North American Premiere
During Australia’s apocalyptic bushfires in the Black Summer of 2019-2020, unprecedented destruction hit the countryside, destroying land, animals, and homes. While exploring the environmental causes and potential solutions, there’s a focus on the importance of the people at the heart of the matter. Many of the affected regions relied on volunteers—which comprised 90% of Australia’s firefighters—who put their lives and livelihoods on the line to save their communities. Celebrating the firefighters’ heroism and selfless courage, directors Justin Krook and Luke Mazzaferro then look at the aftermath, exploring the mental trauma and emotional toll of surviving where friends and family didn’t. Despite devastation and inner strife, there’s a hopeful recognition of camaraderie and duty between strangers as people work together to rebuild and recover from the wreckage. The film is a clarion call about the increasingly dangerous effects of climate change, and the communal spirit and bravery of those who stand together in the midst of a crisis serve as an inspiration.
Q&A Oct 3 & Oct 5
Media Partner
Australia
2021
English
Book Tickets
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
A Poet
When embittered poet Oscar Restrepo takes a job at a local high school, he meets Yurlady, a talented student from a poor background. Seeking to help her cultivate her art, he draws her into the poetry world — to disastrous and comedic results.
Spring After Spring
Three daughters strive to live up to the standards set by their mother Marie Mimi Ho, and keep Vancouver Chinatown's Spring Parade going through thick and thin, in this enormously affectionate local documentary by Jon Chiang.
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.
The Painted Life of E.J. Hughes
A beautiful portrait of E.J. Hughes, who quietly helped reshape the artistic landscape of British Columbia in the 20th century. This extraordinary documentary explores Hughes’s legacy not only as an artist, but as a devoted, humble human being.
Seeds
Shot over nine years, Brittany Shyne’s Sundance-winning documentary is a tender portrait of Black farming families in the American South. A moving meditation on land, legacy, and the strength it takes to hold on.
Credits
Executive Producer
Rob Galluzzo
Producer
Michael Hilliard, Camilla Mazzaferro, Casey Ventura
Screenwriter
Justin Krook, Luke Mazzaferro, Nick Worthington
Cinematography
Josh Flavell
Editor
Scott Walmsley
Original Music
Matteo Zingales
Directors
Justin Krook
Documentary filmmaker Justin Krook received a Grammy nomination for his first feature, the Netflix original I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead (2016), which examines the life and career of DJ Steve Aoki. His subsequent feature Machine (2019) premiered at the Melbourne International Film Festival.
Filmography: The Human Experiment (2004); Echoboom (2006); I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead (2016); Machine (2019)
Luke Mazzaferro
Luke Mazzaferro is a writer, producer, director, and a founding partner of FINCH, an Australian independent film production company. His feature documentary Machine (2019) premiered at the Melbourne International Film Festival. He has previously worked with director Patrick Hughes on a variety of projects, including the modern western Red Hill (2010).