(mermyhh/Pixabay)
It’s that time of year again, Vancouver International Film Festival is on its way, bringing fresh new films to the city for its 44th year. Covering the entire program, 170 movies and 80 shorts, isn’t possible in one reasonably short article, so I’ll try my best to tell you about a bit of everything.
First off, where exactly is the festival held? VIFF uses many of downtown Vancouver’s most notable theatres for screenings, which include the following:
-Fifth Avenue Cinema
-Granville Island Stage
-International Village Mall Theatres 7-10
-SFU Woodwards
-The Cinematheque
-The Rio
-Vancouver Playhouse
-VIFF Centre
Alright, let’s talk movies. This year, the Special Presentation lineup is at its largest ever, with the likes of Noah Baumbach (Marriage Story) and Jim Jarmusch (Only Lovers Left Alive) among the directing talent in the roster. One of the most exciting films in this category is Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, the next film in Rian Johnson’s highly popular Knives Out series.
If you were also somewhat disappointed that Brendan Fraser’s big Hollywood comeback from a few years ago with The Whale was seemingly short-lived, he’s back once again in Hiraki’s Rental Family, the story of an American actor who takes a job at a rental family agency in Tokyo.
In the Showcase, more familiar talent will be featured, such as Director Richard Linklater’s Blue Moon, a period piece set in the 40’s about lyricist Lorenz Hart. If you’re looking for something with a more Canadian angle, many local and indigenous artists will be featured as part of the Northern Lights series, like Director Sophy Romvari’s Blue Heron, a film detailing a Hungarian family’s move to Vancouver Island, and the issues that follow.
The Altered States series promises to be a wild time, with films like Radu Jude’s Dracula taking a stab at Hollywood’s AI problem with the unique angle of a shlocky vampire film, and Albert Birney’s OBEX, where the protagonist is sent into a video game world where he must defeat the ultimate villain: his demon-possessed dog.
If you’re a film fan, you’re not going to want to miss VIFF this year. There’s something for everyone to enjoy, unless you only watch Marvel movies, in which case, there’s a Cineplex theatre every few kilometers for your viewing pleasure. Jokes aside, tickets are on sale now, so don’t drag your heels! The festival starts on October 2nd, so don’t worry, you’ve got plenty of time to rewatch the other Knives Out films before seeing the new one.
Written by Noah Schmidt
Contact: nschmidt20@my.bcit.ca