North American Premiere
In a world where mysterious mutations are gradually evolving humans into animal hybrids in an unpredictable and frightening way, a father tries to protect his 16 year old son who is starting to acquire beastly characteristics. Fantastical and fascinating, The Animal Kingdom insightfully explores otherness, pandemic, and human survival within the context of family bonds.
This French sci-fi drama is inventive and innovative, and has as its heart a beating human core. Paul Kircher is remarkable as the young Émile, while Romain Duris packs a sensitive punch as the sympathetic father François. The film is a thrilling combination of body horror, dystopian suspense, and family drama. Directed by Thomas Cailley (Love at First Sight), and winner of the Un Certain Regard Award at Cannes.
Un Certain Regard Award, Cannes 2023
The director is willing to risk the ridiculous en route to the emotional truths he seeks. Stumble even for a moment, and the whole movie could feel silly, which is what makes the fact that it works all the more remarkable.
Peter Debruge, Variety
Series Media Partner
Romain Duris, Paul Kircher, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Tom Mercier, Billie Blain
France
2023
Altered States
In French with English subtitles
Book Tickets
Indigenous & Community Access
Indigenous Access Tickets Community Access Tickets Ticket Donation Requests
Credits
Producer
Pierre Guyard
Screenwriter
Thomas Cailley, Pauline Munier
Cinematography
David Cailley
Editor
Lilian Corbeille
Original Music
Andrea Laszlo De Simone
Director
Thomas Cailley
After studying at La Femis in the screenplay department, Thomas Cailley directed Paris Shanghai (2011), a short film that won awards at numerous festivals. His first feature film, Love at First Fight, was a public success. Presented and awarded at the Directors’ Fortnight in Cannes in 2014, it received three Césars the following year, including Best First Film. Directed for Arte, his first series AD VITAM (6×52) was selected at the Toronto International Film Festival and elected best French series of the year at Series Mania in 2018. The Animal Kingdom, presented in the Official Selection at the opening night of Un Certain Regard at the Cannes Film Festival (2023) is his second feature film as a director.
Filmography: Animal Kingdom (2023); Love at first Fight (2014); Paris Shanghai (2011)
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
Hockney
An engaging, insightful and inspiring film portrait of the late great British and California artist. He’s one of the most accessible figurative painters of the last half century, but look closer, there’s much more to David Hockney than meets the eye.
Peter Asher: Everywhere Man
A chart topping pop star as one half of Peter and Gordon, Peter Asher was brother to Jane, brother in law to Paul McCartney, ran the Beatles' Apple, produced and managed James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, and 10,000 Maniacs, to name just a few. He did it all.
Democracy Under Siege
As the USA turns 250, Oscar-nominated director Laura Nix considers the roots of the current political crisis with commentary from historian Heather Cox Richardson, progressive politician Jamie Raskin, and cartoonist Ann Telnaes, among others.
Malcolm X
In an indelible role, Denzel Washington give us a layered, compassionate, conflicted man who finds the strength in Islam to transcend his demons and confront the inequity and racism in America head-on. Along with Do the Right Thing, this is Spike Lee's greatest film.