We had a lot of fun writing our romantic date guide a little while back, so we thought it would be nice to do a quick follow-up! Especially because one of our picks, the Vancouver International Film Festival, has got some seriously fun, quirky, and romantic films to check out with that special someone. And since things kick off today, there’s no better time to share them!
Here are 8 films of the best date-night films to watch during VIFF this year.
Learn to Swim (Canada)
This feature-length directorial debut from Tyrone Thommy follows a Toronto jazz musician named Dezi. Surreal by design, the film is a meditation on love, loss and artistic expression. And, it doesn’t hurt that there are some amazing jazz sequences in there.
The White Fortress (Canada/Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Set in post-war Sarajevo, a young man named Faruk is tasked by a local crime boss with escorting a young woman around the town. He gets more than he bargained for, as Mona unveils certain truths about a life of crime and the costs it may carry. But, this bleakness in circumstance does not eradicate romance.
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Wildhood (Canada)
A coming-of-age tale with a relatively unique premise, Wildhood follows Link, a two-spirit Mi’kmaw teen who discovers that his mother may still be alive. He sets off with his brother, Travis, to go and find her, but not without the unexpected companionship and help of another Mi’kmaw teen named Pasmay.
Sin La Habana (Canada)
Leonardo and his girlfriend Sarah are both desperate to leave Cuba, but their chances of doing so are slim to none. Enter Nasim, a Canadian-Iranian divorcee at Leonardo’s salsa dancing school, and the prospect of becoming a resident through marriage. Set between Cuba and Montreal, the film features gorgeous cinematography as the tale unwinds.
The Book of Delights (Brazil) (North American Premiere)
Based on a 1969 Clarice Lispector novel, this movie depicts an erotic love story between a school teacher and a philosophy professor. Given that Lispector is one of Brazil’s most celebrated novelists, this is sure to be an engaging, complex, and fulfilling story of romance and interesting characters.
Paris, 13th District (France)
If you’re looking for a laugh, this movie is the one to check out. It features four protagonists as they rotate, criss-cross, and move all about this comedy by director Audiard. The director seamlessly weaves and plays with the main protagonist of this story, focusing and un-focusing the movie on them as they come in and out of the film.
Strawberry Mansion (USA)
This movie is set in the year 2035 and features people who can audit dreams. Yes, they go into people’s dreams and assess their back-taxes for their fantasies. If that premise doesn’t interest you, we don’t know what will. It’s sure to be filled with a multitude of dreamy imagery and wild set design. It would have to with a premise that wild!
The Worst Person in the World (Norway/France/Sweden/Denmark)
The Worst Person in the World, to some, might be the best movie of the year! This movie is part of director Joachim Trier’s “Oslo Trilogy” and features, what else, a really bad person. This comedic, fantastical, and interesting coming-of-age film follows Julie as she goes through life, destroying things in her wake. We highly recommend this joint.
And those are some great date-night films you should check out at VIFF this year. But, don’t let this list be your only guide. There are tons of really great movies coming to the city for VIFF and we highly recommend checking out as many as possible.
Happy watching!
