The Ceremony

Filmed in BC, John Carpenter's 1982 horror classic is a bone fide arctic chiller. American Antarctic researchers come across a burned-out Norwegian base — and the buried UFO which may be linked to the carnage.

A big, old-school historical melodrama gets a thrillingly modern, queer makeover from Spanish duo Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, who artfully juggle three gay protagonists across stories set in 1932, 1937, and 2017. Winner: Best Director, Cannes. Screening on 35mm.

This month's VIFF Premium member selection is a spellbinding thriller from Kiyoshi Kurosawa. Detective Kenichi Takabe (Koji Yakusho) is faced with a string of apparently unmotivated murders committed by different people, but bearing the same signature.

Ken Russell's controversial masterpiece is based on Aldous Huxley's The Devils of Loudun, a non-fiction account of the 17th century witchcraft trials in France starring Oliver Reed and Vanessa Redgrave.

One of the most powerful documentaries of the year, this puts us smack in the open wound that is Gaza, filtered through the eyes of three American surgeons (of Palestinian, Jewish and Zoroastrian backgrounds) compelled to do their utmost to alleviate harm.

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.