This tender coming-of-age drama, set in a Jehovah’s Witness congregation in the 90s, explores the themes of first love, sexual awakenings, and the clash of personal desires with the sense of community. The film follows Jamie as she moves in with her aunt and uncle who are part of the group. Initially wary of their close-knit community, things start to shift when she meets Marike, a charming young Witness tasked with welcoming Jamie into the fold. The two instantly hit it off and develop a strong bond that ultimately results in widespread tension, challenging the young lovers’ own principles.
Marking the feature directing debut for Sarah Watts and Mark Slutsky, the film taps beautifully into the whirlwind of emotion caused by forbidden teenage infatuation within the rigid constraints of religious conditioning. Sharply written, shot, and acted, You Can Live Forever is ultimately carried by Anwen O’Driscoll, whose nuanced, naturalistic performance gives the film its heartbeat.
Q&A Sept 30
Presented by
Media Partner
Anwen O’Driscoll, June Laporte, Liane Balaban, Deragh Campbell, Antoine Yared, Hasani Freeman, Tim Campbell
Canada
2022
English
Book Tickets
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
Song of the Sea
VIFF Kids Club is our monthly family series with films, crafts and more! Doors at 11 am for activities, film at 12. Song of the Sea is an enchanting Irish animated film blending ancient folklore, magic, and a deeply moving family journey, a wonder for all ages.
The Things You Kill
Thirty-something professor Ali leads an apparently stable life. But when his ailing mother dies under ambiguous circumstances, he starts to unravel, resulting in an act that shatters our understanding of his person.
Miroirs No. 3
Following a car crash that kills her boyfriend, piano student Laura is physically unhurt but emotionally distraught. A local woman takes her in, but she gradually realizes she's in the midst of an eerie, mysterious family situation.
Image: © Schramm Film A4 Kopie
The Voice of a Generation Lost
Inspired by the iconic photography of his father, Pulitzer Prize–winning photojournalist Jahangir Razmi, composer Ali Razmi blends Persian classical music, jazz and experimental sounds to reflect on memory, identity and the power of art to bear witness.
Ghost Elephants
Everyone's favourite German adventurer, Werner Herzog goes on the hunt for the largest land mammal on the planet, the fabled "ghost elephant" of the Angolan highlands -- that may, or may not, exist.
Credits
Executive Producer
John Christou
Producer
Robert Vroom
Screenwriter
Sarah Watts, Mark Slutsky
Cinematography
Gayle Ye
Editor
Amélie Labrèche
Production Design
André Chamberland
Original Music
CFCF
Directors
Photo by EK Bowell
Mark Slutsky
Mark Slutsky is an award-winning writer and director based in Montreal. His shorts Never Happened (2015) and Sorry, Rabbi (2011) both premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. In 2013, he co-directed and produced the animated short I’m One, Too! for the 44th season of Sesame Street. He also writes for video games, winning the 2021 Canadian Screen Award for Best Video Game Narrative for his work on Compulsion Games’ We Happy Few. You Can Live Forever (2022), co-written and co-directed with Sarah Watts, is his first feature.
Photo by Kayleigh Choiniere
Sarah Watts
Sarah Watts is a writer/director from Montreal. Her previous work has been shown at Slamdance. When not making films, she works as a sports writer and editor.