VANCOUVER, BC: Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) is delighted to announce the 40th edition’s complete programming lineup for Special Presentations and the VIFF Short Forum, coupled with the 2021 cohort for the Catalyst mentorship program. Special Presentations are highly anticipated titles by the world’s top filmmakers; VIFF Short Forum is a showcase of the myriad perspectives and approaches that are redefining Canadian short filmmaking; and Catalyst is a cohort-based facilitated mentorship program presented by Creative BC and supported by the RBC Emerging Artists Project that provides emerging filmmakers with the tools they need to embolden their cinematic voices.
Special Presentations includes one world premiere, one Canadian premiere, and the latest addition to the VIFF lineup: The Power of the Dog by Jane Campion, which focuses on the charismatic rancher Phil Burbank who inspires fear and awe in those around him until his brother brings home a new wife and her son, tormenting them until he finds himself exposed to the possibility of love; starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons and Kodi Smit-McPhee.
“After a long hiatus from in-person programming, we could not be more excited to roll out the red carpet once again. And this year’s Special Presentations are a cause for such celebration,” says Alan Franey, Director of International Programming. “The scope of work being showcased is simply phenomenal, featuring auteurs like Terence Davies and Kenneth Branagh; stars such as Tilda Swinton and Benedict Cumberbatch; and a spectrum of stories ranging from intimate human dramas to towering historic narratives.”
Additional highlights include the world premiere of The Sanctity of Space by Renan Ozturk and Freddie Wilkinson, which follows the directors as they traverse Denali National Park and uncover the story of pioneering photographer and cartographer Bradford Washburn; the Canadian premiere of Red Rocket by Sean Baker (The Florida Project), a luminous, seriocomic fable about America’s underclass through the eyes of a washed-up porn star in Texas; and Memoria by Apichatpong Weerasethakul, the director’s first film in English starring Tilda Swinton as an expat orchid grower in Colombia with a strange malady.
All films will be presented in-cinema, in strict compliance with provincial COVID-19 health and safety protocols, and select titles will be available for streaming across the province and Canada-wide on the festival’s online streaming platform, VIFF Connect. The 2021 Catalyst program will also be held in-person, in accordance with provincial regulations, with recorded sessions available for those who are unable to attend in-person; Catalyst sessions are accessible for cohort members only.
VIFF Short Forum features 12 world premieres, two Canadian premieres, and one North American premiere. Of the 37 titles, 16 are BC-made shorts. Highlights include the world premiere of Canucks Riot I by Vancouver filmmaker Lewis Bennett, a found-footage documentary about the chaos on the streets of Vancouver that unfolded in the wake of the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals; the world premiere of Prometheus by Babel Theatre’s co-artistic director Marie Farsi, a radical visual adaptation and re-imagining of the Greek myth that examines feminine power inside the patriarchy; the world premiere of The Untouchable by Avazeh Shahnavaz, an incendiary drama set in the streets of Tehran; and the world premiere of Tla-o-qui-aht Dugout Canoe by Steven Davies, about master carver and land defender Joe Martin who reconciles his past as a clearcut logger in Clayoquot Sound by revitalizing the ancestral knowledge and artistic practice of the traditional Tla-o-qui-aht dugout canoe.
“Neil Gaiman once said: ‘A short story is the ultimate close-up magic trick — a couple of thousand words to take you around the universe or break your heart’; this sentiment is equally true of short films,” says Curtis Woloschuk, Associate Director of Programming. “VIFF Short Forum presents films involving explorations of experiences both harrowing and heartening. We are thrilled to be sharing the potent, poetic work of such vital artists. In an era that demands resilience, these films assure us that cinema is alive, well, and a force to be reckoned with.”
Now in its fourth year, Catalyst offers emerging and underrepresented filmmakers the opportunity to meet and be mentored by industry professionals with a level of equality in a facilitated and intimate setting. To increase the program’s inclusivity this year, the 2021 application process was opened to individuals over the age of 35, to aspiring filmmakers, and to later career filmmakers for the first time, in recognition of the fact that some filmmakers enter the industry later in life due to social, structural and/or economic barriers. Cohort members will participate in an expanded program that includes a masterclass with Vancouver filmmaker Joella Cabalu (It Runs in the Family), an RBC workshop for emerging filmmakers that delves into funding for films, and nine flagship sessions. The sessions include roundtables with directors, Canadian and international programmers, distributors, and more.
The 2021 cohort is Anna Anaka, Mariam Ingrid Barry, K.J. Edwards, Jamuna Galay-Tamang, Jenny Lee-Gilmore, Mily Mumford, Natalie Murao, Andrea Nirmala Widjajanto, Sean Patterson, Hân Phạm, Rosie Choo Pidcock, Rachel Rose, Morgan Strug, Ian Tan, and Cole Vandale.
“Catalyst is expanding its mission every year to uplift emerging filmmakers and artists. Rylan Friday, 2020’s Catalyst Programmer, made an effort to decolonize the program, to make it more conversational, collaborative and attuned to the needs of marginalized artists. I sought to build off of his incredible work,” says Caroline So Jung Lee, Catalyst Programmer and a former member of the 2019 Catalyst cohort. “Ethics, care, collaboration, equity, representation and access are increasingly important considerations for the program and mentees. The guests at sessions are talented artists who reflect the diversity of the cohort, and it’s important for emerging filmmakers to see those in their community thriving and creating their own path in the arts. We’re excited about Catalyst’s future initiatives to nurture and uplift under- and mis-represented filmmakers. The program is committed to supporting and mentoring storytellers in order to create a more vibrant, rich and engaged local film community.”
Films streamed on VIFF Connect will include a selection of recorded Q&A’s from filmmakers and creators supported by Creative BC.
VIFF SHORT FORUM: A showcase of the myriad perspectives and approaches that are redefining Canadian short filmmakingCommunity Broadcast Partner TELUS
Ajjigiingiluktaaqtaugut (We Are All Different) dir. Lindsay McIntyre (Canada) | Canadian Premiere | BC Short Bad Seeds dir. Claude Cloutier (Canada)
Big Things dir. Eric Peterson (Canada)
The Blactor dir. Rukiya Bernard (Canada) | BC Short
Boobs dir. Marie Valade (Canada)
Canucks Riot I dir. Lewis Bennett (Canada) | World Premiere | BC Short chocolate dir. Charlene Moore (Canada)
Defund dirs. Khadijah Roberts-Abdullah, Araya Mengesha Canada) Evan’s Drum dir. Ossie Michelin (Canada)
Flower Boy dir. Anya Chirkova Canada)
Hatha dir. Asia Youngman (Canada) | World Premiere | BC Short
Heavy Petting dir. Brendan Prost (Canada) | Canadian Premiere
The Horses dir. Liz Cairns (Canada) | BC Short
Indigenous Dads dir. Peter Brass (Canada) | World Premiere
The Isobel Imprint dir. Ali Grant (Canada) | BC Short
Jean Swanson: We Need a New Map dir. Teresa Alfeld Canada) | BC Short
Kiri and the Girl dir. Grace Dove (Canada) | World Premiere | BC Short
Like the Ones I Used to Know dir. Annie St-Pierre Canada)
Mary Two-Axe Earley: I Am Indian Again dir. Courtney Montour (Canada)
Meneath: The Hidden Island of Ethics dir. Terril Calder Canada)
Militant Mother dir. Carmen Pollard (Canada) | BC Short
The Mohel dir. Charles Wahl (Canada)
Nalujuk Night dir. Jennie Williams (Canada)
News From Home dir. Sara Wylie (Canada) | World Premiere | BC Short
On Either Side dir. Elisa Julia Gilmour (Canada) | World Premiere
Personals dir. Sasha Argirov (Canada) | North American Premiere | BC Short Prometheus dir. Marie Farsi (Canada) | World Premiere
A Safe Distance dir. Gloria Mercer (Canada) | BC Short
Solitary Skies dir. Amanda Cassidy (Canada) | World Premiere | BC Short
Srikandi dir. Andrea Nirmala Widjajanto (Canada/Indonesia) | BC Short
Things We Feel but Do Not Say dir. Lauren Grant (Canada) | World Premiere Tla-o-qui-aht Dugout Canoe dir. Steven Davies (Canada) | World Premiere | BC Short Together dir. Albert Shin (Canada/South Korea)
Twelve Hours dir. Paul Shkordoff (Canada)
The Untouchable dir. Avazeh Shahnavaz (Iran/Canada) | World Premiere
A Void dir. Dominique van Olm (Canada)
Without You dir. Mina Shum (Canada) | World Premiere | BC Short
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS – Highly anticipated titles by the world’s top filmmakers
All My Puny Sorrows dir. Michael McGowan (Canada)
Belfast dir. Kenneth Branagh (UK)
Benediction dir. Terence Davies (UK)
Bergman Island dir. Mia Hansen-Løve (France/Belgium/Germany/Sweden) Drive My Car dir. Ryusuke Hamaguchi (Japan)
The Electrical Life of Louis Wain dir. Will Sharpe (UK)| Opening Film
Everything Went Fine dir. François Ozon (France)
Memoria dir. Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Thailand/Colombia/UK/Mexico/France/Germany) Mothering Sunday dir. Eva Husson (UK)
Night Raiders dir. Danis Goulet (Canada/New Zealand)
Official Competition dirs. Mariano Cohn, Gastón Duprat & Spain)
One Second dir. Zhang Yimou (China)
Petite Maman dir. Céline Sciamma (France) | Closing FilmThe Power of the Dog dir. Jane Campion (Australia/New Zealand)
Red Rocket dir. Sean Baker (USA) | Canadian Premiere
The Sanctity of Space dir. Renan Ozturk, Freddie Wilkinson USA | World Premiere The Worst Person in the World dir. Joachim Trier (Norway/France/Sweden/Denmark)
CATALYST: A cohort-based facilitated mentorship program for emerging filmmakers
Presented by Creative BC, Supported by RBC Emerging Artists Project
In-person sessions at the VIFF Centre (1181 Seymour St.) — accessible to cohort members only
Festival 101
Cohort team building and festival orientation from current VIFF staff and past Catalyst alumni.
Funders
World café-style meetings with key representatives from funding organizations.
Business of Film Masterclass
Filmmaker Joella Cabalu teaches a workshop on the business of film.
First Feature Case Study
A director who has recently released their first feature shares the process with the cohort.
Ethics and Care
Directors and producers discuss ethics and care within their filmmaking practice and the industry.
Directors
Roundtable with directors of recently released features.
Canadian and International Programmers
Roundtable with Canadian and international programmers.
Producers
Roundtable with local producers.
Canadian and International Distributors
Roundtable with Canadian and international distributors.
Equipment and Facilities
Roundtable with representatives from key gear houses and artist-run centres.
RBC Workshop
Information session on finance for emerging filmmakers.
Tickets and Information
VIFF Connect Single Tickets for Films and Talks VIFF Connect Festival Pass
VIFF In-Cinema Single Tickets for Films and Talks VIFF In-Cinema Special Presentations
VIFF Limited Edition Festival Pass 40th Anniversary 4 – Ticket Pack VIFF AMP Pass In-person
VIFF AMP Pass Online
$10
$80 Regular / $60 Student / $110 Household $15 Regular / $13 Senior/ $10 Student
$17
$725
$48 Regular / $32 Student / $44 Senior
$75 Regular / $25 Student
$25 Regular / $15 Student
Totally Indie Day In-person Totally Indie Day Online VIFF Immersed
$45 Regular / $25 Student $25 Regular / $15 Student Free
Single tickets and passes available at viff.org
To explore VIFF’s complete 2021 programming, visit viff.org
VIFF’s health and safety protocols — in strict compliance with provincial health orders — can be viewed HERE.
With the generous support of these partners:
#VIFF2021
About VIFF
Founded in 1982, the Greater Vancouver International Film Festival Society is a not-for-profit cultural society and federally registered charitable organization that operates the internationally acclaimed Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) and the year-round programming at the VIFF Centre. VIFF produces screenings, talks, conferences, and events that act as a catalyst for the community to discover the creativity and craft of storytelling on screen. For its 40th edition, VIFF takes place both online and in-cinema, from Oct. 1to 11, 2021, showcasing the top international, Canadian, and BC films along with creators and industry professionals from around the globe.
VIFF is presented on the traditional and unceded territories of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil‐Waututh) Nations.
RECAP:
VIFF ADDS JANE CAMPION’S THE POWER OF THE DOG AND UNVEILS FILMS FOR SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS, SHORT FORUM, AND SPEAKERS FOR CATALYST PROGRAM 40th Vancouver International Film Festival October 1–11, 2021
Visit viff.org .
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