Canadian Premiere
Leaving home for university, Abbie (Willow Shields) thrives as she experiences independence and self-actualization. However, she’s tormented by the knowledge that her brother Kayden (Jonathan Simao), who has autism and is non-verbal, is reeling in her absence and pushing her parents (Lochlyn Munro and Elizabeth Mitchell) to their limits. While home for the holidays, Abbie faces the impossible decision between returning to Karly (Ava Capri), the woman she’s fallen for, or providing Kayden the support he seemingly desperately needs.
Drawing from her own experiences growing up with a sibling with ASD, Connie Cocchia creates a clear-eyed depiction of autism’s impacts on an individual and their family. Rather than crafting a scrappy underdog story about an overachieving member of the autism community with savant qualities, When Time Got Louder offers a deeply moving story about good people simply trying to do their best—and just how hard that can be.
Q&A Oct 8 & Oct 9
Presented by
Media Partner
Willow Shields, Lochlyn Munro, Elizabeth Mitchell, Jonathan Simao, Ava Capri
Canada
2021
English
Bullying, coarse language, violence
Open to youth!
Book Tickets
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
Sentimental Value
A once-revered director crashes back into his family’s lives, eager to recruit his daughter for a film role. When she declines, he finds a new muse in an eager but unpolished Hollywood star, sending his botched reconciliation spiraling into chaos.
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.
Cutting Through Rocks
Winner of Sundance's World Cinema Documentary Grand Jury Prize, Cutting Through Rocks follows Sara Shahverdi — motorcyclist, midwife, and first-ever councilwoman elected in her Iranian village. A vérité triumph by Sara Khaki & Mohammadreza Eyni.
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.
Mr. Nobody Against Putin
Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary, and Special Jury Prize Winner, Sundance, 2025, this exposé shot by a Russian primary teacher shows how the Putin propaganda machine works to militarize children.
Cousin Harley + Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
Come join Local Hillbilly heroes Cousin Harley, for a night of traditional Rockabilly, Western Swing and early Rock n Roll before reveling in the rock n roll biopic excess of John C Reilly as the legendary Dewey Cox!
Credits
Executive Producer
Roy Cocchia, Frank Giustra, Austin Kolodney, Navid Soofi
Producer
Connie Cocchia, Ken Frith, Jason Bourque
Screenwriter
Connie Cocchia
Cinematography
Nelson Talbot, Graham Talbot
Editor
Asim Nuraney
Production Design
Heather Coutts
Original Music
Chris Hyson
Director
Connie Cocchia
Connie Cocchia is an LGBTQ+ director, writer, and producer who began her film career in Los Angeles, where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Film and Television at the University of Southern California. While in Los Angeles, she worked in physical production at Lionsgate and in development at Langley Park Pictures on the Warner Brothers lot. She won the Best First-time Director Award at the California Film Awards for her short Awake (2013). Returning to Vancouver, Cocchia received a Master of Fine Arts in Film Production from the University of British Columbia and founded her production company Cocchia Productions.




