Canadian Premiere
Set in the remote plains of rural Armenia, Maria Rigel’s striking sophomore feature takes us into the lives of young Hayk and his aunt Narine, who takes care of the quiet boy in the absence of his troubled mother. Isolated and often bullied by local punks, Hayk finds comfort in the horses he helps care for at his aunt’s farm. When his mother suddenly reappears in their lives, things are thrown off balance as the rebellious young woman refuses to observe the social customs of the conservative community.
While sparse in dialogue, the film lays out an eloquent visual and tonal palette made of carefully composed naturalistic shots that often catch characters between lines of sight, from the back, over the shoulder, in the shadows, and almost always in motion. Rigel builds on the tradition of contemporary social realist cinema with a fresh and singular infusion of a culturally distinct grammar that solidifies her standing as a bold new voice from the region.
Media Partner
Albert Babajanyan, Lusine Avanesyan, Annika Abrahamyan
Armenia
2025
In Armenian with English subtitles
Book Tickets
Credits & Director
Producer
Ernest Bagdasaryan, Maria Rigel, Gala Minasova
Screenwriter
Maria Rigel
Cinematography
Ayrat Yamilov
Editor
Aleksey Shevchenko
Original Music
Steve Brand
Maria Rigel
Maria Rigel was born in 1993. In 2015, she graduated from Moscow State University, Faculty of Philology, and in 2017 received her master’s degree at the Russian State University of Cinematography. In 2022, she moved to Armenia, where she works as a director and producer in the EMA production film company. Her debut The Dream is Gone (2021) was presented at the Shanghai International Film Festival, Lucania Film Festival, Salón Internacional de la Luz, Vittorio Veneto Film Festival, and Cottbus Film Festival.
Filmography: The Dream is Gone (2021)
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
Romería
An orphan from a young age, 18-year-old Marina intends to pursue a university scholarship. The application, however, requires the signatures of her paternal grandparents, compelling her to embark on a pilgrimage and seek out the family she has never met.
The Crying Game
Notwithstanding its famous twist, Neil Jordan's moody thriller works differently on a second viewing, and hits different in 2026, with its rich and "problematic" stew of identity politics, love, violence and desire.
One False Move
Billy Bob Thornton and his partners in crime (Michael Beach, and Cynda Williams) hightail it out of Los Angeles with a trunk-ful of dope, but drive into a world of trouble. This unjustly forgotten thriller will keep you on your toes.
