Critics have called the prolific French writer Florian Zeller “the most exciting playwright of our times,” and his second film as writer-director confirms that he’s equally adept when it comes to cinema. Despite Anthony Hopkins’ Academy Award for Best Actor, The Father didn’t find the audience it should have (its release coincided with COVID-19). His follow-up, adapted from the play of the same name by Zeller’s regular English translator, Christopher Hampton, is as sharp, insightful, and devastating. Teenager Nicolas (Zen McGrath) is suffering from depression and has stopped going to school. It’s so bad, his mom Kate (Laura Dern) hands him over to his father, Peter (Hugh Jackman), who is celebrating a baby with his new wife, Beth (Vanessa Kirby). Perhaps a stepbrother will raise Nic’s spirits? Peter vows to do everything he can to help—but Nic descends still further.
As in The Father, Zeller uses the subjectivity of the camera to access mental spaces that seem impenetrable from the outside. There are no easy answers here, but the film’s emotional pull is direct and undeniable.
Presented by
Florian Zeller
Hugh Jackman, Laura Dern, Vanessa Kirby, Zen McGrath, Hugh Quarshie, Anthony Hopkins
UK
2022
English
Self Harm
Book Tickets
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
At the Place of Ghosts
In this supernatural Indigenous thriller from the director of Wildhood, siblings Mise'l and Antle journey into Sk+te'kmujue'katik (the Place of Ghosts), a primordial forest that exists outside of time, to confront their violent upbringing.
Bushido
An impeccable samurai (and "Go" expert), Kakunoshin is framed for a crime and forced into exile. Years later he stumbles across the true reason for his fall from grace, and sets about exacting his revenge...
Miles Davis 100! Vince Mai Plays Miles Davis
Vancouver trumpet legend Vince Mai Vince Mai will be performing music from some of Miles Davis's most memorable 1950s albums, including Kind of Blue, Walkin', Relaxin' and more. After his live set, enjoy Stanley Nelson's definitive documentary.
Fiume o Morte!
The Croatian city of Rijeka rediscovers its own past in this delightfully unconventional hybrid documentary about Italian poet and proto-fascist Gabriele D’Annunzio, who seized the city known in Italian as Fiume in 1919.
Silent Friend
In this entrancing reverie from On Body and Soul director Ildikó Enyedi, we are invited to contemplate several human specimens from the vantage point of a mighty Ginkgo biloba tree on the grounds of a German university.
The Other Side of Hope
Khaled, a Syrian (Sherwan Haji), washes up on Finland's glum shores and becomes an unlikely friend to a middle-aged Finnish shirt salesman (Sakari Kuosmanen) in the midst of remaking his life. Compassionate and wryly funny by turns.
Credits
Executive Producer
Simon Gillis, Philippe Carcassonne, Hugh Jackman, Daniel Battsek, Ollie Madden, Lauren Dark, Peter Touche, Christelle Conan, Hugo Grumbar, Tim Haslam
Producer
Joanna Laurie, Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Florian Zeller, Christophe Spadone
Screenwriter
Christopher Hampton, Florian Zeller
Cinematography
Ben Smithard
Editor
Yorgos Lamprinos
Production Design
Simon Bowles
Original Music
Hans Zimmer