Bringing Film to Life
February 3 - 12 / 2023

Follow Us
T i c k e t s a t w w w.v i c t o r i a f i l m f e s t i v a l . c o mBringing Film to Life

February 3 - 12 / 2023

table of content
3
4
5
6
6
7
9
11
12

Film Index
Feature Film by Country
Film Schedule
Donors
WelcomeThe Team
Government Messages
Festival Info
Partners

13

Opening Film & Dinners

14

Film Program

15 		

Buzz+

31 		

Coast

38		

Currents

57		

First

62		

Front Burner: Denmark

67		

Olio

77		

Pulse

97		

Tingle105		

Short Bursts

110 Special Events
111
112
113
114
115
117
118

In Conversation With...
Paul Schrader
Bringing Film to Life...
an art exhibit
Sips ‘n’ Cinema
Jammies & Toons
CineVic Screening
FilmCan & CineKids
SpringBoard – Industry event2Film Index
Feature Films
58
68
39
16
40
78
59
79
41
17
69
98
80
81
18
99
70
42
43
44
45
63
32
71
72
82
19
100
64
83

A Cedar is LifeA Life on the FarmAll That Breathes
Ballad of a Great Disordered Heart
BatataBefore I Change My Mind
Bones of Crows
Brother
Calendar Girls
Cesária Évora
Con Los Años Que Nos Quedan
Confessions
Daughter of Rage
Driving Madeline
Emily – Opening Gala
Emily
Enys Men
Family Mottoes
Fashion Reimagined
Framing Agnes
Garçonnières
Geographies of Solitude
GodlandGolden Delicious
Handshake
Happy Pills
Hidden Letters
I Like Movies
Influencer
Into the Ice
Jacir

46
20
21
22
47
84
48
49
23
85
86
24
25
87
50
88
114
51
73
101
33
34
52
26
35
89
90
53
91
60
102
74
75
92
93
36

Klondike
L’immensita
Master Gardener
Metronom
Minsk
Moja Vesna
My Small Land
No Straight Lines: The Rise of Queer Comics
North of Normal
Of Medicine and Miracles
OKAY! ASD Band Film
One Fine Morning
Pacifiction
Paris Memories
Part of the Pack
Penelope, My Love
Poupelle of Chimney Town!
RangerRazzouk Tattoo
Relax, I’m from the Future
Rematriation
Riceboy Sleeps
Robin Bank
Rodeo
Sam Now
Savage Waters
Schächten
Sexual Healing
She is Love
Stellar
The Banality
The Civil Dead
The Colour of Ink
The Damned Don’t Cry
The Eight Mountains
The Empress of Vancouver

94
27
65
103
28
54
66
29
95
55
76
37
104
56
61
96
30

The End of Sex
The Golden Years
The Golden Years – Sips ‘n’ Cinema
The Great Silence
The Inhuman
The Innocent
The Issue with Tissue - a boreal love story
The Killing of a Journalist
The Ordinaries
The Year of the Dog
To Kill a Tiger
Unicorn Wars
Until Branches Bend
Viking
Waiting for Raif
We are Still Here
When Morning Comes
When you Finish Saving the World

Short Films
109
109
108
107
109
107
107
108
108
109
107
108
106

A Motorcycle Saved My Life
Blood Buddies
Brother Rick
Empty Spaces
Good Times and That’s Okay
Great Seeing You
Hatchback
Last Hawaiian Sugar
Meet The Sky
My AI Lover
My Name is Arnold
Mysterious Lines
Nafas Nakesh (Don’t Breathe)

106
106
106
108
109
108
109
108
109
107
106
107
106

Nude
Once Upon a Time
One of Those Good Lives
Our Way
Queen Of Your Heart
SAVJ
TabancaTEMOSEN
The Fix
The Red Suitcase
The Temple
The Vacation
Year of the Tortoise3

Feature Film by Country
Australia
61

We are Still Here

Austria90

Schächten

Canada
58
40
78
59
79
98
43
45
32
19
23
86
50
101
33
34
60
75
36
94
103
55
37
104
56
96

A Cedar is Life
BatataBefore I Change My Mind
Bones of Crows
Brother
Confessions
Framing Agnes
Geographies of Solitude
Golden Delicious
I Like Movies
North of Normal
OKAY! ASD Band Film
Part of the Pack
Relax, I’m from the Future
Rematriation
Riceboy Sleeps
Stellar
The Colour of Ink
The Empress of Vancouver
The End of Sex
The Inhuman
To Kill a Tiger
Until Branches Bend
Viking
Waiting for Raif
When Morning Comes

China
82

Japan
Hidden Letters

Denmark
63
64
65
66

Godland
Into the Ice
The Great Silence
The Killing of a Journalist

Estonia47

Minsk

France
81
24
25
87
88
26
28

Driving Madeline
One Fine Morning
Pacifiction
Paris Memories
Penelope, My Love
Rodeo
The Innocent

Germany29

The Ordinaries

India
39

All That Breathes

Israel73

Razzouk Tattoo

Italy
20
93

L’immensita
The Eight Mountains

70
48
114

UkraineFamily Mottoes
My Small Land
Poupelle of Chimney Town!

Morroco92

The Damned Don’t Cry

Netherlands
53

Sexual Healing

NICARAGUA
80

Daughter of Rage

Portugual17

Cesária Évora

Romania22

Metronom

Slovenia
84

Moja Vesna

Spain
69
52
76

Con Los Años Que Nos Quedan
Robin Bank
Unicorn Wars

46

Klondike

United Kingdom
16
18
99
42
91

Ballad of a Great Disordered Heart
Emily
Enys Men
Fashion Reimagined
She is Love

United States
68
41
71
100
83
21
49
85
51
35
102
74
54
95
30

A Life on the Farm
Calendar Girls
Handshake
Influencer
Jacir
Master Gardener
No Straight Lines:
The Rise of Queer Comics
Of Medicine and Miracles
RangerSam Now
The Banality
The Civil Dead
The Issue with Tissue- a boreal love story
The Year of the Dog
When you Finish Saving the World

Switzerland
44
72
27

Garçonnières
Happy Pills
The Golden Years

4

Friday – Feb 3
12:15 pm

saturday – Feb 4

sunday – Feb 5

monday – Feb 6

The Great Silence
Godland

2:45 pm

The VIC

12:15 pm

Opening Gala: Emily

When you Finish Saving theWorld

2:45 pm
In Conversation With...

6:30 pm

5:30 pm

1:00 pm
Geographies ofSolitude

4:00 pm

Influencer

9:00 pm

3:00 pm

12:30 pm

One Fine Morning

6:00 pm
Riceboy Sleeps

Klondike

8:30 pm

1:00 pm

7:45 pm

Minsk

4:00 pm

The Civil
Dead

6:30 pm

The Colour of Ink

9:00 pm

Viking3:00 pm

3:00 pm

6:00 pm

The End of Sex

8:30 pm

Handshake

The Empress of
Vancouver

6:00 pm

3:00 pm
Happy Pills

Relax, I’m from the Future

8:30 pm

Before I Change My Mind

8:30 pm

ODEON 56:00 pm
8:30 pm
SavageWaters6:15 pm

JACIR

9:00 pm

cinema onBOARD

12:15 pm

thursday – Feb 9

Of Medicine And
Miracles12:15 pm

5:30 pm

1:00 pm

The Innocent

The End of Sex

Until Branches Bend

Rematriation

8:30 pm

7:30
pm

9:00 pm

I Like Movies

5:30 pm

7:45 pm

The Ordinaries

6:30 pm

2:45 pm

L’Immensita

When you Finish Saving
the World

Rodeo

7:45 pm

11:30 am

2:45 pm

5:30 pm
Pacifiction

Jammies & Toons:
Poupelle of Chimney Town!
Golden Delicious

5:30 pm
7:45 pm

All That Breathes

GodlandThe VIC

7:45 pm

capitol 6

The Year of the
Dog

Geographies of Solitude

9:00 pm

Penelope, My LoveODEON 5One Fine Morning

Unicorn Wars
To Kill a Tiger

Into the Ice

When Morning Comes

The Golden Years

Hidden Letters

6:00 pm

6:15 pm

Strange Worlds

4:00 pm

3:00 pm

6:00 pm
Moja Vesna

cinema onBOARD

9:00 pm

12:15 pm

sunday – Feb 12

The Eight Mountains

OKAY! ASD
Band Film

Razzouk Tattoo

saturday – Feb 11

Sexual Healing

2:45 pm

Emily

1:00 pm
Fashion Reimagined

6:30 pm

3:00 pm

5:30 pm

7:45 pm

Batata4:00 pm

12:15 pm

She is Love

2:45 pm

Enys Men

Friday – Feb 10

Driving Madeline

Calendar Girls

2:45 pm

The VICBlue Bridge
TheatreBlue Bridge
Theatrecinema onBOARD

wednesday – Feb 8

ODEON 5

capitol 6

9:00 pm

Daughter of Rage

A Life on the FarmBlue Bridge
Theatrecapitol 6

The VIC

Stellar

We Are Still
Here

The Damned Don’t Cry

L’Immensita

Brother

Framing Agnes

6:30 pm

9:00 pm

5:30 pm

Cesária Évora

Confessions

6:00 pm

4:00 pm

Garçonnières

7:45 pm

Waiting for Raif

CineVic
Screening

The Inhuman

9:00 pm

My Small Land

12:30 pm

1:00 pm

6:30 pm

2:45 pm
A Cedar is Life

Paris Memories

The Killing of a Journalist

Ranger

Metronom

5:30 pm

7:45 pm

The Eight Mountains

The Banality

6:30 pm

StellarODEON 51:00 pm

Sam Now

6:30 pm

2:45 pm

Bones of Crows

The Colour of Ink

4:00 pm

capitol 6

7:45 pm

12:15 pm

North of Normal

5:30 pm

Paul Schrader

Master Gardener

Schächten

I Like Movies

2:45 pmtuesday – Feb 7

8:30 pm
Part of the Pack

6:15 pm

No Straight Lines: The Rise of Queer Comics
Things Fall Apart

7:30 pm

9:00 pm

Ballad of a great DisorderedHeart

6:15 pm
Robin Bank

Indigenous Voices

7:30 pm

9:00 pm

6:15 pm

Family Mottoes
Love & Happiness

7:30

9:00 pm

The Issue with Tissue - a boreal
love story 6:15 pm
Con Los Años Que Me Quedan

9:00 pm

Blue Bridge
Theatrecinema onBOARD

THANK YOU VFF DONORSWELCOME

The Victoria Film Festival is ecstatic to celebrate its 29th year as a notfor-profit charitable arts organization! Without the support of our donor’s,
we would never have the opportunity to showcase all the talented andunique independent filmmakers at the various venues in the heart ofdowntown Victoria. Our donors have enabled us to bring important andengaging cinema to Vancouver Island, and for that we express our deepest
gratitude.

Ahhhhh, visions of pink carpets are dancing in my head. Here we are atthe 29th Victoria Film Festival running like we did back in 2020. So, getready to wander down the rabbit hole, expect the unexpected, learn about
the world, our region and the rest of the country. Be informed, amused,engaged and discover you belong. These are the experiences that Victoria
Film Festival users have known and expected from our activities because
on offer is something beyond unrealistic mainstream depictions.

A very special thanks to the donors below.

GOLD
Maureen P Murphy

SILVER
Anne Macnab

BENEFACTORCharles Isherwood
Gwen Isaacs
Lyndsay Green
Susanna Crofton
Wendy Moreton
Kathy KayAMBASSADORCONTRIBUTOR

Annie Doobie
Audrey McClellan
Donna de Haan
Doug Darwish
F KodarLois Klingbeil
Patricia Page
Sheryl Taylor-Munro

Brenda Canitz
Doreen McConachie
Herb Girard
Jonathan Gould
Sophie Burns
Suzanne Christensen
Robyn McMorris

The Victoria Film Festival breaks down boundaries. Young and old go to
the same films ultimately experiencing the wider community and immersedin the bigger picture. To see through someone else’s eyes, discover theirmessage, and be able to identify honesty from subterfuge.
To make this year special, you might notice as you attend that we arebringing more playful elements. Little treats, here and there. I’ve always
loved creating context for films, whether it’s a cricket lesson or a piece of
focaccia from Fol Epi. It adds to understanding community. Speaking ofcommunity, you will find more filmmakers attending their films andsharing their experiences. What a treat you have in store!
I can’t sign off without a big shout out to Gerald
Hartwig, our donors, volunteers, Board of Directors ,staff and all our partners. Thank you for being thegreat community supporters that you are.
See you in the dark.
Kathy Kay

6the team

Programmers

Behind the Scenes

Films selected by Festival Director, Program
Manager and ...

Festival Team
Festival Director: Kathy Kay
Program Manager: Bryan Skinner
Operations Manager: P. “Arcade” Pallot
Development & Volunteer Coordinator:
Charlie Gudgeon
Community Engagement: Alejandro Lema
Industry & Event Manager: Guillermo Rossi
Vic Theatre Manager: Kiana Karimkhani
Tech Meister: Mark Hoyne
Graphic Designer: Pauline Gallinat
Communication Coordinator: Alberto
MachadoBoard of Directors
President: Dan McDonagh
Vice President: Ruby Della Siega
Treasurer & Secretary: Joel Cave
Directors at Large:
Rain LiDavid Simmonds
David Parfit

Joanna Duncombe is based between
the UK and France; Jo manages
new talent and film programmes
in the MENA region at British
Council. She is passionate aboutchampioning underrepresented
voices in world cinema. Jo
was creative producer at
Birds’ Eye View, championing
women’s cinema, and launchedtheir Reclaim the Frame programme.
She has previously worked in curatorial roles
with the Independent Cinema Office and London
Short Film Festival. Jo is the UK programmer for
Victoria Film Festival in Canada and curates films
for CASA Festival of Latin American Arts. She
has worked as an impact
strategist on documentaries
including A Syrian Love
Story.
Bracken Hanuse Corlett is
an interdisciplinary artist
hailing from the Wuikinuxv
and Klahoose Nations. He
began working in theatre andperformance in 2000 and eventually transitioned
towards his current practice that fuses sculpture,
painting and drawing with digital-media, audiovisual performance, animation and narrative.
He is a graduate of the En’owkin Centre of
Indigenous Art and went to Emily Carr Universityof Art and Design for Visual Arts. He is the Cofounder of the Vancouver Indigenous Media Arts
Festival and recently sat on the VIFF Canadian
Features Jury. He has studied Northwest Coastart, carving and design from acclaimed Heiltsuk
artists Bradley Hunt and his sons Shawn Huntand Dean Hunt. He was a recipient of the 2014 BC
Creative Achievement Award for Aboriginal Art
and has recently received public art commissions
from the Cities of Vancouver, Nanaimo andVictoria. He is currently the 2020-21
Artist in Residence at Raycam
Cooperative Centre as part of
the Artists in Communities
Program.
Jane Julian’s love of movies
began as a small child at thedrive-in where the family saw
Ben Hur (and later, Goldfinger,
which made a big impression!)
Jane has been the programming director for thePort Townsend Film Festival for the past 8 years
after getting her start as a founder of the the7Durango Film Fest (Colorado) in 2000. Jane has
been recruited as a “programmer-at-large” forfestivals focused on documentaryfilms across North America andsays she “absolutely loves it!”
Ammar Keshodia is afilmmaker and curator basedin Toronto, Canada. He has
worked on the programming
teams for festivals such as
TIFF, SXSW, and Overlook.
Ammar has written for publications
like Bright Wall/Dark Room, NANG Magazine, andPeephole Journal. He is also the co-host of theThree Course Cinema Club, a podcast dedicatedto constructing unorthodox triple bills of famous
films and hidden gems. Ammar graduated fromthe University of Toronto with a degree in Political
Science & Cinema Studies and his work has been
supported by the Canada Council for the Arts.
Alex Rogalski is the senior
Canadian programmer for
Hot Docs. Past programming
work includes the Toronto
International Film Festival,
Calgary International Film
Festival, Gimme Some Truth,
and the Human Rights Watch

Film Festival. He is the former Executive Directorof PAVED Arts and New Media, and currently a
Program Consult with SK Arts in Saskatoon.
Dan Russek is a Professor in
the Department of Hispanic
and Italian Studies at the
University of Victoria. His
fields of research are Latin
American literature, film,
visual arts, and aesthetics.
He is the President of the
Hispanic Film Society ofVictoria and he coordinates theAnnual Latin American and Spanish Film Week at
Cinecenta, which will turn thirteen in 2023.

Pre-Screening Committee
Tony Ruffolo, Maria Nunn, Sheena Macdonald,
VFF team
Advisory Committee
Richie Mehta – Canadian filmmaker known for
Amal, Siddharth, India in a Day
Larry Weinstein – Canadian filmmaker known for
Mozartballs, Hannah’s Suitcase, Beethoven’s Hair

Kimber Sider is a documentary
filmmaker and the Artistic
Director/Lead Programmer for
the Guelph Film Festival, oneof the oldest documentary
film festivals in the world.
She holds a PhD in Theatre
and Performance from the
University of Guelph and is alecturer in Communication Arts at
the University of Waterloo.

8

Greeting Messages
A MESSAGE FROM PREMIER DAVID EBYAs Premier of British Columbia, it is my pleasure towelcome everyone to the 29th Victoria Film Festival (VFF).
For nearly three decades, VFF has showcased a diverse range offilms and enhanced Vancouver Island’s vibrant arts and culture scene.
The medium of film brings us together and serves as a springboard forimportant dialogue. I have no doubt that everyone participating will find thisfestival a wonderful opportunity for enrichment and entertainment.

A message from The Honourable / L’honorable Pablo Rodriguez
Minister of Canadian Heritage
Welcome to the 2023 Victoria Film Festival.
This year, the festival will once again showcase the uniquevision of a wide array of filmmakers from Canada and fromabroad. By sharing these diverse stories and experiences, thisgathering is bringing communities together in Victoria andthroughout Vancouver Island.

I would like to thank everyone at VFF along with the partners, donors and volunteers
who haveworked hard to make this year’s festival possible. Congratulations to thefilmmakers and all those involved in the productions for their inclusion.

Our artists bring us together, captivate us and help us to better
understand ourselves as a society. Our government is proud to support this engaging
event.

Enjoy the shows!

As Minister of Canadian Heritage, I’d like to thank the organizers, volunteers and artists
who worked hard to bring this year’s filmfest to life.

A MESSAGE FROM PREMIER DAVID EBY
En tant que premier ministre de la Colombie-Britannique, j’ai le plaisird’accueillir chacun et chacune de vous au 29e Festival du film de Victoria (VFF).
Depuis près de trois décennies, le VFF présente un éventail diversifié de films etrenforce la dynamique scène culturelle et artistique de l’Île de Vancouver. Le film nous
rassemble, et sert de tremplin à d’importants dialogues. Je suis convaincu que tous
ceux et celles qui y participeront seront d’avis que ce festival constitue une excellentesource d’enrichissement et de divertissement.
Je tiens à remercier toutes les personnes qui œuvrent au VFF, ainsi que tous
les partenaires, donateurs et bénévoles qui ont travaillé d’arrache-pied à la tenue
du festival de cette année. J’adresse mes félicitations aux cinéastes et à toutes lespersonnes impliquées dans les productions sélectionnées.
Bon cinéma!
HONOURABLE DAVID EBY, K.C., PREMIER OF BRITISH COLUMBIAL’HONORABLEDAVID EBY, K.C. PREMIER MINISTRE DE LA COLOMBIE-BRITANNIQUE

Bienvenue au Victoria Film Festival de 2023.
Cette année, le festival nous présente une fois de plus la vision unique de cinéastes entous genres venant d’ici et d’ailleurs. En mettant en valeur toutes sortes de récits etd’expériences, ce rendez-vous rassemble les communautés de Victoria et de toute l’îlede Vancouver.
Nos artistes nous rassemblent, nous divertissent et nous permettent de nous
comprendre comme société. Notre gouvernement est fier d’appuyer cette rencontre
stimulante.
À titre de ministre du Patrimoine canadien, je remercie les organisateurs, les bénévoleset les artistes qui ont travaillé avec ardeur pour mettre sur pied le festival de cetteannée.

9

Message from the Hon. Lana Popham
Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and SportA message from Marianne Alto

On behalf of Premier David Eby and the Governmentof British Columbia, welcome to the 2023 Victoria
Film Festival.

On behalf of the City of Victoria, it is my great
pleasure to welcome you to the 29th Victoria Film
Festival.

As the largest film festival on Vancouver Island, the Province
is pleased to provide funding through Creative BC. British
Columbia’s motion picture community is recognized throughout the world forexcellence and the Victoria Film Festival is an important contributor to its success.
With a commitment to showcasing the work of underrepresented groups and emerging
artists, this event is a celebration of diversity and inclusion. Thank you to the organizers
for their strong leadership on advancing these important objectives, and to thefestival’s audience for supporting their work.

Its unique line up of screenings and events continues
to showcase the best in Canadian and Internationalfilms, providing a platform for local, emerging, and often
underrepresented communities.

The festival would not be possible without all the dedicated donors and volunteers
who share their talent, resources, time, and energy to make this event a success. Their
support enables independent filmmakers to share great stories and to reach a wider
audience under the festival’s spotlight; and we thank them for their generosity andengagement.

Greetings from Mayor Marianne Alto

This year’s Springboard Seminars features question and answer sessions
with industry experts. The screening of local documentary A Cedar isLife is one of many films that will offer Victorians diverse and innovative
perspectives.
Congratulations and a big thank you to festival organizers and volunteers,
enjoy the shows!

Lastly, congratulations to everyone involved in creating and producing the pieces
featured this year. Thank you for sharing your incredible talent with all of us. British
Columbia is proud of you, and we cannot wait to see what you do next.

Sincerely,

Sincerely,

MARIANNE ALTO
VICTORIA MAYOR

HON. LANA POPHAM,MINISTER OF TOURISM, ARTS, CULTURE AND SPORT

10

festivalinfo

FESTIVAL AWARDSThe VFF is gearing up for normal! All screenings are in-person.
Yee haw and away we go with fingers crossed and a few hail Bobs.
There will be no in-person sales at the office, and we are not able
to take phone orders. Tickets are sold at the door 30 minutes
before showtime, but FilmFest pros know how quickly films sellout so purchase in advance at www.victoriafilmfestival.com.
Advance tickets on sale midnight January 5 – February 11.

Tickets & passes are subject to GST – #883954026RT0001.
No exchanges. No refunds. Program subject to change. Visa, Mastercard accepted.

TICKETS 2023
VFF Membership			
$ 2.00Film Tickets				$ 13.33
Gold Pass					$325.00

Several of the films that are juried and accepted
into the Festival are selected to receive an award.
Watch for the announcement of the winners on
February 13.
Best Feature Film
Best Canadian Feature
Best Canadian First Feature $1000 cash prize
Best Documentary
Best Short Animation $500 cash prize
Audience Favourite Feature
Cultural Currents Award $1000 cash prize		The VFF goes anti-inflation – no increasein the film ticket price this year!
You’re welcome!

(guaranteed seating at
regular film screenings)

5 Film Vouchers			
10 Film Vouchers			
Student Rush Ticket 		$ 64.00$120.00$ 6.00Opening Gala Film & DinnerOpening Gala Film Only 		$ 82.00$ 25.00(ages 19–30 with student ID
On sale 10 minutes prior to screening)(limited tickets)

In Conversation With....		
$ 39.00
Sips ‘n’ Cinema			
$ 30.00
Jammies and Toons			$ 9.00Art Exhibit				Free

VFF Membership
In British Columbia, the government requires that you
be a member of a Society showing unclassified films
and you must be over the age of 18. The Victoria Film
Festival screens unclassified films.
Membership is only $2.

Once you are a member you can see thefilms at the Festival and The Vic Theatre
until the end of July.

11

Director

Government

SUPPORTING

Venue

Hospitality
MEDIA
Exclusive Radio Sponsor

12

Opening Gala

Opening Film

February 3

Emily | 6:30 PM | The Vic Theatre

It was so much fun last year that we are going again - an Opening Gala film and aselection of dinners at great Victoria restaurants.
At the theatre you’ll start with a complimentary cocktail from the award-winning
Spinnakers!
Then we turned to our favourite restaurants who will be hosting 3-course dinners for 10
with wine from Church and State. There will be a few tickets available for the movie anddinner but only a very few as the filmmakers and guests will be filling the tables withexcellent repartee. So, get your game face on, it might be an unforgettable ride.

Director Frances O’Connor dives into the mysterious figure of Emily
Brontë - the middle sister of the infamous Brontë Sister clan, famousfor penning Wuthering Heights. When an attraction brings both inner
fire and crushing pain, Emily attempts to escape into wild imaginary
worlds with her siblings. But her sisters, drawn increasingly into adultconformism, are slowly leaving their sister behind.

Some film-only tickets available.

DinnerS
Dinners at 9:00 pm
Restaurants are supplying a set menu and no changes will be made.
A vegetarian option will be available. The Festival will assign the restaurant
to the ticket holder.
Restaurants:
10 Acres Common
AgriusAura Restaurant
Boom & Batten

Glo Restaurant + Lounge
Ithaka Greek Restaurant
Milestones Inner Harbour

Q at the Fairmont Empress
Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub
The Mint

13

Film program
15
Buzz+| Trending films that bring on FOMO.
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30

Ballad of a Great Disordered Heart
Cesária Évora
Emily
I Like Movies
L’immensita
Master Gardener
Metronom
North of Normal
One Fine Morning
Pacifiction
Rodeo
The Golden Years
The Innocent
The Ordinaries
When you Finish Saving the World

31

Coast| Pacific Rim centric

32
33
34
35
36
37

Golden Delicious
Rematriation
Riceboy Sleeps
Sam Now
The Empress of Vancouver
Until Branches Bend

38

Currents| Splash around in the zeitgeist.

39
40
41
42
43
44
45

All That Breathes
BatataCalendar Girls
Fashion Reimagined
Framing Agnes
Garçonnières
Geographies of Solitude

46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56

Klondike
Minsk
My Small Land
No Straight Lines: The Rise of Queer Comics
Part of the Pack
RangerRobin Bank
Sexual Healing
The Issue with Tissue - a boreal love story
To Kill a Tiger
Waiting for Raif

57

contemporaryFirst|Presenting
Indigenous filmmaking.

58
59
60
61

A Cedar is Life
Bones of Crows
Stellar
We are Still Here62

films rock
Front Burner: Denmark| Danish
the VFF world!

63
64
65
66

Godland
Into the Ice
The Great Silence
The Killing of a Journalist

67

Olio| Not just this and that but also that and this.

68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76

A Life on the Farm
Con Los Años Que Nos Quedan
Family Mottoes
Handshake
Happy Pills
Razzouk Tattoo
The Civil Dead
The Colour of Ink
Unicorn Wars

77

Pulse| The visceral beat that makes us... ?human.

78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96

Before I Change My Mind
Brother
Daughter of Rage
Driving Madeline
Hidden Letters
Jacir
Moja Vesna
Of Medicine and Miracles
OKAY! ASD Band Film
Paris Memories
Penelope, My Love
Savage Waters
Schächten
She is Love
The Damned Don’t Cry
The Eight Mountains
The End of Sex
The Year of the Dog
When Morning Comes
Something to make the eyebrows go up.
Sci-Fi, Mysteries & Thrillers

97

Tingle|

98
99
100
101
102
103
104

Confessions
Enys Men
Influencer
Relax, I’m from the Future
The Banality
The InhumanVikingEnergetic programmes of short film andnew voices. On a boat. ‘Cause why not.
Strange Worlds
Things Fall Apart
Indigenous Voices
Love & Happiness

105
106
107
108
109

Short Bursts|

14

Buzz+

Trending films that bring on FOMO.

15

Ballad of a Great
Disordered Heart

Buzz+
Blue Bridge TheatreFeb 11 | 6:15 pm

Aidan O’Rourke, Becky Manson & Mark Cousins
65 min | UK | 2022
Documentary
Includes short Live Performance by Aidan O’Rourke and Daniel Lapp
The Ballad of a Great Disordered Heart is an ode to folk music, told by
the people who make it. The film centres on the communities, past andpresent, of Edinburgh’s Old Town - a corner of the city that has longhoused a proud and lively Irish diaspora. During lockdown, musician Aidan
O’Rourke befriends three of his octogenarian neighbours, all of whom
happen to be called Margaret. Inspired by their stories, and a newfoundappreciation for his own family roots, he decides to bring together agroup of sensational Irish and Scottish folk musicians to investigate themeaning of home and the role of folk music in binding this community
together. Featuring a stunning original soundtrack by O’Rourke and live
performances by talented musicians including Liam Ó Maonlai, Brìghde
Chaimbeul, Comac Begley, Róisín Chambers and Aoife Ní Bhriain, thisis a foot stomping and heartwarming journey into the very soul of amusical community. - JD
Movie Trailer«

click here

Lively + Folkish + Communal
16

Cesária Évora
Ana Sofia Fonseca

94 min | Portugal | 2022
Documentary

Buzz+
ODEon | Theatre 2
Feb 5 | 12:30 pm

To watch this stunning portrait of the musical force of nature, Cesária Évora,
is to witness the transformative power of music. Known internationallyfor her melancholic ballads, Évora was perhaps best known for herinterpretation of the immigrant song “Sodade”. A native of the former
Portuguese colony Cape Verde, Cesária rose to international acclaim in
the 1990s, known around the world as “the barefoot diva”.
Director Ana Sofia Fonseca has extensively mined footage and sourced
great interviews to create her definitive look at the life and music of thisgiant of vocal performance. Her interviews with the family, celebrity
friends, and with impresario, manager, and lifelong supporter José daSilva are great, but the real magical moments belong to Cesária. Hermusic and her unwavering commitment to her own freedom steal theshow, and probably your heart in the bargain. - BS
Movie Trailer«

click here

Music + Struggle + Freedom
17

EmilyFrances O’Connor
130 min | UK | 2022

Buzz+
The Vic TheatreFeb 3 | 6:30 pm
Feb 9 | 7:45 PM

In her directorial debut from her own original screenplay, Frances O’Connor
dives into the mysterious figure of Emily Brontë - the middle sister ofthe infamous Brontë Sister clan, world famous for penning Wuthering
Heights. At the time of its publication, the book was shocking for its
visceral, bodily portraits of love and rebellion. Here, in Emily, we see
the traces of the rebellious soul behind the words. Emily Brontë (Emily
Mackey, Sex Education) is a solitary misfit, plagued by shyness, and known
as ‘the strange one’ in her local village. When an overwhelming pull of
attraction brings both inner fire and crushing pain in rapid succession, she
attempts to escape into wild imaginary worlds with her sisters Charlotteand Anne. But her sisters, drawn increasingly into adult conformism, areslowly leaving their sister behind. While Emily’s maverick brother Branwellencourages her creativity, her father engages a French tutor to focus her
free spirit. As Emily, Mackey delivers a standout performance, cementing
her status as one of the UK’s most promising rising stars. - JD
Movie Trailer«

click here

Enigmatic + Rebellious + Tragic18

I Like Movies
Chandler Levack

99 min | Canada | 2022

Buzz+
The Vic TheatreFeb 5 | 2:45 pm
Feb 9 | 5:30 PM

Lawrence Kweller (Isaiah Lehtinen) loves movies. His encyclopedic
film knowledge and Saturday Night Live viewing rituals are both apath to escapism and a point of pride. He’s still in high school, but isunreasonably confident his fate is to emulate his indie-filmmaking heroes
and attend NYU’s film school. Lawrence can imagine nothing worse thanremaining stuck in his suburban life, going to a local university and being
deemed a ‘Canadian’ director. His exasperated single mother provides
the unvarnished truth that American tuition is beyond their means, but
Lawrence is undeterred and pursues his dream job at a video store,attempting to save his minimum wage earnings to help cover the cost. The
disconnect between Lawrence’s dreams and reality delivers the laughs,
but also fuels the empathy that drives the film. Chandler Levack’s debut
feature is an unforgettable coming-of-age comedy, led by Lehtinen’s pitch
perfect performance and filled with throwback early 2000’s pop culture
references when DVDs were the peak of technology, and Netflix was an
upstart company delivering them by mail. - AR
Movie Trailer«

click here

Presented by:

Comedy + Throwback + Adolescence19

Presented by:

L’immensita
Emanuele Crialese

97 min | Italy & France | 2022

Buzz+
The Vic TheatreFeb 7 | 5:30 pm

In 1970s Rome, Penélope Cruz plays Clara, radiant in the role of a Spanish
woman struggling to fit in with the traditions of the bourgeois Italianfamily she’s married into. With a short-tempered husband, she’ll take any
opportunity she can get to bring joy into the home for their children.
In between the domestic drama, her oldest child Andrea begins to reflect
on his gender identity. Born female, he introduces himself as a boy when hemeets a girl in a Romani community behind their building, marginalized byland development in the neighborhood.
Though their innocent romance burgeons over the course of the lazy
summer, tensions rise at home. Through it all Andrea and Clara forge a
special connection; they’re always trying to hold back each other fromreaching escape velocity, but secretly they find comfort as the only two
people in the family who truly see one another.
L’immensita never treats its most important themes like the achingly
contemporary issues they are. It approaches its characters’ concerns with
intimate sensitivity, all the while capturing their most important moments
together with a vivid flair that paints them as your own bittersweet memories.
Much like Cruz’s character, it has a grand heart, protected fiercely, waiting
to be revealed only when you need it most. - AKMovie Trailer«

click here

Dramatic + Contemporary + Charismatic
20

Master GardenerPaul Schrader

107 min | USA | 2022

Buzz+
The Vic TheatreFeb 4 | 7:45 pm

Anyone would be jubilant presiding over Gracewood Gardens. It’s aseries of precisely cut hedges, well-tended gardens and sections of floral
displays. A place to forget the past for some like master gardener Narvel
Roth (Joey Edgerton).
In writer/director Paul Schrader’s final piece of his trilogy about men
coming to grips with their pasts we enter a seemingly tranquil world. In
First Reformed the vehicle is religion, The Card Counter it’s gambling andin Master Gardener we dally in the philosophy of gardening — the natural
world that can bring peace.
But it’s not all about gardening. The lady of the grounds, Norma Haverhill(Sigourney Weaver) is a rich domineering white woman. Her latest requestof Narvel is to provide gardening instruction to her grandniece. Complex
relationships ensue.
Strong acting is on display with Edgerton’s low-key vibe playing well against
Weaver’s overbearingly entitled role as landowner. Master Gardener isalive with subtext and cinematic intensity that we’ve come to appreciatefrom Schrader. - KK
Movie Trailer«

click here

Smart + Contemplative + Renewal
21

Buzz+

Metronom
Alexandru Belc

102 min | Romania & France | 2022

The Vic TheatreFeb 6 | 2:45 pm

Best Direction Une Certain Regard - Cannes Film Festival
Seventeen-year-old Ana lives in 1970’s Bucharest. Current issues with her
boyfriend are quickly eclipsed with the bigger problems she and her groupof friends find themselves in. One night while partying together they write
a letter to Metronom, a radio show hosted by an exiled Romanian rockmusic DJ on the US propaganda network, Radio Free Europe. This being
Ceausescu’s Romania, they quickly find themselves in the hands of thesecret police.
This impressive debut won Alexandru Belc the directing award in the Un
Certain Regard section at Cannes (2022), and it is easy to see why. The
restraint and control shown in performance, camera, and tone are masterful.
The Door’s “Light my Fire” has become a classic rock radio cliche, but inthe hands of Belc, and his freedom seeking Romanian teens, it is restored
to its original incarnation as a paean of youthful awakening and liberation.
Once in the custody of the Securitate, Ana will be forced to make choicesthat will have life altering consequences. Metronom is a film which serves
as a timely reminder about the nature of political oppression, freedom, andthe potentially liberating power of music. - BS
Movie Trailer«

click here

Youth + Freedom + Betrayal
22

North of Normal
Carly Stone

90 min | Canada | 2022

Buzz+
The Vic TheatreFeb 5 | 5:30 pm

Growing up in a commune established by her iconoclastic grandfather,
Cea’s care-free childhood is an unfettered immersion into the wilds ofAlberta, British Columbia and the Yukon. Surrounded by transient hippies
living by their own rules, the innocence of youth gives way to familial
divisions. When her mother Michelle (Sarah Gadon) finally tires of her
hypocritical father’s criticisms, she attempts to break free and adopt a
more conventional lifestyle, though their past is never far behind. Freshbeginnings provide no stability and a string of bad relationships keeps
Michelle and her daughter in a codependent nomadic existence. Tornbetween her desire for normalcy and a troubled attachment to her motherand grandparents, Cea (River Price-Maenpaa and Amanda Fix), must
chart a new path or risk repeating the patterns she’s witnessed. Adaptedfrom Cea Sunrise Person’s 2014 memoir, Carly Stone’s sophomoric feature
follow up to The New Romantics honours Person’s biography by flowing
between humour and heartbreak with characters that are doing the best
they can, despite their shortcomings. - AR

Movie Trailer

Family + Women + Memoir«

click here

23

One Fine Morning(Un Beau Matin)
Mia Hansen-Løve

Buzz+
ODEon | Theatre 2
Feb 4 | 3:00 pm
Feb 9 | 6:00 PM

111 min | France | 2022
Europa Label Award – Cannes Film Festival
French cinema star Lea Seydoux’s understated performance as theenigmatic Sandra Kienzler is the foundation of this dramatic portrait ofa young widow who begins an affair with her married friend Clément.
Sandra is dealing with the necessary institutionalization of her elderly
father who’s suffering through a debilitating neurogenerative disease.
She struggles to raise her daughter solo. Sandra navigates life’s everpressing stresses seemly as confused and blind as her father. The reentry of Clément into her world colours her grey reality. He is something
she looks forward to.
As the affair progresses and she grows increasingly emotionally reliant on
the stability and validation she is feeling, questions about the future begin
to intrude. The reality of the emptiness of such an arrangement begins to
rub against the obvious pleasure and escape she is experiencing. He has
a family; a wife and a son.
For those who have admired Lea Seydoux’s performances in English
language films such as The French Dispatch, The Lobster, and the latest
Bond films, this is the perfect introduction to one of the great performative
talents on the world cinematic stage in a very French romantic drama. - BS
Movie Trailer«

click here

Romance + Emotion + Betrayal
24

Buzz+

Pacifiction
Albert Serra

The Vic TheatreFeb 11 | 7:45 pm

162 min | France | 2022

From the opening shots of a pink-hued tropical sunset stretching over Tahitian townscapes andnightclubs, the feeling of being in the hands of an assured storyteller is palpable. Director Albert
Serra’s political thriller is set on French Polynesian island of Tahiti, with the story centered on
French official, the High Commissioner of the Republic, De Roller (Benoît Magimel). De Roller must
present steady assurance to the Indigenous Tahitians that the French nuclear testing of the past
will not be returning, despite the recent appearance of a French submarine. There are many willingto escalate confrontation with France (and thus De Roller) over their concerns for their homeland.
The film is propelled as much by atmosphere and nuanced performance as by plot, with dread
mixing easily with tropical beauty. Many framings are reminiscent of tourist postcards while Serrainterrogates colonial structures. Wonderfully grounded by the swirling Polynesian soundtrack, weseek to understand De Roller’s motivations and sympathies. - BS~
Dès l’ouverture, un coucher de soleil rose tropical s’étend sur des scènes urbaines et des boîtes
de nuit tahitiens : le sentiment de se trouver dans les mains d’un raconteur assuré est palpable.
Le thriller politique du metteur en scène Albert Serra se passe sur l’ile polynésienne française
de Tahiti. L’histoire parle de l’officiel français, le Haut-Commissaire de la République De Roller(Benoît Magimel). De Roller doit rassurer les Indigènes tahitiens que les tests nucléaires du passé
ne recommencent pas, en dépit de l’apparition récente d’un sous-marin français. Pas mal de genssont impatients à intensifier la confrontation avec la France (et par conséquent avec De Roller) parsouci de leur patrie.
Le film se caractérise tant par ambiance et la performance nuancée que par l’intrigue. La peur se mêlefacilement avec la beauté tropicale. Beaucoup d’images rappellent les cartes postales touristiques,pendant que Serra interroge les structures coloniales. La bande sonore turbulente polynésienne
nous émerveille tandis que nous cherchons à comprendre les motifs et sympathies de De Roller.

Movie Trailer

Tropical + Excitant + Nucléaire

«click here25

RodeoLola Quivoron
105 min | France | 2022

Buzz+
The Vic TheatreFeb 10 | 5:30 pm

Julia insists that she was born with a motorbike between her legs. That’s
why she has no qualms about inserting herself into a male-dominated gangof local bikers who perform stunts and tricks, always trying to one-up eachother.
Impressed by her talent, they quickly accept her, but she’s forced to reflect
on how her gender sets her apart in this environment. As the group deals
with the fallout of a dangerous accident, Julia becomes close to Ophélie, theirleader’s wife, who remains beholden to his control despite his imprisonment.
Secretly hoping to help her, Julia pushes forward the gang’s plan for a heist.
Her knowledge and steel nerves become indispensable to them, but all thisattention doesn’t come without its enemies.
Working with non-professional actors plucked from the cross-bitumecommunity in France, director Lola Quivoron pulls us into a subculture that
breathes gasoline. Rodeo features a remarkable lead performance from afirst-time actor that fully captures the freedom and feral energy of this world.
It’s a scrappier Fast and Furious for a new generation - one grounded in the
precariousness of the real world, with a focus on characters, texture, and tone.
By the end, Rodeo promises only bolder visions to come from its filmmaker.
Catch this one before it races out of reach. - AKMovie Trailer«

click here

Exhilarating + Fresh + Scrappy
26

Presented by:

The Golden Years
Barbara Kulcsar

92 min | Switzerland | 2022

Buzz+
The Vic TheatreFeb 11 | 12:15 pm

A jeroboam of whisky and a red balloon, and with that so begins Peter’s
retirement. Peter is not alone on this next stage. Alice, his partner of 42
years, is hoping to reconnect in the next stage of life. Their daughter
provides the means when she gifts them a cruise vacation.
Before they go the two face the unexpected death of Alice’s closest friend,
Magalie. The result, Peter plunges into the routines of fitness and Alicelearns that her friend has had an affair in France for the past 15 years. Lifeis full of surprises and none bigger than when Peter invites the widower,
Heinz, on their vacation.
Alice understands Peter doesn’t like to travel. Peter understands Alicewants a gourmet lifestyle. Their paths are diverging and when Heinz
becomes the companion of choice Alice decides to leave the ship and go
in search of Magalie’s lover and to see what the world has to offer.
Director Kulcsar tells a story of two people in search of happiness withheart and wit. She keeps a light touch throughout and tender moments
are likely to be met with a knowing smile. One of the wonderful treatsthat comes out of this film is the inspiring search for an individual solution
to what life offers. It’s a message that’s very timely. - KK
Movie Trailer«

click here

Check out Sips ‘n’ Cinema– an event for a discussion
about this movie!

Comic + Sweet + Revealing
27

The Innocent / L’innocent
Louis Garrel

99 min | France | 2022

Buzz+
The Vic Theatre
Feb 8 | 5:30 pm

Actor and Director Louis Garrel returns to double duty in front, and behind the lens for this comic
caper about a young man who becomes wrapped up in a heist that’s too close to home. Not fully
recovered from his own personal tragedy, Abel (Garrel) stews in grumpy suspicion when his motherbegins dating Michel, a soon-to-be-released inmate at the prison she works at. Unwilling to let anyone
around him be happy, Abel enlists the help of his best friend Sylvie (Noémie Merlant), to follow
Michel and find out whether he’s returned to crime. They quickly become wrapped up in a moneymaking scheme, and with his mother’s innocent delight in the balance, Abel is forced to join the heist,
while also confronting the reality of his feelings for Sylvie, who’s always by his side. Garrel and his
charismatic cast make The Innocent an effortless watch as it spins the mainstays of crime drama into
a comedy, disarming with both a simple target, and the crew’s unsophisticated method for getting toit. With a keen focus on the messy humans at the center of it all, it captures the tragic but droll irony
that we’re often doomed to repeat our family’s mistakes. - AK~

Le comédien et réalisateur Louis Garrel revient devant et derrière la caméra pour cette comédie d’unjeune homme qui devient obsédé par un cambriolage trop près de lui.
Pas tout à fait remis d’une tragédie personnelle, Abel (Garrel) s’emporte quand sa mère commenceà fréquenter Michel, un détenu bientôt relâché de la prison où elle travaille. Ne voulant pas laisser les
gens qui l’entourent être heureux, Abel sollicite l’aide de sa meilleur amie Sylvie (Noémie Merlant) afinde suivre Michel et savoir s’il est retourné au crime. Ils s’emballent vite dans un projet lucratif, et avec
la joie innocente de sa mère à l’enjeu, Abel doit se joindre au vol, en même temps qu’il doit admettrela réalité de ses sentiments pour Sylvie, qui est toujours à ses côtés.
Garrel et son casting charismatique font de L’innocent un film sans effort qui tisse les piliers du drame
policier dans une comédie désarmante avec une cible simple et une méthode peu sophistiquée del’équipe. Il garde une attention particulière sur les humains au centre du drame et capte l’ironie
tragique, mais drôle, des fautes souvent répétées de nos familles.

Movie Trailer«

click here

Amusant – Désarmant – Braquage
28

The ordinaries
Sophie Linnenbaum

120 min | Germany | 2022

Buzz+
The Vic TheatreFeb 10 | 7:45 pm

New Talent Award Best Director, Best Producer - Filmfest München
A high concept comedy about a three-class society existing in a surreal
cinematic world, The Ordinaries is a rare and wonderful celebration of
the Golden Age of Hollywood, as well as an unsubtle condemnation ofclass divisions.
In Director Sophie Linnenbaum’s film-based world, Paula, a young“Supporting Character”, is going to school and aspires to be like her
deceased father, a “Main Character”. As she begins to learn more about
her father’s death in a past uprising involving the black and white “OutTakes,” the lowest class, she finds herself at odds with her decidedly
background mother, and her status as a potential protagonist is
threatened.
Finding legions of fans across the European festival scene this year, thisis wildly inventive stuff you will love not only for the meta references, butalso the golden age costuming and sets. The cast does a wonderful job
and the musical numbers are a flourish of energy when they show up.
Great ideas well executed. - BS
Movie Trailer«

click here

Surreal + Cinema + Class29

When you Finish Saving
the World
Jesse Eisenberg

Buzz+
The Vic TheatreFeb 4 | 2:45 pm
Feb 11 | 5:30 PM

88 min | USA | 2022
Actor Jesse Eisenberg wrote and directed this A24 midwestern set
dramedy. Indiana Women’s shelter administrator Evelyn (Julianne Moore)is established in the first few frames as an awkward killjoy as she pours
cold water on a staff birthday party. She is obviously burned out, andbeyond empathy for those around her. Her high school aged son Ziggy(Finn Wolfhard) is a somewhat dim but successful online musical livestreamer. Her husband is distracted by the preoccupations of wine, books,
and The Atlantic magazine articles. The family’s use of progressive politics
to browbeat and undercut each other speaks in a bleakly humorous way
to the present cultural moment.
Ziggy’s romantic interest Lila’s leftwing political posturing begins a processof breaking down his alienated existence, but it is unclear whether thebrand of politics favoured by the local scene will create the kind of realcommunity he needs or just spark a new kind of branding exercise. Is theconnection and community he needs perhaps closer at hand? - BS
Movie Trailer«

click here

Disconnection + Politics + Love30

CoastPacific Rim centric

31

Golden Delicious
Jason Karman

119 min | Canada | 2022

coast
The Vic TheatreFeb 12 | 2:45 pm

Outstanding Feature Film, Best Director - Reelworld Film Festival
Caught up in his girlfriend’s desire to take their relationship to the next level
and his father’s misguided encouragement, Jake (Cardi Wong) is stressedby the feeling that his future is being forced upon him. In the midst of thispressure, Aleks, a confident new neighbor with a love of basketball, moves
in next door, and Jake experiences a newfound attraction that seems toconflict with what everyone expects from him. Navigating high school
drama in an age of social media while doing his best to please everyone,
Jake is forced to come to terms with who he is and what life he wants tolead, knowing those closest to him might get hurt in the process. Writer/
director Jason Karman crafts a contemporary Vancouver coming-of-age
story with a terrific ensemble cast driven by Wong’s performance that
captures the complexity of living up to cultural and familial expectations
while trying to define yourself. Winner of Outstanding Feature Film andBest Director at the Reelworld Film Festival, Golden Delicious brings afresh perspective to familiar territory. - AR
Movie Trailer«

click here

Presented by:

Asian + Drama + Contemporary32

coastRematriation

Blue Bridge Theatre
Feb 8 | 6:15 pm

Alexi Liotti

67 min | Canada | 2022
Documentary

Each year more than 10,000 hectares (equivalent to more than 10,000
football fields) of old growth forests are cut down on Vancouver Island.
After more than a century of aggressive logging practices, less than 3% of
the virgin rainforest remains. British Columbia has become a focal point forresistance to protect this vital resource that only becomes more importantas climate change wreaks havoc on the planet. To those who have called
these forests home for generations, their significance is obvious, yet anindustry that has government backing continues to threaten its existence.
As the trees continue to fall and worldviews collide, a growing movementof Canada’s largest ongoing act of civil disobedience is speaking out anddedicating their lives to ensure we don’t pass a point of no return. From
the front lines of the Fairy Creek blockades to the tree top canopy, a wide
range of activists, artists, and environmentalists share their deep love andknowledge of this place, mixed with incredible cinematography, providing
an unflinching view into this unique and increasingly rare landscape. - AR
Movie Trailer«

click here

Presented by:

Nature + Resistance + Local
33

Presented by:

Riceboy Sleeps
Anthony Shim

117 mins | Canada | 2022

coast
ODEon | Theatre 2
Feb 3 | 8:30 pm

Platform Prize - Toronto International Film Festival
Best Canadian Film - Vancouver International Film Festival
Director Anthony Shim crafts a semi-autobiographical debut feature
tracing the parallel journeys of So-young (Choi Seung-yoon), a single
mother who leaves South Korea for Canada with her young son Donghyun (Dohyun Noel Hwang as a child, Ethan Hwang as a teenager),hoping they can both thrive in a new country. As they adapt to different
cultural norms, they can’t avoid racism at both work and school, resulting
in conflict at home. Caught between two worlds, both struggle to findtheir place and defend themselves. Balancing perspectives of a motherdoing her best to protect and provide for her son, and a young boy (thenteenager) facing cruel injustices, the film travels full circle returning its
protagonists back to Korea where they seek healing from the wounds
they have endured. Navigating a complex web of relationships that draws
from Shim’s own experiences, he textures the 1990’s setting with specificdetails that make the film and its story feel timeless. Immigration stories
provide rich material for characters, as they inherently include forces oftransformation, both physical and emotional. Seung-yoon and Hwang’s
performances are unforgettable with characters that feel so familiar inthis winner of Toronto International Film Festival’s prestigious Platform
Prize. - AR
Movie Trailer«

click here

Immigration + Family + Transformation
34

Sam Now
Reed Harkness

86 min | USA | 2022
Documentary

coast
Capitol 6 | Theatre 5
Feb 4 | 4:00 pm

Best International Documentary - Zurich Film Festival
Super 8, superheroes, a 2,000-mile road trip, and two brothers on aquest for answers. This is the journey that unfolds when filmmaker Reed
Harkness asks his half-brother Sam to solve the mystery of Sam’s mother’s
disappearance. Filmed over the expanse of 25 years, Sam and Reed delve
unflinchingly into the trauma of Sam’s mother having left him in his mostformative years of life. At the heart of their adventure are foundationalquestions of worth: what happened? What made her leave? Where isshe now? Together Sam and Reed work through this family trauma ofabsence, silence, and mental health to rewrite their own stories andunderstandings. This loss from childhood turns into a creative reclaimingof Sam’s narrative in his teens, and then into a self-reflective explorationof the impacts to his self-concept and family overtime in his twenties.
Sam Now is told through a series of home videos, Super 8 adventurefilms of Sam’s wetsuit and mask wearing alter ego, The Blue Panther, andmodern HD, as Reed asks his family to face this traumatic hole in theircollective experiences in order to heal. - KS
Movie Trailer«

click here

Complex + Family + Quirky
35

The Empress of Vancouver
Dave Rodden-Shortt

90 min | Vancouver | 2022

coast
ODEon | Theatre 2
Feb 5 | 6:00 pm

With a wealth of well shot footage, archival material, and pop art
animations, Vancouver director Dave Rodden-Shortt creates an affectionate
portrait of an icon of Vancouver’s LGTBQ+ community, long-time dragartist and activist Oliv Howe. The film recounts how the now 69-yearold Howe made a splash in the 80s gay scene, trading a dash of punkattitude and performance art for the title of 10th Empress of Vancouver
by the Dogwood Monarchist Society. While Oliv-focussed, Rodden-Shortt
contextualizes Howe in time, delivering a great history of the Vancouver
community and the struggles and challenges overcome.
Never content to allow the even archival black and white photos to be stilted
but functional, the film is notable stylistically for its constant additionsof colour and movement. Those with a passing interest in the world thefilm celebrates will be sure to find many points of entry and education,
especially in Oliv’s “real talk” approach to life. To those with an investment
in drag and queer history, this is practically required viewing. - BS
Movie Trailer«

click here

Presented by:History + LGTBQ+ + Drag
36

Until Branches Bend
Sophie Jarvis

98 min | Canada | 2022

coast
ODEon | Theatre 2
Feb 3 | 6:00 pm
Feb 8 | 6:00 pm

People’s Choice Award - Toronto International Film Festival
Best British Columbia Film - Vancouver International Film Festival
During the peak of the late summer peach harvest in the inescapable heatof Okanagan valley’s orchards, Robin (Grace Glowicki) makes an unsettling
discovery while inspecting fruit during packaging. After reporting the findto her manager, she is casually brushed off and the potential problem isignored. Robin can’t help but feel something is amiss and pursues anotheravenue for her concerns, setting off a chain of events that agitates her
small community and puts her at the center of a controversy she cannot
control. In the midst of this turmoil, she faces an unwanted pregnancy while
the world is literally falling apart around her. This riveting psychologicalthriller wisely borrows science fiction conventions to tell an all too plausible
tale that resonates far beyond its environmental themes into corporate
structures that silence whistleblowers. Glowicki’s gripping performancetakes inspiration from an oppressive landscape that simultaneously
provides and destroys. Winner of the Best British Columbia Film Award
at Vancouver International Film Fest, Until Branches Bend is a remarkable
debut from writer/director Sophie Jarvis. - AR
Movie Trailer«

click here

Presented by:

Riveting + Drama + Whistleblowers
37Currents

Splash around in the zeitgeist.

38

currents

All That Breathes

The Vic TheatreFeb 12 | 5:30 pm

Shaunak Sen

97 min | India | 2022
Documentary
Grand Jury Prize - Sundance Film Festival
Golden Eye Award - Cannes Film Festival

For the last twenty years, two Muslim brothers, Mohammad and Nadeem,
have worked at their makeshift wildlife clinic in Delhi to rescue the birdof prey known as the Black Kite. The brothers believe that how goes theKite goes the city.
In this first-rate environmental documentary from filmmaker ShaunakSen, the film’s detail and visual flair is remarkable as it emphasizes
the crossover between the natural and manufactured worlds that thebrothers believe the survival of the Kite represents. Camera work reveals
the depth of life that we seldom see as Images of goats give way tomotorcyclists in the most moving fashion.
But one brother is thinking of abandoning his vocation and going tostudy abroad before it’s too late for him to do anything else. - KK
Movie Trailer«

click here

Kind + Haunting + Nature
39

currents

BatataNoura Kevorkian
126 min | Canada | 2022
Documentary

Capitol 6 | Theatre 5
Feb 8 | 1:00 pm

For the past decade the plight of the Syrian people has become a familiar
headline, as refugees continue to be forced from their homelands. Nearly
7 million Syrians have been displaced since 2012, each with a uniquestory of survival. It remains the largest human forced exodus of our time.
Batata focuses on Maria and her fellow migrant workers who spent theirlives toiling in the fields of Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley. Their seasonal travel
comes to a halt when they can no longer return to their hometown of
Raqqa, Syria. Over the course of a decade, director Noura Kevorkian
embedded herself in this emergent community, following the marriages,
births and deaths that become pivotal markers connecting their daily
routines. As the seasons pass and harvest cycles repeat, Kevorkian’s
sensitivity to the underlying tensions of Lebanese-Syrian politics isrevealed by the relationships she formed with her subjects. Maria centersthese stories as a woman of remarkable resolve. As the years pass andtragic circumstances build, her selfless, compassionate and determinedcharacter remains a constant point of hope in this profoundly touching
documentary. - AR
Movie Trailer«

click here

Inspiring + Refugees + Relationships
40Calendar GirlsMaria Loohufvud & Love Martinsen
84 min | Sweden & USA | 2022
Documentary

currents
The Vic Theatre
Feb 8 | 2:45 pm

Since 2005, Calendar Girls have shimmied their way into the hearts ofSouthwest Florida, while raising money for charity. These Calendar Girls
have a lot to give to both the community and each other as the challenge
notions about retirement, beauty, sexuality, fulfillment, and a woman’s place,especially as she ages. These women do it all, from impressive makeup
to handmade costumes and elaborate dance routines, with unparalleledenthusiasm and shining personalities, determined to prove that age is just a
number. These Calendar Girls move through the challenges and celebrationsof older age with laughter and tears, supporting each other as they dance.
Their relationships and identities change as new dreams are discovered.
Life doesn’t end past sixty, it gets more sparkly with fewer cares to what
other people think, if you let it. Calendar Girls is a life-affirming, coming-ofgolden-age, feel-good documentary that shakes up the outdated image ofwhat it means to be an “old lady.” - KS
Movie Trailer«

click here

Dance + Quirky + Glitter41

Fashion Reimagined
Becky Hutner

100 min | UK | 2022
Documentary

currents
Capitol 6 | Theatre 5
Feb 8 | 4:00 pm

The fashion industry is renowned for being one of the fastest moving, mostpolluting industries in the world. In the face of rampant consumerism, it’s
hard to imagine how any one person could slow it down. And then wemeet trailblazing fashion designer Amy Powney of cult label Mother of
Pearl. Powney is a rising star in the London fashion scene, but she wasalso raised off-the-grid in rural England by activist parents. When she
wins the coveted Vogue award for the Best Young Designer of the Year,she embarks on a mission to create a sustainable collection from field tofinished garment, to transform her entire business. Over the following
three years, her own personal revolution becomes the precursor of a muchbigger, societal change. Fashion Reimagined captures the fashion industry
at the point of seismic change, traversing the societal architectures of thesuper wealthy, and the natural habitats at the mercy of an industry indesperate need of a revolution. - JD
Movie Trailer«

click here

Progressive + Inspirational + Determined
42Framing Agnes
Chase Joynt

76 min | Canada & USA | 2022
Documentary

currents
Capitol 6 | Theatre 5
Feb 6 | 4:00 pm

In 1958, a young trans woman named Agnes entered a study about sex
disorders at UCLA to get the gender-affirming care she needed, by anymeans necessary. Her story was long considered to be exceptional until
never-before-seen case files of other patients were found in 2017. Featuring
an all-star cast of transgender artists and actors, Framing Agnes playswith a retro talk show format and uses re-enactment and genre-blurring
storytelling techniques to breathe new life into previously unknown
people who redefined gender in the mid-century. The actors reflect on
their own experiences and the modern significance of bringing Agnes’s,
and the other study participants’ stories to light, moving seamlessly
between conversations, testimony, and analysis to bring this history tolife. Agnes’ story is one of ingenuity, challenging a system that rejects
her experience, while ensuring that she receives the resources she needs.
Directed by Chase Joynt (No Ordinary Man) and featuring Angelica Ross,
Jen Richards, Zackary Drucker, Silas Howard, Max Wolf Valerio, andStephen Ira. - KS
Movie Trailer«

click here

Theatrical + History + Identity
43

currents

Garçonnières

The Vic TheatreFeb 7 | 2:45 pm

Celine Pernet

90 min |Switzerland | 2022
Documentary

After three years, and 476 matches with men on dating apps, filmmakerand anthropologist, Céline Pernet questions her relationships, experienceswith men, and dating as a millennial. Pernet sets out to understandmasculinity for her generation, and to perhaps discover what’s messing
it all up. Responding to an advert, men aged 30 to 45 years old sit downwith Pernet to answer her questions about gender and dating, in a quest
as personal as it is societal. Pernet steps in as the driving force of thenarrative, as she literally drives around Switzerland to meet the random
men who responded to her online ad, and ask them honest and unflinchingquestions about sex, relationships, and gender, bringing the audiencealong on her playful quest for answers. Garçonnières casts an amusedand caring eye that reflects an urgent need to discuss current models ofmasculinity, and the implications of gender “norms” for us all. - KS
Movie Trailer«

click here

Presented by:

Dating + Gender + Millennials
44

Geographies of Solitude
Jacquelyn Mills

103 min | Canada | 2022
Documentary

currents
Capitol 6 | Theatre 5
Feb 3 | 6:30 pm
Feb 9 | 9:00 pm

Best Canadian Feature Documentary - Hot DocsBest Canadian Feature Documentary - Vancouver International Film
Festival
300 kilometres east of Nova Scotia is a sliver of land known as Sable
Island, a remote ecological habitat best known for the wild horses thatroam free amongst the drifting sands. Accessible by charter plane, only
a fortunate few have set foot in this ever changing landscape shaped
by Atlantic forces. The lone resident is soft-spoken environmentalist andnaturalist Zoe Lucas, who has dedicated her life to measuring all facets of
the island, treating it as a living organism. Her keen observation of subtle
changes over 40 years is a scientific achievement as much as monastic
practice. Lucas’ life’s work is honored and complemented by filmmaker
Jacquelyn Mills’ immersive cinematic exploration that transports audiencesfrom the microcosm of a beetle’s existence to the wonder of the stars
that illuminate this ethereal place. Winner of numerous awards including
Best Canadian Feature Documentary at both Hot Docs and VancouverInternational Film Festival, Geographies of Solitude is an unforgettable
work of art that will transport you to another world. - AR
Movie Trailer«

click here

Biography + Beauty + Environment
45

currents

Klondike

ODEon | Theatre 2
Feb 4 | 8:30 pm

Maryna ER Gorbach

100 min | Ukraine | 2022

World Directing Award - Sundance Film Festival
Grand Jury Prize - Seattle International Film Festival
Set in 2014, in the long-troubled region of Donetsk, Klondike speaks tocurrent events despite being conceived and created prior to the Russian
invasion.
A Ukrainian couple expecting their first child are impacted by the activitiesof the Russia-backed Donetsk separatist movement. When Malaysia Airlines
Flight MH17 is destroyed by a separatist missile, debris is strewn over theirproperty, causing damage and exacerbating tensions in the area.
In her submission to the VFF, director Maryna ER Gorbach made the following
statement: “As soon as the war started on the border of Russia and Ukraine
I can’t stop thinking about women and children there. Sure, I cannot stopit, but I can tell the story of my feelings about occupied family, trying tosurvive whatever. Klondike stands against gun machines as mostly unnatural
creation of a human. And also … it is a dream about morning.”
Make time for Klondike, as rarely are films this timely. - BS
Movie Trailer«

click here

Ukraine + Women + Conflict46

MinskBoris Guts

78 min | Estonia | 2022

currents
Capitol 6 | Theatre 5
Feb 7 | 4:00 pm

Set amidst the August 2020 protests against the “re-election” ofBelarusian strongman Lukashenko, Minsk is remarkable for both the stylein which it was shot as for the politically charged content. The camera
follows young couple Pasha and Yulia, newlyweds who are planning fortheir first baby in their new apartment. They head out in a friend’s car,
expecting a fun night of drinking in Minsk, but they run into a police
roadblock that has them running for their lives. Following the action
through back alleys, shops, a jailhouse, and apartments, the couple seek
to avoid incarceration and hopefully find freedom. This all unfolds in one
single, uncut shot. One shot.
The aptly named Belarusian director, Boris Guts, had to shoot Minsk inEstonia rather than his native country. Producer Vitali Shkliarov personally
lived through the depicted events and spent four months in jail. Those
who are fans of the work of Paul Greengrass (Bloody Sunday, Captain
Phillips) or Cuarón’s Children of Men, will find many similarities in thistense and courageous work. - BS
Movie Trailer«

click here

Single-Take + Protest + Drama
47

currents

My Small Land

ODEon | Theatre 2
Feb 4 | 12:30 pm

Emma Kawawada

114 min | Japan & France | 2022

Amnesty International Jury Award - Berlin Film Festival
Seemingly straight from the headlines comes the story of a young Kurdish
girl whose family is seeking asylum in Japan. Saraya (a wonderfully
nuanced performance by Lina Arashi) is a young Kurdish woman whosefamily is applying for refugee status. The family and Saraya do everythingright but when the family status is turned down the father is detained forworking illegally and all responsibilities fall upon Saraya to support andprotect the family.
Emerging director Kawawada does a wonderful job of balancing the film’s
complex view of life while striving to present social issues with a personal
perspective. The film never strays into the territory of cultures clashing,but the unreasonable bureaucratic decisions make it difficult to accept
the actions taken by the government. The subtlety of what happens ismade even more powerful for it. - KK
Movie Trailer«

click here

Presented by:Society + Complex + Hope48

No Straight Lines: The Riseof Queer Comics

currents
Blue Bridge TheatreFeb 9 | 9:00 pm

Vivian Kleiman

79 min | USA | 2022
Documentary
Ahhh, the comics. The reference primarily referred to the Sunday papers
but there was a whole other world of edgy fare from Harvey Pekar to
Trina Robbins. There is even a great indie film American Splendor withPaul Giamatti playing Harvey Pekar, notoriously curmudgeonly, truthy
and FUNNY.
No Straight Lines looks at this world from an LGBTQ perspective andintroduces us to Alison Bechdel, Jennifer Camper, Howard Cruse, Rupert
Kinnard and Mary Wings and these artists have something to say andoften in a very comical way.
The underground comic book movement with artists like Robert Crumb(Fritz the Cat) got their start in the 1960s. It wasn’t until 1973 that the firstgay themed comic book came out by a queer artist, Mary Wings. Queer
comic books helped make gay lives visible and find a way towards selfacceptance.
No Straight Lines celebrates the genre in this funny and insightful tellingof LGBTQ history. - KK
Movie Trailer«

click here

Relevant + Funny + Truthy
49

Presented by:Part of the Pack
Isabelle Groc & Mike McKinlay
88 min | Canada | 2022
Documentary

currents
Blue Bridge TheatreFeb 10 | 6:15 pm

Humans with close relationships with wolves and wolfdogs is the subject
documented by Vancouver directors Isabelle Groc and Mike McKinlay.
We meet three different BC based wolf/human pairings, including one
from Victoria. Given that many audiences might not understand thedangerous attraction of being so close to wolves, the film does a great jobof allowing the subjects the opportunity to describe that fascination. Oneof the participants is a rural couple who keep several wolfdogs in pens for“wolf education”, another is a woman who follows and photographs a wild
wolf she claims a close relationship with, and the last a young Vancouver
woman who has a wolfdog with hip problems.
Ethical questions quickly arise as we meet and begin to personalize theanimals. There are some questionable motives, but the filmmakers givetime to knowledgeable voices, who offer perspectives that contextualize
much of the wolf relationship boosterism. By the time tragedy rears its
head, the early hints of the problems with domestic/wild animal hybrids
are addressed. The footage of the island wolves is so beautiful and sofamiliar, this film is sure to have you joining the pack to learn more about
these glorious creatures.
Producer Kevin Eastwood previously produced Haida Modern, which was
the closing night film at VFF in 2020. - BS
Movie Trailer«

click here

Wild + Wolves + Humans
50

Ranger
Austin Peck

92 min | Kenya | 2021
Documentary

currents
The Vic TheatreFeb 7 | 12:15 pm

In the Maasai communities of rural Kenya, boys become warriors throughcelebratory ceremonial rites of passage, but girls are largely excluded
from any equivalent celebrations of their own journeys into adult identity.
In 2019 in the midst of this patriarchal context, a group of 12 women– some escaping poverty and abuse – try out to become East Africa’s
first all-female, anti-poaching unit. As the recruits endure tough physicaltraining, they undergo incredible transformations and discover new
depths and strengths in themselves. However, it’s learning to tap into
their trauma and channel their anger in order to cultivate courage thatproves to be most transformative. Ultimately, after a six-month journey ofself-discovery, the women create their own ceremonial rite of passage to
become guardians of Kenya’s wildlife and go on to recruit and train thenext group of women Rangers. - JJ
Movie Trailer«

click here

Girlpower + Africa + Wildlife
51currents

Robin Bank
Anna Giralt Gris

80 min | Spain & Germany | 2022
Documentary

Blue Bridge TheatreFeb 10 | 9:00 pm

Is another world possible? Activist Enric Duran thought so and from2005 – 2008 he borrowed 500,000 Euro from banks with no intentionof paying it back. Instead, he gave all the money to social and politicalcauses. As expected, the banks took him to court and when facing
imprisonment he vanished.
Director Giralt Gris has always been fascinated by the line between
legal and illegal and so begins her search for Duran. Through encrypted
messages, reaching out to his friends and even his mother, Giralt Gris
tracks him down and a meeting is set. Duran, still a rebel, when asked
would he do it again, responds “I would make it bigger”. Giralt Gris
becomes a character in the documentary, the viewer gets to know her
opinions as much as Duran’s and alongside that, the questions thatremain.
Can we build a democratic money system? You decide. What are you
prepared to do to make a change? - KK
Movie Trailer«

click here

Larcenous + Heroic + Mystery52

Sexual Healing
Elsbeth Fraanje

55 min | Netherlands | 2022
Documentary

currents
The Vic TheatreFeb 10 | 12:15 pm

Evelien, spastic from birth and with merely disappointing sexual
experiences in her pocket, is taking the first steps on her quest for
intimacy. After a lifetime of mostly clinical forms of touch, she sets
out to claim sexual pleasure as part of her own experience. During thispersonal journey, Evelien discovers new parts of her body and self, asshe gradually opens to the needs and desires she has been suppressing
all her life, having been told sexual touch shouldn’t matter due to her
disability. Evelien’s burgeoning curiosity and fervour clash with deeprooted self-esteem issues and societal shaming. Still, she confronts herbody, her own biases, and considers meeting with an intimate care sex
worker. “Is it true that sex makes you more complete?” Evelien’s journey
illuminates the necessity of intimate contact for every human being andhow complex sexual power can be to claim if sex is not part of theconversation. - KS
Movie Trailer«

click here

Nuance + Empowering + Intimacy
53

The Issue with Tissue- a boreal love story

currents
Blue Bridge TheatreFeb 12 | 6:15 pm

Michael Zelniker

125 min | Canada | 2022
Documentary
The Issue with Tissue - A Boreal Love Story passionately advocates thatelevating Indigenous stewardship is the way forward for the protectionof the boreal forest. After starting with a satirical advertisement asking
consumers if they prefer recycled or old growth sourced toilet paper,
director Michael Zelniker builds the case as to why this is an existential
question for all of us. Especially to over 600 Indigenous communities
within it, with the help of beautiful footage and interviews with scientists,indigenous leaders, and ecologists. The University of Victoria professor
emeritus, Nancy Turner, features.
Michael Zelniker is Cronenberg’s accomplished actor who has worked on avariety of films such as Croenberg’s Naked Lunch and The Terry Fox Story,
for which he won a Genie. The Issue with Tissue is Zelniker’s documentary
directorial debut and his second directorial feature film project. - BS
Movie Trailer«

click here

Boreal + Stewardship + Ecology
54

To Kill a Tiger
Nisha Pahuja

125 min | Canada | 2022
Documentary

currents
Blue Bridge TheatreFeb 9 | 6:15 pm

Amplify Voices Award, Best Film - Toronto International Film Festival
In India, a rape is reported every 20 minutes and conviction rates areless than 30 percent. Against this backdrop is the story of a peaceful rice
farmer who, against the odds, stands up with his daughter in their pursuitof justice. Living in a small village, Ranjit awakes one morning to find his
13-year-old daughter has not returned from a family wedding. When she
does arrive, he learns that she had been dragged to the woods and rapedby three local men. He alerts the police who arrest the suspects, butvillage politics intervene and the family is pressured to drop the charges
and forget the crime. They even suggest she marry one of the rapists inorder to preserve the family’s reputation. Despite the overwhelming lackof support from their community, they find allies in the Srijan Foundation(an NGO advocating for gender rights), who provide assistance to navigate
a system they must challenge every step of the way. With remarkable
access and sensitivity, director Nisha Pahuja follows Ranjit and his family
through more than a year of trials and threats that could cost themeverything, resulting in a remarkable testament to the human spirit thatremains steadfast in the face of extraordinary circumstances. - AR
Movie Trailer«

Presented by:click here

Shocking + Justice + Compassion
55

Presented by:currents

Waiting for Raif

Capitol 6 | Theatre 5
Feb 6 | 1:00 pm

Luc Côté et Patricio Henriquez
150 min | Canada | 2022
Documentary

Filmed over a period of eight years, Waiting for Raif tells the tragic taleof a family torn apart by the Saudi monarchy’s intransigence, as it follows
Ensaf Haidar’s inspiring battle to free her husband, prisoner of conscience
Raif Badawi. The documentary offers a privileged and moving look at thepersonal and political implications of the affair, providing an inside viewof the challenges faced by a young refugee mother of three, both in her
adopted home of Quebec and on the global stage.

En attendant Raif
Récit tragique d’une famille brisée par l’acharnement de la monarchiesaoudienne, En attendant Raif suit pendant huit ans le combat inspirantd’Ensaf Haidar pour faire libérer son mari, le célèbre prisonnier d’opinion
Raif Badawi. Posant un regard inédit et touchant sur les implications
personnelles et politiques de l’affaire, le film observe de l’intérieur lesépreuves traversées par cette réfugiée mère de trois enfants, tant auQuébec, sa terre d’adoption, que sur la scène internationale.
Movie Trailer«

click here

Solidarité + Famille + Liberté
56

FirstPresenting contemporary Indigenous filmmaking.

57

A Cedar is Life

Harold C. Joe & Leslie D. Bland
90 min | Canada | 2022
DocumentaryFirst
The Vic TheatreFeb 6 | 5:30 pm

In the latest offering from Orca Cove Media, A Cedar is Life is an
illuminating and reverent documentary looking at the cedar tree andits place and importance on the Northwest Coast and in the world. We
hear from weavers, carvers, and food & cultural practitioners, all who
speak to the significance of the cedar historically and into the presentday. The cedar tree is embodied spiritually and is central to First Nations
cultural practice. We see what has happened to the cedar post-contact
mirrors the colonial experience of Indigenous Nations on the coast.
The film celebrates the multi-faceted power and cultural use of this life
force, but also takes a critical lens to how it has been treated as an
extractable object. A Cedar is Life is a call to action for all of us to work
to maintain our relationship with this rich medicine and resource for
future generations. - BHC
Movie Trailer«

click here

Presented by:Ecology + Culture + Spirit
58Bones of Crows
Marie Clements

124 min | Canada | 2022First
The Vic TheatreFeb 5 | 7:45 pm

Bones of Crows, from Writer/Director Marie Clements, is a monumental
and harrowing work that crosses time and space through the eyes ofCree matriarch Aline Spears (played at different points in her life byGrace Dove, Carla-Rae and Summer Testawich.) The film is a storyof triumph over the devastating ruptures caused by varied forms ofColonial violence towards a Cree family. We follow Aline from childhood
surviving Residential School, to adulthood where she becomes a Cree
Code talker during World War 1 and then she becomes a mother herself.
She is often confronted with cruel and haunting memories of her past,
while still working to heal and fight against the systems that remain inplace in the present day. Bones of Crows does not shy away from therealities of the church/state agenda, but through the lead character andher family we are reminded of the strength and resilience Indigenous
People have shown in the face of attempted systemic erasure enacted
by the government and the church. - BHC

Colonialism + Resilience + Generations
59

Stellar

Darlene Naponse
87 min | Canada | 2022

First
Capitol 6 | Theatre 5
Feb 3 | 9:00 pm
Feb 7 | 1:00 pm

Taking place in dive-bar seemingly at the end of the world, Stellar, written
and directed by Darlene Naponse, is a love story that takes place in an
uncertain future, but its main characters She (Elle-Maija Tailfeathers) andHe (Braeden Clarke) are steadfast in the energy of the land and waters
and language of home. The film veers from a lot of the tropes we see inromantic narratives and places focus on poetic communication, touchand relationships to the land all set with the backdrop of impending mass
destruction caused by a falling meteorite. The film is at times pensive andcalm, with curious visitors to the bar interspersed throughout that bring
their own meaningful and sometimes unwanted interactions with She and
He. The film’s score is equally spirited and engages us in other dimensions
as the world falls apart around us. Stellar is a love story in an apocalyptic
setting yet is careful not to follow the conventions of those narratives andstands as strong singular work rooted in place and time. - BHC
Movie Trailer«

click here

Future + Love + Story
60

We Are Still Here

Beck Cole, Dena Curtis, Tracey Rigney, Danielle MacLean,
Tim Worrall, Renae Maihi, Miki Magasiva, Mario Gaoa,
Richard Curtis & Chantelle Burgoyne

First
Capitol 6 | Theatre 5
Feb 6 | 6:30 pm

90 min | Australia, New Zealand & Pasifika | 2022
We are Still Here is a heart-stirring collection of 8 short films from 10
Indigenous Director’s from Australia, Aotearoa (New Zealand) and theSouth Pacific. As a collection, the films span time over 1000 years andeach story touches upon the loss and adversity faced by Indigenous
People in these territories from Colonial forces and characters. Eachstory transcends beyond the trauma narrative and places emphasis on
the power of family, community and resistance efforts to ensure a greater
survival. A visually compelling element to each film is the surrounding
land and water, which have been beautifully captured to show the vast
desert lands of Australia and the brilliant forests and water in the Pacific.
We also see what could be in store in a dystopian future if the land is
not taken care of. Each film stands firmly on its own, but the stories areinterwoven in a way to connect them all across the past, present andfuture. - BHC
Movie Trailer«

click here

Indigenous + DeColonize + Survival
61

spotlight Denmark
front burner: denmark
danish films rock the vff world!

62

Godland(Vanskabte land)
Hlynur Pálmason

Spotlight Denmark
The Vic TheatreFeb 3 | 2:45 pm
Feb 12 | 7:45 PM

123 min | Denmark, Iceland, France & Sweden | 2022
Best Feature, Best Cinematograph - Chicago International Film Festival
In the late 19th century, a naïve young Danish priest, Lucas (Elliott
Crosset Hove) travels to a remote part of Iceland to build a church and a
relationship with its people. From the cross-country journey to the parish
to the life in the community, Lucas is totally unprepared, he doesn’t speak
the language, doesn’t ride a horse and he’s weighed down by a large
camera which he wants to use to photograph the Icelanders.
The film dallies with an examination of language and misunderstandings
in an oft times humorous way. While these are delightful diversions thereal theme is the discord created by Lucas’ arrogance exemplified in his
relationship with Ragnar (Ingvar Sigurðsson), the guide. Lucas is dismissiveof those around him while claiming to want to know the inhabitants better.
Ignoring the bishop’s advice of adapting to the locals and their customs,
a dynamic is set that will have severe consequences.
Director Pálmason has created a film that is as gorgeous as it is perceptive.
- KK
Movie Trailer«

click here

Dramatic + Gorgeous + Journey

Presented by:63

Spotlight Denmark

Into the Ice
Lars Ostenfeld

86 min | Denmark | 2022
Documentary

Blue Bridge Theatre
Feb 8 | 9:00 pm

Jaw-dropping visuals are on display in this dramatic documentary thatputs the Greenland ice shield on exhibit. Director Ostenfeld doesn’t holdback from also revealing the danger of the shield as he follows threescientists, Alan Hubbard, Dorthe Dahl-Jensen and Jason Box, as they
travel downward, farther than anyone has gone before towards the centreof the earth to try to collect data on the rate of the melting ice.
Ostenfeld captures the sense of being there – the treacherous winds, icy
wastelands and immense depths of the moulins, which are vast icy holes
without a seeming end. After a day down the moulin, the director is happy
to hand his camera over to another as the scientist goes back down.
In the end it’s not just an understanding of where we are headed but also
where we’ve been as one scientist brings back a piece of ice that’s 5000
years old. It’s glorious and thought-provoking filmmaking and science. - KK
Movie Trailer«

Presented by:click here

Climate + Jaw-dropping + Immersive
64The Great Silence(Den Store Stilhed)

Spotlight Denmark
The Vic TheatreFeb 3 | 12:15 pm

Katrine Brocks

95 min | Denmark | 2022
New Directors Award – Chicago International Film Festival
Alma (Kristin Kujath Thorp), a young novice is preparing to become a nun
and commit herself entirely to God. She’s recently acquired a substantial
inheritance from her father which Alma donated for chapel repairs. But
intrigue is afoot when her brother Erik (Elliott Crosset Hove), fresh out of
rehab, shows up at the convent intent on claiming his fair share.
There is a shared past between the brother and sister that takes time toreveal, and Mom doesn’t help when she invites Erik to stay with her. The
tension and questions will build to a fascinating conclusion.
Danish director Katrine Brocks’ first feature builds the reveals as shepatiently and precisely navigates the threads of her storyline and, withthe help of cinematographer Mia Mai Dengsø Graabæk, creates anatmosphere of uncertainty and suspense. The two lead actors deliver
remarkable performances as Thorp balances her delicacy and devotion
against Howe’s sympathetic but slightly menacing demeanor. - KK
Movie Trailer«

click here

Intrigue + Family + Suspense
65

The Killing of a Journalist
Matt Sarnecki

100 min | Denmark, Czech Republic & USA | 2022
Documentary

Spotlight Denmark
Capitol 6 | Theatre 5
Feb 5 | 4:00 pm

2018 was not a good year for state sponsored murders of journalists.
But, while the killing of Jamal Khashoggi only temporarily embarrassed
the Saudi theocracy, the murder of Slovakian journalist Ján Kuciak
and his fiancée touched off protests in their homeland that rattled thecountry and brought down a mafia power structure at the heart of thegovernment. Director Matt Sarnecki delivers a master class in politicaltrue crime documentary filmmaking, drawing on his extensive experience
as a journalist himself.
Amidst unprecedented public pressure for justice, a source inside the state
investigation leaks the secret murder case files to Kuciak’s colleagues. The
leaks include the full encrypted text messages of the suspected ringleader,a businessman with intimate links to Slovakia’s ruling party (and subjectof many of Kuciak’s investigative pieces). Be prepared to pick your jaw
off the floor as incredible facts about this case (and its mafia ties) areunspooled, the blueprint of how an entire state can be corrupted; fromthe politicians, to law enforcement, to the judiciary. Riveting. - BS
Movie Trailer«

click here

Corruption + Mystery + Change
66

Olio

Not just this and that but also that and this.

67

A Life on the Farm
Oscar Harding

75 min | UK | 2022
Documentary

Olio
ODEon | Theatre 2
Feb 7 | 6:00 pm

When filmmaker Oscar Harding’s grandfather passes away deep in the
countryside of rural Somerset, England, he makes a surprise discovery.
His grandfather Charles Carson - a farmer - was also a surrealist, amateur
filmmaker. On inheriting an extraordinary, feature length home-video,
Harding unravels the surprising and rich history of his grandfather’s
unconventional, creative life. Behind the daily rituals of running a working
farm, Charles was a death-positive artist whose cinematic gaze variously
captured the birthing of cows, lawnmower races with skeletons, and evena farmyard re-enactment of ‘Scotland the Brave’. This treasure of a film isan homage to the family archive, and a stark reminder of what could be
lost if we don’t look deep down into our own family histories.
A Life on the Farm is a touching, sometimes laugh-out-loud, tribute to thelinking thread of artistic expression that can connect family members,
and indeed public audiences, through the generations. - JD
Movie Trailer«

click here

Surprising + Surreal + Laugh-out-loud68Con Los Años Que Nos QuedanFrank Ariza

105 min | Spain | 2022

Olio
Blue Bridge TheatreFeb 12 | 9:00 pm

Best Director, Best Feature – New York International Film Awards
Little Macarena and her middle-class family move to Los Angeles from
Spain but struggle to make ends meet. Paco, the father, sets up a churro,or pastry, joint (called Churriwood) and Carmen, the mother, becomesa maid and kidnaps dogs for ransom. Years pass by and Macarena ends
up studying law. Troubles begin when Paco cheats on his wife with asex worker that he impregnates. To help the family with the expenses,
Macarena agrees to serve as courier (or mula) to deliver a mysterious
package across the border with Louis, a handsome guy with a shady past
whom she just met. Along the way, mayhem ensues when the man Louiswas transporting in the trunk of his car is accidentally killed. Macarenaand Louis find a clever way to dispose of the body, manage to crossthe border and, after enduring more adventures and plot twists that
include a chance encounter with Macarena’s old girlfriend, she delivers
the enigmatic cargo… With a light touch, Ariza makes fun of social
types and stereotypes (the migrant, the gigolo, the queer, the American
dream, Hispanic food, you name it) to offer a fast-paced comedy oferrors that borrows from the road movie, the romantic comedy and themigrant story. - DR
Movie Trailer«

click here

Quirky + Entertaining + Fast moving
69

Family Mottoes
Nagasawa Yoshiya

82 min | Japan | 2022

Olio
Blue Bridge TheatreFeb 11 | 9:00 pm

The producer behind Big Man Japan (2007) sits in the director’s chair inthis dryly comic and delightful Ninja action film. Family Mottoes focuses
on a retired ninja named Monkey. Monkey’s wife Spider is established as
an active and very deadly ninja, and they raise their four ninja kids in theforest. After rescuing an amnesiac old man from a sniper, the family finds
they have invited trouble that they will need to confront, ninja-style!
Though Family Mottoes soundtrack is pulsating 70s string infusedorchestral funk, and the film references the visual techniques and themesof the 60s Samurai era, it defies easy categorization, and prefers to look
for the laughs in the action and violence. At its core, the film is about
the strength of a supportive family working to common ends. Come
expecting beautiful period costuming, sentimental music, and a family ofskilled martial artists kicking ass side by side in a righteous battle. - BS

Movie Trailer«

click here

Ninja + Surreal + Funky
70

Handshake
Robert Shupe

112 mins | USA | 2021

Olio
ODEon | Theatre 2
Feb 6 | 3:00 pm

Handshake is an American “true indie” film that calibrates its parameters
for success very tightly, and then overdelivers in almost every way. A
comic crime drama reminiscent in tone to early Coen brothers’ films.
Director Robert Shupe’s film is a strange little tale that revolves aroundthe unlikely meeting of two men on a mid-western riverbank, family man
Bill Burdick and micro-level drug dealer Devin Fowler. Both men havemoney troubles, and they swiftly devise a sinister scheme to solve theircollective financial woes. But after crimes are committed, the dim-witted
Devin soon finds out that perhaps Bill had another plan all along…
Handshake moves along at an enjoyably breezy pace. Shupe displays
an abundance of talent with his script and the performances he directs(including himself in the role of hapless criminal Devin). Shupe’s Devin is
the constant throughout and given what he seems to be capable of as awriter, director, and actor, we can expect to see much more from him in
the future. - BS
Movie Trailer«

click here

Fate + Crime + Punishment
71Happy Pills

Arnaud Robert, Paolo Woods
94 min | Switzerland | 2021
Documentary

Olio
ODEon | Theatre 2
Feb 6 | 6:00 pm

Happy Pills is a film about the surge in the use of pharmaceutical drugs
worldwide. The film truly approaches the issue with a global mindset, fromyoung fruit-seller in Niger taking Tramadol (a powerful street painkiller), toan American teen turning to Adderall and Ritalin to treat his attention deficit
disorder. We are introduced to a young gay man from Tel Aviv, who takes
pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) pills as a way to skirt condom use, a swiss
man fighting a depression battle chemically, and a young woman from the
Peruvian Amazon who injects herself with contraceptives to give herself andher 4 children a better chance. Happy Pills wraps with a French intellectual
suffering from pancreatic cancer, who is considering Pentobarbital toconsciously end his life. All these stories are relatable, humanized, and wellconsidered.
In a space potentially rife with controversies and pitfalls, directors Robert andWoods have decided to take a traditional, non-judgemental documentary
approach and allow those whose lives are impacted by “Happy Pills” indifferent ways to speak for themselves. While there is intention here, this isformally a rejection of the kind of catastrophizing documentary style that
dominates many streaming sites. It sounds heavy, but in practice the film
is endlessly fascinating, and the great camera work and editing is a helpful“spoonful of sugar”. I am sure those watching it will find themselves reflecting
on this film for some time.
- BS

Consumerism + Drugs + Global

Movie Trailer«

click here72

Razzouk Tattoo
Orit Ofir Ronell

68 min | Israel | 2021
Documentary

Olio
Capitol 6 | Theatre 5
Feb 8 | 9:00 pm

The oldest tattoo parlor in the world is in Jerusalem. For 27 generations the
Razzouk family have been tattooing thousands of people and specializing
in tattooing pilgrims who want to commemorate their journey.
The Razzouk Tattoo parlor, located in a small store near the Jaffa Gate,(marked with a wooden sign that reads, Tattoo with heritage since 1300),
is run today by Wassim Razzouk, who is from the younger generation.
Wassim, the sole heir of Coptic Christian tattoo artists from Jerusalem,
sets out to complete his collection of ancient wooden stencils before they
are lost forever. Noble venture perhaps but it turns out that they are in
the hands of his feuding family members.
Director Ronell’s third movie deals with similar themes of the first two,family. Here we are introduced to quite the collection of characters, a
reluctant aunt, a less skillful uncle and the flamboyant cousin. While thestory might raise the eyebrows it evolves into a story of tolerance andforgiveness. - KK
Movie Trailer«

click here

Authentic + Revelatory + Heritage
73

The CiviL Dead
Clay Tatum

94 min | USA | 2022

Olio
Capitol 6 | Theatre 5
Feb 7 | 6:30 pm

Lovable if annoying artistic dreamer Clay’s significant other Whitney has
left him alone in Los Angeles. He has given himself a “sort of” mod haircut,
has beer, and is prepared to waste all that time, all by himself.
While out taking pictures for a very theoretical future photography show,
he happens upon an old hometown friend, a self-conscious clinger named
Whit. As it turns out, Whit is a ghost and Clay is the only person on earth who
can see him. Clay and Whit’s exploitations of the possibilities for shenanigansof this situation start amusingly, but as some of Whit’s ghost powers assert
themselves in sinister ways, questions emerge about whether Whit is a“friendly ghost”. Actor Robert Longstreet’s appearance as a coked-out
gambler/movie producer adds a great burst of energy mid-film, and manyof the supporting cast really bring it on the day.
Both being Stone Quacker alumni, much of the charm here comes fromthe tone set by the two leads long developed comedic banter. This is thekind of film you watch with a detached ironic grin on your face until thewell-executed moments of emotional poignancy come out of nowhere andsome of the hard questions glossed over by the LA slacker talk are suddenly
foregrounded. - BS
Movie Trailer«

click here

Slackers + Spooky + Laughs
74Presented by:

The Colour of Ink
Brian D. Johnson

105 min | Canada | 2022
Documentary

Olio
Capitol 6 | Theatre 5
Feb 4 | 1:00 pm
Feb 7 | 9:00 pm

Anyone who puts pigments on paper or who loves bold colourful visuals
will not want to miss this latest work by Al Purdy Was Here director Brian
D. Johnson. This NFB produced work documents the inventive work of
Toronto ink maker Jason Logan. Logan’s inks are custom made and hesources all the ingredients himself. Logan sketches out the history ofhumanity’s creation and use of ink, and how his practice is just another stepin a long chain of unlocking the secrets of capturing colour. Watching his
alchemical wizardry, combining rare materials to create vibrant colours,
true blacks, and even white inks, is somehow extremely satisfying.
Some of the most visually striking scenes involve Logan’s clients putting
his ink to use. A particularly memorable scene involves the Japanese artist
Koji Kakinuma using his black inks to make giant calligraphy. Margret
Atwood appears to discuss her use of traditional quill and ink and herfeelings about the relationship of tactile writing to memory. Brian D.
Johnson and cinematographer Nicholas de Pencier have made a lushvisual work that may inspire a resurgence of interest in the analogue andchemical practice of organic ink making. - BS
Movie Trailer«

click here

Colour + Art + Tradition
75

Olio

Unicorn Wars
Alberto Vázquez

80 min | Spain & France | 2022

ODEon | Theatre 2
Feb 9 | 8:30 pm

I would have loved to be a fly on the wall at the meeting when Alberto
Vázquez pitched his idea for a society of cute teddy bears organizingthemselves into a fascistic military force to attack their enemies – theunicorns! “There will be a great deal of skewing religious fanaticism, a lotof teddy bear and unicorn casualties (like, a lot), and many laughs…”
This film is what would happen if the animation team behind the Care
Bears made All Quiet on the Western Front as a psychedelic comedy. But
beneath its mix of brightly coloured bears launching deadly fusillades ofheart tipped arrows is an emotionally grounded story of two brothers,
the over-confident Bluey and his fearful sibling Tubby, and how theirrelationship to their mother will impact not only themselves but be ahinge-point in the unicorn wars. This film is deliciously horrifying andhilarious. Come having steeled yourself for no holds barred teddy bear
battles! - BS
Movie Trailer«

click here

Animation + Satire + Anti-war
76

PulseThe visceral beat that makes us... ? human.
pulse
The visceral beat that makes us... ?human.

77

Before I Change My Mind
Trevor Anderson

89 min | Canada | 2022

pulse
ODEon | Theatre 2
Feb 7 | 8:30 pm

Robin moves to a rural Alberta town and immediately faces identity
questions, including “Are you a boy or a girl?” Director Trevor Anderson
navigates gender roles in his debut feature, staging a coming-of-age
drama that relishes in its 1987 setting, complete with neon colors andbig hair. Robin gets involved with the school bully, and together they
provoke each other through middle school drama including band trips
to Edmonton, school dances and playground antics. Robin’s single father(Matthew Rankin) is sensitive to his child’s situation, but also faces his
own personal and professional dilemmas. Anderson has often played arole in his semi-biographical short films that blend fantasy with reality,and he doesn’t disappoint in his role as a passionate theatre director
tasked with the school play. Balancing the complexity of adolescentyears with an ensemble cast of adults who appear comfortable in theirown skin but are no less socially awkward, Before I Change My Mind is a
fun and enlightening exploration of familiar characters that doesn’t end
with pronouns. - AR
Movie Trailer«

click here

Drama + 1980’s + Friendship78

Presented by:Brother
Clement Virgo

120 min | Canada | 2022

pulse
The Vic TheatreFeb 7 | 7:45 pm

Clement Virgo’s highly anticipated adaptation of the award-winning novel
by David Chariandy has been doing the rounds at all the major Canadian
festivals since debuting at TIFF, and audiences are talking about thepower of this storytelling.
Shifting between the mid-nineties and ten years earlier, the title’s brothers
Michael (Lamar Johstone) and Francis (Aaron Pierre) are raised by theirstrict Jamaican born mother in a small apartment, and these time shifts
allow Virgo to contextualize the boys later decisions. Their Scarboroughhousing project world is permeated by violence, with many of older
brother Francis’s friends involved in gang enforcement. After droppingout of high school, the more popular Francis finds escape and community
in the developing hip hop and DJ scene, while the more studious andstrait-laced Michael peruses the affections of “the smartest girl in theschool” Aisha.
Throughout the film is the two brothers climb a hydro tower to see theToronto skyline, which serves as an excellent visual metaphor. They keep
climbing, but try as they might, will the brothers reach the top and climb
out of the poverty, violence, and oppressive policing? Killer soundtrack,
great performances, and an assured director delivering a powerful story.
This is just solid drama. - BS
Movie Trailer«

click here

Drama + Identity + Family
79

Daughter of Rage
Laura Baumeister

91 min | Nicaragua | 2022

pulse
ODEon | Theatre 2
Feb 7 | 3:00 pm

Maria lives with her mother Lilibeth at the edge of a garbage dump. To
make ends meet, the mother plans to sell a litter of puppies, but the deal
falls through. Desperate, she drops Maria off at a recycling center where
she must stay and work.
Maria fends for herself and tries to make the best out of a bad situation,
showing outstanding grit and courage. At the recycling centre, she
befriends Tadeo, a sweet boy who makes her stay more bearable. Daughterof Rage is the first narrative film by Nicaraguan Laura Baumeister, whoshows a glimpse of a troubling side of her country. She also provides
an emotional and uncompromising take on topical issues that affect thedeveloping world, such as extreme poverty, child neglect and abuse, anda lack of solidarity and government services. - DR
Movie Trailer«

click here

Dramatic + Socially Conscious + Gripping
80

Driving Madeleine
Christian Carion

91 min | France | 2022

pulse
The Vic TheatreFeb 9 | 12:15 pm

Frustrated and stretched thin, Charles is a Paris cab driver who honkswith impatience when he arrives at Madeleine’s home to pick her up. At
92, she’s moving out of her house and into a nursing home all the way
across the city. This might be the last time she gets to make a trip likethis so Charles reluctantly agrees to stop at some of her favourite spots
along the way.
It quickly becomes an engrossing journey as Madeleine slowly reveals her
surprisingly dark life story and why each of these places was important
to her. Through her honesty and wisdom, she helps Charles find his own
footing as he reflects on his home life and a marriage on the brink ofdivorce.
Famous French singer, Line Renaud, as the bright Madeleine, serves abeautiful foil to Charles, played by comedian Dany Boon, who breaks new
ground with a layered performance that develops to a moving climax. Theirreal-life rapport translates into an unforgettable friendship on-screen ina story about the resilience that hides behind every woman that’s grown
up through these changing times. - AKMovie Trailer«

click here

Gentle + Charming+ Unexpected81Hidden Letters
Violet Du Feng

89 min | China | 2022
Documentary

pulse
Capitol 6 | Theatre 5
Feb 9 | 4:00 pm

Hidden Letters tells the story of two Chinese women trying to balance
their lives as independent women in modern China while confronting
the traditional identity that defines but also oppresses them. Connected
through their love for Nushu – a centuries-old secret text shared amongst
women – each of them transforms through a pivotal period of their lives
and takes a step closer to becoming the individuals they know they canbe. Hidden Letters is a film of subtle, but gradually gripping intensity,
sneaking up on viewers as they become immersed in the story of womenclaiming their own dreams and power. - JJ
Movie Trailer«

click here

Empowerment + Dreams + Secrecy
82

JacirWaheed AlQawasmi
104 min | USA | 2021

pulse
Blue Bridge TheatreFeb 7 | 9:00 pm

Jacir is a young refugee of the Syrian war, resettled by the government inMemphis TN, and working in a Middle Eastern restaurant. His co-worker
Jerome, a struggling hip hop artist, is discriminated against by the boss,
a middle eastern immigrant himself whose daughter Nadia seems to takean interest in helping Jacir adapt to his new environment.
Jacir’s neighbourhood is in a depressed part of town, and his neighbour
Meryl, portrayed by the Soprano’s Lorraine Bracco in a standout role, isa Fox News brain-poisoned opioid addict who hurls racist slurs casually
his way. Seeking to understand this new American world, Jacir begins
to create unlikely relationships while trying to stay out of the grip ofSimmons, an ICE agent who suspects Jacir should be deported.
It is impossible to discuss the film without mentioning the heroic
performance by Malek Rahbani, who with every look and winning smile
has the audience falling deeper in love with his Jacir. Director Waheed
AlQawasmi, himself an immigrant from Jordan, gets a lot right with his
approach to his characters. No one is written off as a “deplorable” beyond
hope. People are complicated, and ethical issues can be nuanced. His useof socially charged hip hop gives this winning drama a gritty charge. - BS
Movie Trailer«

click here

Immigration + Beginnings + Music
83

Moja Vesna
Sara Kern

80 min | Australia & Slovenia | 2022

pulse
ODEon | Theatre 2
Feb 8 | 8:30 pm

Child actor Loti Kovačič is absolutely electrifying to watch in her portrayalof 10-year-old Moja in Sara Kern’s beautifully realized family drama debut.
As the youngest in an immigrant Slovenian family, Moja is witness to herfather and sister’s deep grief following their move to Australia. Heavily
pregnant teen Vesna struggles to deal with imminent motherhood
following the death of her and Moja’s mother. Father Milo is emotionallyabsent and in no position to rally his fracturing family. The task falls tolittle Moja, who tries to fill the missing maternal role. She is surprisinglycompetent, but the results are mixed, and to see the heroic effort of sucha young child are both heartache-inducing and a joy.
A real chemistry is apparent between these sisters, and to see thetraumatized slam-poet Vesna being cared for by Moja, who is concerned
about things like maternal nutrition in ways Vesna cannot be, is deeply
touching. The director’s use of improv and repetition with her young
actor Loti pays off with one of the best child performances I have seen
on-screen. - BS
Movie Trailer«

click here

Family + Grief + Parenting84

Of Medicine and Miracles
Ross Kauffman

97 min | USA | 2022
Documentarypulse
The Vic Theatre
Feb 8 | 12:15 pm

Best Documentary, Best Composer – DOC LA Film Festival
Emily Whitehead is newly diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia atage 6. Thrust into the nightmare of the American healthcare system, herparents quickly learn of the difficulty and hardship of being seriously ill
in the United States. Academy Award winner Ross Kaufman (Born into
Brothels), assembles a detailed documentary that focuses on the life ofEmily Whitehead, her parents along with their medical team of caregivers.
Oncologist Dr. Carl June, who lost a close family member to cancer, now
devotes his life to cancer research. The miracle is his discovery and Emily’sjourney as their stories converge. All of Dr. June’s research and work areon the line when Emily becomes the first child to enroll in his clinical trial.  
Kauffman puts together an emotionally compelling narrative, intimate
structure, and exquisite cinematic touches that take viewers on a pulsepounding journey to save a life. Every frame of his film is filled with heart— both in front of and behind the lens. - JJ
Movie Trailer«

click here

Science + Courage + Fate
85

Okay! The ASD Band Film
Mark Bone75 min | Canada | 2022
Documentary

pulse
Capitol 6 | Theatre 5
Feb 8 | 6:30 pm

Lead guitarist and singer Jackson D. Begley, describes the ASD band as “agroup of musicians who are all on the autism spectrum: we’re all autistic
and we’re all in a band”. His straightforward explanation understates themagic that this fabulous foursome elicits when they come together. In
addition to Jackson, there’s lead singer Rawan who uses make-up andvocal range to express herself; Spenser, their high energy drummer witha love of punk; and finally, piano prodigy Ron who also possesses animpressive talent for knowing the correct day of the week for any date inhistory. As eclectic as their individual tastes are, it’s their love of musicthat brought them together to jam. After working out some impressive
covers, they decide to take the plunge to write and record original tracks.
Guided by their musical director Maury, the band reveals how their personal
experiences have shaped their writing, but the looming anticipation of alive show to launch their EP brings another level of stress to a group thathas already exceeded so many expectations. - AR
Movie Trailer«

click here

Inspiring + Rocking + Inclusive86Paris Memories
Alice Winocour

105 min | France | 2022

pulse
The Vic TheatreFeb 6 | 7:45 pm

When Mia dips into an unsuspecting restaurant to avoid the rain, she’s caught
in a shocking terrorist attack that leaves her conscience shattered. Months
later, she’s still unable to remember exactly what happened that night andstruggles to put the pieces back together.
A support group of survivors meets again at the restaurant every week, andthere, she forges a connection with Thomas, recognizing a shared glancefrom moments before the attack, as he helps her make sense of her placein the events of that night. With its stirring score and tender edit, Paris
Memories emulates the pensive process of recollection, as Mia recalls sounds,
smells, and images that make up fragments of a larger whole. Following thedelicate trail of these echoes, she begins a poignant journey around the city
– a pilgrimage of sorts – to try and find the man that helped her survive.
While the events of this story ring like a fresh wound for France, director
Alice Wincour makes an important point of centering the experience of thevictims and their search for solace. It recognizes that community can beborne even out of death and tragedy. A shared traumatic experience bonds
the victims together in ways even Mia’s closest friends and family can’t
understand. She’s unable to complete the puzzle on her own, and it’s thecollective memory of the survivors that help her find what she needs. - AKMovie Trailer«

click here

Pensive + Supportive + Moving
87Penelope, My Love
Claire Doyon

88 min | France | 2021
Documentary

pulse
ODEon | Theatre 2
Feb 9 | 3:00 pm

Georges de Beauregard Prize, Renaud Victor Prize - MarseilleInternational Film Festival
Claire Doyon has created an extraordinary portrait of her family ordeals
since her daughter Pénélope’s autism diagnosis at age three and a half.
Unlike many films of this type, Doyon did not have an autism diagnosis
and decide to learn filmmaking to become an advocate. Her journey inmotherhood started as an already fully realized award winning filmmaker,
with feature films which had screened at Cannes, Locarno, Venice, andClermont-Ferrand… The film making is as strong as the passion behindthe creation.
In this affecting film, Doyan uses a mix of DV, stills, Super 8, and HD
footage to trace the stages of her and Pénélope’s relationship, and their
responses to autism over a period of eighteen years. The fact that she
moves from diagnosis, to denial, to acceptance and beyond while crafting
an honest, nonmanipulative film is really special. Narrating the film herself,
Doyan’s self-examination of her decisions with appropriate hindsight are
illuminating and touching. - BS
Movie Trailer«

click here

Autism + Motherhood + Spiritual88Savage Waters
Mikey Corker

93 min | France | 2022
DocumentarypulseBlue Bridge TheatreFeb 7 | 6:15 pm

How far would you go searching for something that may not exist? A 19th
century treasure-hunter’s journal inspires a captivating journey to seekout and surf a mythical, never-ridden wave in some of the most remoteand dangerous waters of the Atlantic Ocean. For renowned skipper Matt
Knight, sailing to unpredictable and uncharted regions is impossible toresist. As a lifelong thrill-seeker, he is constantly testing the limits ofwhat’s possible, something world-class big wave surfer Andrew Cotton
has also built his career on. Along with their equally adventurous family
and friends, Matt and Andrew board the beautiful catamaran Hecate andfollow clues to this possibly mythical “perfect wave.” But not everything
goes to plan, with serious injury and life-threatening challenges testing
the crew’s resilience and attitudes towards risk.
Savage Waters, narrated by the legendary Charles Dance, boasts jawdropping cinematography, and follows a remarkable group of adventurers
and one extraordinary family of adventurers for whom living life to thefull often means putting themselves in harm’s way and exhilarating in thethrill together. - JJ
Movie Trailer«

click here

Adventure + Surfing + Family
89

Schächten
Thomas Roth

93 min | Austria | 2022

pulse
The Vic TheatreFeb 6 | 12:15 pm

How can life return to normal when you know that the man who sent yourfamily to die in a concentration camp is living a respectable life without
consequences in your home country?
It’s Vienna 1960s and a trial to prosecute the accused Nazi, Gogl, fails. The
political and legal system is still virtually run by former Nazis with large
parts of society caught up in the past. Victor, a young Jewish businessman
after losing the trial also loses his heartsick father. Victor’s faith in thesystem is broken but so is his belief that attitudes have evolved and so hechooses to find his own moral ground.
Throughout the film the music and cinematography work as a pieceand drive the atmosphere which creates a wholeness that grabs yourattention to the very end. As Victor closes in on Gogl we are spellboundin a profoundly woven psychological drama set in the stunningly beautiful
snow-covered Austrian countryside. - KK
Movie Trailer«

click here

Thriller + Post-War + Justice90

She Is Love
Jamie Adams

82 min | UK | 2022

pulse
The Vic TheatreFeb 9 | 2:45 pm

Patricia (Hayley Bennett) hasn’t seen her ex-husband for over a decade.
In their time apart, her brash and somewhat self-absorbed characterhas flourished, untempered. One night, she arrives at a country hotelin Cornwall, only to discover it is run by the girlfriend (Marisa Abela)of her former husband, Idris (Sam Riley). Things are immediately, andunsurprisingly, awkward. Patricia’s abrasive character quickly disrupts
the gentler ambiance of Idris’ new life, as the pain of past memories andtraumas are re-earthed. When the hedonism of Idris’s former musician’s
lifestyle threatens to re-surface, tensions between the reluctant trio
begin to mount over a long, messy evening. Adams’ direction and workwith actors is unconventional, fostering an organic approach to plot
development in collaboration with his cast. The result is a romantic dramathat unfolds with a spirit of aliveness and natural rhythm, exploring thepossibility of new beginnings when confronted with the past. - JD
Movie Trailer«

click here

Natural + Dramatic + Involving
91

The Damned Don’t Cry
Fyzal Boulifa

110 min | Morocco, Belgium & France | 2022

pulse
Capitol 6 | Theatre 5
Feb 6 | 9:00 pm

Fyzal Boulifa, a British director of Moroccan descent, has created aunique film about sexuality and queerness in an Islamic majority country.
The story of a precarious former Moroccan sex worker Fatima-Zahra andher son Selim are given a lot of context by the director, being filteredthrough a class-conscious, post-colonial lens. Seeking to out-run her pastand give them both a new beginning, Fatima-Zahra moves with Selim to
Tangiers, looking for opportunity. Their mother-son relationship is volatile,and each new stress they encounter puts their strained and transactional
relationship in jeopardy.
When a local criminal offers Selim a way to make money by being “friendly”
with a wealthy Frenchman whose eye Selim has caught, Selim must makechoices not unlike like those his mother once made. For those caught
in precarious situations, are they even choices? Fatima-Zahra meanwhile
makes a play for respectability by trying to become the second wife of abus driver she has met. A fascinating film, and an adept and entertaining
character study. The interactions between the wealthy western gay
homeowner and Selim are particularly interesting in their interrogations ofcolonial legacy, and what the personal costs of homosexual relationships
are to each of them in Moroccan society. - BS
Movie Trailer«

click here

Precarious + Family + Class
92

Presented by:pulse

The Eight Mountains

Felix van Groeningen, Charlotte Vandermeersch
147 min | Italy, Belgium & France | 2022

Capitol 6 | Theatre 5
Feb 5 | 1:00 pm
Feb 9 | 1:00 pm

Jury Prize – Cannes Film Festival
In the summer of 1984, Pietro’s family rents a house high up in themountains for a vacation. There, by a twist of fate, he meets Bruno, theonly other child in the village, and the two become fast friends.
Over the next 20 years, the two fade in and out of each other’s lives until a
tragedy reunites them as grown men. Pietro begins to realize that Bruno is
deeply intertwined with not only his family, but also his aspirations. With
nothing to do over the summer, Bruno suggests they rebuild a dilapidated
Alpine shack that holds special significance to their past, and the two
only become further entangled in each other’s lives. With Pietro born acity boy and Bruno having spent his life working in the mountains, thetwo contend with one another, all the while helping each other throughthe turbulences of life.
Their story chronicles the kind of friendship we’re lucky to experience
once in our lives. It’s a bond forged by matter so deep that we’re afraid,
and sometimes simply unable, to articulate it. It might seem impossible
to faithfully express to someone else what a friendship like this meant to
us. The Eight Mountains shows us how we can try. - AKMovie Trailer«

click here

Stirring + Sprawling + Vistas
93

The End of Sex
Sean Garrity

87 min | Canada | 2022

pulse
ODEon | Theatre 2
Feb 5 | 8:30 pm
Feb 8 | 3:00 pm

Josh and Emma are a comfortably married couple looking to re-ignite alost intimacy while their kids spend a week at sleepaway camp. Under
the combined pressure of parenting and adulthood, their marital routine
has put them in a sexual slump, so they take some provocative steps overseven days hoping to bring back that loving feeling and spice things up in
the sack. With the clock ticking, they initiate some increasingly misguided
encounters that are hilarious and often profoundly honest. Sharing theirinsecurities and seeking advice from friends and co-workers, Emma andJosh might just get to the naked truth of what they really want from theirrelationship. Director Sean Garrity reteams with stars Emily Hampshire(Schitt’s Creek) and Jonas Chernick in this follow up to their 2012 hit
My Awkward Sexual Adventure, with Hampshire and Chernick resuming
their on-screen chemistry, making this rom-com a laugh out loud look atmodern marriage. - AR

Sex + Comedy + Marriage
94

The Year of the Dog

Andrew McGinn, Michael Peterson, Robert Grabow
96 min | USA | 2022

pulse
Capitol 6 | Theatre 5
Feb 9 | 6:30 pm

It is unusual for a film to have two directors, let alone three, but thisheartfelt film about an alcoholic getting sober feels locked on target, andthe result of a singular focus.
Matt (director Robert Grabow) is an alcoholic who has hit rock bottom.
Given the opportunity to see his dying mother in hospice if he can maintainsobriety for 30 days, he is given a fortuitous jumpstart: being thrown inthe drunk tank. With 2 days of enforced sobriety under his belt, Matt
takes refuge at his AA sponsor Fred’s (Reservation Dog’s Jon Proudstar)Montana farm and finds support, wisdom, and new friend: a stray dog henames Yup’ik. This leads to Matt’s discovery of dog snow pulling (a kindof competitive weightlifting for dogs) and a new hope that perhaps hecan succeed where he has failed so many times before.
Anchored with fine performances, with many prolific Indigenous American
actors in the cast, this is a film that pulls above its weight. Though set
amidst a chilly Montana winter, this is one intended to warm the heart. - BS
Movie Trailer«

click here

Alcoholism + Recovery + Connection95When Morning Comes
Kelly Fyffe-Marshall

91 min | Canada | 2022

pulse
The Vic TheatreFeb 10 | 2:45 pm

After being suspended from his elementary school because of a fight,
Jamal cannot convince his widowed mother Neesha that it’s not the
beginning of more troubles to come. Despite her sadness to be separated
from Jamal after losing her husband, she feels the only way to protect
her rambunctious son and provide him with a better future is to send him
to live with his grandmother in Canada. Not wanting to leave everything
he knows and loves about his home in Jamaica behind, Jamal runs away,
spending the next few days with his best friend Deshane, hanging witha girl he’s got a crush on and visiting his father’s grave. Bathed in warmhues of island sunshine, Jamal’s adventures construct an authentic viewof this Caribbean nation that’s been often mythologized by outsiders.
With her highly anticipated feature debut, Kelly Fyffe-Marshall composesa loving portrait beautifully rooted in place that immerses viewers in a
fully realized Jamaica seen through a young boy’s eyes. - AR
Movie Trailer«

click here

Childhood + Community + Jamaica96

TingleSomething to make the eyebrows go up.
Sci-Fi, Mysteries & Thrillers

97Confessions
Luc Picard

109 min | Canada | 2022

TingleODEon | Theatre 2
Feb 4 | 6:00 pm

Confessions is a thriller adapted from the documentary book Gallant: Confessions
d’un tueur à gages. Confessions tells the story of one of the most prolific hitmen of
our time. With twenty-eight murders and fifteen attacks, most of them on the top
brass of the Hells Angels, the mafia and organized crime, Gérald Gallant astonishes
and confounds. Gallant is also a police informer and does not hesitate to sell out thosearound him. How did this little stuttering man with poor health and a low IQ, living withhis pious and generous wife in a clean house in the heart of a quiet neighborhood,
manage to outwit both the most hardened criminals and the smartest police officers?

~
Confessions est un suspense adapté du livre documentaire Gallant: confessions
d’un tueur à gages. Confessions raconte la vie de l’un des tueurs à gages les plus
prolifiques de notre époque. Avec vingt-huit meurtres et une quinzaine d’attentats,pour la plupart des hauts gradés des Hells Angels, de la mafia et du crime organisé,
Gérald Gallant étonne et déroute. Gallant est aussi indicateur de police et n’hésite pasà vendre ceux qui l’entourent. Comment ce petit homme bègue à la santé fragile et au
QI modeste, vivant avec son épouse pieuse et généreuse dans une maison propretteau cœur d’un quartier tranquille, a-t-il su déjouer tant les criminels les plus endurcis
que les policiers les plus futés ?

Movie Trailer«

Presented by:click here

Tueur à gage + Enquête + Crime
98

Enys Men
Mark Jenkin

91 min | UK | 2022

TingleThe Vic Theatre
Feb 8 | 7:45 pm

Visionary British auteur Mark Jenkin returns with a second feature after
his ground-breaking debut Bait which became a breakthrough successin 2019. Revisiting the Cornish coastline in southwest England with his
distinctive craft-led approach, Jenkin continues his exploration of rurallandscapes, this time in the form of a mysterious horror. In 1973, on an
uninhabited island, a solitary woman (Mary Woodvine) spends her days
entranced by a study of wildflowers, noting their subtle daily changes
in her log book. Alongside her ritualised observations, she becomesincreasingly unsettled by a mounting series of nightmarish visitations,
forcing both her and viewers to question whether the landscape is not
only alive, but also a sinister sentient force. Like Bait, Enys Men is shot on
grainy 16mm. This eerie film conjures works of classic British folk horror(think The Wicker Man, A Field in England), but it is uniquely unnerving in
its creeping strangeness. - JD
Movie Trailer«

click here

Scary + Disquieting + Vintage
99

TingleINFLUENCER
Kurtis Harder

92 min | USA & Canada | 2022

Capitol 6 | Theatre 5
Feb 4 | 9:00 pm

A tropical thriller that focusses on those who monetize the posting of
their likes, their meals, and their lives, the titular “influencers”. When wemeet Madison (Emily Tennant), she is presented in the way her online
followers would know her: delivering “live in the moment” platitudes fromthe beautiful Thailand resort she is streaming from. But Madison’s life
isn’t all beachfront product placement and poolside philosophizing. Whilepondering her boyfriend bailing on the trip, she meets CW (Snowpiercer’s
Cassandra Naud), a fearless and enigmatic traveller who offers to show
her some of the most Instagram-worthy locales. However, CW’s interest
in Madison is not motivated by friendliness, but something sinister.
Influencer’s Vancouver based director, Curtis Harder, delivers a cleverthriller with flourishes of horror and social commentary. Cassandra Naudis entrancing when she unleashes her inner coldblooded, manipulativesociopath, and the tight script keeps the twists coming. Thailand’s beaches,
temples, and islands are given a lot of play and the camera crew certainly
earned their pay with so many of the beautifully set-up shots. Influencer
asks interesting questions about the nature of social media without losing
sight of the fact it is a thriller, and in its taut 92 minutes it delivers plentyof thrills. - BS
Movie Trailer«

click here

Thriller + Thailand + #SocialMedia
100

Relax, I’m from the Future
Luke Higginson

108 min | Canada | 2022

TingleODEon | Theatre 2
Feb 6 | 8:30 pm

Casper (Rhys Darby of Our Flag Means Death) is a charming time traveller
from the distant future who lands in the present day with the purposeto document our current situation for future generations. What begins
with a science fiction premise quickly turns into a buddy comedy when
Casper meets Holly (Gabrielle Graham), a queer punk rocker who quickly
realizes she could financially improve her life with Casper’s knowledgeof what’s to come. Beyond his new found friend, Casper seeks out Percy(Julian Richings), currently employed at a diner, but his artistic talents
will one day change world events. To be expected, Casper creates chaoswith the 4th dimension and attracts the unwanted attention of Doris, a nononsense future cop, who is committed to eliminating Casper and fixing
the space-time continuum. Director Luke Higginson expands the premiseof his short film to bring a lighthearted perspective to time travel tropes,
while Darby makes the most of his improbable hero confronting the endof the world. - AR

Offbeat + Comedy + Feelgood
101

The Banality

Michael Stevantoni, Strack Azar
78 min | USA | 2022

TingleCapitol 6 | Theatre 5
Feb 4 | 6:30 pm

An American supernatural thriller with a local connection. Co-writer/
director Michael Stevantoni grew up in Campbell River and developed his
filmmaking chops on the island before making the move to Hollywood.
He returns bearing cinematic gifts in this taut film about strange goingson in a small southern town.
Father Moss (Stranger Things’ Sherman Augustus) is a troubled priest
whose connection to his faith is on shaky ground. Following a local boy’s
death, he is called upon to council the parents who are part of his flock. The
boy was known in town as “the Feral Boy” due to his being discovered in
the woods as a child. As questions surrounding the death are investigatedby Moss and other members of the community, the Father begins to makeconnections between his nightmarish visions and “Feral Boy’s” passing.
Spooky stuff incoming!
High points of this well-crafted film include great dialogue, interesting
southern character portraits, great soundtrack, measured pacing, andcinematography that really showcases its delta locations. Reminiscent ofJohn Sayles’ use of a “community as character”, a multitude of townspeople
are involved in the gradual unfolding of the mystery. All I can say about
the finale is – I did not see that coming! - BS
Movie Trailer«

click here

Mystery + Community + Faith
102

Presented by:

The Inhuman / L’Inhumain
Jason Brennan

85 min | Canada | 2022

TingleCapitol 6 | Theatre 5
Feb 5 | 9:00 pm

Mathieu is a brilliant neurosurgeon whose perfect life is falling apart. Impending divorce, jobloss, substance abuse, and a mid-life crisis are all factors that can cause him to go off therails. In addition, the sudden death of his father forces him to return home to Anishinaabe
territory, a place he has tried to avoid since his youth. Nevertheless, Mathieu agrees to go
and deposit his father’s ashes in the heart of their ancestral territory and wishes to findhimself at the same time. The break away from the city promises to be a nice getaway until
Mathieu realizes that he is now the prey of an evil creature known as the Wendigo. Mathieu’spilgrimage quickly becomes an unimaginable nightmare that will change him forever. Like itor not, our vices always catch up with us eventually.

~

Mathieu est un brillant neurochirurgien avec une vie professionnelle et personnelle en chutelibre. Divorce imminent, perte d’emploi, abus de substances, la crise de la quarantaine
provoque toute une dérape. De plus, le décès soudain de son père le force à retournerchez lui en territoire Anishiinabe, un lieu qu’il tente d’éviter depuis sa jeunesse. Néanmoins,
Mathieu accepte d’aller déposer les cendres de son père au cœur de leur territoire ancestral
et souhaite du même coup se retrouver. L’escale loin de la ville s’annonce comme une bellepause jusqu’au moment où Mathieu réalise qu’il est maintenant la proie d’une créature
maléfique connue comme étant le Wendigo. Le pèlerinage de Mathieu devient rapidement
un cauchemar inimaginable, qui le changera à jamais. Qu’on le veuille ou non, nos vices
finissent toujours par nous rattraper.

Movie Trailer«

click here

Wendigo + Origine + Deuil
103

TingleVikingStéphane Lafleur
104 min | Canada | 2022

ODEon | Theatre 2
Feb 5 | 3:00 pm

The Viking Society is recruiting volunteers to collaborate on the first manned mission
to Mars. The goal is to form a B-team of alter egos who will live the adventure inparallel, behind closed doors on Earth, in the hope of remotely solving the interpersonal
problems encountered by the five real astronauts who will soon land on the redplanet. The film tells the story of how David, a physical education teacher, seizes thisopportunity to rekindle his dream of becoming an astronaut and perhaps make adifference. Somewhere between unlikely science fiction and modern allegory, Viking
is a dramatic comedy about the gap between our aspirations and reality.

~

La Société Viking recrute des volontaires pour collaborer à la première mission
habitée sur Mars. L’objectif est de former une équipe B d’alter ego qui vivra l’aventureen parallèle, en huis clos sur Terre, dans l’espoir de régler à distance les problèmesinterpersonnels rencontrés par les cinq véritables astronautes qui se poseront bientôt
sur la planète rouge. Le film raconte comment David, professeur d’éducation physique,saisit cette opportunité pour raviver son rêve de devenir astronaute et peut-être
faire une différence. Quelque part entre la science-fiction improbable et l’allégoriemoderne, Viking est une comédie dramatique sur les décalages qui existent entre nos
aspirations et la réalité.

Movie Trailer«

click here

Astronauts + Interpersonal + Aspiration

Presented by:104

Short Bursts

Energetic programmes of short film andnew voices. On a boat. ‘Cause why not.

105

Strange Worlds

Imagine if you will, a collection of short films focussed on worlds where
the bizarre and uncanny are the norm; where dissidents are modified toexhale smoke, and people reincarnate as reptilia … or do they?
71 minShort Bursts
Prince of Whales
Feb 8 | 7:30 pm

The Temple | Alain Fournier | Quebec | 2022 | 18 min
The crew of a German U-boat on a mission in the North Atlantic witness strange
phenomena on board. After an inexplicable explosion in the engine room, thesubmarine slowly sinks to the abyssal depths, while madness decimates thesubmariners in this animated adaptation H.P Lovecraft.

One of Those Good Lives | Joseph Carney | Vancouver | 2022 | 8 min
When Steve is hit by a truck, he awakens in a cavernous and decaying opera house.
There he meets The Ticket Taker, a shape shifting bureaucrat of death who explainsthat Steve must be sent back to perform one influential act before enjoying a lifeof guaranteed privilege and luxury. Steve must decide whether or not to uphold astatus quo that benefits only him.

Nafas Nakesh (Don’t Breathe) | Milad Nasim Sobhan | Iran | 2022 | 15 min
To exert more tyranny and suppression, the ruling power has done something to its
dissenters that they exhale smoke when they breathe, and the agents must take into
custody such people wherever they find them. Unaware of the law, a man meets oneof the dissidents and it changes the course of his life, until he decides to immigrate
to a better land with the dissident for a better life.

Once Upon a Time | Athena Russell | BC - Canada | 2022 | 5 min
Told through the lens of a fairytale, a young girl shares the realities of living with an
alcoholic parent.

Year of the Tortoise | Connor Gaston | Victoria | 2022 | 12 min
A young woman sets out to prove to her sister that their mother has reincarnated asa tortoise.

Nude | Olivier Labonté LeMoyne | Quebec | 2022 | 14 min
An ordinary young couple find an isolated place to park their car and love each otheraway from prying eyes. At least that’s what they believe. Deep in the forest, theirintimacy will be the scene of an unsettling encounter between sensuality and horror.

106

Things Fall Apart

Short films with themes of disfunction, break-down,
and times when “the center cannot hold”.
85 minShort Bursts
Prince of Whales
Feb 9 | 7:30 pm

The Vacation | Jarreau Carrillo | USA | 2022 | 10 min
In Flatbush, Brooklyn, four friends are stuck in their car after it breaks down on theway to the beach on the last day of the summer.

Empty Spaces | Lukas Hanulak | Victoria | 2022 | 17 min
Debbie returns home to console sister Aiden after the loss of their father. Woundsof a family dealing with alcoholism and the secrets it harbors are exposed.

The Red Suitcase | Cyrus Neshvad | Luxembourg | 2022 | 18 min
An Iranian teenager decides to take off her Hijab in a life changing situation.

My Name is Arnold | Arnold Lim | Victoria | 2022 | 16 min
A Korean-Canadian boy struggles adapting to his new life after moving with hissingle mother to a small, rural BC Community in the early 1990’s.

Great Seeing You | Holly Pruner | Canada | 2022 | 12 min
As a close friendship fades, the root cause elusive, Maisie fights for the bond sheshared to the point of delusion.

Hatchback | Riley Sugars | Australia | 2022 | 12 min
Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards (AACTA) Nominated- Best Short Film (2022)
Vince attempts to dispose of a dead body for the mob, but when he reluctantly
enlists the help of his dim-witted brother-in-law Ted, things don’t go to plan.

107

Indigenous Voices

A selection of some of the best short form stories andperspectives from Indigenous filmmakers.
90 minTEMOSEN | Erynne Gilpin, KL Peruzzo | Canada | 2022 | 24 min

Prince of Whales
Feb 10 | 7:30 pm

Short Bursts

Charles Elliott (TEMOSEN) is a renowned Coast Salish artist from Tsartlip First Nation, whosecarving practice is embedded in intergenerational knowledge, imagination and resistance. Beyond
his exemplary work and mastery, Charles is also a loving father, husband and pillar of cultural
strength, dignity and grace. The film explores the meaning and practice of Coast Salish artwork in
relationship to inter-generational resurgence, storytelling and traditional governance practices.

SAVJ | Tank Standing Buffalo | Canada | 2022 | 7 min
In this animated short Tank, the eldest of eight siblings, grapples with the memory of the moment
his family was torn apart. Foraging for survival alone in a forest, the children fear a dangerous force.
But what lurks in the darkness is true evil. Narrated by Corey Feldman. Yes, that Corey Feldman.

Our Way | Laura Fontaine, Yasmine Fontaine | Canada | 2021 | 6 min
Two young Innu women take up the old roads of the past to revive the identity of their Nation; atribute to the Elders, the territory, and the Innu people.

Last Hawaiian Sugar | Deja Cresencia Bernhardt | USA | 2021 | 23 min
Last Hawaiian Sugar is a short drama set on the final remaining sugar cane plantation camp on Maui.
NUA, twelve years-old, Samoan, identifies with the world through her intensely spiritual connection
she has with the land. She is the product of this immigrant camp that ‘Big Sugar’ brought here towork these fields. On the very day Nua learns the mill is closing she struggles to tell her motherabout the abuse she suffers. When her mother isn’t able to hear her cries for help Nua resolves
to sabotage the final sugarcane burn as she prepares to say goodbye to the only home she’s everknown.

Brother Rick | Elton Hubner | Canada | 2022 | 15 min
A documentary exploration of how a member of the Quw’utsun First Nation is bringing people ofdifferent backgrounds and generations together as brothers and sisters.

Mysterious Lines | Bryan CooCoo | Canada | 2021 | 3 min
Aski Masinikan is the first experiment to tell the story of the mysterious lines on the plateau of theformer reservation site, near Wemotaci. The film asks an elder the question: What would be theorigin of these mysterious lines?

Meet The Sky | KJ Edwards | Canada | 2021 | 15 min
Two sisters travel to a reservation to learn about Kanien’kehá:ka culture. Due to the progression ofher illness, Andie intends to live out her days there. Mel, on the other hand, rejects both the truth
about Andie’s diagnosis and the importance of bringing ceremony into their lives.

108

Love & Happiness

It’s all love… Family love, love between friends,
romantic love, and learning to love yourself.
91 minShort Bursts
Prince of Whales
Feb 11 | 7:30 pm

Queen Of Your Heart | Patricia Pepen | Spain | 2022 | 14 min
La Mami is a Drag Queen. At the end of her show she seeks to relieve her lonelinesswith the boy she likes, a heterosexual delivery man whom she calls from time to time.
This time she has summoned the courage to declare her love for him, even if it means
losing him forever.

My AI Lover | Chouwa Liang | Australia | 2022 | 16 min
Three Chinese women develop their romantic relationships with artificially intelligent
virtual partners IRL.

Tabanca | Lauren Marsden | Canada | 2022 | 12 minDampened by office life during a wet Vancouver winter, a genderqueer Trinidadian
woman, Marlinn, misses out on the chance to celebrate Carnival season back home.
Until, one night, they discover that the power of masquerade is within them no matter
where they are.

Blood Buddies | Suzanne Marie Moreau | Victoria | 2021 | 13 min
A nerdy and anxious ‘tween feels wonky about craft camp. Her classes are not theones she chose, her tummy aches, and her best friend dumps her. But new friends
open up possibilities that help her accept the inevitable changes in life, and to accept
herself.

The Fix | Emilio Miguel Torres | USA | 2022 | 11 min
A working, single mother is forced to call her absent father for a last minute babysitting
request.

A Motorcycle Saved My Life | Lori Lozinski | Canada | 2022 | 12 min
Director Lori Lozinski documents her past and learns to live with grief as she traverses
the open road.

Good Times and That’s Okay | Amanda Kaye | Australia | 2022 | 13min
A 70-year-old closeted woman has to confront her faith as she learns what true loveis from a sex worker named Destiny.

109

Special Events
In Conversation With... Paul Schrader
Bringing Film to Life... an art exhibit
Sips ‘n’ Cinema
Jammies & Toons
CineVic Night
FILMCAN & CineKids
SpringBoard – Industry Event110

In Conversation With... Paul Schrader
Saturday | February 4 | 5:30 PM | The Vic Theatre
Raging Bull. Taxi Driver. American Gigolo.
How many times have you watched these masterpieces? All were
written by one remarkable man.
Affliction, First Reformed and his latest Master Gardener show
Schrader not only as writer but also director. Schrader’s creativity
will stand the test of time.
Join us for an evening of conversation with Paul Schrader
hosted by Richard Crouse.

Screenwriter and director Paul Schrader was bornon July 22, 1946, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He
earned his B.A. from Calvin College, then his M.A.
from UCLA, while working as a film critic and writing
Transcendental Style in Film. He attended theinaugural class at AFI. He has written or directed
over thirty films, including four collaborations with
Martin Scorsese. The first, Taxi Driver, won the Palme
D’Or at Cannes Film Festival. In 1978, he directed
his first film, Blue Collar. Schrader’s catalog of film
includes American Gigolo, Cat People, Mishima andAffliction. In 2019, Schrader was nominated for an
Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay forFirst Reformed, which he also directed.

Interviewer: Richard Crouse
Richard Crouse is the regular film critic for the 24 hour
news source CTV’s News Channel and CP24. His syndicatedSaturday afternoon radio show, The Richard Crouse Show,originates on News Talk 1010 in Toronto. He is also the authorof ten books on pop culture history including Who Wrote theBook of Love, the bestselling Raising Hell: Ken Russell and theUnmaking of The Devils and Elvis is King: Costello’s My Aim is
True.

111

Bringing Film to Life... an art exhibit

These are the 2023 Artists whose work will be on view at the Atrium.
Carlos Fernando Arcia 		

Jordan Dack

Delaney Lyngard 			Nathon Gunn

We are once again hosting an art exhibition in The Atrium during theFilm Festival. This year our theme is Bringing Film to Life. The Exhibitionreflects the current work of emerging artists with a distinctive and perhaps
even peculiar sense of the world. In essence, 10 artists agreed to create
three-dimensional works no smaller than 2’ X 2’. Key materials used had toinclude a film poster and film strips. To select the artists, we collaborated
with Haus of Owl (HOO), a co-working club for creators. Haus of Owl exists
to support the creative spirit, hunger, and process of artists in the world ofmusic, film, fashion, photography and dance.

Eric Hinch				Ross Alexander Whelan

The VFF has always been interested in the intersection of film and visualarts and has hosted an annual art exhibit since 1999. This year the brief
is to create ‘something else’ from materials not traditionally used forthe purpose while incorporating a sense of bringing film to life. Using atransdisciplinary approach, the artists selected an individually suitableform and without adhering to any form of stylistic uniformity createdobjects. The brief also required incorporating another sensory element:
audio, scent, or tactile that represents the poster subject matter.

				

Atrium Lobby @ 800 Yates St.
Feb 3 – 12

Georgia Tooke				Trey Campbell
Jacob Insley				

Victoria Clements

112

Sips ‘n’ Cinema

Film

February 11
Film | 12:15 PM | The Vic
Sips | 2:15 PM | The Mint

A jeroboam of whisky and a red balloon, and with that so begins Peter’s
retirement. Peter is not alone on this next stage. Alice, his partner of 42
years, is hoping to reconnect in the next stage of life. Their daughter
provides the means when she gifts them a cruise vacation.

The Golden Years | 12:15 PM | The Vic Theatre

You know how you have an opinion about every movie you see? This is
an opportunity to mellow out with a cocktail and some nosh and thenspeak your mind. You know you wanna!
Catch The Golden Years and then enjoy an opportunity for discussion
with Festival Screener Tony Ruffolo at The Mint. This is a social event for
those who would like to take a deeper dive into the film they just saw andshare their thoughts. There will be complimentary drinks and light food toheighten the experience.
ADVANCE TICKETS ONLY.
Ticket price includes film, food,drink and facilitated discussion.
Must be 19 years or older to participate.

113

Jammies & Toons
Stay in your pajamas for a fun time at The Vic.
There is cereal for the kids and coffee for the
adults. Or is it the other way around?

The Vic TheatreFeb 12 | 11:30 pm

Poupelle of Chimney Town
Yusuke Hirota

101 min | Japan | 2022
In English
Feature Rated PG – VFF membership not required
Based on the popular children’s book by Akihiro Nishino.
Yusuke Hirota’s debut Poupelle of Chimney Town is the story of young
Lubicchi and a man made of garbage, Poupelle. Living among the
thick smoke from the chimneys of his isolated town, Lubicchi yearns to
see the “stars” – to know the truth – his father always told him about.
Spectacularly beautiful, Poupelle of Chimney Town is filled with inspiring
performances, splendid music and sound effects. Produced at Tokyo’s
famed STUDIO4ºC, this astonishing film will bring tears, laughter, andjoy.
Presented by:Movie Trailer«

click here

Steampunk + Adventure + Aspiration
114

CineVic Screening@ VFF 2023

Capitol 6 | Theatre 5
Feb 5 | 6:30 pm

Total runtime: 101 minutes

CineVic Society of Independent Filmmakers is excited to return to theVictoria Film Festival with a screening that showcases the diverse work
created by our amazing members over the past year. Please join us for apresentation of local short film highlights ranging from music video, todocumentary, comedy, drama, behind-the-scenes, and even a few films
shot on celluloid Super 8.
CineVic is an artist-run society supporting independent filmmakers
and media artists with accessible programming, affordable equipment,
professional development resources, and cinematic exhibition
opportunities since 1991. We acknowledge and respect the long andcontinuing history of the Lək ʷ̓ əŋən-speaking people, now known as theSonghees and Esquimalt Nations, as well as the W̱ SÁNEĆ First Nation,
on whose traditional and unceded territory we carry out our creative
activities.

Time is a Car | Lesley Marshall / Partner | 2022 | 4 min
Time Is A Car is a meta music video. A music video in a music video about how a bandcannot possibly make a music video. It’s what would have happened if Thelma andLouise escaped with all the money and drove happily ever after off into the sunset
and had wonderful prosperous lives. Fueled by music video epics, pulp films, and ripewith sarcasm, Time Is A Car has the parody quality of Beastie Boys’ Sabotage andthe vibrancy of Megan Thee Stalion’s Thot Sh*t starring Victoria’s own Eddilicious.

Dear Mr. Dudley | Morgan Rhys Tams | 2022 | 13 min
At the age of thirty-one, Morgan Tams sent a letter to a complete stranger on theother side of the country. All he had was a name - and a hunch that this person was
the father he never met. Dear Mr. Dudley follows a series of hand-written letters that
trace the five thousand, eight hundred, and seventy-two kilometres between thefilmmaker and his absentee father.

For Fox Sake | Suzanne Moreau | 2022 | 4 min
For Fox Sake is an homage to cinema’s silent era, observing what happens when two
adventurous hens escape their cooped-up existence. But while a wily fox is intent
upon exploiting them, they find compassion for their would-be oppressor.

Big Fat Joke | Charlie Gudgeon | 2020 | 16 min
Joe is a stand up comedian in the near future, where a mysterious disease has caused
a majority of the population to lose their ability to be funny. His comedic act iscringe, but what’s harder to watch are his continual failures at making genuine humanconnections.

115

The Final Slip: Behind the Scenes | Sonya Chwyl, Sophie de Kergommeaux| 2022 | 2 min
Due to unforeseen circumstances, the production of the recent short film ‘Slip’ had
to move its final shoot date to the same weekend the filmmakers had booked aSuper 8mm camera for the One Take Super 8 Event. So the filmmaker Sonya Chwyl,
together with 2nd AC Sophie de Kergommeaux, decided to capture a few momentsfrom the last day of shooting on film.

Cutline | David Heyman | 2022 | 17 min
A veteran photographer helps a cub reporter, on her first assignment and on a tightdeadline, to interview the family of a girl who died the night before.

Play Smart | Sohee Hong | 2022 | 3 min

Wishing Fall | James Weicker, Ann Marie Hak | 2022 | 16 min
When Graham takes his new step-son Emil on a camping trip, his hope is that they
will finally find a way to bond through the traditions and lessons he learned from his
own father. However, the scars of the recent death of Emil’s father hang heavy overthe pair and Emil resists Graham’s attempts to get closer to him.

Better Every Day | Michael ‘Oz’ Osbourne | 2022 | 14 min
Newlywed musicians get a once in a lifetime chance to travel the world and play theirmusic, until it all goes sideways, but this is only the beginning of their story. Whatever
the world throws at Dre & Star, they are resolved to make life better every day.

The Observatory | Justin Lee | 2022 | 5 min

Play Smart was created for the One Take Super 8 Event by Sohee Hong and someof the students she has taught film production in Duncan, BC. Through this film, shewanted to express some decisions and struggles young children face and need tomake during their social activities and relationships they encounter.

A passionate astronomer drags her jaded partner to the observatory to share herlatest discovery: A constellation from a different adjoining universe that suggests
the existence of ghosts, interdimensional communication, and a reckoning for their
rocky relationship. Written, filmed and edited in 48 hours for Vancouver’s 2022 Run
N’ Gun film competition.

The Zissou School for Young Girls | Michael Korican | 2022 | 4 min

Mycelium | Emanuel Foucault | 2022 | 3 min

When she was a young girl, Ashley had a crush on her teacher.

With an aptitude for creating progressive melodies. Battery Poacher builds the majorityof his samples from scratch. Blending elements of psychedelia, funk and hip hop, hismusic can be described as deep, dark and infectious. Using vocoder, synthesizers
and tasty guitar shreds wrapped like bacon around meticulously sculpted beats, theintricacies of the magic mask he dons are only superseded by the music he creates.
He is the robot alien who will steal you away to another dimension.

116

FILMCAN

CineKids

What is FilmCan? I was just asking myself that.
An online Video Competition for Students. Youth interested in content
creation make short films and upload them to the VFF Vimeo channel.

VFF WORKING WITH YOUTH

What happens to the films?
The winning films, based on a combination of likes and juror input, will
screen at the 29th Annual Victoria Film Festival in front of the feature film
Poupelle of Chimney Town playing at Jammies & Toons.
Please visit the VFF website for the names of the filmmakers and films.

The winning entries receive:
Senior Category (Grade 9-12):
GoPro HERO8 Black Bundle – courtesy of Prince of Whales Whale
Watching
Adobe Creative Cloud (one year subscription) – provided by Adobe
An opportunity to go out filming on a Whale Watching trip.
Junior Category (Grade 8 and under):MOZA Nano SE Foldable Extendable Selfie Stick Stabilizer
Entries are open every October – mid-December

Filmmakers Into Schools
Guests of the Victoria Film Festival, including
writers, directors, composers, producers andmusicians who attend the festival, visit local
classrooms to talk about their art, offering advice
about careers in the film industry and inspiring a
new generation of filmmakers.
School Screenings
Year-round at The Vic Theatre, and during theVictoria Film Festival, the VFF offers special
screenings of great independent films anddocumentaries for local schools, inviting filmmakers
and actors involved in these films for interactive
Q&As.
Let’s Make a Movie
Annually, the Victoria Film Festival will introduce
youth to a lively full day hands-on class.
Participants will create a story and storyboard andthen film and edit the work all in one day. That
evening the film will screen at The Vic Theatre forour filmmakers and their friends and family.

117

SpringBoard – Industry Event
Feb 3, 4, 5

Masterclass (90 min) – Feb 5
Producing the Wow Low Budget Film

A three-day industry event with a focus on taking your work to the next level.

One on One Meetings – Feb 3
Opportunities to pitch to decision makers and get your project moving ahead.
Susan Alexander (Corus Entertainment), Heather Williamson (Bell Media), Georgia
Shearman (Bell Media), Jackie Pardy (Super Channel), Paige Murray (CBC Drama), Jordana
Ross (CBC), Jennifer Chen (Channel Zero Studios), Lauren Whitelaw (OUTtv), Danelle
Granger (APTN), Patrice Ramsay (Knowledge Network), Kim Hsu Guise (Telefilm), Teri
Snelgrove (NFB), Mathew Parry (Creative BC)

This masterclass will teach Participants how to make the WOW film withlimited resources, from development through to distribution. You havea budget, now what? Our instructors will teach students where to start,
what to shoot, and how to finish a cost-effective film. The class will haveparticipants explore the challenges and creative solutions that arise when
producing a low budget feature, short, or episodic.

Prices:Industry Panels (60 min each) – Feb 4 Moderated by

2 day Pass (Feb 4+5)				

STATE OF THE MARKET:
Canadian Content Creation

All four panels 					$99.00

An in-depth conversation about
the current state of work for thecreators – actors, writers, directors
and cinematographer. Opportunities,
challenges and policies.

ART IN MOTION
Cinematographers colluding withthe director to create a visual
powerhouse.

WHAT THE WORDS TELL
Writers build strong relationships
with the director. Learn to create astrong voice that you can hold on towhen it comes to shooting time.

THE POWER OF MUSIC
Explore the value of the best music
for the right scene. Examples of pastworks with the evolution of the music
will be shown.

(includes one on one meetings +panels + industry lounge)$139.00

Individual panels					$29.00
Individual Masterclass 				$49.00

Full SpringBoard Pass 				$299.00(Choice of 2 panels, 2 Masterclasses, Industry
Lounge access Feb 4 & 5, Three one-on-one
meetings, Opening Gala Film & Dinner,
5 regular film tickets.)

Student 1 day Panel Pass Feb 4		

$20.00(ages 19 – 30 with student ID)

118

One on One Meetings – Feb 3
Beginning 9:00am PacificSusan Alexander, Production Executive, Original Content, Scripted, Corus Entertainment
Heather Williamson, Production Executive, Original Programming, Factual & Reality, Bell Media
Georgia Shearman, Manager, Digital Development, Original Programming, Bell MediaJackie Pardy, Chief Content Officer, Super Channel
Paige Murray, Executive in Charge of Development, CBC Drama
Jordana Ross, Production Executive, Documentary Channel, CBC
Jennifer Chen, Head of Studios, VP of Content, Channel Zero Studios.
Lauren Whitelaw, Head of Programming, OUTtv
Danelle Granger, Executive in Charge of Development and Scripted, APTNAs a Production Executive with Corus Entertainment for over ten years, Susan has overseen thedevelopment and production of numerous dramatic series for Corus Entertainment including The
Love Club, Family Law, Mary Kills People and Private Eyes.
Prior to becoming a broadcaster Susan worked on the production side of the industry, as a
Producer and Development Executive, and has strong relationships with the Canadian independent
production community.
Equally important to her is the work she has done nurturing emerging talent through her role asa Mentor at the Canadian Film Centre, of which she is a proud alumni, and through many industry
sponsored programs.
Susan is a member of the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television, and WIFT-T, where she
served 4 years on their Board of Directors.

Patrice Ramsay, Producer, Independent Productions, Knowledge Network
Kim Hsu Guise, Regional Feature Film Executive – Western Region – Telefilm Canada
Teri Snelgrove, Producer, BC & Yukon Studios, National Film Board of Canada
Mathew Parry, Interim Manager Creative Industry Programs, Creative BC

Bio and photo is coming! Stay connected119Bio and photo is coming! Stay connected

As Super Channel’s Chief Content Officer, Jackie leads the company’s domestic and foreign
program acquisitions for the network’s four channels (Fuse, Heart & Home, Vault and Ginx) andoversees the pre-licensing of Super Channel’s Canadian productions.
Super Channel is a national premium pay television network, offering subscribers exceptional
entertainment value with four diverse channels – Super Channel Fuse, Super Channel Heart &Home, Super Channel Vault and GINX Esports TV Canada – plus, access to Super Channel On
Demand where available by service provider.

Bio and photo is coming! Stay connected
Paige Murray has worked at the CBC for over eleven years within the television content areas. She
is currently Executive in Charge of Development, Drama on the Scripted Content team. In thisrole, Paige oversees the development of one-hour drama series and actively looks for creatorsand stories that reflect the spectrum of the Canadian experience to entertain and enlighten CBC
audiences. Additionally, Paige currently sits on the board of Breakthroughs Film Festival and theadvisory board of The Future of Film Showcase.
We are interested in hearing about ongoing, procedural dramas to air in our prime time schedule.
We are also interested in developing relationships with Canadian creators and learning more about
the work they are doing.

Jennifer Chen is the Head of Studios, VP of Content managing development and content investment
for Channel Zero Studios. She was formerly the VP of Programming for the suite of Channel Zerobroadcasting services including acquisitions and original programming for CHCH, Silver Screen
Classics and Rewind. She began her Channel Zero career as the General Manager of Ouat Media,
managing one of the largest distribution companies specializing in the acquisition, distribution
and sales of short form content internationally.

Lauren is the Head of Programming for OUTtv, currently with services in Canada, USA, UK, Ireland,
Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. With servicing multiple territories, she has successfully
negotiated contracts with companies worldwide. Lauren is part of the development team at
the network and continues to work closely with Producers globally to find the best LGBTQ+
programming.
OUTtv is an LGBTQ2+ network and streamer. We look for content of all genres as long as it isstrongly based in LGBTQ2+ storylines and characters.

Based out of Treaty 1 territory, Danelle Granger is proud to be reclaiming and reconnecting to
her Métis roots. She began her career in the broadcasting industry upon graduating from theCreative Communications program at Red River College in Winnipeg, Man. There, she majoredin journalism while focusing on developing her production skills. Danelle was inspired to pursue
journalism and production after seeing the documentary Food, Inc. She continues to be motivatedby the passion of those involved in the industry and their commitment to telling the stories thatneed to be heard. She brings this motivation with her to all of her work. Danelle worked as an
editor and assistant editor on Passage à l’âge adulte and seasons 2-4 of Comment devenir adulte.
She also combined her editing and directing skills on a short documentary about the historyof the Rainbow Resource Centre, a centre in Winnipeg that offers support to the 2SLGBTQ+
community. The documentary premiered at Reel Pride Film Festival. Danelle joined APTN in 2020as the programming coordinator for the Central Region. In 2022, she took on the title of executive
in charge of development and scripted production. Danelle is excited to continue working withemerging and established producers to bring Indigenous content to screens across Turtle Island.

Kim Hsu Guise (she/her/elle) is the Feature Film Executive, Western Region for Telefilm Canada.
Kim has over 20 years of experience in the film and television industry as a lawyer, business affairs
advisor and production executive. She has a full spectrum of experience including negotiatingproduction-related deal terms, assessing project pitches for financing, setting strategic direction,and building and leading a diverse team of industry experts.

120Patrice Ramsay is the Executive Producer of Independent Production at British Columbia’s
Knowledge Network. Her portfolio includes the pre-licensing of documentary productions andmanaging Knowledge Network’s annual funding envelope from the Canada Media Fund. Recent
Executive Producer credits include Part of the Pack, Dancing with Mom, Search and Rescue North
Shore, Dogsville, and Building Bastille.

Mathew’s primary responsibilities lie within the Development Team where he oversees a number ofprograms including the Project Development Fund, and other partnership programs with externalorganizations supporting film and TV development. Mathew has a Master’s degree in history, andis also a graduate of the Documentary Film Production program at Langara College.

Teri Snelgrove is a producer at the BC & Yukon Studio. Most recently, she produced Unarchived(Hayley Gray and Elad Tzadok), A Motorcycle Saved My Life (Lori Lozinski) and Into Light (Sheona
McDonald). With Shirley Vercruysse, Teri co-produced Someone Like Me by Steve J. Adams andSean Horlor, and the animated projects Two Apples (Bahram Javahery) and Zeb’s Spider (Alicia
Eisen and Sophie Jarvis). Teri is a Newfoundlander, and a graduate of the film/video program at
Emily Carr University. She holds a master’s degree in Liberal Studies from Simon Fraser University.

121

SpringBoard Panels | 60 min each – Feb 4
9:00am
STATE OF THE MARKET: Canadian Content Creation
An in-depth conversation about the current state of work for the creators – actors, writers,
directors and cinematographer. Opportunities, challenges and policies.

Ari Wise is the owner and director of Core Music Agency, Canada’s largest talent agency focussing
on film, television and games composers. Before establishing his agency, Ari Wise was himself anaward-winning film composer, with over 200 features, TV Movies, live and animated episodes of
television, documentaries and short films to his credit. Some highlights include: “The Conclave”
starring Brian Blessed and James Faulkner, “Police Academy, the Series” and “School of Life”,
starring Ryan Reynolds. A graduate of the University of British Columbia’s Music Composition
program, and of the University of Southern California’s world famous, “Scoring for Motion Pictures
and Television” Advanced Studies Program, Ari has spent the last 15 years representing a stellar
and exclusive roster of talented and successful screen composers. To date, he and his fellow Core
Agents have negotiated well over 1000 composer agreements.

Sara Canning’s film and television career spans 15 years. Select credits include The Vampire Diaries,
War for the Planet of the Apes, Big Sky, the Emmy nominated A Series of Unfortunate Events andRemedy, a series for which she won UBCP/ACTRA and Leo Awards. She was also nominated for a
Canadian Screen Award for her work in the web series Hospital Show. Last spring, she played therole of Annie in Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes at the Belfry Theatre, and will soon beseen in Sweetland, a feature set in her home province of Newfoundland. A frequent director for
the Vancouver Film School, Sara is also developing and writing her own scripts, including a feature
selected for the Whistler Film Festival Screenwriting Program in 2019.

Panelist Coming

Expertice
Bio and photo is coming! Stay connected

122

WHAT THE WORDS TELL

10:15am
Building strong relationships with the director – how to create a strong voice that you canhold on to when it comes to shooting time.

Sophie Jarvis
Director-Writer
Until Branches Bend

Sophie Jarvis is a Vancouver-born writer and director whose first job in film was reading fan mailfor THE L WORD. Later, she studied at Simon Fraser University where she made her short film THE
WORST DAY EVER, which premiered at TIFF in 2012. Since then, Sophie has gone on to directmany short films, including MEDICAL DRAMA (Clermont Ferrand 2019) and ZEB’S SPIDER, a stop
motion animation co-directed with Alicia Eisen for the National Film Board. Her feature debut UNTIL
BRANCHES BEND premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2022 and won the award
for “Best BC Film” at VIFF the same year. Sophie’s background as a production designer deeply
informs her practice as a director. Sophie currently resides on unceded xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm (Musqueam),
Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and səl̓ ilwətaɁɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) territories (aka Vancouver)

Chandler Levack
Director-Writer

Chandler Levack grew up in Burlington, Ontario and lives in Toronto, where she studied cinema
at the University of Toronto and screenwriting at the Canadian Film Centre. She has directednumerous music videos, earning two JUNO nominations, and is a veteran journalist and a current
film critic for the Globe & Mail. In 2017, her short film We Forgot to Break Up premiered at TIFF andwent on to play SXSW. In 2022, her debut feature film I Like Movies premiered at TIFF and went on
to play VIFF, Taipei Golden Horse and was selected for Canada’s Top Ten Film Festival.

Panelist Coming

Expertice
Bio and photo is coming! Stay connected

ART IN MOTION

11:30am
Building strong relationships with the director – how to create a strong voice that you canhold on to when it comes to shooting time.

Kurtis Harder
Director-Producer
Influencer, Spiral,’Kurtis David Harder is a prolific director and producer from Canada who’s work has played across theworld at such festivals as SXSW, Fantastic, Busan, Fantasia, Sitges, Rotterdam, among many others. He
directed his feature film debut at the age of 18, ”Cody Fitz”, which went on to play across the world at
various film festivals picking up several awards. His second feature film ”Incontrol” debuted internationallyat FrightFest UK, to rave reviews and was released internationally. His two most recent directorial films”Spiral” and ”Summerland”, were both released to critical acclaim.

Jeremy Cox

Cinematographer
Until branches Bend

Jeremy Cox is an award-winning cinematographer based on the unceded territory of thexʷməθkʷəy̓ əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) nations.
Jeremy’s cinematography is defined by an exacting awareness of detail, structure and style whileremaining rooted within a tradition of realism. Working in 16mm, 35mm and digital formats acrossfeatures, shorts, series and music videos, his work has screened in festivals around the world.v

As a producer he’s produced 13 films. ”Still/Born” was awarded “The Scariest Film” at The Overlook Film.
What Keeps You Alive, which debuted at SXSW, was named one of the top 10 horror films of 2018 by Rolling
Stone Magazine. in 2019, ”Harpoon” was the second-best rated horror film on Rotten Tomatoes, gaining
certified fresh at 97%. His most recent producing credits include ”Superhost” and ”V/H/S/94”, the latter ofwhich was Shudder’s most successful release at the time. His latest directorial film Influencer is now on thefestival circuit and will come out in 2023.’

Panelist Coming
Expertice

Bio and photo is coming! Stay connected123THE POWER OF MUSIC

12:45amWayne Lavallee

Composer / Bones of Crows, Broken
Angel, Red Snow, The Road Forward

Explore the value of the best music for the right scene. Examples of past works with theevolution of the music will be shown.

Mychael Danna
Life of Pi, Moneyball,

Mychael Danna is an Academy Award-winning film composer recognized for his evocative blendingof non-western traditions with orchestral and electronic music. He composed the transculturally
inspired 2013 Oscar and Golden Globe-winning score for Ang Lee’s Life of Pi. Danna also composed
scores for Ang Lee’s The Ice Storm and Ride With the Devil. Other noted credits include Oscarwinning and Oscar-nominated films such as his long time collaborator Atom Egoyan’s The Sweet
Hereafter and Exotica, Moneyball and Capote with director Bennett Miller, Monsoon Wedding,
Little Miss Sunshine, (500) Days of Summer, Being Julia, Deepa Mehta’s Water, Girl, Interrupted,
and Tom McCarthy’s Stillwater. Often collaborating with his brother Jeff, they have scored The
Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus for Terry Gilliam, The Breadwinner, The Addams Family 1 and
2, and Pixar’s The Good Dinosaur, and Onward. He won an Emmy Award for outstanding music
composition for the mini-series World Without End. Other television scores include Alias Grace(Emmy Nomination), Tyrant, (3 Emmy Nominations), Camelot, (Emmy Nomination) and Returnto Space (Emmy Nomination) directed by Oscar-winning directors Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi andJimmy Chin, co-scored with his friend Harry Gregson-Williams. Recent film scores are for Where
the Crawdads Sing directed by Olivia Newman, and My Father’s Dragon with director Nora Twomey.
Among Mychael’s other awards are the Frederick Loewe Award for Film Composing (2013), theWorld Soundtrack Awards for Film Composer of the Year, and Best Score of the Year (both 2013),
and the Hollywood Film Award for Composer of the Year (2016).
“The most gratifying filmmaking experiences are ones that take effort to unpeel the layers
surrounding the heart of the story and to find the best musical expression of that heart,” says
Danna. “Those are always the film scores I am most proud of.”Wayne Lavallee is a Metis multi-disciplinary artist based in Vancouver.
By 2000 Wayne released his first studio solo album, by 2010 Wayne was a 2 time Juno nominee
and multi-award winning recording artist signed with a international record label in France.
In 2014 Wayne composed his first film score Ballads Not Bullets: Tom Jackson a short film written
and directed by Marie Clements produced by the NFB, since them Wayne has composed 4 otherfeature films for Marie Clements, the award winning musical documentary The Road Forward
produced by the NFB, RED SNOW and the latest feature in collaboration with co-composer Jesse
Zubot, produced by Screen Siren Pictures Bones of Crows which made its world premiere at 2022
tiff festival… Bones of Crows will also be featured as a 5 part mini-series for CBC in 2023. Wayne
has 3 Leo Award nominations for his scores and a 2022 Leo Award win for Best Musical Score forthe lifestyle reality series Dr.Savannah: Wild Rose Vet.

Jesse Zubot

Composer, Bones of Crows,
Monkey Beach, Indian Horse

Jesse Zubot is a multiple JUNO award-winning musician and an in-demand record producer andfilm composer. His album productions include Tanya Tagaq’s Polaris Prize and JUNO award winningalbum ‘Animism’. In his career he has recorded and performed with an extensive range of artists
such as Steve Reich, Dan Mangan, Hawksley Workman, Saul Williams, Destroyer, Marc Ribot, Pura
Fé, Stars, Darius Jones, Mother Mother and he is part of Tanya Tagaq’s main touring trio. In recent
years, Jesse has delved heavily into the world of film scoring. He has been nominated for multiple
Canadian Screen Awards, Leo Awards and recently received a SOCAN Award for Achievement in
Feature Film (Indian Horse). His scoring credits include the upcoming powerful feature film and5-part CBC series Bones of Crows, Ever Deadly, Monkey Beach, Indian Horse, Two Lovers and a
Bear, Hector and the Search for Happiness, The Whale and the Raven, and Koneline: Our Land
Beautiful.

124

SpringBoard Masterclass | 90 min – Feb 5
11:00amLuke Bamley

Cinematographer-Editor
Satanic Hispanics, Netmare

PRODUCING THE WOW LOW BUDGET FILM
This masterclass will teach participants how to make the WOW film with limited resources,from development through to distribution. You have a budget, now what? Our instructors willteach students where to start, what to shoot, and how to finish a cost-effective film. The classwill have participants explore the challenges and creative solutions that arise when producing
a low budget feature, short, or episodic.
Luchagore Presents:

Raynor Shima

Born in Vancouver, BC but raised in Victoria, Luke developed a passion for horror cinema at a
young age after viewing the films The Shining and A Nightmare on Elm Street. After a stint asa cook, he decided it was time to pursue his passion and went to film school, which opened hiseyes to the world of cinematography. Upon graduation he co-founded the production company
Luchagore Productions alongside director Gigi Saul Guerrero and producer Raynor Shima, andsince then they’ve created frightening stories that have played around the globe. His credits
include the short film El Gigante, the web/TV series La Quinceañera, and most recently the horror
anthology Satanic Hispanics and the upcoming VHS 85. When he isn’t working on movies, Luke’s
hobbies include film photography and watching schlock films.

Producer
Satanic Hispanics, Bingo Hell

Raynor Shima is a Vancouver, BC based Producer and creator. He arose from commercial film tobecome an emerging independent producer to lookout for. He started his transition through apartnership, co-founding the award winning company, Luchagore Productions as an outlet forstory driven content, specializing in the horror genre. His films have gone to screen all over theworld from Sitges to LaLiff, winning multiple awards, and being recognized for a unique style offilms produced, that are heavily influenced with a Latino mix. In 2017 he collaborated with Warner
Brothers and Stage13 network in producing a 7 episode mini series called “La Quinceañera”, acoming of age revenge story. Raynor has worked with Blumhouse and Amazon in developing andexecutive producing “Bingo”, one of the final four “Welcome to the Blumhouse” anthology series,
released in 2021. His most current endeavor has taken two projects to Mexico City filming a new
horror anthology called “Satanic Hispanics”, with Epic Pictures and Dread Central. Along with the
newly announced and final franchise series VHS85,with Shudder, slated to come out in 2023.

125February 3 - 12 / 2023

Thank you!
Follow Us
T i c k e t s a t w w w.v i c t o r i a f i l m f e s t i v a l . c o m