What's On
Gord Grdina's Qalandar + Universal Language
With a live jazz set by a contemporary Persian ensemble playing traditional Arabic song and free improv, followed by a screening of Matthew Rankin's hit comedy Universal Language (in Farsi and French), this promises to be a very special evening.
Oscars® Party 2025
Hosts Sparkle Plenty and Diva the Violet Femme emcee VIFF's annual Oscar® party this year, with prize bingo, our Best Dressed fashion show (3pm) and unlimited popcorn. Wine, beer and bubbly available from the bar, and Japadog will be parked outside. Please note there will be no Standby available for this event.
Full Metal Jacket
Kubrick's famous Vietnam war film was inspired by two sources, Gustav Hasford's semi-autobiographical novella The Short-Timers, and Dispatches, a nonfiction account by Michael Herr. Both writers worked separately on the script, which Kubrick consolidated.
There's Still Tomorrow
A critical and box office sensation in Italy, Paola Cortellesi's triumphant directorial debut is the tale of a Roman housewife in 1946, who stands up against the routine sexist abuse she suffers. Funny, heartbreaking and inspiring.
Housewife of the Year
This gently mind-blowing doc revisits the glory days of the long-running Irish TV show Housewife of the Year, where women proudly showed off their capacity to keep multiple kiddies fed and clothed, usually with minimal help from their hubbies.
The Way, My Way
All manner of pilgrims flock to France and Spain to walk the 800 km Camino de Santiago. One such is Bill, a stroppy sexagenarian Australian filmmaker who's determined to do the Camino with minimal prep, a dickey leg, and no firm idea why.
Poor Things
Patricia Gruben wraps up our Film Studies series on the art of screen adaptation with this carnivalesque feminist take on the Frankenstein myth, Tony McNamara and Yorgos Lanthimos's film of Alasdair Gray's novel.
Bang the Drum! Kevin Romain + Beware of Mr. Baker
Our latest VIFF Live presentation combines a jazz set led by drummer Kevin Romain and one of the most notorious music docs ever made, Jay Bulger's bruising encounter with the legendary Ginger Baker, aka "the world's greatest drummer".
The Wild Bunch (Director's Cut)
The Mexico/Texas borderlands, 1913: Pike (William Holden) leads his gang of aging outlaws on a foray south for one last hurrah. Peckinpah's masterpiece, a savage lament for men who believe in nothing but find respect by dying in vain.
A Bug's Life
There's a world going on underground! Pixar's second feature shrinks Seven Samurai to ant-like proportions, with heroic Flick enlisting the services of a touring flea circus to defend the colony against the marauding grasshoppers. Rated: G
Image: © Disney Pixar 1998
Toy Story 2
When Woody is kidnapped, it's Buzz who leads the troops to the rescue. Expertly balancing action, humour and emotion, this deepens our relationship with the first film's characters and introduces a stellar newcomer, cowgirl Jessie (Joan Cusack). Rated: G
Image: © Disney Pixar 1999