International Premiere
Affable curmudgeon Marc Maron jokes his way through grief, struggling to make sense of the world and his comedy following the death of his partner, filmmaker Lynn Shelton. Tracing Maron’s life, this candid documentary reflects on his early standup successes and failures, as well as his continued efforts to evolve and stay relevant. Shelton’s presence, and her absence, remains a gravitational force behind it all.
Director Steven Feinartz, a veteran of stand-up specials, captures the same energy as a Maron live-show or episode of his popular podcast WTF through this collection of detours and shaggy dog stories. Maron seamlessly shifts between off-the-cuff jokes and candid vulnerability, ironic anecdotes and sharp social commentary — one moment, he’ll be cracking up at his cats goofing around in his house, the next his grief will bubble up in a bittersweet moment of introspection. A cantankerously poignant, wryly funny cri de coeur from one of the most genuine comedians in the business.
Presented by
Media Partner
Marc Maron, Lynn Shelton, John Mulaney, Nate Bargatze, David Cross, W. Kamau Bell
USA
2025
English
At International Village
At The Rio
Book Tickets
Credits & Director
Executive Producer
Dan Baglio, Damion Greiman, Ryan Bitzer, Tim Rummel, Rob Guillermo, Dan Fried, Toby Nalbandian, Greg Schmidt, Emilio Schenker, Michael Schmidt, Gideon Tadmor, Ariel Weisbrod, Sean Bradley, Ray Maiello, Jason Murphy, Louis Krubich
Producer
Steven Feinartz, Julie Seabaugh, Ethan Goldman
Cinematography
Jordan McNeile
Editor
Derek Boonstra, Natalie Ancona, Jenn Harper
Original Music
Marlon Lang
Steven Feinartz
Steven Feinartz is the director and producer of more than 20 acclaimed specials and series for Netflix, Comedy Central, Showtime, and HBO, including the series Bill Burr Presents: The Ringers. In 2013 he released his directorial debut, The Bitter Buddha, a cult-hit documentary on comic Eddie Pepitone that received a theatrical release, and most recently he directed the HBO stand-up specials Marc Maron: From Bleak to Dark (2023) and Marc Maron: Panicked (2025). In 2025, he launched his own banner, Feinartz Department, a production company dedicated to documentaries, comedy specials, and scripted projects.
Filmography: The Bitter Buddha (2013)
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
2026 Oscar® Shorts (Documentary)
Don't come to the program of Oscar®-nominated documentary shorts for escapism. But let's talk about the Canadian contender, Perfectly a Strangeness, featuring an abandoned observatory and three donkeys. More of this, please.
Sirât
A desperate father (Sergi Lopez) searchers for his missing daughter through the spiritual wasteland of the Moroccan desert. An unforgettable sensory powerhouse, Sîrat will have you riveted and rattled for hours after the end credits have rolled.
Emergence: Women in the Storm
Stories of resistance and recovery, courage, creativity and community in the face of the climate emergency gleaned from women first responders and those impacted in Western Canada, particularly Lytton and the Fraser Valley.
