Skip to main content
The Great Salish Heist film image; three people with gloves trying to open glass museum cases

The Great Salish Heist

Relaxed Screening | Free Event

This event has passed

Shuswap (Secwépemc) actor Darrell Dennis makes his feature debut as writer-director in this Vancouver Island-made caper comedy about the theft of Indigenous artifacts. Steve (Dennis) is a traditional archeologist of the (fictional) Moquahat people. His life is in a downward spiral but he believes that by reclaiming the artifacts from a local museum he can turn things around. Enlisting the help of a ragtag bunch of Rez rebels, he gets mixed up with the Russian mafia along the way.

Created by Orca Cove Media, the production company behind A Cedar Is Life and Sweet Summer Pow Wow, The Great Salish Heist is a scrappy indie Ocean’s 11 with bags of charm and some authentic things to say about cultural colonialism.

*Relaxed screenings are open to ANYONE who would benefit from a less intense cinema experience including (but not limited to) people living with dementia; Autistic people; people with learning difficulties; people with a sensory or communication disorder; parents with young babies; and anyone who feels they would benefit from a more supportive and inclusive experience.

At a relaxed screening you can expect:

The lights to be up so it is not too dark
The film sound levels to be lowered
No trailers before the film
Fewer tickets sold so folks can choose where they want to sit
Audience noise and movement during the show
Freedom to enter and exit the cinema
A chill out space
Sound reduction headphones
Extra staff and volunteers on site to answer questions

The Great Salish Heist manages to pull of its engaging premise with panache, aided immensely by a standout cast.

Shaun Lang, Hollywood North magazine

 

Presented by

 

Director

Darrell Dennis

Cast

Darrell Dennis, Tricia Helfer, Graham Greene, Ashley Callingbull, Andrea Menard, Craig Lauzon

Credits
Country of Origin

Canada

Year

2024

Language

English

PG

Open to youth!

96 min

Book Tickets

This event has passed.

Credits

Screenwriter

Darrell Dennis

Cinematography

Joseph Boutilier

Editor

Daniel Krieger

Production Design

Aija Alle-Kopas, Carlie Voisin

Also Playing

Boxcutter

Dir. Reza Dahya
88 min

The first feature from former Toronto Flow OTA Live host and producer Reza Dahya is a boisterous, sometimes bruising day-in-the-life of wannabe rapper Rome (Ashton James), set on meeting megastar Richie Hill (Rich Kidd).

VIFF Centre - Lochmaddy Studio Theatre VIFF Centre - VIFF Cinema

The Exterminating Angel: Live Scored by Magazinist

Dir. Luis Bunuel
95 min

Using crystal singing glasses, resonant bowls, pepper grinders and other sound objects, experimental music duo Magazinist perform a unique live score alongside Luis Buñuel's surrealist masterpiece about a dinner party which becomes an inescapable prison.

VIFF Centre - VIFF Cinema
Gondola
Gondola film image; two women staring intently at one another sitting in a gondola

Gondola

Dir. Veit Helmer
85 min

In this whimsical comedy two cable car conductors fall in love as they criss cross a beautiful Georgian valley every half hour.

VIFF Centre - Lochmaddy Studio Theatre

The Life of Chuck

Dir. Mike Flanagan
111 min

The winner of the coveted Audience Award at TIFF last year, The Life of Chuck keeps us guessing about what it's up to and where it's going... Trust us, it's a keeper.

VIFF Centre - VIFF Cinema VIFF Centre - Lochmaddy Studio Theatre