Moving through often uncharted (subaltern) territory, these works and their subjects carry the remnants of emotional and physical labour on their shoulders, both literally and figuratively.
This short film program includes the following films:
Samba Infinito
Leonardo Martinelli, Brazil/France (16 min)
Amid the revelry of Rio’s Carnival, a wandering boy chances upon a weary street sweeper whose long-repressed grief derails his humble obligations.
Force Times Displacement
Angel WU, Taiwan (12 min)
Along the endless arch of incessant work, workers ache for change.
L’mina
Randa Maroufi, Morocco/France/Italy/Qatar (26 min)
Although the practice of coal extraction was halted in 2001, a treacherous mine in Jerada, Morocco remains informally active and is manned by the town’s residents, who collaboratively act out a performance of their labour.
BOA
Alexandre Dostie, Canada/France (25 min)
When tragedy strikes the church, young Leonidas careens toward a brotherhood of an entirely different order, shedding the old ways to become something more intentional.
+10K
Gala Hernández López, Spain/France (32 min)
Pol lives in Miami with his grandmother, endlessly pursuing personal growth schemes and online coaching seminars to master Crypto investing. He is becoming the best version of himself, but he’s not sure when his labours will bear fruit.
Community Partner
Various
Various
2024 & 2025
Various
Book Tickets
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
Jay Kelly
In Noah Baumbach's wise and witty comedy, George Clooney plays Jay Kelly, a world-famous movie star touring Europe with his friend and manager, Ron (Adam Sandler). Faced with nagging dissatisfaction, Jay starts to ask himself some tough questions.
Meadowlarks
Fifty years after being separated during the Sixties Scoop, four Cree siblings reunite for the first time on a long weekend trip to Banff. Tasha Hubbard’s sensitive drama relates an emotional and life-affirming story of kinship and belonging.
O Brother, Where Art Thou? + The Soda Crackers
Join us for a fun afternoon of bluegrass music with the Soda Crackers, followed by a special 25th anniversary screening of the Coen brothers' beloved Homeric comedy, O Brother, Where Art Thou? starring George Clooney, John Turturro, and Tim Blake Nelson.
Left-Handed Girl
Co-written and edited by Sean Baker (Anora), Shi-Ching Tsou's heartwarming solo feature debut follows a single mom in Taipei who is too consumed with her noodle stand to keep tabs on her five-year-old daughter's burgeoning shoplifting habit.

