Canadian Premiere
Tereza Nvotová follows up her critically acclaimed feature debut, Filthy, with this lush, atmospheric genre piece that masterfully mines regional superstitions and witch lore as she continues to interrogate female trauma and toxic patriarchal structures at the heart of destructive social dynamics.
The film centers on Šarlota, a young woman that shows up in a remote Slovakian mountain village looking for answers about her tragic family past. But her sudden presence is met with suspicion and mistrust from the small community. This draws out Mira, a local loner who takes an interest in the mysterious newcomer and decides to take her under her wing. As the two women bond and start challenging the wider status quo, their fearless and independent ways ruffle some feathers, and it’s not long before the pitchforks are out for them.
A heady mix of arresting visuals, genre thrills, rich character dynamics, and sharp social commentary, Nightsiren occupies that coveted space of mainstream appeal and intimate, character-driven storytelling that casts a potent cinematic spell.
Pardo d’oro for Best Film, Locarno 2022
Presented by
Natália Germáni, Eva Mores, Juliána Brutovská, Iva Bittová, Jana Oľhová, Marek Geišberg
Slovakia/Czech Republic
2022
In Slovak with English subtitles
Gender or Sexual Discrimination
At VIFF Centre — Vancity Theatre
At The Rio
Book Tickets
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
La Haine
This angry French thriller about alienated kids (a skinhead, an Arab, and an African) in the working class outskirts of Paris plays like a cross between Do the Right Thing and Mean Streets. French cops turned their backs on the red carpet at Cannes.
Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World
Sasha Waters' documentary takes us through the life of America's best-selling late twentieth century poet, a private woman who shared her innermost thoughts and made them indispensable.
Casino
Revisiting the wise guy milieu for the third (but not the final) time, Scorsese tells the story of Ace Rothstein and Nicky Santoro (Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci), two New York hoodlums who become major players in the history of Las Vegas.
Amadou & Mariam: The Blind Couple From Mali
This lovely portrait of the irresistible Malian musicians traces how the blind couple met in Bamako and instantly connected, their triumphs on the world stage and collaborations with the likes of Chris Martin, Damon Albarn and Manu Chao.
Vivaldi and Me
Venice, 1716. Composer Antonio Vivaldi teaches at an orphanage for abandoned girls, and establishes a deep rapport with violinist Cecelia — but their collaboration is threatened by her impending arranged marriage.
Credits
Producer
Miloš Lochman
Screenwriter
Barbora Námerová, Tereza Nvotová
Cinematography
Federico Cesca
Editor
Pavel Hrdlička, Thibault Hague
Production Design
Tomáš Berka
Original Music
Pjoni, Rob
Director
Tereza Nvotová
Tereza Nvotová was born in Trnava, Czechoslovakia in 1988. Her debut film, Filthy (2017), premiered at International Film Festival Rotterdam and won many awards at festivals worldwide. Her HBO documentary, The Lust for Power (2017), was critically acclaimed and has caused heated debate about populism and corruption in politics. She is currently working on her third feature, Father, and the TV miniseries Convictions and The Nurse.
Filmography: Filthy (2017); The Lust for Power (2017)