Canadian Premiere
Kim Ilrhan’s documentary takes an unconventional form, as befits a work about two brave souls defying convention. The first section focuses on Alice, a trans woman who works as a lighting director on films (including, in a self-reflexive twist, this one). Alice is a dedicated craftswoman, and she pushes her tenacity further in pursuit of her real dream: to become a dancer. Eventually, the focus switches to Edhi, a counsellor who is preparing for gender-affirming surgery. Facing down skepticism from others as well as internal trepidation, Edhi undergoes the procedure, and Kim documents her post-operation life in which she feels, as she puts it, “lighter”.
Besides its gentleness and obvious affection for its two subjects, what gives Edhi Alice: Take its distinction is Kim’s attention to detail, both physical and psychological. From the specifics of post-op dilation to the pain of repression, she explores trans identity with curiosity and deep respect. Her subjects repay that respect, disclosing their thoughts and feelings with commendable honesty.
Oct 4 & 5: Q&A
Presented by
Cooperating Organizations
Media Partner
Community Partner
Alice, Edhi
South Korea
2024
In Korean with English subtitles
Book Tickets
Credits & Director
Producer
Jo Sona
Cinematography
Heo Chulnyung, Jeong Saebyeol
Editor
Kimsan, Lee Hakmin
Original Music
Lee Minhwi
Kim Ilrhan 김일란
Kim Ilrhan is an award-winning filmmaker and founder of PINKS, a collective dedicated to queer and women’s narratives. Her debut film, Mamasang: Remember Me This Way (2004), won the Women’s News Award. Two Doors (2011) drew over 70,000 viewers in just 14 theaters and was named one of the top 100 Korean films. She also produced Miracle on Jongno Street (2010), Korea’s first documentary on gay coming out, and Nora Noh (2013), which premiered at IDFA.
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
A Poet
When embittered poet Oscar Restrepo takes a job at a local high school, he meets Yurlady, a talented student from a poor background. Seeking to help her cultivate her art, he draws her into the poetry world — to disastrous and comedic results.
Spring After Spring
Three daughters strive to live up to the standards set by their mother Marie Mimi Ho, and keep Vancouver Chinatown's Spring Parade going through thick and thin, in this enormously affectionate local documentary by Jon Chiang.
It Was Just an Accident
Having offered some late-night assistance to a stranger in the wake of an auto accident, a mechanic grows convinced that he recognizes the supposed stranger’s voice as that of his torturer during a grueling prison spell.
The Painted Life of E.J. Hughes
A beautiful portrait of E.J. Hughes, who quietly helped reshape the artistic landscape of British Columbia in the 20th century. This extraordinary documentary explores Hughes’s legacy not only as an artist, but as a devoted, humble human being.
Seeds
Shot over nine years, Brittany Shyne’s Sundance-winning documentary is a tender portrait of Black farming families in the American South. A moving meditation on land, legacy, and the strength it takes to hold on.