Skip to main content
Magnified City film image, director Isaku Kaneko

Magnified City

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

Director
Credits
Country of Origin

Japan

Year

2022

Language

No Dialogue

Film Contact
12 min

Featured in:

Island of Freedom film image, director Petr Januschka

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.

 

MORE INFO

Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre

Sansho the Bailiff

Dir. Kenji Mizoguchi
124 min

The third of the great Japanese masters (with Ozu and Kurosawa), Mizoguchi is a poet of suffering. There's plenty of that here in his exquisite telling of an ancient folktale about the enslavement of a woman and her two children.

VIFF Centre - VIFF Cinema

Agatha's Almanac

Dir. Amalie Atkins
86 min

Shot over six years on vibrant 16mm film, Agatha’s Almanac is an artful documentary portrait of filmmaker Amalie Atkin’s octogenarian aunt, who has fashioned herself an endearingly simple and self-sustaining lifestyle on her Manitoba farm.

VIFF Centre - Lochmaddy Studio Theatre VIFF Centre - VIFF Cinema
Outrageous!
Outrageous! film image; two people in a dressing room

Outrageous!

Dir. Richard Benner
96 min

Two misfits find love and support in this cult classic and landmark for Canadian queer cinema. Determined to retain her freedom after being treated for schizophrenia, Liza grows equally committed to seeing Robin realize his potential as a drag performer.

VIFF Centre - Lochmaddy Studio Theatre

Vancouver Opera Presents: Moulin Rouge!

130 min

Paris has never been gayer than in this headlong karaoke culture crash set in a poptastic 19th century Montmartre, where Ewan McGregor composes The Sound of Music and falls over his heels for Nicole Kidman's courtesan, Satine.

VIFF Centre - VIFF Cinema
Love & Independence
woman holding her hand in the air

Love & Independence

Dir. Lea Rose Sebastianis, Daphné Xu, Kalil Haddad, JL Whitecrow
76 min

A program of shorts that introduces daring new voices in Canadian cinema. Personal, playful, provocative, and self-financed, these films offer the freedom to express boldly through practices rooted in filmmaking among friends.

VIFF Centre - Lochmaddy Studio Theatre

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 - VIFF Cinema

Credits

Producer

Isaku Kaneko

ANIM

Isaku Kaneko

Original Music

Tatsukiamano

Director

Isaku Kaneko headshot, Magnified City 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.