What kind of alchemy occurs to transform hardship into fortune? Here, the extraordinary burn brightly.
Q&A Oct 1 & Oct 3
This short film program includes the following films:
Municipal Relaxation Module
Matthew Rankin, QC (6 min)
Ken has a perfect spot for a city bench, and is calling the city to share his idea.
The Runner
Amar Chebib, BC (17 min)
Darius Sam, a young man from the Lower Nicola First Nation, attempts to run a 100-mile ultramarathon in subzero temperatures to raise awareness for addiction and mental health in his community.
Coin Slot
Scott Jones, NS (17 min)
Nearing the anniversary of a traumatic attack, a paraplegic writer navigates the many shades of trauma and healing.
Nanitic
Carol Nguyen, QC (15 min)
Using the metaphor of nanitic—a descriptor of the first worker ants produced by the queen using only the reserved nutrition of her body—this story follows a day in the life of two young girls Mai and Trang, their Aunt Útty, and Trang’s ailing grandmother.
Mariposa
John Greyson, Bongani Ndodana-Breen, ON (6 min)
An operatic cine-poem weaving together the stories of African-Canadian singer Portia White, South African chef Phelokazi Ndlwana, and the Free Gender activist group—a Black lesbian organization based in Khayelitsha, a township on the outskirts of Cape Town.
From Chile to Canada: Media Herstories
Sarah Shamash, Sonia Medel, BC (17 min)
Through feminist solidarities on unceded Coast Salish land, the contributions of Latinx women reveal an intergenerational network of media art genealogies.
I Thought the World of You
Kurt Walker, BC (17 min)
An enigmatic mosaic built on the lore existing around Canadian musician Lewis and his 1983 album, L’Amour.
Rumination
Ashleigh Vaillancourt, BC (4 min)
At night, a woman’s mind wanders as she chops firewood.
Mother’s Skin
Leah Johnston, NS (20 min)
Six-year-old Molly copes with her father’s alcoholic rage and mother’s worsening depression. One day, Molly and her mother discover a secret hidden underneath the floor grate.
Supported by
Community Broadcast Partner
Community Partner
Various
Canada
2021-2022
Various with English subtitles
Sexual Violence, Domestic Violence
Open to youth!
Book Tickets
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
It's a Wonderful Life
Every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings. This Christmas classic is whimsical, sure, but it has the depth to stand up to multiple watches, and it really should be a communal experience, because that is what it's about. Rated: G
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
Aardman Animation's handcrafted mix of dad jokes, slapstick, mock dramatics and understated emotion makes this return for the claymation odd couple a constant delight. The villainous Feathers McGraw is back to no good, commandeering Norbot the robot. Rated: G
The Count of Monte Cristo
You can't beat this evergreen Alexandre Dumas tale for adventure, intrigue and romance. This lavish French blockbuster from the writers of the recent Three Musketeers movies pulls you in from the first scene and doesn't let off for the next three hours. Rated: PG
Flow
In this wordless and gorgeously atmospheric animated feature, a solitary black cat survives a tsunami and must confront his fear of water whilst sailing through a flooded world with a group of misfit animals. An enchanting adventure film for all ages. Rated: G
The Holdovers
Destined to become a seasonal staple, this bittersweet comedy reunites Sideways director and star Alexander Payne and Paul Giamatti in the portrait of a surly classics teacher forced to babysit five "orphans" at boarding school over the holidays.
Who by Fire
Jeff, a 17-year-old aspiring filmmaker, goes on vacation with his friend Max and his family to an isolated lodge. Philippe Lesage’s film is a tense, mesmerizing tour de force that is both agonizing and cathartic. A Berlinale award winner.