It's just over one month until the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) returns, and 435 screenings have been announced, along with live performances, talks and more.
The festival will bring 170 feature movies and 100 short films to 10 Vancouver venues from Oct. 2 to 12 with a mix that includes made-in-B.C. content, Canadian premieres of international titles, and documentaries. Highlighted this year are films from Korea, Indian productions, and Canadian and Indigenous filmmakers.
"We're preparing to host more than 110,000 patrons over 11 packed days," said VIFF executive director Kyle Fostner in an Aug. 27 press release.
"We have 20 percent more screenings, in new theatres and new neighbourhoods. Our programming team continues to expand, with top-tier curators from around the world bringing fresh perspectives."
VIFF 2025 program highlights
Among the specific highlights will be the opening night film Nouvelle Vague from Richard Linklater (Boyhood, Dazed and Confused, Before Sunrise), an evening with Marc Maron including a showing of Are We Good? (a documentary about Maron and the death of his partner, Lynn Shelton) and a Q&A, and a talk from Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner director Zacharias Kunuk.
Among the films getting their Canadian premier at VIFF are Jim Jarmusch’s Father Mother Sister Brother, Noah Baumbach’s Jay Kelly, and What Does That Nature Say to You from Korean director Hong Sang-soo.
The festival will close with Ido Fluk’s Köln 75, which will be accompanied by a live jazz piano performance inspired by Keith Jarrett (whose famed concert in Cologne in 1975 inspired the film).
Sorry, Swifties! Rumours debunked
Sadly, Swifities who latched on to an online rumour circulating via a TikTok video pegging VIFF as a likely venue for the premiere of a Taylor Swift documentary film will have to keep trying to decode the pop star's cryptic Vancouver-themed message (and celebrating her engagement to NFL star Travis Kelce); the film fest does not include anything Swift-related in its wildly impressive 2025 line up.
Vancouver International Film Festival
When: Oct. 2-12, 2024
Where: Various venues around Vancouver, including the VIFF Centre at 1181 Seymour St.
Cost: Varies. Individual film tickets start at $21
With an additional file from Lindsay William-Ross
