Unlike that other juggernaut film fest currently drawing A-listers to the Centre of the Universe like well-dressed moths to a flame, the Vancouver International Film Festival isn’t consumed with glitz, red carpets, and paparazzi shots.
Removed from the flashbulbs and distractions of celebrity culture, VIFF is – unabashedly and unapologetically – all about the films: comedies and thrillers, dramas and documentaries, shorts and the not so short, studio-supported and fiercely independent.
And there’s plenty to choose from – 355 films from 70 countries – and a lot of firsts: 32 world premieres, 33 North American premieres, and a whopping 53 Canadian premieres.
Many of these films have already collected accolades and awards at venerable fests around the globe, like Dheepan, which took the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, and The Assassin, which won Taiwanese auteur Hou Hsiao-Hsien the Cannes Best Director prize.
In less than six months, some of these films will probably find themselves among the nominees for the 88th Academy Awards – and perhaps, like the film that closed last year’s VIFF (the percussive American drama Whiplash), among the winners.
With so much to choose from, even the most learned local cinephile has got to wonder: where to begin?
According to Jacqueline Dupuis, VIFF’s executive director, the festival prides itself on its bounty of entry points, including its glossy guide, official app (which promises to put “the entire VIFF lineup at your fingertips”), web site, and good, old-fashioned buzz.
“It’s just about keeping your ear to the ground and seeing what people are talking about, but also looking at what you’re interested in and using our tools to find things that will rock your world,” says Dupuis in a phone interview on the eve of VIFF’s media launch.
(We’ve got tools, too: check out the list of picks from VIFF alumni).
There is no single thread running through all 355 films, says Dupuis, but they are each somehow representative of VIFF’s commitment to excellence.
“I feel very confident in saying that our programming team and our reputation precedes us in terms of presenting a festival full of the most excellent films from around the world,” Dupuis says firmly.
“And while I know that sometimes you’ll come out from a film having had a challenging experience, I think, for the very most part, you’ll know that you experienced something excellent, and I think that that’s really important.”
If the schedule is any indication, VIFF thinks that Canadian film is particularly excellent. With its Canadian Images series, VIFF serves up the largest showcase of Canadian cinema on the planet.
Made in Canada highlights include: the ridiculously timely political satire My Internship in Canada from Oscar-nominated director Philippe Falardeau; Paul Gross’ Hyena Road, set in the waning days of Canada’s combat mission in Afghanistan; Beeba Boys, an intense drama about Indo-Canadian mobsters from Water director Deepa Mehta (“It’s an important film for Vancouverites to see, because it speaks to some of the challenges in our community, and specifically with respect to the South Asian community,” says Dupuis); Alan Zweig’s Hurt, a profile of fallen Canadian icon Steve Fonyo; and the 11 feature-length films that populate the BC Spotlight series.
That last series – which launched in 2013 and shines the proverbial spotlight on films born and bred in BC – has broken attendance records for VIFF; previous to that, the most well attended program for many years was the Canadian Images series.
These kinds of numbers, Dupuis says, speak volumes about VIFF’s place in the local and national biz.
“We’ve showcased, since [Canadian Images’] inception, over 2,500 Canadian films to audiences upwards of one million,” says Dupuis. “I think it really shows that, as we showcase these Canadian films, we have a really important role in the Canadian film industry in that we build audiences and awareness for these Canadian films.
VIFF isn’t only about screening excellent films for appreciative houses. VIFF Industry (a screen-based media conference that will explore topics like discoverability, virtual reality, and indie filmmaking) and VIFF Industry Exchange (billed as Canada’s only marketplace devoted to digital online content) draw screen media insiders to Vancouver for workshops, talks, and intensive meet-and-greets for several days during the fest.
These two initiatives are part and parcel of VIFF’s commitment to being more than just a presenter of films, says Dupuis.
VIFF wants to spark creation, too.
“The local industry is vast. It’s huge. It’s the third largest film and television production centre in North America, and it’s the third largest digital media production centre in the world, and the local filmmaking community has a unique opportunity to hone their skill sets by working on some major productions, and then having the opportunity to work on their own work,” says Dupuis.
“I really feel that VIFF is a catalyst in the middle of this ecosystem. We support the industry through various initiatives, specifically VIFF Industry which helps emerging to senior level content creators sharpen their skills and build their contact bases, and that’s a really important part of helping to sustain and grow the local industry.”
The 2015 Vancouver International Film Festival kicks off on Sept. 24 with a gala screening of Brooklyn, Nick Hornby’s adaptation of Colm Tóibín epic novel about an Irish immigrant (portrayed by Saoirse Ronan) searching for independence, love, and the American dream in 1950s-era NYC.
VIFF closes on Oct. 9 with two screenings of I Saw the Light, in which Tom Hiddleston sings and struts as ill-fated country music legend Hank Williams (Loki is already getting serious Oscar buzz for his performance).
For tickets and full screening info (including venues and film descriptions), and a rundown of the VIFF Industry and VIFF Industry Exchange conferences, visit VIFF.org.
