Canadian Premiere
In a ruined city, a wandering Magnifying Glass Human encounters a secret society of Projector Humans with grand plans to reconnect to the past in a surviving mountaintop theatre. An absolutely stunning animated film from beginning to end, with a brilliant concept that gets more imaginative with its storytelling as it progresses. It touches on aspects of filmmaking and film projection, and how the medium is still capable of creating beautiful illusions, imagery representing another time and reality. The story is effectively told without any dialogue, enhanced by impeccable sound design that immerses you in the mechanical and lifeless environment. One of the most original and incredible works of animation to come along in years.
Media Partner
Community Partner
Japan
2022
No Dialogue
Featured in:
International Shorts: Connect/Disconnect/Reconnect
The films in this shorts program are all about connections. People connecting with one another, dealing with change, or rediscovering a part of themselves and their past.
Missing VIFF? Check Out What's Playing at the VIFF Centre
The History of Concrete
After attending a workshop on pitching saccharine Hallmark movies, John Wilson tries to apply all the same best practices to his documentary about concrete. Frequently absurd and endlessly entertaining detours, asides, and digressions ensue.
NAZA
NAZA is a codeword euphemistically used by Israeli intelligence to indicate the number of civilians it expects will be killed in an airstrike. This chilling documentary exposes the policy and process of state-sanctioned mass killings.
I Am Not a Witch
Rungano Nyoni's acclaimed debut feature is a visually striking satire about a 9-year-old orphan accused of witchcraft in contemporary Zambia. Screening in the latest African Cinema Now! series, The Witch at the Edge of the Screen.
Akashi
In Mayumi Yoshida’s tender drama, struggling artist Kana journeys to Tokyo to attend her grandmother’s funeral. While there, she reconnects with her childhood love and stumbles across a family secret that prompts her to reconsider her place in the world.
Queen at Sea
An academic is pitted against her stepfather in a moral crisis over the care of her mother, who lives with dementia. Winner of the Silver Bear Jury Prize and Silver Bear for Best Supporting Performance at the 2026 Berlinale.
Image: © Seafaring
Credits
Producer
Isaku Kaneko
ANIM
Isaku Kaneko
Original Music
Tatsukiamano
Director
Isaku Kaneko
Isaku Kaneko is an independent animator and director. In 2020, Kaneko received a master’s degree from Tama Art University’s Department of Graphic Design.