Guess what, movie lovers? The lineup for the 41st annual Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF 2022) just dropped, and we couldn’t be more excited for the festival’s in-cinema return!
This year’s program includes 130 feature films and 100 shorts, which will be screening across seven venues around the city. Guests of VIFF can also expect 20 different film-related events to take place over the festival’s duration – so let’s get into it.
“Over the past two years, film offered many of us an important portal to the larger world, providing inspiration and escape during periods of isolation. Finally, filmmakers and audiences can come together to share that irreplaceable communal experience of watching a story unfold on the big screen,” says VIFF Executive Director Kyle Fostner.
The films
Bones of Crows, via VIFF
The festival will officially open with Bones of Crows by Métis filmmaker Marie Clements, an epic tale of Aline Spears, a Cree matriarch played by Grace Dove (Monkey Beach) who survives the residential school system and becomes a code talker for the Canadian Air Force during WWII.
Recent Posts:
Food guide: Here are all the unique eats you can find at the PNE Fair this year
Ice cream, coffee, & cocktails: You can take a tour of all the Nanaimo bar-inspired treats in BC
Broker, Photo via VIFF
The closing gala will feature VIFF favourite Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Broker, a sprawling crime story about a baby kidnapping scheme starring Parasite’s Song Kang-ho. ICYMI: This role landed Kang-ho the best actor award at Cannes this year!
As for the most anticipated films to be presented this year, audiences can look forward to seeing the following special presentations:
- The Banshees of Inisherin, dir. Martin McDonagh (Ireland, UK, USA)
- Corsage, dir. Marie Kreutzer (Austria, France, Germany)
Corsage, Photo via VIFF
- Decision to Leave, dir. Park Chan-wook (South Korea)
- Empire of Light, dir. Sam Mendes (UK/USA)
- EO, dir. Jerzy Skolimowsk (Poland, UK, Italy)
- The Grizzlie Truth, dir. Kathleen S. Jayme (Canada) – World Premiere
Still from The Grizzlie Truth, via VIFF
- One Fine Morning, dir. Mia Hansen – Løve (France, Germany)
- The Son, dir. Florian Zeller (UK)
- Stars at Noon, dir. Claire Denis (France)
Stars at Noon, Photo via VIFF
- Triangle of Sadness, dir. Ruben Östlund (Sweden/UK/USA/France/Greece)
- The Whale, dir. Darren Aronofsky (USA)
- Women Talking, dir. Sarah Polley (USA)
In terms of locally made films, The National Film Board of Canada is debuting three world premiers and eight total works at VIFF 2022:
- Ever Deadly, dir. Tanya Tagaq and Chelsea McMullan
- The Flying Sailor, dir. Wendy Tilby and Amanda Forbis
- Heartbeat of a Nation, dir. Eric Janvie
- Lay Down Your Heart, dir. Marie Clements
Lay Down Your Heart, via VIFF
- A Motorcycle Saved My Life, dir. Lori Lozinski
- Unarchived, dir. Hayley Gray and Elad Tzadok
- Zeb’s Spider, dir. Alicia Eisen and Sophie Jarvis
You can view the full lineup of film screenings and more info about each work here.
The events
In addition to viewing films by visionary filmmakers from Canada and across the world, VIFF will feature a range of interactive live exhibits and film talks led by industry professionals, award-winning artists, and changemakers in the scene.
Take a costume masterclass with Academy Award-winning Costume Designer Deborah Lynn Scott (Titanic, Back to the Future, Transformers, and more), or delve into the hauntingly beautiful scores of Jordan Peele’s Us and Get Out with Composer Michael Abel.
“After two challenging and uncertain years, we’re thrilled to be offering a complete in-person film festival featuring hundreds of screenings and Q&A’s, complemented by an extraordinary lineup of talks and events with some of the industry’s leading talents.”
What’s new
New to VIFF’s event lineup is Signals, presented by VIFF and DigiBC. The interactive program explores how new creative tech can generate unique opportunities for storytelling – and includes the Vancouver premiere of This Is Not A Ceremony, a cinematic VR experience by Ahnahktsipiitaa (Colin Van Loon).
Also new this year is a competitive series showcasing the work of eight rising filmmakers from around the globe called Vanguard. Check out the work of first and second-time directors who are already shaking things up on the international scene!
Tickets & dates
Finally, let’s talk tickets. Single tickets are $15 for regular screenings ($10 for students), $17 for Galas and Special Presentations, and $10 for VIFF Connect. A variety of festival passes and ticket packs are available for purchase here.
This year’s festival will take place from Thursday, September 29th to Sunday, October 9th.
VIFF 2022
When: Thursday, September 29th to Sunday, October 9th
Where: 1181 Seymour Street
Cost: $10-$17 for single tickets
