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
Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World
Sasha Waters' documentary takes us through the life of America's best-selling late twentieth century poet, a private woman who shared her innermost thoughts and made them indispensable.
Saving Private Ryan
Steven Spielberg's gripping war movie was hailed as an instant classic in 1998, and he won his second Academy Award in five years for Best Director. Matt Damon takes the title role, Tom Hanks is charged with bringing him home from the front.
Palimpsest: The Story of a Name
Drawing on home movies and diaries from the 1930s, 40s, 50s and 60s, Canadian filmmaker Mary Stephen (Eric Rohmer's editor for many years) investigates the origins of her surname. After all, she was born in Hong Kong to Chinese parents. Or were they... ?
Buffalo '66
Vincent Gallo's directorial debut is an eccentric, provocative comedy which laces a poignant love story with both a sombre, washed-out naturalism and surreal musical vignettes. This one is something different...
Run Lola Run
In the hyper intense world of pre-millennial Berlin, Lola has just 20 minutes to come up with a 100,000 Deutchmarks or her boyfriend cops it. He's asking the right woman: Lola won't stop til she's saved the day... It's Speed, in the multiverse...