannes standouts are well-represented, including a riveting Palme d’Or winner from Jafar Panahi and a nerve-rattling desert odyssey courtesy of Óliver Laxe. The section boasts the Canadian premieres of new work by arthouse mainstays Jim Jarmusch and Noah Baumbach, as well as outstanding features from rising talents like Chandler Levack and Hikari. Be it the engrossing mystery of the latest Knives Out entry or a historical epic detailing Palestine’s Great Arab Revolt, these are films that sweep you up in their thrall.