VIFF 2025
The wait is over! We are excited to share with you the stellar line-up for the 44th Vancouver International Film Festival, October 2 – 12. Over 170 films, 80 shorts, VIFF Live performances, Talks and special events will light up the screens and stages across Vancouver. Take a moment, explore the program and get ready to VIFF!
Today's Highlights
Last Night in Taipei
Oct 8 & 9
Dir. Cheng-Chui Kuo 郭承衢
A lively, bittersweet ode to love and friendship that pays tribute to Taipei.
Wrong Husband
Oct 8 & 10
Dir. Zacharias Kunuk
“A cautionary tale about how keeping promises can be both affirming and damaging, [Wrong Husband] is another unique effort from one of Canada’s most unique talents.” – Andrew Parker, The Gate
Best Canadian Feature Film, Toronto 2025
The Little Sister
Oct 8
Dir. Hafsia Herzi
The youngest of three sisters in a conservative Franco-Arab household, Fatima is absorbed in her studies and resisting the family pressure to be married off. But the pull to explore sensual realms grows stronger by the day.
Best Actress (Nadia Melliti), Cannes 2025
Visual Architect: Frederick Elmes on Four Decades of Cinematic Collaboration
Oct 8
Legendary cinematographer Frederick Elmes has spent decades helping to define the visual language of directors like David Lynch and Jim Jarmusch. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear about the craft behind some of cinema’s most unforgettable moments.
© Vague Notion
Fiume o Morte!
Oct 8 & 9
Dir. Igor Bezinović
“Igor Bezinović‘s highly creative documentary Fiume o Morto! serves as a reminder that even the most oppressive and vainglorious dictators can have markedly ephemeral legacies.” – Guy Lodge, Variety
Tiger Award (Best Film), FIPRESCI Award, Rotterdam 2025
The Bora
Oct 8 & 12
Dir. Mohammad Esmaeili محمد اسماعیلی
The discovery of a dead body during a mountain expedition unravels a 15-year-old murder mystery linked to the victim’s friend.
Ticket Release
A limited number of tickets will be releasing at noon today for these popular films:*
*Tickets will be available online or by phone only.
Special Tip
Is the movie you want to see on Standby? Check the VIFF Daily emails or this page every morning for seats to your most-wanted films! More tickets may become available throughout the Festival.
Add These Films to Your Watchlist!
See something you’re interested in? Log into your VIFF account and click the heart icon to add it to your personal watchlist!
particle dance
A poetic tribute to the artistic innovations of Japanese architect Kengo Kuma. particle dance captures the humility and beauty of Kuma’s balancing act between tradition and experimentation, as he seeks to reconnect humans with their natural environment.
My Father's Son
Blending sci-fi and family drama, My Father's Son takes us through the past, present, and future of a computer engineer. As a child, Qiao is bullied by his father; in the present, his father is laid to rest; and in the future, he’s resurrected via AI.
Our Hero, Balthazar
A wealthy student's performative online videos put him on a collision course with an online troll, who may be planning an act of mass violence. Oscar Boyson's film is a searing examination of youth disaffected by the internet and driven to destruction.
Now Playing
Hemela
Hemela is a tender documentary celebrating resilience and cultural memory in a diasporic community. Through food, laughter, and tradition, Pirouz Nemati crafts a luminous portrait of a woman whose everyday life radiates extraordinary warmth and joy.
Steal Away
Get Out meets Rosemary’s Baby in this surreal psychological thriller from award-winning director Clement Virgo (Brother, VIFF 2022), as a sheltered teenager (Angourie Rice) obsesses over the mysterious refugee her mother has taken in (Mallori Johnson).
5: The absurd & spiritual
Shorts from: Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Finland, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Poland, Portugal.
Remaining Native
Teenager Ku Stevens runs toward his dreams while retracing the path of his great-grandfather’s escape from an "Indian boarding school". An impressive, urgent debut from Paige Bethmann about memory, endurance, and what it truly means to remain Native.
Cutting Through Rocks
Winner of Sundance's World Cinema Documentary Grand Jury Prize, Cutting Through Rocks follows Sara Shahverdi — motorcyclist, midwife, and first-ever councilwoman elected in her Iranian village. A vérité triumph by Sara Khaki & Mohammadreza Eyni.
VIFF Live
Live performances that push the boundaries of traditional film programming, intersecting cinema culture with music, comedy, podcasting, and performance in unique, cinema-infused live shows.
Julianna Barwick and loscil
Acclaimed ambient, experimental musicians Julianna Barwick and loscil share the stage for the first time to immerse audiences in their ethereal soundscapes and hypnotic new live AV performances.
Wilfred Buck's Star Stories Live With Wilfred Buck and Lisa Jackson
Join renowned Ininew (Cree) astronomer, star knowledge keeper, and author Wilfred Buck for Star Stories: a cosmic journey into teachings and tellings of the northern night sky, narrated live by Buck, and in conversation with co-director Lisa Jackson.
Image: Courtesy of Door Number 3 Productions
Closing Gala: Köln 75 With Live Performance by Chris Gestrin
Experience the transcendent power of music: Vancouver pianist Chris Gestrin performs a set of Keith Jarrett-inspired music to accompany Köln 75, which tells the story of Jarrett’s iconic concert, which became the best-selling solo album in jazz history.
VIFF Talks
The world’s leading creators share expertise on their craft.
Visual Architect: Frederick Elmes on Four Decades of Cinematic Collaboration
Legendary cinematographer Frederick Elmes has spent decades helping to define the visual language of directors like David Lynch and Jim Jarmusch. Don't miss this opportunity to hear about the craft behind some of cinema’s most unforgettable moments.
Image: © Vague Notion
Choreographed Chaos: Ramon and Silvan Zürcher on Domestic Surrealism and Cinematic Precision
Employing collaboration and a shared vision, Ramon and Silvan Zürcher create meticulously observed, drolly absurd dramas that transform domestic spaces into surreal landscapes.
Image: © Iris Janke
From Intimate to Infinite With Writer, Creator Jenny Lumet
From Rachel Getting Married to Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Jenny Lumet is a master storyteller. She's forged a unique path, building a career that champions diverse voices and crafts deeply human stories. Join us as she shares her journey.
Making It Happen With Jeremy Dawson, Producer: From Aronofsky to Anderson
From title designer to award-winning producer, Jeremy Dawson has played a role in some of your favourite movies. Join us to hear about his journey through cinema and his collaborations with filmmaking giants like Wes Anderson and Darren Aronofsky.
Bringing Monsters to Life With VFX Supervisor Dennis Berardi, Frankenstein
While classic creatures remain timeless, modern audiences demand something that feels authentically alive. VFX supervisor Dennis Berardi (Frankenstein, The Shape of Water) is a master of balancing practical artistry with digital innovation.
Building the Extraordinary With Marcus Rowland, Production Designer, The Running Man
An engaging conversation with Marcus Rowland as he takes us behind the scenes of his creative process, revealing how he builds these unforgettable worlds and navigates the collaborative art of bringing impossible visions to life on screen.
Explore VIFF's Year-Round Series
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