Feature Films

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The Vic Theatre Thought-provoking flm, Sing-Alongs, Quote-Alongs, special events, and…local beer, wine, cider and cheese! Movie Under the Maltworks | Spring & Summer Kick back with a cold beer, a tasty snack, and a great cult classic in the OVIE UNDER THEALTWORKS unique venue of the Phillips Brewery Backyard. There's always a quirky M surprise to rock your night! CineKids Inspiring skills and personal development in youth through the magic (and hard work) of flmmaking! The Free-B Film Festival | August Curl up under the stars and enjoy free flms every Friday and Saturday in August! The whole family will enjoy these treasures from moviemaking history.

Feast Food & Film | June Bringing together the best of both worlds: food and flm! Inspired pairings of food, drink and flm from the quirky to the divine.

Art of the Cocktail | October A festival celebrating the art, craft and tradition of the cocktail. At the Grand Tasting, sample new and classic cocktails. Our Workshops will pique your inner mixologist. 2 Contents pg 68-72 UK pg 73-74 Italy pg 29-33 Wave pg 87-88 BC Thrill Chill pg 75-78 France PERSPECTIVE WORLD pg 41-88 CANADIAN pg 17-40 WAVE pg 79-80 pg 89-92 Shorts Japan pg 79-86 pg 35-37 ASIAN Canadian French Wave pg 94-96 pg 84-86 VFF in Sidney India Perspective Indigenous pg 39-40 China pg 83 pg 81-82 Taiwan Cinema Sips n’ pg 100 Workshop pg 108 VR ViFPA pg 105 Conversation Armistead Film Index Maupin pg 104 pg 112 With In pg 56-59 Schedule AMPLIFY Film pg 99-108 SpringBoard pg 106-107 Instigators pg 14-15 THE DEETS pg 4 The Gala Reading Room VR Viewing Deep Dive Pop up pg 101 Ages Messages All pg 9+13 Welcome (you’re lookin’ of Contents Table at it) Membership pg 9-10 Partners Tickets Passes FilmCAN pg 111 Cinekids pg 102 Family Day pg 103

3 Contents Festival Team Board of Directors Festival Director | Kathy Kay President | Dan McDonagh Head Programmer | Donovan Aikman Vice President | Pat Ferns Operations Manager | Jenna Savage Secretary | Marcus Handman Development and Treasurer | Joel Cave Volunteer Coordinator | Alanah Garcin Directors at Large | Barbara Hager, Rain Li, Communications | Kinga Binkowska Sheena Macdonald, David Simmonds The Instigators Community Engagement | Nadim Hejeili The Vic Theatre | Will Banks Graphic Design | Cyan Kregosky Advisory Committee Richie Mehta is a Canadian flm director. His frst feature flm, to digital video production, to using electronics flm, Amal, was released in 2008, and was nominated for and machinery to create interactive sound and light Best Motion Picture and Best Director at the 29th Genie installations and kinetic sculptures. Awards. He is also known for Siddharth and I’ll Follow You Cory Bowles is a multidisciplinary artist from Nova Down (both 2013). His most recent project was India in a Scotia, Canada. He has appeared as an actor in a Day (2016). His work centres on culturally diverse story- number of flm, radio and television shows, receiving a driven flms that come from a very personal place. Gemini for the role of “Cory” in the TV series Trailer Park Larry Weinstein is one of Canada’s most prolifc and Boys. He is currently one of the directors of the series, accomplished documentary flmmakers. His flms have receiving a nomination for the 2016 DGC award for been broadcast in more than 40 countries and he has Outstanding Direction in a comedy series. Cory wrote and been honoured with retrospectives around the world. directed the award-winning short flms The Scavengers The majority of his 30 award-winning flms centre on (Fantasia ’08), Heart of Rhyme (TIFF 2011), Anatomy of music and the creative process. In 2007, Larry received Assistance (TIFF 2013) and Righteous (VIFF 2014). the Cannes MipDoc International Trailblazer Award with David Geiss grew up on a Saskatchewan homestead in the citation, “Weinstein is a deserving awardee for his Treaty 4 territory; he now resides on Vancouver Island in creativity, originality and risk-taking, and for pushing the Coast Salish territory. He holds a Screenwriting MFA from genre of documentary forward.” the University of Victoria, a Film Production BFA from the University of Regina, and several years of experience Section Programmers working in the Canadian flm industry on Corner Jo Duncombe is the Film Programmer at the Gas, Moccasin Flats, and more. He has programmed for Independent Cinema Offce in the UK where she works Living Skies Student Film Festival, Queer City Cinema strategically to develop the future of independent cinemas and Short Circuit. David is the Executive Director at across the UK through innovative programming. Before CineVic Society of Independent Filmmakers, and teaches joining the ICO, Duncombe was the Programme Director screenwriting and flm production courses at UVic. of the London Short Film Festival. Jody Shapiro is a flmmaker and photographer. He Alex Rogalski currently programs for Hot Docs, Calgary has directed and produced a number of documentaries, International Film Festival and the Victoria Film Festival. including How To Start Your Own Country (2010), Past programming work includes the Toronto Film and Burt’s Buzz (2014). His recent performing arts Festival, the Yorkton Film Festival and the Human Rights documentary showcasing Isabella Rossellini’s theatrical Watch Film Festival. Rogalski is the Executive Director of show, Green Porno Live (2015), can now be seen on PAVED Arts and New Media in Saskatoon. Netfix. Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers currently programs for the Jeff Chiba Stearns is an Emmy® nominated and Webby Victoria Film Festival. Tailfeathers is a writer, director, award-winning animation and documentary flmmaker. producer and actor. She is a member of the Kainai First After graduating from Emily Carr University with a degree Nation (Blood Tribe, Blackfoot Confederacy) and a in Film Animation, he founded Vancouver-based boutique member of the Sámi people from Norway. Her flmworks, animation studio Meditating Bunny Studio Inc. in 2001. including Bloodland, A Red Girl’s Reasoning, Bihttoš, Jeff’s short and feature flms have been broadcasted and c̓əsnaʔəm, the city before the city, have screened around the world, screened in hundreds of international at such festivals around the world as the Berlinale flm festivals and have garnered over 40 awards. International Film Festival, imagineNATIVE and the Seattle International Film Festival. Ali Weinstein is a documentary flmmaker from Toronto. Her frst feature flm Mermaids premiered at Hot Docs Selection Committee 2017. In addition to directing her own work, she is an Scott Amos is an internationally screened award-winning Associate Producer at Primitive Entertainment. Ali holds flmmaker and media artist living and working in Victoria, an MFA in Documentary Media Studies from Ryerson BC. While earning an MFA from UVic’s Department of University. Writing, his fascination with technology, both current and antiquated, led him from 16mm experimental 4

SUPPORTED BY: OUR THANKSGOOUTTO ALL OFOURVFFVIP enjoying withyourmembership! Want tojointheclub?Headoverpage109andcheckoutexcitingbeneftsyoucouldbe while supportingindependentflmanduniqueprogramminginthecommunity Our membershavejoinedanexclusivegroupof“VFFVIPs”whoenjoyinsideraccesstotheFestival to bringflmlifeinGreaterVictoria. The Victoria FilmFestivalisanon-proftorganizationthatreliesonmembershipcontributions Thank You,VFFVIPs! David Simmonds Tammy Oswald Marjie Welchframe Stuart Munger Alyse Frampton Laurie Tighe Beverley Houldsworth Ellen Brown Jan Denney Magenta Susan Leacock Louise Bosenberg Franc D’Ambrosio First InLine W. Paterson Ferns,CM Fiona Hunter Joel Cave Michael McHugh Barbara Hager Helen McDonald Kathy Kay Marcus Handman&GwendolynMaroon Susan Snell Marie-Pierre Lavoie Translation Inc. Unwind Anne Macnab Bruce Gauld Julia Retallack Em See All Urban SolarCorp. Dan McDonagh Lyndsay Green June &DonnieWing Producers CircleFilmReel Innis LakeEntertainment Frank &OlgaUrbanski Sheena Macdonald&PhilSchmitt Producers CircleGoldReel If youwouldliketobecomeadonor- supporters enjoybehind-the-scenes A Victoria FilmFestivalmembership offers manyexcitingbenefts.Our S screenings throughouttheyear. peeks andinvitationstospecial member pleaseseepg109for DONOR-MEMBER : BECOME A more information. TODAY! .

7 Donor Thank You

MEDIA HOST HOTEL DIRECTOR PRODUCER because with Brexit on the horizon the time seemed seemed Brexit horizon time with the the on because For 2018 stream we have Kingdom aUnited added stimulated inspired. that and you challenged, will be is anewto road. discovering say hope My orthose of vanguard the new –flmmakers something with over for 1000 looked that ones and flms were part took committee selection a and of programmers Film Festival’s Victoria the In this, 24th year, ateam of times lead change. the often and came evolving they still is and advantages took they as that aesthetic modern created language and the playing chronology. with and They time, perspective They tension, conveying of created idea building the invented cinema. conventions of the modern the one. vanguards The newthe pretty road the not created by vanguards: interested more in people of our have medium parts best alwaysThe been Welcome MessagefromFestivalDirector Festival Director Kathy Kay Hartwig. Gerald and Phil Schmitt Macdonald, people, Sheena special manythree and very donors always As possibility. of help the with we survive volunteers make who Festival ten-day the a team and of I want staff to aremarkable thank screen? on goes inwhat shift creative. anoticeable be there Will the will impacts to watchright political how the

9 Welcome & Sponsors GOVERNMENT Sponsors

VENUE

SUPPORTING

Premier ofBritishColumbia John Horgan opportunity totake inallthatVFFhastooffer. of artsandculture.Pleasetake advantageofthiswonderful We arefortunatetoliveinaprovincethatissoappreciative festival. far toparticipateinthisyear’s also liketowelcomeeveryonewho hastraveledfromnearand volunteers formakingthisfestival acontinuedsuccess.Iwould dedication, andIwouldliketothank theorganizersand Events likethesetakeanincredible amountofworkand international flmsforourcommunitytoimmerseourselvesin. VFF continuestooffer adiverseselectionofCanadianand better understandourselvesandourcommunities.Since1995, and hasthecapacitytoprovideamirror of oursocieties.Filmisapowerfulmedium back toustheconditionsandcircumstances The artsplayanimportantroleinrefecting (VFF). to the24theditionofVictoria FilmFestival Columbia, Iampleasedtowelcomeeveryone As PremieroftheProvinceBritish John Horgan message fromtheHonourable Minister ofCanadianHeritage Mélanie Joly Bon festivalàtous!Enjoytheflms! enrichissant. inspirent. Jevoussouhaiteàtousunfestivalpassionnantet rendez-vous, ainsiquelescinéastesquinouséclairentet organisateurs etlesbénévolesquiontassurélatenuedece À titredeministreduPatrimoinecanadien,jeféliciteles diversité etfontvaloirdesidéespointsdevuenouveaux. de Vancouver etlesdivertir, grâceauxflmsquisoulignentnotre festival sauraplaireauxauditoiresdetousleshorizonsl’île œuvres auxcôtésdeflmsinternationauxremarquables.Ce et francophones−desoccasionsdemettreenvaleurleurs diens −ycomprislesmembresdescommunautésautochtones d’appuyer leVictoria FilmFestival,qui offre auxcinéastescana diens etleurshistoires.C’estpourquoinoussommesheureux Notre gouvernementestferd’investirdanslescréateurscana et nousunissent. Les artsetlaculture,ycomprislecinéma,enrichissentnosvies Bienvenue auVictoria FilmFestivalde 2018! I wisheveryoneanexcitingandrewardingfestival. possible, aswelltheflmmakerswhoenlightenandinspireus. event the organizersandvolunteerswhohavemadethisyear’s As MinisterofCanadianHeritage,Iwouldliketocongratulate and putforwardnewperspectivesideas. diences ofallbackgroundswithflmsthathighlightourdiversity flms. ItpromisestoentertainandengageVancouver Islandau nities toshowcasetheirworkalongsideoutstandinginternational those fromIndigenousandFrancophonecommunities—opportu which givesCanadianflmmakers—including pleased tosupporttheVictoria FilmFestival, creators andtheirstories. This iswhyweare Our governmentisproudtoinvestinCanadian together. ing powertoenrichourlivesandbringus Arts andculture,includingflm,havealast Welcome tothe2018Victoria FilmFestival! Mélanie Joly message fromtheHonourable - - - - - Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps Sincerely, Victoria FilmFestival.Enjoytheshow! beer andcoffee inthecountry. Thank youforsupporting the don’t missoutontastingsome of thebestfood, our greatwalkableneighbourhoods andvillagecentres. And Canada’s oldestChinatown,ourcharmingOld Town district, and man’s Wharf,andwaterfrontpaths.Wander through Victoria’s beautyandvisitourpicturesque InnerHarbour, Fisher While youareenjoyingthefestival,besuretotakeinsomeof renowned festival. ings, events,andworkshops,butalsocoordinatethis nizers andvolunteers,whonotonlyorganizeyear-roundscreen arts andculturecapital.Congratulationstothecommittedorga creativity andinnovationthatcharacterizesVictoria asthe This long-runningandgrowingfestivalrefectsthe a diverserangeofflmmaking. continue tointroduceVictoria tofresh talent in premieres toitscredit,thefestivalwill With severallocal,nationalandglobalmovie showcase over100featureandshortflms. As inyearspast,thisstimulatingeventwill Film Festival. pleasure towelcomeyouthe2018Victoria On behalfoftheCityVictoria, itismygreat Lisa Helps message fromtheHonourable And, ofcourse,Iwanttothankyoutheaudienceforwatching missioners attheNFB. Marlie OdenandFelixFraser, andtheGovernmentFilmCom Board members,someofwhomarefromthisregion,including berg, andWayne Clarkson. Thanks alsotoourpastandpresent Pearson, PierreDesRoches,FrançoisMacerola,RichardSturs including MichaelSpencer, MichaelMcCabe, André Lamy, Peter Teleflm’s staff andExecutiveDirectorsfromovertheyears, I wouldliketotakethisopportunitythankandacknowledge Canada totheworld. ducers andtechnicianswho,duetotheirincredibletalent,show volunteers, aswelltheactors,directors,screenwriters,pro including ourpartners,theVictoria FilmFestival,theirstaff and years oftalent—tohonourthosewhohelpedbuildthisindustry, great opportunitythisgivesustocelebrate50 2017 marksour50thanniversary!Whata Canada. flms inCanadaledtothecreationof Teleflm development ofanoriginalmodelforfunding based onCanadianexperiences.In1967,the dreamed ofoffering Canadiansmorestories Several decades ago, our country’s flmmakers Carolle Brabant message fromtheHonourable Executive Director, Teleflm Canada Carolle Brabant discovery anddelight. On behalfof Teleflm, Iwishyou allawonderfulfestivalfullof content forscreensofallsizes.Playitforward… cinema withadiversegenerationofemergingtalentcreating Looking tothenext50years,futureisbrightforCanadian them, forsharingthem—forallowingthemtoliveandbreathe. Canadian moviesforthelastfvedecades,talkingabout

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13 Welcome 24th Victoria Film Festival Opening Gala

Get ready to do your best Gay Gordon as we whisk you off to the Highlands of Scotland for a romp through the heather where you’ll be kicking up your heels to the Scottish Ceilidh band for a wee bit o’ dancing. There will be whisky tastings and golf. Lovely wines, the best of Spinnakers’ brew and cider, and you’ll be as ‘fu’ as a puggie’ after the delights prepared by Table 21. Watch out for the sheep and don’t get lost in the fog. Twirl and dip anyone? OpeningFRIDAY · FEBRUARY 2 Gala

SUPPORTED BY:

14 WATER Sat |February37:00PMStarCinema Fri |February28:00PMVictoriaConferenceCentre Netherlands/UK |201689min Director: Robert JanWestdijk Canadian Premiere thoughtful flm. stunning settings in this charming and unexpectedly am uor eggn la promne and performances lead engaging humour, warm aeby, ietr oet a Wsdj blends Westdijk Jan Robert director Waterboys, BOYS Set to a soundtrack of Scottish folk rock band The band rock folk Scottish of soundtrack a to Set emotional maturityandwisdom. il oh ore twrs hi on esos of versions own their towards journey both will despite their extreme differences, Victor and Zack and Victor differences, extreme their despite rnig n tmolr – e od u hp that, hope out hold we – tomfoolery and drinking gives the flm its name, and indulging in hedonist in indulging and name, its flm the gives at fy-fshing, scoring tickets to see the band which band the see to tickets scoring fy-fshing, at ctads euiu Hglns tyn ter hand their trying Highlands, beautiful Scotland’s s e olw h pi o ter ore through journey their on pair the follow we As some company. also just been kicked out by his girlfriend and needs sl-osiu ad efdpeaig els, has cellist, self-deprecating and self-conscious a him. Serendipitously, Victor’s son Zack (Tim Linde), him when his long-suffering wife decides to leave to decides wife long-suffering his when him of the trip, Victor’s womanising ways catch up with up catch ways womanising Victor’s trip, the of Scotland and embark on a publicity tour. On the eve in Edinburgh, presents an opportunity to travel to travel to opportunity an presents Edinburgh, in have garnered attention abroad. His latest work, set Holland, but it’s been a while since any of his books Victor (Leopold Witte) is a successful crime writer in unusual journeywhichhealstheirbrokenbonds. mtoal sniie o a te ebr o an on embark they as son sensitive emotionally tr o a imthd gtsia fte ad his and father egotistical mismatched a of story n lsi ra-oi form, road-movie classic In to CanadafortheVictoria FilmFestival. A wheeling comedy drama makes its frst trip International Film Festival in Edinburgh 2017, this free- the at audiences charming fter fun Waterboys + zingy el the tells +

poignant

15 Opening Gala 16 Feature Films pg 68-72 UK of insightfulvoices pg 73-74 curates aprogram Máijá Tailfeathers PERSPECTIVE INDIGENOUS ITALY flmmaker Elle- from current pg 39-40 Artist and cinema. audacieux, moderne What isgoingonout the homeofl’air there? Ohbaby,are The othervoice et jeuneesprit. of Canadaand you evergoingto FRANCE CANADIAN pg 75-78 PERSPECTIVE FRENCH pg 35-37 WAVE pg 41-88 WORLD fnd out. FEATURE pg 87-88 THRILL CHILL

FILMS BC WAVE pg 29-33 pg 84-86 INDIA CINEMA pg 79-86 ASIAN must beallthatfresh CHINA swear wedon’tlook young talent–you about youBowles. a dayover101.It pg 83 know I’mtalking We’re 150andI CANADIAN pg 17-40 pg 79-80 WAVE JAPAN TAIWAN pg 81-82 Thank you: REBELS high-camp + affectionate + amusing ON POINTE

Sat | February 3 | 6:15 PM | SilverCity 3 Canadian Wave Tue | February 6 | 4:00 PM | The Vic

triving for perfection in one of the most refned forms of dance, ballet dancers hold a rarifed Sspot in the world of performance that requires a delicate combination of athleticism and aesthetics. In the more than 40 years since their frst show in the heart of Manhattan’s Meatpacking District, the all-male drag troupe Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo has blended high art with entertaining camp. Inspired by the itinerant nature of the Ballet Russes, the Trocks’ performances of Swan Lake and other ballet classics have taken them to stages in more than 35 countries and 500 cities, where they have gained a rapturous following, delighting audiences old and new. Make no mistake though, despite their comedic antics and satirical send-up of the form, the Trocks are a talented company whose passion for dance and dedication to craft is beyond question. With men dancing in all the roles in oversized toe shoes, balancing as fairies, sylphs, swans and romantic princesses, the physical demands and versatility of their abilities heighten rather than diminish the art form. With behind-the- scenes access, director Bobbi Jo Hart highlights the dancers’ lives without the makeup and tutus. They share their personal stories and often diffcult journeys, as many have come from less tolerant parts of the world to join the troupe. Entwining their personal lives with performance footage, interviews and archive materials, Rebels on Pointe embodies the passion, artistry and humour that has made this company a worldwide favourite. Director: Bobbi Jo Hart Quebec | 2017 | 90 min Documentary Audience Award | Santa Barbara Int'l FF

If there’s one thing this year’s flms demonstrate, it’s that there is no such thing as a ‘Canadian’ flm. Whether in fction or documentary form, the flmmaking is as exciting and unique as its subject matter. From urban centres to remote territories - current events to historical injustices, the diversity on display represents a country rich with culture and talented storytellers. And we’re not confned within our borders. Our flmmakers have always excelled when sharing stories from abroad, providing a fresh perspective and a better understanding of the world around us. Canadian Programmer Alex Rogalski 17 ADVENTURES bright + farcical + self-aware IN PUBLIC SCHOOL Sat | February 10 | 6:15 PM | SilverCity 3 Canadian Wave Sun | February 11 | 1:00 PM | SilverCity 3

fter years of being home schooled in a garage-turned-classroom by his well Aintentioned and hilariously enthusiastic mother Claire, Liam (Daniel Doheny) makes frst contact with a public school when he prepares to take the high school equivalency exam in a gymnasium with his would-be peers. While the test would have been a breeze for this wannabe Stephen Hawking, the sight of Anastasia (Siobhan Williams) evokes surprising feelings in this socially secluded teen. Emotion takes over his intellect and he quickly changes his answers to ensure his frst failure, hoping the results will allow him to redo his fnal semester and have a true high school experience and perhaps even a girlfriend.

What ensues is a fresh and fun twist on the tried and true coming-of-age high school romantic comedy, with a laugh-out-loud performance by Judy Greer (Ant-Man, Archer). Her helicopter parenting never misses a teachable moment, including wonderfully awkward lessons in cursing and safe sex.

Kyle Rideout is quickly becoming one of Canada’s most versatile directors, with a keen ability to use genre without being predictable. His standout feature debut, a biography of Eadweard Muybridge (an inventor of early motion picture), displayed the same ability as Public Schooled, featuring a gifted outsider doing his best to adapt to society’s norms, yet staying true to himself. A sharp script and premise rife with comedic potential make this one of the year’s smartest and funniest Canadian flms. Director: Kyle Rideout British Columbia | 2017 | 86 min

18 WE MAKE cinematic + questioning + thoughtful COUPLES

Tue | February 6 | 7:00 PM | Parkside Canadian Wave

here are precious few Canadian flmmakers whose flms consistently defy easy Tclassifcation and understanding. Mike Hoolboom is without doubt a part of that group. For those who have embraced and followed his work over the decades, what he doesn’t offer easily in answers, he unfailingly makes up for with sublime lyrical feasts for the eyes and ears that can be found almost nowhere else. We Make Couples stands as yet another strong and unique addition to his cannon of cinematic experience.

On the surface, We Make Couples starts as a study of Marxist love in a capitalist society, but questions abound. Its two protagonist voices ceaselessly and unjudgingly going back and forth, searching for answers. How much is a kiss? What are our roles in this relationship? In this society? Where do I begin and you end? Am I just projecting on to you? You on to me? Is this all just cinema? What certainties do we have about we are seeing?

The answers to these questions about love might seem more conclusive in We Make Couples than those found normally in Hoolboom’s vast repertoire. That is no disappointment though. It is affrmation. And where words fail, Hoolboom’s loves and images linger on long after the lights come up. Director: Mike Hoolboom Ontario | 2016 | 58 min

With short: Turtles are Always Home

Houses have memories too. They hide them under their windowsills, tuck them in layers of paint and whisper them to birds passing by. Rawane Nassif Lebanon/Qatar/Canada 12 min 19 NEVER STEADY, quiet + rich + powerful NEVER STILL

athleen Hepburn’s formidable feature debut, developed from her award-winning Kshort flm of the same name, makes the most of its expanded space to explore the story of Judy (Shirley Henderson), a loving mother coping with Parkinson’s amidst the stunning beauty and rugged nature of northern British Columbia. Judy’s incurable disease makes the most mundane tasks, likw buttoning a shirt, an effort of extreme focus and determination. Her husband Ed (Nicholas Campbell) provides much needed support as her caregiver. Rounding out the family is Jamie (Théodore Pellerin), their grown and aimless son, whose personal struggles are less visible but no less debilitating. A sudden loss makes their already diffcult lives more fragile. Reluctantly, Jamie goes to Alberta’s oil felds in hopes this will lift a burden from his stoic mother, who is ill equipped yet resolved to survive in isolated circumstances. Shirley Henderson’s astonishing performance as Judy combines the quiet resolve learned from a life that has never been easy with the demanding physicality of the role. The devastating effects of long-term illness on a family draw out both the compassion and cruelty that exist in people around us. The former is evident in the friendship that Judy and Jamie form with a pregnant teenage cashier, while Jamie must contend with an abusive and toxic co-worker (Jared Abrahamson) in an already brutish work environment. As writer/director, Hepburn is intimately familiar with the characters she has crafted and takes an understated approach to emotional material, resulting in a touching and deeply affecting work of cinema. Director: Kathleen Hepburn British Columbia | 2017 |110 min Emerging Canadian Director Award | VIFF Sea to Sky Award | VIFF

reat satire asks obvious questions that reveal uncomfortable truths. When it’s Gdone well, it gets people talking. Cory Bowles’ formidable frst feature has already added to the conversation regarding the abuse of police power and, in this particular story, how that power relates to race. An off-duty black police offcer is pushed over the edge after experiencing a traumatic incident at the hands of the boys in blue. After years of upholding the law and being committed to the oaths he made, he hits a breaking point. He then spends a day treating white people with the same hostility that black civilians have endured in a racially oppressive system. As the black cop becomes increasingly consumed by his outrage, the ethical conundrum he faces is combined with the tension that things could get really out of hand. Making effective use of body cams, dash cams and activist video from real protests, Bowles doesn’t shy away from connecting his stylized satirical drama to real-world events taking place across North America. Ronnie Rowe Jr. succeeds in making his character truly universal, confrming the wisdom of the decision by Bowles (who wrote as well as directed) to leave the character and the urban centre nameless. It is this omnipresence that makes the flm so engaging. This could be anywhere. As a result, audiences can’t dismiss the morality of the issues by distancing themselves from their own culpability in it. This is a hard topic to tackle, but Black Cop is the bold confrontation we need. Director: Cory Bowles Nova Scotia | 2017 | 91 min Best Canadian Film | VIFF Best Atlantic Feature | Atlantic Int'l FF

21 MARY GOES nuanced + caustic + humour ROUND

ary (Aya Cash) has a complex life. She has a drinking problem which makes her job as Ma substance abuse counselor complicated and hypocritical. After a particularly bad night on the town where she gets arrested on a drunk driving charge, she loses her job and fancé (and becomes the unfortunate highlight of an online viral video). Financially forced to return to her hometown of Niagara Falls and her estranged father Walt (John Ralston), this prodigal daughter realizes she needs to come to terms with much deeper issues that led to her current circumstances. Clichés about hitting rock bottom fnd a bright new take in Molly McGlynn’s frst feature, focusing on a dysfunctional family that is doing its best to repair its broken past. Each fnely crafted character has personal demons to atone for, but McGlynn draws out a sly humour that makes their individual faws very relatable and keeps the flm from drowning in self-pity. As Walt is looking to amend the broken relationship with his daughter, made all the more urgent with his cancer diagnosis, Mary must contend also with a much younger half-sister Robyn. Providing support and letting her know she’s not the only one with issues, is her straight-talking AA sponsor Lou (a pitch- perfect performance by Melanie Nicholls-King). Aya Cash gives a compelling and nuanced portrayal of Mary as an emotionally stunted adult who needs to face some hard realities in order to move forward and claim the life she desperately wants. BC Premiere Director: Molly McGlynn Ontario | 2017 | 84 min

fter spending a decade in prison, Valerie Walker (Sheila McCarthy) is returning Ahome and welcomed by her husband and daughters, Eleanor (Katie Boland) and Zoe (Grace Glowicki). Convicted of causing the death of a neighbor by operating a vehicle while under the infuence, Valerie has had ten years to ponder her actions. Now she would like to focus on the future by building new memories with her family and move on from the past. In their small suburban community, it becomes clear however that you can’t hide from your history. Soon after her homecoming, the son of the victim from the drunk-driving accident knocks on Valerie’s door. Mark (Noah Reid) would like closure with the woman who killed his father, but it becomes clear he’s suspicious about Valerie’s past and won’t let it go until he’s discovered the full truth. Supported by a terrifc cast, McCarthy provides one of the best performances of her celebrated career as a mother willing to sacrifce anything to protect her daughters as she maneuvers around neighbours, her therapist, her AA group and witnesses to her crime. Despite the heavy premise of this gripping psychological thriller, Moore’s script benefts from sharp wit and spot-on performances that breathe life into its characters. Dark humour balances the tension of the secrets Valerie holds close. Although she has paid her debt to society, the burden she bears is inescapable in one of the year’s most riveting dramas. Directors: Grayson Moore, Aidan Shipley Ontario | 2017 | 84 min

cross the country, urban gentrifcation has ignited a much needed discussion about Aaffordable housing, community and social economics. At the core of these conversations are people who are looking for a place to call home. Toronto Community Housing’s Villaways neighbourhood was built in the 1970s in an isolated and marginalized part of the city. As Canada’s largest city has grown into a developer’s hub for high-rises and high density living, no area of the city has been spared - including Villaways. The neighbourhood has been designated for redevelopment between 2016 and 2019, and during construction all the current residents will be relocated. The revitalization promises a fresh start, but for those who call Villaways home, the transition is a major disruption to their already diffcult lives. For Francine Valentine, an insightful 12-year-old growing up in the area, the world revolves around her friends and family. She has joined the local ‘Art Starts’ and the ‘Up & Rooted’ music program, embracing the opportunity to express herself with honesty and beauty. Both the program and the flm share their unique perspective. The bigger social issues of this multiple award- winning flm are framed in a heartfelt coming-of- age story that brings audiences into a world that can’t be conveyed by statistics, politicians and activists. Through Francine’s eloquent words and by following her daily routines, Charles Offcer has created an exceptional work of non-fction cinema that transcends social observation. Director: Charles Offcer Ontario | 2017 | 88 min Documentary Best Canadian Feature Documentary | Hot Docs Best Canadian Feature Documentary | VIFF Top Ten Film | TIFF 2017

24 INDIAN HORSE injustice + redemption + revelation Sun | February 11 | 6:15 PM | SilverCity 3 Canadian Wave

aul Indian Horse is a boy stolen from his Ojibwe family in the 1950s and forced into San Ontario residential school. Punished, abused and stripped of his culture at the hands of merciless and sinister teachers, he discovers a talent for hockey that gives him a temporary escape from the horrors of the oppressive system that confnes him. But as his rapidly evolving skills on ice provide him with an outlet and opportunity, he can’t evade the torment of his past. In this timely adaptation of Richard Wagamese’s 2012 acclaimed novel of the same name, director Stephen Campanelli brings to the screen an unfinching refection on our history, addressing the horrifc injustices and residual trauma of the residential school system that spanned this country, while highlighting the power of our national game as a transcendent unifying force. Sladen Peltier, Forrest Goodluck and Ajuawak Kapashesi give incredible performances, each portraying Saul with profound strength and empathy at different moments in his life over two decades of struggle and perseverance. Wagamese’s evocative prose is stunningly translated into a cinematic form by Campanelli, who has worked for decades as a part of the camera team on Clint Eastwood’s flms (Eastwood is an executive producer of this flm). Sadly, Wagamese passed away during production of the flm that he felt “had a lot of dedication to follow the novel as closely as possible”. Indian Horse gives renewed life to the award-winning novel, bringing a story of national importance to new audiences. Director: Stephen Campanelli Ontario | 2017 | 100 min Audience Award Narrative Feature | Calgary FF People’s Choice Award | VIFF

25 SHINERS touching + intimate + warm Tue | February 6 | 9:00 PM | The Vic Canadian Wave

ncreasing automation has disrupted many forms of labour in the past century. Disposable Icommodities and technological innovations have made trades that were once lifelong careers vulnerable to disappearance. The shoe shine is emblematic of this dramatic cultural shift. Don has been polishing shoes in Manhattan for more than 15 years. Once an accountant and pastry chef, he’s now a shiner and showman, a street corner philosopher who plies his trade in the public eye. He provides a gateway into the world of service that was once as common as the daily newspaper and the pride in his work is instantly recognizable. This cinematic travelogue illuminates an eclectic range of charming shoe shiners and their working environments around the world, from a simple wooden box full of tools to a high-end shoe salon. The contrasts are striking between a boutique service in Japan that rivals a tea ceremony’s attention to detail, and a mother in La Paz, Bolivia, who has worked outdoors since she was 16 to provide for her children. Though they share a common calling, these entrepreneurs bring their own special touches to their trade. As the ‘buy local’ and handcraft industries fnd a resurgence among a younger generation, nostalgia and a demand for quality are providing new hope for livelihoods that were on the brink of extinction. Seamlessly blending individual portraits while highlighting their collective humanity, director Stacey Tenenbaum walks a mile in her subjects’ shoes to elevate this unassuming vocation to an art form. Director: Stacey Tenenbaum Quebec | 2017 | 78 min Documentary

26 LET THERE BE LIGHT quixotic + fusion + planet saving Sat | February 3 | 6:30 PM | Capitol 6 n the 19th century, whale oil was a valued commodity, traded globally. These days, the notion of harvesting these magnifcent mammals seems barbaric and destructive. In the near future, proposals of pipelines and offshore Idrilling might seem equally archaic, especially if a dedicated group of scientists manages to unlock the power of

fusion. Canadian Wave In the most expensive and complex science experiment ever conducted, physicists and scientsts from around the world attempt to build an artifcial sun on Earth. If it works—and that’s a big if— it means cheap, clean energy for the entire globe. If it’s a bust, naysayers and fossil fuel fans win. Dedicated scientists from the world’s wealthiest countries are collaborating in an effort to turn nuclear fusion from theory into sustainable practice. Out of public view in the French countryside, they’re in a race against time before funding expires and political will weakens. Set against the gargantuan scale of this project and its science fction–like qualities, maverick engineers in improvised laboratories hustle to achieve the same results for a fraction of the cost. In the process, they’re courting independent investors who are gambling on the potential for humanity’s biggest breakthrough since we learned to control fre. Directors Van Royko and Mila Aung-Thwin break down high level physics into very understandable terms while sharing the stories of those individuals who have dedicated their lives to their scientifc passion. Like great science fction, they present a possible future that is tied directly to our shared humanity. Directors: Mila Aung-Thwin, Van Royko Quebec | 2017 | 80 min Documentary Artistic Vision Award - Big Sky FF

MODIFIED moving + personal + questioning Thu | February 8 | 6:30 PM | Capitol 6 Sat | February 10 | 7:00 | Parkside hy does Canada not label genetically modifed foods (GMOs)? In the information age, consumers are increasingly aware of the source of their purchases. Food production has become highly-industrialized Wand public trust is placed in the government to protect us from harm. Farmers’ markets and ‘buy local’ initiatives have provided alternative choices when shopping, but the majority of the population is at the mercy of multinational food corporations. In the wake of Super Size Me and Food, Inc., the documentary has played a signifcant role in educating and advocating for accountability from food providers. For her frst feature documentary, director Aubé Giroux has spent the past decade documenting the grassroots movement to label GMOs across North America. “I wanted to fnd out why Canada has refused to label GMOs since their introduction 20 years ago,” says Giroux, “especially given that 88% of Canadians want them labelled and 64 countries around the world already require that GMOs be labelled in food products.” Her flm takes on a personal purpose, with her mother (an avid gardener and seed saver) diagnosed with a brain tumor during the flm’s production. The mother and daughter journey to get answers, exposing an agribusiness industry that is intricately involved in determining food policy. Giroux makes a compelling case that transparency and sustainability are two practices that need to be at the forefront of this issue vital to our existence. If we are what we eat, then the more we know the better we will be. BC Premiere Director: Aubé Giroux Nova Scotia | 2017 | 86 min Documentary 27 ROMANTIC evocative + embracing + adventurous ROAD

upert & Jan Grey, both in their mid-sixties, have raised three daughters in a draughty Rold cottage in the south of England. Now empty-nesters and approaching retirement from their careers as a lawyer and bereavement visitor, Rupert and Jan are experiencing a case of wanderlust. Eschewing group tours and luxurious cruises, an invitation to be guests of honor at a Human Rights festival in Bangladesh sparks their sense of adventure. An undeniable eccentric, Rupert approaches his life with a ‘why not’ attitude. This leads him to crate their family car, a battered and well-loved 1936 Rolls Royce, and ship it across an ocean to Mumbai, where the recent retirees pick it up and embark on a cross-continent road trip. Over six months and 8000 kilometres they travel side by side encountering maharajahs and tribal conficts. Trips of this kind are often more about the journey than the destination and Romantic Road is no exception.

Oliver McGarvey’s frst feature flm shows great commitment to his craft and sensitivity to his subjects, whom he happens to have known since childhood. McGarvey is also the sole crewperson travelling with his old family friends, a position which offers him a unique perspective on the couple and their novel escapade.

Stunning landscapes pass through every scene in this heartfelt travelogue, seen through the eyes of a couple who are willing to take risks and deepen their long-lasting relationship. Encapsulating the idea that age is but a number, Rupert & Jan provide a shining example that it’s never too late to take a trip on the wild side. BC Premiere Director: Oliver McGarvey Alberta | 2017 | 90 min Documentary Best Feature Documentary | Edmonton Int'l FF 28 MEDITATION powerful + emotional + triumphant PARK BC Wave Sun | February 4 | 7:30 PM | Victoria Conference Centre Mon | February 5 | 7:00 PM | Star Cinema

aria has spent her life as a devoted wife and mother. Never questioning Mher husband Bing’s authority as a provider and excusing his vices, she has willingly followed his wishes, including not speaking to their estranged son. While doing Bing’s laundry one day, her world is turned upside down when she discovers lingerie tucked away in his pants’ pocket. Unable to look past his hurtful deception, she takes matters into her own hands. In an attempt to gather more evidence of his philandering ways (leading to some humorous investigating), she sets out on a path of self-discovery and chance encounters with the unexplored city around her. As she builds unlikely friendships with quirky neighbours and tries new things like learning to ride a bike with encouragement from her grown daughter (Sandra Oh), this heart-warming flm redefnes the coming- of-age drama. As one of her new friends tells her, “First we obey our fathers, then our husbands. When they’re gone we obey ourselves.” As a frst- generation Canadian, Maria’s story is recognizable to those who have spent their entire lives committed to making everyone else’s lives better at their own expense, able only in their later years to think of themselves frst. Director Mina Shum and Sandra Oh return to familiar themes about the immigrant experience that made their debut feature Double Happiness an audience favourite more than 20 years ago, while giving Vancouver a chance to shine as a character of its own. Director: Mina Shum British Columbia | 2017 | 94 min

eau Dick was many things: a Kwakwaka’wakw artist, enigmatic carver, environmentalist, Bformer drug addict, political activist and an inspiration for positive change. Working within an ancient carving tradition he created remarkable masks which are vibrant expressions of West Coast Indigenous culture. His work broke barriers, fnding a place among the white cube world of contemporary art and enabled him to rise to international success.

As one of Canada’s great artists Dick used his platform to embark on causes greater than himself. The Maker of Monsters manifested his political activism through a traditional ceremony that has not been performed in over 100 years. In 2013, Dick organized a 10-day, 500-kilometre journey across Vancouver Island to the Parliament buildings in Victoria. The following year he made a similar journey, this time to the steps of Parliament in Ottawa. In front of both Parliament buildings, he and others performed a copper-cutting ceremony, a century-old ceremony of public shaming that signifed the cleaving of a relationship. Using the voice of his ancestors, Dick called for the need of a break between the First Nations and the Federal Government. In a way that could be described only as typical Beau Dick, he connected tradition with the modern world to bring a clear message from his people.

Maker of Monsters: The Extraordinary Life of Beau Dick strives to capture the enigmatic essence of Beau Dick and is a captivating tribute to this infuential and recently deceased artist. So please, take your time to meet the mysterious Beau Dick and let him change you. Directors: Natalie Boll, LaTiesha Ti’si’tla Fazakas British Columbia | 2017 | 91 min Documentary

30 BLACK KITE intimate + defant + impassioned

Sun | February 4 | 4:30 PM | Odeon 5 BC Wave Tue | February 6 | 7:00 PM | Odeon 5

he place of the Taliban in Afghanistan’s history is well known. Afghanistan’s story is Ttoo often shortened to that of war and brutal religious intolerance. But once, not that long ago, it was a country that looked for its peaceful place in the modern world. It was a nation that few kites, and that dream has never died.

Starting from the 1950s when Mohammed Zahir Shah was still the last King of Afghanistan, we follow one family’s legacy of that modern world dream. Zahir Shah’s radical public education reforms make young Arian, the son of a kite maker, the frst of his family to graduate. However, his heart is not in his studies as much as it is in the skies and he stays true to the family business. The years roll by and Arian becomes a man, a husband and father always caught up in the ever changing backdrop of Afghanistan. But it is only when the Taliban are at their strongest that Arian will make the boldest move of his life: to fy a kite one more time in the dim moonlight with his daughter Seema.

Afghani-Canadian Tarique Qayumi’s Black Kite is a flm that captures a myriad curious times both personal and political, and there is no escaping the fact that they are not usually good for average Afghanis. But through colourful paper-flled skies and gorgeous animated segments, he always fnds hope for a country yet to come. BC Premiere Director: Tarique Qayumi BC/Ontario/Afghanistan | 2017 | 82 min

31 SHUT UP AND poetic + revelatory + introspective BC Wave SAY SOMETHING Mon | February 5 | 7:00 PM | Odeon 5

f you have heard of Shane Koyczan, you will never forget his name, much less his words. IThis Yellowknife-born, Pentincton-based poet captivates audiences with his spoken-word performances, most notably with his appearance during the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, when the world looked on and heard him move us to tears with “We Are More (Defne Canada)”. Online videos of his poems have millions of views and his live performances fll auditoriums. Shut Up and Say Something is so much more than a portrait of an artist; it cuts to the heart of Shane’s life offstage as he comes to terms with an unresolved past and the complex web of emotions that inform his prose.

Following Shane on a journey to unite with his long-estranged father, director Melanie Wood focuses on a story about family that is raw and emotional. Interweaving this with performance footage illustrates that with words alone, Shane has transformed his life and the lives of others by confronting the issues that have shaped him. As an outsider, a bully and introvert, he draws from past experiences with acute detail and profound empathy, and his work resonates deeply with those who see themselves in his poetry. Shane Kocyzan is one of those gifted individuals whose work transcends their medium - forevering altering the art of those who follow. For those willing to listen, Shut Up and Say Something is an unforgettable flm experience. Director: Melanie Wood British Columbia | 2017 | 81 min Documentary Most Popular Canadian Documentary | VIFF

arol’s life in Poland is going nowhere quickly. He spends his nights drinking and partying at clubs, while his BC Wave days are spent with his equally aimless chums involved in small time organized crime. His apparent lack of Kambition has left him living at home with his mother and sister, doing his best to avoid their judgement. A phone call from Brazil turns his world upside down. A one-night stand with a visiting tourist, Bruna, has turned him into a dad-to-be. Having grown up without a father fgure, Karol wants to be present for his child. He leaves Poland for Sao Paolo, where he hopes to make a new start. As Bruna (Bruna Massarelli) and Karol (Mateusz Nedza) get to know each other, it’s clear she’s not looking for a second dependant to complicate her life in a country in the time of political uncertainty. As they spend more time together however, their bond begins to grow as they see something in each other that was missing in themselves. Director Daniel Leo easily traverses cultures and continents in a touching and insightful love story that never loses sight of its foreboding title. At times reminiscent of Danny Boyle (Trainspotting), Leo’s editing and brilliant cinematography adds an auteur air to the flm he wrote, shot and directed. Leo is a rare flmmaking talent who makes the most of all of his abilities, but doesn’t let style get in the way of story in this impressive directorial debut. BC Premiere Director: Daniel Leo British Columbia | 2017 | 81 min Special Jury Mention, Best Canadian Feature Award | Calgary International FF

, CƏSNA?ƏM: THE CITY BEFORE THE CITY history + pensive + refecting Sat | February 3 | 4:00 PM | The Vic

, əsnaʔəm was frst occupied almost 5,000 years ago, becoming one of the largest village sites of the Musqueam people. Currently known as the Marpole neighbourhood in Vancouver, the remaining physical Cevidence of its inhabited origins lies buried beneath intersecting bridges, roads and railway lines. It was once the mouth of the Fraser River, a resource-flled location that provided a sustainable home for generations of families before colonization. In late 2011, the Musqueam Nation learned that developers were planning a condominium development on the site of one of their ancestral villages - without consulting them frst. This led to an empowered demonstration that halted construction and further desecration of discovered remains. While holding a multi-month vigil at the contested site, the Musqueam, the City of Vancouver, the B.C. provincial government and the developers worked diligently to fnd a suitable resolution. As Vancouver continues to evolve as a meeting place, this flm provides a timely refection on the unresolved issues about unceded land, both in the Lower Mainland and across the continent. Emerging from a multi-year collaborative project between the Musqueam First Nation, the UBC Museum of Anthropology’s curatorial team and the Museum of Vancouver, this documentary clearly demonstrates the power of testimony as an historical record. As members of the Musqueam Nation share their story, director Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers weaves their oral history with the documentation of the site. As the city continues to rapidly change and grow, the actions of what brought it to this point cannot be understated or forgotten. Director: Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers British Columbia | 2017 | 75 min Documentary 33

French Canadian Wave We are happy to collaborate for a fourth year with the Victoria Film Festival, as it is a strong reaffrmation of the showcase that the Festival provides for Quebec’s flms and their makers. It is also a great opportunity to introduce a rich selection of recent feature and documentary flms. The Tournée Québec Cinéma is proud to present a diverse program of varying artistic visions and unique works. Thanks again and again to the Victoria Film Festival team, including the Festival’s many volunteers, for their dedication to giving you the best movie experience ever! French Canadian Enjoy the Festival!

Cette quatrième collaboration avec le Festival du flm de Victoria nous réjouit car c’est une réaffrmation forte de la vitrine que le festival offre aux flms québécois et à leurs créateurs. C’est également une excellente occasion de présenter une riche sélection de longs métrages et de flms documentaires. La Tournée Québec Cinéma est fère de vous présenter un ensemble varié de visions artistiques et d’œuvres uniques. Merci encore et encore à l’équipe du Festival du flm de Victoria, y compris les nombreux bénévoles du festival, pour leur dévouement à vous offrir la meilleure expérience cinématographique possible! Bon festival!

François Lemieux Director of La Tournée du cinéma québécois

About Québec Cinéma Québec Cinéma’s mission is to promote Quebec’s cinema and its artists and professionals, and to contribute to the advancement of Quebec’s flm community. The organization is focused on improving access, education and awareness, reaching more than one million people in Canada and around the world every year. Québec Cinéma produces the industry’s three major showcases – the Gala Québec Cinéma, the Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma and the Tournée Québec Cinéma – as well as an extensive educational outreach program. HOCHELAGA, LAND OF SOULS HOCHELAGA, TERRE DES AMES CANADIAN OPENING FILM intimate + dynamic + cinematic

Sat | February 3 | 7:30 PM | Victoria Conference Centre

rançois Girard takes a fresh look at our history, focusing on the importance of cultural mixing in the making of Québécois identity. Centered on a small but symbolically rich piece of land, the story looks back 750 years, Freconstructing turning points in Montreal’s past. Starting with an Iroquois massacre in 1267 and ending with the Patriotes’ uprising in 1837, with the arrival of Jacques Cartier in 1535 and the great typhus epidemic of 1687 in between, the director of The Red Violin has created a majestic historical tapestry featuring superb cinematography by Nicolas Bolduc, top-notch special effects and a world-class cast. Chosen to represent Canada at the Oscars™, this sweeping epic reaffrms the crucial role of the First Nations in our culture’s founding. (Translation credits: Charles-Henri Ramond)

L’évocation de notre histoire collective permet à François Girard d’aborder sous un angle nouveau la prépondérance du métissage dans la défnition de ce que nous sommes. Centré sur un petit carré de terre emblématique, le récit remonte 750 ans en arrière pour retracer quelques moments clé ayant marqué le passé de la ville de Montréal. Partant d’un massacre Iroquoïen en 1267 pour se rendre jusqu’au soulèvement des Patriotes de 1837, en passant par l’arrivée de Jacques-Cartier en 1535 et la grande épidémie de 1687, le réalisateur de The Red Violin nous propose une fresque épique, reposant autant sur la beauté des images de Nicolas Bolduc, la superbe des effets spéciaux que sur une distribution d’envergure internationale. Sélectionnée pour représenter le Canada aux Oscars™, cette saga mise en scène avec panache donne au cinéaste l’occasion de réaffrmer l’apport essentiel des Premières Nations dans la fondation de notre culture. Director: François Girard Québec | 2017 | 100 min 35 ALL YOU CAN EAT BUDDHA trippy + complex + stunning Sun | February 4 | 6:30 PM | The Vic he Caribbean - isn’t it paradise, with all that sun and sand? And then there are all those fancy all-inclusive resorts with their attentive service and all-you-can-eat buffets. The buffet: where Mike, a vacationer who Tseems just a little off, can never seem to get quite enough. At El Palacio, people soon notice more about Mike than just his appetite. He isn’t just paunchy and taciturn, he’s gifted. Starring the charismatic and fascinating French Canadian Ludovic Berthillot (The King of Escape), director and cinematographer Ian Lagarde’s flm is utterly hypnotic, vacillating between realism and fantasy, surrealist nightmare and magic realism. A deeply unconventional work. (crédit : Helen Faradji)

Les Caraïbes… leur soleil et leurs plages paradisiaques. Leurs tout-inclus au service impeccable. Leurs buffets à volonté dont Mike, un vacancier au comportement pour le moins étrange, ne semble jamais pouvoir être rassasié. D’ailleurs, au El Palacio, il n’y a pas que l’appétit de Mike qui ne passe pas inaperçu. Car l’homme, bedonnant et taiseux, a des dons. Autour du comédien charismatique et fascinant Ludovic Berthillot (Le roi de l’évasion), le réalisateur et directeur photo Ian Lagarde signe une mise en scène hypnotique qui navigue entre réel et fantastique, cauchemar surréaliste et réalisme magique pour un flm aussi singulier qu’anti-conventionnel. (crédit : Helen Faradji) Director: Ian Lagarde Quebec | 2017 | 84 min

A SKIN SO SOFT pumped + masculine + feminine TA PEAU SI LISSE

Mon | February 5 | 6:30 PM | Capitol 6 rom strongman to top bodybuilder, Jean-François, Ronald, Alexis, Cédric, Benoit and Maxim are the embodiment of the modern gladiator. Denis Côté spent several days with them, capturing images of their Ftraining routines and everyday activities. Surrounded by friends and family and constantly working on their bodies, these muscular yet vulnerable men reveal themselves under the flmmaker’s sympathetic eye. A fascinating world unfolds before our eyes. (credit Charles-Henri Ramond)

De l’homme fort au culturiste de haut niveau, Jean-François, Ronald, Alexis, Cédric, Benoit et Maxim incarnent dans notre inconscient le gladiateur des temps modernes. Denis Côté les a côtoyés pendant plusieurs jours et a mis en images leurs routines sportives et leurs gestes quotidiens. Entourés d’amis, de leur famille et sans cesse en éveil de leur corps, ces êtres aussi musclés que fragiles se dévoilent sous le regard bienveillant du cinéaste. Un univers fascinant se révèle sous nos yeux. (crédit Charles-Henri Ramond) Director: Denis Côté Quebec | 2017 | 93 min Documentary

36 THE GIRL WHO WAS intimate + defant + impassioned TOO FOND OF MATCHES LA PETITE FILLE QUI AIMAIT TROP LES ALLUMETTES

Sun | February 4 | 9:45 PM | Odeon 5 French Canadian

omewhere in a remote country house, a tyrant is raising two nameless teenagers Salone, keeping them ignorant of the outside world, forbidding all books. A strange creature lives in the house. One day, the children fnd their father naked and hanging in the kitchen. Now they have to fgure out how to survive without him. Adapted from Gaétan Soucy’s harsh, savage novel, rendering the story as an expressionist nightmare, Simon Lavoie (The Torrent) works in gritty black and white, creating an impressively stylized atmosphere. Marine Johnson and Antoine L’Écuyer shine in their diffcult, complex roles. (crédit : Helen Faradji)

Quelque part, dans une maison reculée en campagne, un homme tyrannique élève seul deux adolescents sans nom dans l’obscurantisme le plus complet. Les livres sont interdits. Une créature étrange vit dans la maison. Un jour, ils retrouvent leur père nu, pendu dans la cuisine. Et ils doivent maintenant apprendre à se débrouiller. Adaptant le roman sombre et sauvage de Gaëtan Soucy, morcelant son récit en cauchemar expressionniste, Simon Lavoie (Le torrent) compose dans un noir et blanc texturé une atmosphère aussi stylée qu’impressionnante. Dans des rôles diffciles et complexes, Marine Johnson et Antoine L’Écuyer s’imposent. (crédit : Helen Faradji) Director : Simon Lavoie Quebec | 2017 | 111 min

Indigenous Perspective

This program of innovative works reminds us that in tenderness and vulnerability, there is a certain kind of strength. A strength Indigenous birthed from a place older than time, and a strength that is both sustained and nourished by teachings of respect, humility,

and gratitude.

As a guest programmer, I am profoundly humbled by the wisdom of the many young Indigenous flmmakers in this program and am continually inspired by the gentle courage of Indigenous women who carry us forward with wisdom and love. These works present a future flled with radical hope, and we need this now more than ever.

Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers OUR PEOPLE WILL gentle + historical + triumphant BE HEALED Sat | February 3 | 9:00 pm | The Vic

n her 50th flm, Alanis Obomsawin visits the remote community of Norway House, Manitoba and the students of the Helen Betty Osborne Ininiw Education Resource Centre (HBOIERC). The school Iis named in honour of Helen Betty Osborne, a young Cree woman from Norway House who was brutally murdered while completing high school in The Pas, Manitoba. Forty years after her death, HBOIERC opened its doors to the children of Norway House, making it possible for youth to remain in the community to complete their high school education. HBOIERC is a leader in community-driven education and meets provincial standards while also focusing on self- determination and sustainability. The innovation of this community represents a paradigm shift that is fuelled by a deep love for a people, a culture, and a language that survived 150 years of violent state-sanctioned assimilative projects. Our People Will be Healed is an act of reclamation and an affrmation of hope. Director: Alanis Obomsawin (Abenaki) Quebec | 2017 | 97 min Documentary

With short: Christmas at Moose Factory Alanis Obomsawin (Abenaki) Quebec | 13 min In her directorial debut, Obomsawin visited the students of Bishop Horden Memorial Indian Residential School in Moose Factory, Ontario. Paired with the visuals of the students' own hand-drawn crayon sketches, children narrate the flm and offer their often delightful musings on family and community. Christmas at Moose Factory offers a candid glimpse into the child’s mind during an era that left a lasting effect on Indigenous people throughout Canada. 39 KAYAK TO activism + family + tradition

s the potential threat of oil spills on the West Coast from pipelines and tankers Areceives near daily news coverage in British Columbia, Zoe Hopkins’ star-studded debut feature is rooted in a struggle that hits close to home for many of us living on the coast. When Dave Ellis (Evan Adams, Smoke Signals), a Kitasoo/Xai’Xais activist, passes away, his 14-year-old niece Ella (Ta’Kaiya Blaney) sets out on a life-changing voyage to take his ashes home to Klemtu on the central coast of BC, and to stand in his place at a community gathering against a proposed pipeline that would bring oil tankers into the heart of their territory. Ella is joined on the trip to Klemtu by her curmudgeonly uncle Don (Lorne Cardinal), her recently widowed aunt Cory (Sonja Bennett), and her awkward and moody cousin Alex (Jared Ager-Foster) - none of whom are even remotely equipped to paddle the challenging and arduous trip through the Inside Passage.

The brilliant cast of Kayak to Klemtu, paired with the breathtaking landscape of the West Coast, create an unforgettable movie-going experience. Ultimately, this family-friendly comedic drama is a true hero’s journey that reminds us what makes this land and these waters worth fghting for. In fact, just days after principle photography wrapped on the flm, a tugboat pulling an American fuel tanker went down, spilling more than 100,000 litres of diesel into the waters off the shores of Bella Bella, Hopkins’ home community. This spill, which happened near the main food-gathering source for the area, will undoubtedly have an impact on the community for decades to come. Director Zoe Hopkins (Heiltsuk/Mohawk) Ontario | 2017 | 90 min Audience Choice | imagineNATIVE FF

With short: No Reservations Trevor Carroll | BC | 11 min No Reservations, starring Lorne Cardinal, is an offbeat satire offering a comedic meditation on the politics of power, privilege and pipelines. 40 MANKILLER beauty + pain + political Mon | February 5 | 4:00 PM | The Vic World Perspective World

n the late 1830s, under President Andrew Jackson’s Indian Removal Act, approximately I16,000 Cherokee were forcefully removed from their homeland in the southeastern United States and relocated to “Indian Territory”, in what is now the state of Oklahoma. An estimated 4,000 Cherokee died from exposure and starvation during the formidable 3,500 km journey. One of these survivors was Wilma Mankiller’s great-grandfather. He set down roots in Talequah, Oklahoma where Wilma was born in 1945.

Wilma was the sixth of eleven children, living in a household with no running water or electricity. When she was eleven, Wilma’s family was one of many Native American families relocated from reservations to cities across America, and so it was that Wilma Mankiller learned to be resourceful in the streets of San Francisco.

Mankiller would eventually light her own political fre at the American Indian occupation of Alcatraz and blaze a trail back to her family’s land in Oklahoma. There she would go on to be the frst woman to be elected as Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. Her ascent to Principal Chief of her people was not easy but misogyny could not stop the unyielding spirit of Wilma Mankiller. The Cherokee Nation underwent great change with her determined leadership, as she committed herself to building a sustainable future for the Cherokee people. Mankiller would go on to be recognized as one of the greatest leaders in modern American history, receiving awards and accolades, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Through archival footage, photos and interviews Mankiller documents the remarkable life and career of Wilma Mankiller. Director: Valerie Red-Horse Mohl (Cherokee) USA | 2017 | 74 min Documentary Best Documentary | Tulsa American FF 41 SAMI BLOOD eloquent + spell-binding + haunting SAMEBLOD

Wed | February 7 | 9:00 PM | SilverCity 3 World Perspective World

reakout performances and impassioned direction mark a tense tale of childhood- Bbelonging in Amanda Kernell’s semi- biographical Sámi Blood (parts of the story are inspired by Kernell’s own grandmother).

Way back in 1930’s northern Sweden, Elle Marja was just a 14-year-old Sámi reindeer breeder whose mother said she must go away with her younger sister Njenna to what was then called a “nomad school” for Sámi children. It would be more than sixty years before she would return to that village, and then as Christine, a woman who has disavowed her own heritage.

At school, young Elle Marja turns into a smart and curious student even if she’s never particularly talkative. She even begins to think that maybe she could be like her Swedish teachers. However, after being confronted by groups of pseudo-science- touting doctors who speak directly to the Sámi kids of their racial inferiority, Elle Marja decides to leave. She walks away from “nomad school” – and her sister Njenna – and goes to the city of Uppsala in the hopes of fnding a real education. Her only lead: a boy she barely knows.

Although Swedish institutional racism will feel creepily similar to Canada’s own residential school history, that is not the only story here. Director Kernell keeps her eye frmly in the realm of personal experience. Lene Cecilia Sparrok’s incredible, intense performance as Elle Marja contributes greatly to this brilliant character study. Between the camera and the young actor comes an unnerving feeling that pulls you deep inside this emotional study of childhood self-worth. Director: Amanda Kernell Sweden/Denmark/Norway | 2016 | 110 min Best Debut Director | Venice FF Grand Jury | Seattle FF 42 THE GOSPEL saucy + fun + unexpected ACCORDING TO ANDRE Sat | February 3 | 4:30 PM | Odeon 5

Mon | February 5 | 9:45 PM | Odeon 5 Perspective World heatrical fashion editor André Leon Talley’s life and career are on full display in a poignant Tportrait directed by flmmaker Kate Novack. Best known for his enduring association with Vogue, Talley has long stood out even in the excessive world of couture: his imposing six-and-a-half-foot frame, usually decked out in lavish capes and jackets, is as much a staple of Paris runways as red carpets and champagne.

The flm traces Talley’s journey - through rich archival footage highlighting multiple eras of stylish and outlandish clothing - from humble beginnings in North Carolina to becoming the fashion world’s frst major African-American tastemaker, dealing with the prevalent racism of the times along the way.

Novack hones in on the importance of Talley’s beloved grandmother whose orthodox morals were instilled in him through strict discipline. But it was the box full of fne hats she and his aunts donned to go to church every Sunday that inspired Talley’s appreciation of great style. Talley refers to them as “the elegant black church ladies.”

Once Talley entered the doors of New York’s fashion industry, he never looked back. His unique ability to recognize detail and illustrate his ideas on paper earned him a job at Vogue. A series of interviews with his close friends and colleagues, all of whom are big fans of Talley’s work, provide overwhelming evidence of their immense respect for the man.

The images Novack presents in her flm, splendidly edited together, capture Talley’s experience; her composition is as important here as it would be in a narrative. Director: Kate Novack USA | 2017 | 94 min Documentary 43 SAMMY DAVIS, JR.:entertaining + controversial + cool I’VE GOTTA BE ME Thu | February 8 | 6:30 PM | The Vic

World Perspective World Thu | February 8 | 7:00 PM | Star Cinema

ammy Davis, Jr.: I’ve Gotta Be Me is the frst feature-length flm documentary to Sexamine Davis’ considerable talent and his journey to establish his identity during the civil rights movement in 20th-century America.

Born into a family of entertainers, Davis, a dancer, singer, impressionist and actor of remarkable charisma, began dazzling audiences at age three and would continue to defy expectations and shatter glass ceilings throughout his career.

Filmmaker Sam Pollard has extensive experience covering Black America. An accomplished editor and a long-time collaborator with Spike Lee, his directing credits include Slavery by Another Name and episodes of Eyes on the Prize II. His portrayal of Davis captures the balancing act that typifed the performer’s life. Using Davis’ own words with archival footage of interviews and his performances, with input from friends including Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg, Norman Lear, Jerry Lewis and Kim Novak, Pollard’s flm is electric.

His love affairs with white women and his eventual friendship with controversial President Richard Nixon ostracized him from the Black community. Yet, he was still a trailblazer for the race. In I’ve Gotta Be Me, Pollard walks his audience through Davis’ career – one that saw an abundance of frsts. He was the frst black entertainer to do impressions of white celebrities, the frst black celebrity to sleep in the White House and the frst black actor to partake in an interracial kiss on Broadway.

hy just love when you can love, lawyer and lucha libre? Life is too short for anything Wless! Signature Move is just the body slam of a movie your heart desires.

By day, Zaynab is just a Pakistani-American woman living the dream. She’s a dutiful daughter to her shut- in widowed mother, a neighbourhood friend and a storefront lawyer par excellence. But it’s when a client offers to pay for her legal services “not exactly in dollars”, that Zaynab starts to fnd her true passion in the squared circle of masked wrestling. At frst, she’s just “wrestling for existential reasons: immigration and codependency”. But when the seductive Alma moves in on Zaynab’s heart, it becomes time for her to fnally face her husband-hunting mother’s expectations of true happiness.

Signature Move is at times quiet and quirky and at others loud and sexy, but it’s full of little surprises. Lead actor/co-writer Fawzia Mirza shines with smarts and is funny throughout. (Think Tig Notaro in a mask and cowl.) She and director Reeder have managed to make both a coming-of-age and a culture-clash story without either of them having to take on all of the usual tropes wholesale. Signature Move gets its own groove on and it does it without apology. BC Premiere Director: Jennifer Reeder USA | 2017 | 80 min Grand Jury | Outfest LA Best Actor & Director | FilmOut

here is something so primal about mountains that they’re almost indescribable. The more Twild, cold and remote they may be, the more we seem to be drawn to them. Even from afar, their beauty and allure transcend simple explanation. So how does one capture them in any way other than to show everything about them that one can? With Mountain, director Jennifer Peedom (Sherpa) and writer Robert Macfarlane (Mountains of the Mind) have set out to do just that.

This isn’t just your run-of-the-mill IMAX eye-candy on offer here, although Peedom’s DOP Renan Ozturk’s work is undeniably top-notch and eye- poppingly gorgeous. Backed by an incredible score from the Australian Chamber Orchestra and narrated with deep dramatic minimalism by the legendary Willem Defoe, Mountain fies the world over to fnd the most amazing peaks and what they bring out in us.

Through historical footage to the modern age, we see that for as long as we have been recording flm, we have been flming mountains. Even in stillness they have fascinated us. And through the decades that follow, we see ourselves making new and ever more complex sports around these mountains, looking for new challenges and thrills. Climbing, hiking, skiing, biking, jumping, sliding, scaling, roping... the joys just never end.

It’s a trip you won’t forget. Just don’t look down. Director: Jennifer Peedom Australia | 2017 | 70 min Documentary

46 BOMBSHELL: surprising + brilliant + infuriating THE HEDY LAMARR STORY Sat | February 3 | 3:30 PM | Star Cinema

Sun | February 4 | 6:15 PM | SilverCity 3 Perspective World

f you heard a story that involved the most beautiful woman in Hollywood secretly developing a radio Isystem during WWII that paved the way for WIFI and Bluetooth, would you think, oh more Hollywood silliness?

What’s on offer in Bombshell is a look at a complicated and conficted woman. Feminist, brilliant and gorgeous, Hedy Lamarr could walk into a room and stop the conversation. Six marriages and affairs with Clark Gable and Howard Hughes sit alongside her remarkable flms Ecstasy (1933), Algiers (1938) and Samson and Delilah (1949), all of which were considered her claim to fame.

But the story goes beyond her allure and delves into an unexpected territory. Director Dean crafts a remarkable story from archival material and makes it sing with the recent discovery of four cassette tapes of interviews done with Lamarr in the 1980s.

A self-taught inventor, Lamarr’s interest in mechanics started at the age of 5 and hit its peak when she and composer George Antheil adapted the mechanism of player-pianos to develop a system that used spread spectrum and frequency-hopping technology to defeat the threat of jamming. The two were granted a patent in 1942, but the Navy rejected it, putting her to work entertaining the troops instead. A version of the design was later used in the Cuban Missile Crisis. After the patent expired, the invention worked its way into practically all modern wireless communications technologies.

Bombshell is a timely flm about a well-rounded remarkable woman's life that was deterred by sexism. Director: Alexandra Dean USA | 2017 | 90 min Documentary

true force of nature, Chavela Vargas left her provincial upbringing in Costa Rica to Apursue the bright lights of Mexico City. Her raw performance style and unconventional dress quickly caught the attention in the bohemian art scene and Vargas became a celebrity. She sang traditional Mexican Ranchera songs (usually performed in a frivolous and festive way) imbuing them with yearning and heartbreak, elevating them to soulful works of artistic interpretation. She sang dressed like a man at a time when being “out” was dangerous in Mexico. Ranchera singers were, as a rule, pretty and feminine. “Dressed like a woman,” she said, “I looked like a transvestite.”

Said to have “bedded all of Mexico”, her affairs were frequent and legendary. Frida Kahlo was her lover for a time as was (allegedly) Ava Gardner, though Gardner didn’t acknowledge she was a lesbian until she turned 81.

Hard drinking and more macho then most men, Vargas lived her life with a smouldering ferocity, refusing to be anything other than her own authentic self. Her tough personality, fuelled by severe alcoholism, was a shield to survive in a society that would have marginalized her completely.

Alcoholism eventually took its toll and sidelined her career for ffteen years. When she recovered, she found support and encouragement from the art scene in Madrid and formed a close bond with Pedro Almodavar who said, “In her voice I’ve found one of my best collaborators and a faithful refection of myself”. Directors: Catherine Gund, Daresha Kyi USA/Mexico/Spain | 2017 | 93 min Documentary Audience & Grand Jury Awards | L.A. Outfest

48 20TH CIRCUIT SUSPECTS bold + lawless + alternative Sat | February 3 | 7:00 PM | Parkside hen Hesam Eslami’s car is broken into on the streets of Tehran by a gang of young Iranian thieves, instead of doing what most would and report it to the police, Eslami confronts his assailants. Being a flmmaker, WEslami sees the world as more than just black & white. Interested in the gang’s culture, he somehow convinces the thieves and their leader Eshan to allow him access to document their lives, even their sometimes less than lawful escapades. Over the next 6 years, Eslami is witness to numerous break-ins, robberies and street fghts. Perspective World Accepted and trusted by this new extended family, Eslami is able to document the gang’s set of morals and the intimate connections amongst them. Whether it’s run-ins with the law or personal tragedy, Eslami’s new family is there for each other. What started as a chance meeting through petty crime grows into an unlikely bond between a flmmaker and a gang leader. Wanting to be there for his new friend, Eslami lives as a simple observer while secretly hoping he can infuence his friend and help Ehsan to change his high- risk lifestyle before it catches up with him.

Eslami’s documentary is raw and honest; it is storytelling in the truest meaning of the word. Being part of the story, the narrator becomes involved in the lives of the protagonists and hopes for a happy ending. 20th Circuit Suspects tests the truth in the saying “once at the bottom one can only move up.” BC Premiere Director: Hesam Eslami Iran | 2017 | 73 min Documentary

BREXITANNIA snapshot + chatty + compelling Thu | February 8 | 7:00 | Parkside ords matter. WYes or no. In or out. Leave or remain. These are simple words that represented big choices in 2016’s Brexit referendum but the black and white decision left a lot of people with very unclear feelings. Nuance didn’t really have a clear place at the polls. And even a year later, the UK is still struggling with the details. So what did happen? Do we have time to talk about nuance now?

With Brexitannia, Director Timothy George Kelly wants to do just that. Surprisingly, breaking down that dialectic decision into a diversity of opinion doesn’t have to be that hard. Shot in low-contrast monochrome, using almost entirely static shots of people in their places, he’s made only two distinctions in those he interviews. The frst part is dedicated to the everyday voters. The second part is dedicated to the professional experts. What results from this deceptively simple technique is remarkably accessible and offers insights well beyond the usual TV news bites and Facebook walls of text.

Kelly’s minimalist-inspired documentary may feel almost experimental and weird at frst but the impression quickly fades. With a relaxed and easy going tone, the audience is invited to listen well to the voices of everyone who had something to say. What may surprise you most is how much people really did think about it before and after their vote and how much their own words in that decision mattered too.

Director: Timothy George Kelly UK | 2017 | 80 min Documentary 49 THE SWAN transformative + dreamy + buccolic SVANURINN

Mon | February 5 | 6:30 PM | The Vic World Perspective World

aken from the novel of the same name by renowned Icelandic writer, Guðbergur Bergsson, TThe Swan is the sensitive story of one girl’s journey into the complications of modern Icelandic adulthood in one of the most rural places possible.

It’s still not uncommon in Iceland to send children out to the farm for a summer to learn some independence. For young Sól however, the trip to her aunt and uncle’s damp grassland is more of a punishment for shoplifting than a confdence-builder. In the rough muddy lands of nowhere, there isn’t much to hold her interest. But in time, she begins to appreciate her gruff relatives and the farm animals, making a place for herself in the daily life of the farm. But that’s not all at play here... there’s something Sól doesn’t have a name for yet but that she’ll begin to understand as her own swan story evolves.

Hjörleifsdóttir’s direction and her skillful adaptation of the screenplay succeed in keeping the literary feel of a novel alive on screen. Although the story is undeniably told from Sól’s point of view, the flm also allows the viewer to experience things she innocently misses in the landscape: the writing-obsessed farm-hand, the wayward teenage cousin and the strange local kids to name but a few. Like all coming-of-age tales, The Swan can be seat-shiftingly unnerving at times but it’s also wildly poetic too. BC Premiere Director: Ása Helga Hjörleifsdóttir Iceland | 2017 | 91 min

elcome to Headfort School. A real life Hogwarts look-alike in the Irish Wcountryside that educates students ages 3 to 13 in math, Latin, Shakespeare and rock & roll among other essential subjects.

This charming observational documentary focuses on married couple John and Amanda Leyden, who have been living and teaching at Headfort for more than 40 years, following the tenet, “It’s up to you what you think you can learn. All of you are in charge of your own lives.”

The flm follows the routine at Headfort over the course of a year and manages to capture the essence of what makes this remarkable school so special. We observe rock band practice, a production of Hamlet, the arrival of new students and the Leydens functioning as surrogate parents to children separated from their families for the school term. The flm achieves real “fy on the wall” status as the children and staff carry on with day-today life, seemingly oblivious to the crew and camera documenting them.

The Leydens are wonderfully eccentric. John is dishevelled, sarcastic, and prickly while Amanda is particularly interested in the gory bits of literature and history, yet both are dedicated to awakening curiosity and shaping critical thinking in their students. School Life is a warm and respectful tribute to this couple who have won the respect and affection of their students by engaging with them as individuals and teaching with patience and kindness. There is a continuous, uplifting optimism in School Life that reminds us of the power of great teachers and the enormous impact they can have on our lives. Directors: Neasa Ní Chianáin, David Rane USA | 2016 | 99 min Documentary Golden Gate Award | San Francisco FF 51 YELLOW intense + intrigue + emotional ZARD Mon | February 5 | 7:00 | Parkside World Perspective World

hahab, Nahal, Hamed, Faramarz and Nicki are not just friends. They are geniuses, young Sand full of passion, who are trying to use the strength of their new patent as a passport out of Iran and into the European dream. Three days before they are set to depart for Italy though, Hamed suffers an organ failure under mysterious circumstances. What he hasn’t told them is nothing compared to what they haven’t said to each other.

What starts as a simple scramble for a suitable donor quickly turns into a search for cash to buy the needed organ from another family at the hospital. As they try to exploit any possibility they can to just make it work, the friends begin to learn that they all have some places they’d rather not go. Their human logic is about to get pushed to its limit in the face of tragedy and basic human greed. How hard is it to be good when it matters most?

Although Yellow is very culturally different from the 1985 hit St. Elmo’s Fire, it shares some interesting similarities. The young Iranians portrayed here have much the same breaking-into-the-world aspirations as the friends in Shumacher’s coming-of-age flm and director Mostafa Taghizadeh has given the actors ample room to make their own characters happen. Now, you may recognize Sareh Bayat only from the Oscar™ winning A Separation but there’s a good chance you’ll see more of the rest of the cast for years to come, much like its brat pack counterpart. Director: Mostafa Taghizadeh Iran | 2017 | 93 min Jury Grand Prix | Shanghai FF

hloé Zhao’s poetic docudrama follows a young rodeo cowboy who’s been sidelined Cby a grave injury, the result of a catastrophic fall off a horse. With the prospect that he might die if he ever rides again, Brady (played by real-life rodeo star Brady Jandreau, whose own life and injury inspired the flm) struggles with the idea of a future without the one activity that gave his life meaning.

The casting and skilful direction of a full cast of non-actors (including Brady’s autistic sister and his paraplegic best friend and rodeo inspiration, Lane Scott, playing fctionalized versions of themselves) achieves a beautifully nuanced ensemble performance and brings a stylistic freshness to the story. When Brady brings his horse-whispering skills to bear, we are watching the real thing as he patiently and skillfully wins the trust of the horse. This is no Hollywood cowboy.

Zhao’s flm transcends its documentary format, evolving into a work of artistic fction. The exceptional cinematography captures the poetic grandeur of the location and contrasts the deeply intimate struggles of the characters. The beauty of the South Dakota landscape and the relationship the cowboys have with it is juxtaposed with the squalid shacks, dreary hospitals and soulless big-box stores that are Brady’s reality after his accident.

This is a story of masculinity and identity told with tremendous heart and soul by a director with skill, vision and a deep connection to her subject. Director: Chloé Zhao USA | 2017 | 104 min Art Cinema Award | Cannes Film Festival

andling depression, writer’s block and a separation - no big deal. The real problems arise Hwhen you fall in love. Jann Preuss has created a bittersweet comedy about life’s crises – and how to make them worse.

Jonas (Urs Jucker) is in his 40s and in a depression. The formerly successful writer and winner of the Swiss Literature Prize has not written for a long time.

To survive, he teaches creative writing courses for beginners at the Migros Club School. A recent break-up has pretty much thrown him off track and the only thing keeping him going is his little daughter Eileen.

That is until one day Gina (Liliane Amuat) enters his class and freworks go off. The fact she’s Gen Y and he’s mid- life and in mid-life crises is thrown out the window. These two have little in common except their love of writing but somehow they forge ahead, that is until they don’t. The Frog is both funny and sad, sometimes self-mocking, but warm-hearted.

Jann Preuss is an experienced and successful scriptwriter and has based the story on his own life. The flm has a good tempo and great wit. And Liliane Amuat exudes a wonderful presence that makes Jonas’ enthusiasm absolutely understandable. Canadian Premiere Director: Jann Preuss Switzerland | 2016 | 80 min

57 Film Festival Schedule The Vic Parkside Capitol 6 808 Douglas St 810 Humboldt St 805 Yates St

Wed NUMBER ONE Feb 4:00 pm | 110 min | pg 78

Film Festival Schedule THE FROG WAITING FOR YOU SIGNATURE MOVE 6:30 pm | 80 min | pg 54 7:00 pm | 92 min | pg 67 6:30 pm | 80 min | pg 45 7 MARY GOES ROUND SOULMATE 9:00 pm | 84 min | pg 22 9:15 pm | 110 min | pg 83

Thurs CHAVELA Feb 4:00 pm | 93 min | pg 48 SAMMY DAVIS, JR.: BREXITANNIA MODIFIED I’VE GOTTA BE ME 6:30 pm | 100 min | pg 44 7:00 pm | 80 min | pg 49 6:30 pm | 86 min | pg 27 THE GREAT BUDDHA+ RADIANCE 8 9:00 pm | 104 min | pg 81 9:15 pm | 101 min | pg 80

Fri LET YOURSELF GO Feb 4:00 pm | 98 min | pg 73 THE THIRD MURDER LAND OF THE LITTLE PEOPLE 6:30 pm | 124 min | pg 80 7:00 pm | 83 min | pg 65 AURORE 9 9:00 pm | 89 min | pg 77 THE FROG 1:30 pm | 80 min | pg 54 Sat MARY GOES ROUND Feb 4:00 pm | 84 min | pg 22 EDIE MODIFIED 6:30 pm | 102 min | pg 69 7:00 pm | 86 min | pg 27 DARKLAND 10 9:00 pm | 109 min | pg 87 JAMMIES & TOONS MARY AND THE WITCH'S FLOWER 11:00 am | 103 min | pg 103 Sun UNARMED VERSES Feb 1:30 pm | 88 min | pg 24 WHEN GOD SLEEPS 4:00 pm | 88 min | pg 61 OH LUCY! 11 6:30 pm | 95 min | pg 79 58 SilverCity 3 Star Cinema Odean 5 Other 3130 Tillicum Rd 9842 3 St 780 Yates St THE DEEP DIVE 10 am - 5 pm | The Bay Centre pg 101

THE TEACHER SAMMY DAVIS, JR.: SUSANNE BARTSCH: I’VE GOTTA BE ME ON TOP 6:15 pm | 106 min | pg 75 7:00 pm | 100 min | pg 44 7:00 pm | 84 min | pg 63 A SUITABLE GIRL NEWTON 9:00 pm | 90 min | pg 85 9:45 pm | 106 min | pg 84 DEEP DIVE 10 am - 5 pm | The Bay Centre pg 101

ROMANTIC ROAD EDIE 6:15 pm | 90 min | pg 28 7:00 pm | 102 min | pg 69 ASK THE SEXPERT 9:00 pm | 80 min | pg 86 MAN PROPOSES, GOD DEEP DIVE DISPOSES 10 am - 5 pm | The Bay Centre 1:00 pm | 81 min | pg 33 pg 101 A SUITABLE GIRL RACER AND THE JAILBIRD 3:30 pm | 90 min | pg 85 3:30 pm | 130 min | pg 62 ADVENTURES IN TULIPANI: LOVE, HONOUR SIPS ‘N’ CINEMA PUBLIC SCHOOL AND A BICYCLE 6:15 pm | 86 min | pg 18 7:00 pm | 90 min | pg 74 Vic Theatre | Clarke & Co. | pg 100 NEVER STEADY, NEVER STILL 9:00 pm | 110 min | pg 20 ADVENTURES IN DEEP DIVE PUBLIC SCHOOL 10 am - 5 pm | The Bay Centre 1:00 pm | 86 min | pg 18 pg 101 ASK THE SEXPERT ROMANTIC ROAD 3:30 pm | 80 min | pg 86 3:30 pm | 90 min | pg 28 INDIAN HORSE SCHOOL LIFE 6:15 pm | 100 min | pg 25 7:00 pm | 99 min | pg 51 CARDINALS 9:00 pm | 84 min | pg 23 59

PHOTON accessible + epic + ambitious Fri | February 2 | 9:15 PM | Capitol 6 Mon | February 5 | 9:15 PM | Capitol 6 must-see flm – a cliché perhaps, but in this case since Photon is about the summation of human knowledge, A life and evolution, it just might not be. Director/writer Norman Leto asks and attempts to answer so many of life’s big questions, this flm is nothing short

of breathtaking in its ambition as it attempts the seemingly Perspective World impossible in explaining the roots of matter and a breakdown of quantum physics in an understandable, awe inspiring way. There are big ideas here.

Leto dazzles with images and discussions of time and space, God particles, quarks, space/time wrinkles, molecular strings and more. Don’t be intimidated. I dropped science in high school as soon as I could and I’m completely taken with this flm. It’s fun, fascinating and gorgeous.

A flm of cosmic scope similar to 2001 and Koyaanisqatsi, Photon clearly aspires to the cult status of those earlier flms.

You should see this. Director: Norman Leto Poland | 2017 | 107 min Documentary

WHEN GOD SLEEPS | WENN GOTT SCHLÄFT powerful + bold + timely Sun | February 11 | 4:00 PM | The Vic

hahin Najaf’s head is worth $100,000. An amount that is constantly growing after a 94-year-old Shi’ite cleric based in Qom, Iran issued a fatwa death sentence against him. Why? Because Shahin Najaf is guilty. Guilty of Ssinging, of uncompromisingly spreading powerful melodies about theocracy, poverty, sexism, censorship, child labor, drug addiction and homophobia. Guilty of not being afraid, Shahin shares his art for the greater good. His songs are full of poetic, literary, philosophical and political visions that are shared and beloved by fans all over the world.

Currently living in Germany, Shahin’s life is still in constant danger. The singer, however, refuses to remain in hiding; he believes he must perform on stage, despite the fact that each of his concerts carries a risk for him and his audience. Although he is no longer a refugee, Najaf continues to feel a cultural connection with his fellow asylum seekers and is driven to be the voice of the countless victims of the warfare that brought them to the shores of Europe.

In When God Sleeps, Director Till Schauder follows Najaf preparing for his upcoming concert tour in Germany. With the European refugee crisis and its fallout - the 2015 Paris terrorist attacks at the Bataclan concert venue and the European right-wing backlash against Middle-Eastern refugees - in the background this riveting story will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last scene. BC Premiere Director: Till Schauder Germany | 2017 | 88 min Documentary Most Valuable Documentary | Cinema For Peace DocFilmMusic Competition | Krakow FF 61 romantic + intense + chemistry RACER AND THE JAILBIRD LE FIDÈLE Sat | February 3 | 9:45 PM | Odeon 5

World Perspective World Sat | February 10 | 3:30 PM | Star Cinema

n the latest crime-thriller from Belgian director Michaël R. Roskam (Bullhead, The Drop) it’s Ilove at frst sight when gangster Gigi meets Bibi, a glamorous and bold racing car driver.

Gigi Vanoirbeek (played by the intense Mathias Schoenaerts) heads a notorious Brussels gang responsible for a string of expertly executed, high-net-worth robberies. His world, which he compartmentalizes to a great extent, keeps his criminal and legit lives completely separate (he’s offcially the importer of luxury cars) from Bibi (Blue is the Warmest Color breakout Adele Exarchopoulos). The two actors have undeniable chemistry that sizzles on the screen.

Bibi’s father, who’s very protective of his daughter even though she’s clearly one tough cookie, is on to Gigi early on however and warns him. “Real men don’t lie,” he says menacingly, telling Gigi to either stop lying or stop doing the things about which he feels the need to lie.

But as love stories go there is one last robbery to take place. The main robbery sequence is primarily flmed in one shot with a devastating sense of threat and menace that few if any flms have come close to matching.

As with Bullhead (VFF2012), Racer and the Jailbird is Belgium’s Academy Award submission. Director Roskam’s style seeks the humanity in his characters whatever their background or class. Roskam co- wrote the screenplay with French screenwriters Thomas Bidegain and Noe Debre, who wrote Rust and Bone, in which Schoenaerts also starred. Director: Michaël R. Roskam Belgium | 2017 | 130 min

62 SUSANNE BARTSCH: outlandish + affecting + candid ON TOP Thu | February 8 | 7:00 PM | Odeon 5 World Perspective World

he does not walk into a room unnoticed," David " Barton says admiringly of his ex-wife, Susanne SBartsch. Susanne Bartsch throws fabulous parties reveling in stylistic excess. She’s a long-time resident of the legendary Chelsea Hotel and, perhaps surprisingly, is a devoted mother. She loves her ‘career’ and ever since she began, New York nightlife has never been quite the same.

Bartsch had enduring infuence on the gay community since she made it her duty to bring about awareness of the AIDS epidemic when both federal and state governments were largely ignoring the crisis. Her 1989 celebrity-flled fundraiser, Love Ball, has been identifed as a landmark event in raising awareness at a time when mainstream America wanted gay people gone. Bartsch helped celebrate who they were and lifted their spirits during a painful decade in queer history.

The documentary, focusing extensively on its charismatic subject’s preparations for a Fashion Institute of Technology Retrospective, follows Bartsch around as she prepares for nights out on the town and shows her juggling her professional and personal lives.

Several New York nightlife regulars, including such colourful fgures as RuPaul, Kenny Kenny and journalist Michael Musto, speak to Bartsch’s enduring infuence on the gay community but the flm’s most impressive interview subject is her college-aged son, Bailey, who offers a candid peek behind the colourful curtain with a wisdom beyond his years.

In Anthony&Alex’s capable hands, the Susanne Bartsch legacy endures just as brightly as it began along with her general fabulousness. Directors: Anthony&Alex USA | 2017 | 84 min Documentary 63 THE VENERABLE W. fearless + unfinching + brilliant Sat | February 3 | 9:00 PM | SilverCity 3 World Perspective World

nce a darling of Western democratic ideals, Myanmar’s revered Aung San Suu Kyi has Otaken quite a hit on the world stage lately for her response to the Burmese Rohingyan crisis. How did a Nobel Peace Prize winner fnd herself on the wrong side of a human rights travesty? To understand this incredible contradiction of Myanmar, you must frst understand another one: Ashin Wirathu.

Ashin, the titular Venerable W., embodies an incredible cognitive dissonance. He is a popular Buddhist leader who espouses a deep appreciation of peaceful Buddhism and yet still actively advocates discrimination against Muslims, especially the Rohingya. Through this doc, we get a unique chance to know the man in his own words and thoughts as well as those of his contemporaries. Through his upbringing and infuences, we get a chance to understand the broader scope of Mynamar as a whole. These are a people and a country far more complex than our black-and-white understanding of their democratic struggle.

The fnal title in director Schroeder’s much spread- out “Trilogy of Evil”, which started out with 1974’s General Idi Amin Dada & 2007’s Terror’s Advocate, this doc deftly sheds much light on the under- reported foundations of the current Rhoingyan travesty. However, what Schroeder offers is much broader than just the history and circumstance. Ashin’s 969 movement not only has clear cultural parallels to the feelings of xenophobia worldwide, it also breaks down how the noblest of ideas falls prey to the most obvious of spiritual poisons.

BC Premiere Director: Barbet Schroeder France/Switzerland | 2017 | 100 min Documentary 64 LAND OF THE LITTLE PEOPLE relentless + chilling + intensity

Fri | February 9 | 7:00 | Parkside

nother year, another war. On the outskirts of one military offcer’s village, four Israeli children while away their time while the adults worry among themselves. Left to their own devices and hunted by the local bullies, the Akids have formed their own gang, made their own crude weapons, and started hunting for vagrant wildlife around the abandoned military base nearby. Their childhood world is about to take an even darker turn though. Perspective World Two army deserters have taken up residence in the gang’s main hideout and the guns they’ve brought are anything but make-believe.

Pushed around and neglected too long, these kids aren’t going to give up the one place they have without a fght. But with nothing left to lose, how far will they go?

Pulling from the years of Israeli-Palestinian conficts and William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, Yaniv Berman’s Land of the Little People crafts an excellent thriller about a war within a war-in-miniature. Yaniv’s infuences from spaghetti- western maestro Sergio Leone come shining through too. Not just in its sand strewn landscapes, but its wild energy from people driven solely by their own base impulses.

Tense and unrelenting, Yaniv’s flm is a grippingly dark reminder of the power of little Davids under cruel Goliaths. Canadian Premiere Director: Yaniv Berman Israel | 2016 | 83 min Best Director & Best World Film | Phoenix FF Best Film | Tbilisi FF

SCHUMMAN’S BAR TALKS hipster + intoxicating + worldly SCHUMANNS BARGESPRÄCHE Tue | February 6 | 9:45 PM | Odeon 5 harles Schumann is a cool cocktail guy, he’s stylish and seasoned, a writer, model, thinker and traveller who, in this flm, takes us around the world to the most beautiful bars and introduces us to the people who bring Cthem to life. Schumann has learned the skill of patient listening and in Schroeder’s flm he seems reticent – content to let the bartenders talk.

Schroeder’s flm is for insiders, as bars aren’t identifed: when Schumann walks by Crif Dogs in NYC it’s only the cognoscenti who know that the mecca known as PDT awaits inside a phone booth.

Schumann is fascinating. The man from Lower Bavaria frst worked as a border guard, then in discos and bars in southern France before opening the now legendary Schumann’s American Bar in Munich in 1982. On the side, he has modeled for the likes of Yohji Yamamoto and Comme des Garçons. All you need to do is Google his name to fnd hundreds of dashing images.

His best selling cocktail book, The American Bar, which is both a reference book and collection of anecdotes – has wielded infuence among bartenders across the world. The New York Times declared it, “the drink-mixer’s bible,” in its time.

It’s the sort of thing that’s earned Schumann respect and honors, including a 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award at Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans. Old Fashioned, anyone? Director: Marieke Schroeder Germany | 2017 | 102 min Documentary 65 THE UNTOLD charming + inspiring + mano a mano TALES OF ARMISTEAD MAUPIN Sun | February 4 | 7:00 PM | Star Cinema

World Perspective World Tue | February 6 | 9:00 PM | SilverCity 3

he titular character: a warm, winning and much-accomplished writer who’s best known Tfor a series of novels, a miniseries and his almost daily column titled Tales of the City in the San Francisco Chronicle. Since frst beginning his column, sexual politics have radically changed and Armistead Maupin can take a lot of pride in being at the forefront with his fctional boarding house of gay and straight tenants presided over by the transgendered Mrs. Madrigal.

Filmmaker Kroot has a history of creating docs that capture the warmth and grace of public fgures, whether Star Trek’s George Takai or her affectionate and fascinating turn with underground flmmakers George and Mike Kuchar. In Untold, Kroot continues to develop her style with this smart and breezy documentary offering a disarmingly frank look at the journey that took Maupin from the jungles of Vietnam, to the bathhouses of 70’s San Francisco, to the front line of the American culture war.

This comprehensive take on Maupin’s life often made me think of Woody Allen’s Zelig. There is Maupin in the White House with Richard Nixon, Maupin working for Jesse Helms, popping up with Rock Hudson, the Vietnam war and sadly, the AIDS epidemic.

Throughout, Maupin demonstrates an open approach to life that is inspiring and which began when he came out at 25 and started to routinely insert his own sexuality and elements of gay culture into his columns. His writing was groundbreaking and inspired countless people to come out of the closet. Director: Jennifer M. Kroot USA | 2017 | 90 min Documentary Audience Award Documentary | SXSW

66 WAITING FOR YOU mystery + intrigue + history Wed | February 7 | 7:00 PM | Parkside World Perspective World

t is not the past that haunts us. It is its secrets. IWhen his father passes away, it’s not just the debts he owed that haunt young Englishman Paul Ashton (Colin Morgan, BBC’s titular Merlin). It’s the debts he can’t fgure out that bother him most. Troubled by his mum’s new fnancial straits and the fact that his often secretive father may be owed something valuable from his years of service in WWII, Paul sets out for the French countryside to try to fnd some answers.

What he fnds is the piano-playing, stone-faced Madame Brown (Fanny Ardant, 8 Women) reigning over a crumbling country manor that just might hide something that rightfully belong to Paul’s father. Scared to overplay his hand and lose his chance to fnd out the truth, Paul fakes an architectural interest in the house under a false name in order to investigate. But Madame Brown is no one’s fool and quickly they fall into a tense emotional game of cat-and-mouse between the two far-fung legacies of a WWII soldier.

This is the frst feature flm for Charles Garrad. Primarily a production designer by trade, he has also been interested in art and architecture since the 70s. It is perhaps not surprising that his scenes evoke a very natural feeling with only sparse music. Instead, he fnds narrative strength in the flm’s very empty manor and the intricacies of the vast mise- en-scene it offers. Canadian Premiere Director: Charles Garrad UK | 2017 | 92 min

67 World Persepctive: UK

World: UK World: As the UK sits on the cusp of seismic political change, this selection of flms offers a 360 degree vision of contemporary Britain – glancing backwards at the socio-political movements of the twentieth Century in Ethel & Ernest, wrestling with ‘Broken Britain’ and Brexit in Sally Potter’s sharp satire The Party, and relishing the majesty, and indeed challenges, of Britain’s ‘green and pleasant lands’ in Waterboys, Edie and Clio Barnard’s gritty modern folk-tale Dark River. The programme has been curated by Jo Duncombe, flm programmer at the UK’s Independent Cinema Offce.

ased on the award-winning book by acclaimed British author and illustrator Raymond Briggs, this beautifully hand-drawn flm tells the true story of Raymond’s own parents Ethel and Ernest - two ordinary Londoners Bliving through a period of extraordinary social change in twentieth century Britain.

Featuring the voices of Brenda Blethyn and Jim Broadbent, this heart-warming and bittersweet flm follows Ethel, a lady’s maid, and Ernest, a milkman, from their frst chance meeting in 1928 through the birth of their son Raymond in 1934 to their deaths, within months of each other, in 1971.

From the socially stratifed 1920s to the moon landing of 1969, the flm depicts the most defning moments of the 20th century. The darkness of the Great Depression, the build up to World War II, the trials of the war years, the euphoria of VE Day and the emergence of a generation from post-war austerity, to the cultural enlightenment of the 1960s, it’s all conveyed through Ethel and Ernest’s eyes.

Echoing the lives and concerns of the London working classes through momentous social and political change, Ethel & Ernest is an affectionate tribute to an ordinary couple and an extraordinary generation. BC Premiere Director: Roger Mainwood UK | 2016 | 94 min Best Animation | ANIMA Córdoba Int'l Animation FF Best Animated Feature | Anima Mundi Animation FF

68 EDIE feisty + kind + brave

Fri | February 9 | 7:00 PM | Star Cinema UK World: Sat | February 10 | 6:30 PM | The Vic

t 83, Edie, played by the extraordinary Sheila Hancock (The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas), Ais taking some time to reassess her life. After years of living with a cruel and domineering husband and then becoming his caregiver in old age, Edie suddenly fnds herself a free woman.

Though somewhat jaded and grumpy, Edie is determined to recapture a little of the magic she had as a young girl. But she is concerned that her daughter has plans to pack her off to a stuffy old- people’s home. Remembering a pact she and her now-departed father once made to climb Mount Suilven in Scotland together, Edie hatches a plan.

With new-found purpose and the memory of her father burning in her heart, Edie heads to the Scottish Highlands…

Edie is a beautiful, generous portrait of old-age, adventure and kindness. Set in the stunning, rugged landscapes of the Scottish Highlands, we follow Edie on a spirited journey of self-discovery, whizzing down mountainsides on a bicycle and pushing herself to the limit. Canadian Premiere Director: Simon Hunter UK | 2017 | 102 min

69 PICKUPS meta + unpredictable + delicious

ame of Thrones star Aidan Gillen collaborates for a third time with director GJamie Thraves (Treacle Jr, The Low Down) in this low-f, high-stakes drama about the bizarre life of a jobbing actor suffering from insomnia.

In something of an autobiographical riff, Aidan (played by…Aidan Gillen) lives alone with his dog, Echo, and struggles to connect with his teenage daughter. He has complicated feelings about his mounting fame, a bad back, and he can’t sleep. Aiden is also currently playing a serial killer, a situation which becomes complicated by his “method” approach to acting.

In this strange, muted world of sleeplessness and metaphysical confusion, Aidan fnds solace with a number of strangers he picks up. But he soon becomes concerned that someone is stalking him…

Gillen is in fne form, delivering jet black comedy in this fascinating and hilarious insight into the complexities and absurdities of an actor preparing. North American Premiere Director: Jamie Thraves UK | 2017 | 74 min

70 DARK RIVER feisty + black + brave

Fri | February 2 | 6:30 PM | The Vic UK World: Tue | February 6 | 6:15 PM | SilverCity 3

lio Barnard, one of the UK’s most distinctive contemporary flmmakers, follows The Selfsh CGiant and The Arbor with a searing Yorkshire- set drama that’s gained critical acclaim since its frst screenings at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Following her father’s death, casual farm labourer Alice (Ruth Wilson of HBO’s The Affair, BBC’s Luther) returns home to Yorkshire for the frst time in 15 years to claim ownership of the family farm she believes is rightfully hers. In the intervening years her older brother Joe (Mark Stanley, Game of Thrones) has been struggling to look after their father (Sean Bean) and keep the farm from going under. After she returns, a bitter dispute erupts between the siblings over the tenancy of the farm. Battling to gain control in a fraught and fragile situation, Alice must confront traumatic memories to fnd a way to restore the farm and salvage the bond with her brother before both are irrevocably lost.

Inspired by Rose Tremain’s novel Trespass and combining the poetic realism of The Selfsh Giant with a heightened strain of tragedy, Barnard weaves a dark contemporary folk tale from familial trauma and exploitation. BC Premiere Director: Clio Barnard UK | 2017 | 89 min Platform Prize | Honorable Mention | Toronto International FF

71 THE PARTY witty + theatrical + dark

aving premiered at Berlinale to critical acclaim, British director and screenwriter HSally Potter’s (Orlando, Ginger & Rosa, Rage) eighth feature - a political comedy wrapped around a tragedy about a dinner party gone very wrong - features a spectacular cast including Kristin Scott Thomas, Emily Mortimer, Cillian Murphy, Timothy Spall and Patricia Clarkson.

Janet (Scott Thomas) has just been appointed Shadow Health Secretary, the crowning achievement of her career, and decides to celebrate by hosting a dinner party for a few close friends. But as the guests arrive, her husband Bill (Spall) makes a shocking announcement, leading to a cascade of explosive revelations and unravelling the soirée even before the canapés are served. As people’s illusions about themselves and each other - whether romantic, political or existential - go up in smoke, a night that began with champagne ends with blood on the foor.

Described by Potter as an anti-Brexit statement about a ‘broken England’, The Party is a savage satire of the British middle-class, exploring the deeper truths behind seemingly liberal convictions with insight and a killer wit. Director: Sally Potter UK | 2017 | 71 min Guild Film Prize | Berlinale FF

oni Sevillo from The Great Beauty stars in some lighthearted fun for those of us who Tmay have become a little too complacent in our own lives!

Looking a little like Freud himself, Elia is just your average old-school psychoanalyst who coasts by professionally on a rotating couch of patients who don’t expect too much from him. He’s got a sort-of ex-wife next door who still does his laundry for him because he’s lazy and cheap. He’s even got the whole “Good Jew” thing down to a minimum.

But when his doctor orders him to get some exercise, Elia hires the superft and sexy jazzercise specialist Claudia to get him back on track again. The problem is that Claudia’s well-put together front hides a whole mess of problems in her personal life. Knowing the power of her personal appeal, she effortlessly lures Elia in to help deal with her ongoing problems. The well-organized Elia barely knows when he’s being played anymore. But neither Elia nor Claudia know what their exes have in store for the two of them.

Let Yourself Go has become a small hit on the world tour of festival-hopping Italian flms. It’s no surprise though, really. It’s a well-balanced flm that’s never too serious and offers a fun ride through the things in life we can’t plan on. BC Premiere Director: Francesco Amato Italy | 2017 | 98 min Best Comedy | Golden Globes Italy

73 TULIPANI: LOVE, whimsical + fippant + old-fashioned

ld fashioned and refreshing, van Diem’s latest is a wonderfully engaging tale that Otravels across three countries to reveal a bizarre family history.

Anna (Ksenia Solo) has arrived in Italy to return her guardian’s ashes to her hometown. What she didn’t count on was learning the story of her parents, which, with years of retelling, has taken on, shall we say, a certain exaggerated fair. In this case the mix includes a touch of spaghetti Western, a dash of martial arts and a smidge of The Godfather. No one could accuse Tulipani of being staid.

About to be arrested for murder by the police inspector (the ever so charming Giancarlo Giannini), Anna and two neighbours begin to unearth the tale of how Anna’s father Gauke (Gijs Naber) biked from the Netherlands to Italy, introduced Dutch irrigation practices to Puglia, built a successful business growing and selling tulips, and bravely faced off armed extortionists with epic kung fu moves (yes, really!). There are also much darker moments, ones that will prompt Anna to settle some old scores on her parents’ behalf.

Van Diem’s fights of fancy and use of the surreal create an other-worldliness and it’s best to go on the Tulipiani journey just for the playfulness and whimsy rather than trying to ground the story in reality. Director: Mike van Diem Italy/Netherlands | 2017 | 90 min Best International Film | Siena Film Festival

74 THE TEACHER fun + snobbery + awakening LES GRANDS ESPRIT

Sat | February 3 | 1:00 PM | SilverCity 3 France World: Thu | February 8 | 6:15 PM | SilverCity 3

rançois (Denis Podalydès) is a teacher at the esteemed Henri IV in Paris, considered one of the Fmost demanding secondary schools in France. After an offhand remark at a dinner party, he is transferred to teach in a tough school in the Parisian suburbs for one year. François soon fnds that the methods he used to teach bored but docile teenagers, are completely out-of step for a group of disadvantaged students.

Podalydès, of the Comédie-Française, is exceptional as the unadventurous classics teacher while newcomer, Abdoulaye Diallo, displays a winning vulnerability. The real reason to watch, however, is Podalydès who manages to show warmth despite demanding high standards of his charges. As he begins to grasp the challenges his students face, he realizes that encouragement taking the form of irony, humorous or not, is not necessarily the most effective teaching method.

While the main premise focuses on school, Ayache- Vidal adds texture by introducing us to François’ family of intellectuals, where education is something to be savored -providing sharp contrast to his teaching stints. There is a racial and a class element to The Teacher, but Ayache- Vidal’s frst feature flm creates a fne and thoughtful analysis of today’s education system and in the process, a gentle delight of a flm.

François (Denis Podalydès) est professeur au prestigieux lycée Henri IV à Paris. Après une remarque déplacée à un dîner, il est transféré pour un an à un lycée en diffculté dans la banlieue de Paris. Très vite François découvre que les méthodes qu’il avait l’habitude d’utiliser avec des élèves ennuyés mais dociles, ne marchent pas avec ce groupe d’élèves défavorisés.

Podalydès, de la Comédie-Française, est exceptionnel dans son interprétation du professeur circonspect, alors que le nouveau-venu, Abdoulaye Diallo, fait preuve d’une belle vulnérabilité. Mais la vraie raison pour voir ce flm serait l’interprétation de Podalydès qui réussit à être chaleureux tout en respectant les charges que sa fonction impose. Alors qu’il commence à comprendre les défs auxquels ses élèves font face, il réalise que la raillerie et l’humour ne sont nécessairement pas les meilleures méthodes d’encouragement des élèves.

Alors que la prémisse se concentre sur le lycée, Ayache- Vidal ajoute de la texture en nous introduisant à la famille de François : des intellectuels où l’éducation est un plaisir à savourer. Ceci produit un contraste tranchant avec la réalité dont il est témoin. Le flm Les grands esprits a de la classe tout en étant radical, mais ce premier long-métrage d’Ayache-Vidal crée une analyse bien pensée du système éducatif, et, du même coup, un délice cinématographique. Director: Olivier Ayache-Vidal France | 2017 | 106 min 75 C’EST LA VIE sumptuous + chaos + extravaganza LE SENS DE LA FÊTE

World: France World: Wed | February 7 | 6:15 PM | SilverCity 3

ho doesn’t love a wedding? Wedding planners, caterers, waiters, forists, costumers, bands, singers, DJs, drivers Wand photographers, that’s who. But the best day of your life always comes off with a smile, no matter what.

After 30 years, veteran wedding mastermind Max is about to work what might be his last night ever. And how better to go out than with a bang of a banquet at a luscious 17th century palace? There’s just one problem: everybody.

Max’s girlfriend is firting with other staff. The singer has an ego as big as the estate itself. Max’s right hand, Adele, still can’t keep her details straight and her latest hire, Samy, doesn’t understand irons, fatware or social boundaries. The photographer, Guy, has an assistant who is smarter than he is but he can’t stop eating to see it. And that’s not to mention all the period costumes, special meals and electrical concerns Max’s comedic deadpan has to keep up with. Oh, and has the groom, Pierre, mentioned he has a few changes he’d like to suggest?

C’est La Vie is helmed by the same great duo behind 2011’s multi- award-winning, Emmy-nominated The Intouchables and the talent shows. Not only do they give Altman-like touches to even some of the more minor players they employ, they effortlessly give every scene light and joy while never ignoring the fact that weddings are more like chaotic symphonies than serene ballets.

Qui n’aime pas les mariages? Les organisateurs de mariages, les traiteurs, les serveurs, les feuristes, les costumiers, la troupe, les chanteurs, les DJs, les chauffeurs et les photographes, voilà qui. Mais quoi que ce soit, le meilleur jour de votre vie se termine toujours avec un sourire.

Après trente ans de carrière, Max, un organisateur de mariage chevronné, est sur le point de mettre sur pied son dernier mariage. Quoi de mieux que de quitter en grande pompe avec un énorme banquet dans un fastueux palace du XVIIème ? Il y a juste un problème: tout le monde.

La copine de Max firte avec le personnel. Le chanteur a un ego plus large que le domaine. Adèle, son assistante de longue date, ne sait toujours pas ce qu’elle fait et ça dernière recrue Samy ne comprend rien au repassage, couverts ou même à ce qui est socialement acceptable. Le photographe Guy a un assistant qui est plus intelligent que lui, mais il est trop occupé par le buffet pour le voir. Sans parler des costumes d’époque, plats extravagants et problèmes divers dont la bande doit s’occuper. Et bien sûr, le jeune marié décide de changer les choses à la dernière minute.

Le sens de la fête est tenu par le même duo exceptionnel, gagnant de plusieurs prix Emmy en 2011 pour le flm Les intouchables. Non seulement donnent-ils une touche « Altmanienne » aux différents talents qu’ils emploient, mais ils donnent aussi légèreté et joie à chaque scène, sans jamais oublier que les mariages sont plus souvent des symphonies chaotiques que des ballets sereins. Directors: Olivier Nakache, Eric Toledano France | 2017 | 115 min

warm comedy about a woman of ffty who is in the process A of change on many fronts. The flm tells the story of Aurore (Agnès Jaoui) who has reason to be concerned as menopause takes over her body with continuous hot fashes. Her work as a waitress changes completely when a new boss arrives who’s passionate about the ‘youthful spirit’. Eldest daughter Marina announces that Aurore will soon be a grandmother and then her youngest, Lucie, plans to follow her boyfriend and move to Barcelona. Aurore is tormented by the loneliness of the house, unemployment and the unfattering perspectives of aging.

But Aurore, whose name evokes the rising of a new day, is ready to relive her youth, take on new challenges and even connect with her frst love. Actress Agnès Jaoui is spot on presenting Aurore’s vivacity tinged with melancholy as she moves her life forward.

Aurore discovers the benefts of mature love - and of sex. Of sex with and without commitment, of knowing what you want and how you want it without the uncertainty and dramas of youthful melodrama. The director, who also wrote the script, has made a tender, entertaining comedy refecting on the role of women after the age of ffty. The flm revolves around Agnès Jaoui at all times and her performance is up to the spotlight. Aurore is a luminous and positive evocation of a pivotal time in a woman’s life and an optimistic affrmation that would be a shame to deprive yourself of.

Une belle comédie à propos d’une femme de cinquante ans qui traverse plusieurs changements dans sa vie.

Le flm raconte l’histoire d’Aurore (Agnès Jaoui) qui a des raisons de s’inquiéter, alors que la ménopause lui ft vivre d’incessantes bouffées de chaleur. Son boulot en tant que serveuse est complètement chamboulé par un nouveau boss qui ne se préoccupe qu’à donner un « esprit jeune » à l’équipe. Sa flle ainée Marina annonce à Aurore qu’elle va bientôt être grand-mère, alors que sa benjamine, Lucie, décide de déménager avec son copain, à Barcelone. Aurore est tourmentée par l’isolement à la maison, la perte de son boulot et la réalisation d’être en train de vieillir.

Mais Aurore, dont le nom évoque le début d’un jour nouveau, est prête à revivre sa jeunesse, reprendre contact avec son premier amour et se lancer de nouveaux défs. Agnès Jaoui est parfaite dans son rôle d’une femme pleine de vivacité mais marquée par une mélancolie, alors qu’elle avance dans la vie. Aurore découvre les bénéfces de l’amour à maturité, ainsi que du sexe avec et sans engagements ni l’incertitude et le drame de la jeunesse. La réalisatrice, qui est aussi la scénariste, crée une comédie tendre et amusante qui se penche sur le rôle des femmes de plus de cinquante ans. Le flm tourne autour d’Agnès Jaoui dont la performance est remarquable. Aurore est une radieuse évocation de cette période clef dans la vie d’une femme et renvoie vers une positivité à ne pas manquer. Director: Blandine Lenoir France | 2017 | 89 min 77 NUMBER ONE sharp + topical + intrigue NUMÉRO UNE Fri | February 2 | 9:00 PM | The Vic Wed | February 7 | 4:00 PM | The Vic mmanuelle Blachey (Emmanuelle Devos) is a 40-something senior manager working in the renewable energy

World: France World: sector. She’s an ambitious team leader, quick on her feet and unafraid to make tough decisions. The fact Ethat she also speaks fuent Mandarin makes her a key player in her frm’s move to court Chinese investors interested in their offshore wind turbines.

Emmanuelle is head-hunted by a club of ultra-accomplished women to jockey for the about-to-open top spot at a world-class water company - something she would never have attempted on her own. The well-connected Adrienne (Francine Bergé) presides over a close-knit circle of these impressive women. Adrienne knows that the head of one of France’s most important frms is seriously ill and has not anointed a successor. She also knows that silent power brokers will be pushing their favorite candidates and not one of them will be female.

But it’s never a straightforward route in business: personal interest and strategic moves make the outcome uncertain. The flm is set against gorgeous backdrops (apartments, offces and the Opera) that provide a sharp contrast to the dirtiness of getting to the top.

Director Marshall has a frm grasp on the female work dynamic and has pursued this topic in past flms (Venus Beauty Institute). She has drawn strong performances from her lead and the supporting players, Sami Frey as a father who’s wise enough to both admire his daughter and advise on her faws, to Benjamin Biolay who is great fun to watch as Marc, a smooth operator who has the goods on everybody.

Number One is a provocative piece that’s timely in its message. Director: Tonie Marshall France | 2017 | 110 min

THE DOUBLE LOVER sexy + liberating + twisted L'AMANT DOUBLE Sun | February 4 | 4:00 PM | Capitol 6 Tue | February 6 | 6:30 PM | Capitol 6 n erotic psychological thriller, L’amant double does a ‘double take’ on Cronenberg’s Dead Ringers while Aborrowing from Joyce Carol Oates’s Lives of the Twins (written under her pseudonym Rosamond Smith). The story has Chloé, (Marine Vacth of Ozon's Young & Beautiful) a young ex-model, falling in love with her shrink, Paul (Jérémie Renier). After moving in with him, she fnds out that Paul has a secret identical twin, Louis (also played by Renier). Louis is also a shrink, and the commonsensical Chloé does what anybody would do in such a situation – she begins an extreme affair with one brother while living in contented domesticity with the other, all while trying to keep both relationships a secret. Bien sûr! As Chloe’s affair with Louis heats up, she’s compelled to dig deeper into Paul’s personal history, which brings her face-to-face with a classic sex symbol, Jacqueline Bisset, who plays an important character from his past — or is it hers?

François Ozon, a VFF favourite, was more subdued on his last outing (Frantz 2017) but is back with a no-holds-barred, gloriously trashy, all-out campy tale of doubles, deception and desire while continuing to explore his favourite themes: turbulent complex women, the difference between appearance and reality, and the unknowability of another person.

Above all, L’amant double is a cooly elegant piece that may have you giggling a little.

Director: François Ozon 78 France 2017 | 107 MIN World Perspective: Asian

World Perspective: Asian Japan World: Go exploring! VFF offers you a rare chance to slip into distant cultures and experience universal truths and the unique sensibilities of our global neighbours. As always we are sharing with you select highlights from current Asian cinema. 和 WA: Current Japanese Cinema This year we have two well-loved cinematic vanguards and an emerging voice. VFF favourite Kore-eda (After the Storm) leads the way with The Third Murder, a thrilling murder mystery. Making her frst Victoria appearance is Naomi Kawase with her lyrically thoughtful Radiance. Kawase is an arthouse hero in Japan, now gaining ground in North America. Finally, don’t miss Atsuko Hirayangi ‘s standout debut Oh Lucy! about the deep power of desire. China & Taiwan With more than a billion people living through this region is it any wonder that both countries have a penchant for examining themes of friendship? From China’s vast cinema culture comes two standout performances in Soulmate, a moving look at the nature of a long term relationship. Then for something completely different VFF presents the laconic yet gripping drama Godspeed, a light action flm with much depth as two strangers seem destined to bond. Then we will introduce you to Pickle and Belly Button, friends living low on the rung of society, this satiric treat takes an unexpected wander into politics. India Daily living can be complicated and contemporary Indian flms certainly show it. As the world’s largest democracy, India has a lot of ground to cover but Newton is a surprisingly fun (if fctitious) way to get to know it. A defnite must-see is the powerful A Suitable Girl, with its deep dive into the lives of three modern Indian women. However, if you need something more intimate, checkout Ask the Sexpert to know what’s really keeping India up at night. OH LUCY! transforming + quirky + bittersweet Sun | February 11 | 6:30 PM | The Vic

etsuko, a middle-aged woman in Tokyo, escapes mundane offce life when she chances upon an English class taught by a charming American, John (Josh Hartnett), who insists she wear a blonde wig and adopt the name Lucy Sto better understand Americans. She begins to develop a penchant for her instructor and when her spunky niece runs off with him to San Diego, Setsuko, accompanied by her constantly disapproving sister, sets off to bring her back.

The wide open spaces and sunshine of Southern California, so different from grey, cramped Tokyo, transform Setsuko and reveals the real John. In Tokyo, John was a confdent teacher, a creative professional. John in California is a surfer dude who can’t make his rent. Setsuko’s dreary Tokyo existence and her inhibitions disappear, and she is spurred on to new experiences – pumping gas, driving cars, smoking weed – while becoming more deeply obsessed with John.

Themes of societal pressure on women, regardless of culture, are questioned. Setsuko is lonely and depressed, feeling pressure to couple with someone. Her sister is in an unhappy relationship but feels duty bound to stay married. While Setsuko believes she might love John, it’s more likely that what she loves is the idea of getting away from herself.

But the real highlight of the movie is the nuanced multifaceted performance from Shinobu Terajima as Lucy/Setsuko, who brings the character to life in meticulous detail and raises the story far beyond a comedic chase. Funny, quirky, optimistic and sometimes dark, Oh Lucy! examines conformity, identity, loneliness and love. BC Premiere Director: Atsuko Hirayanagi Japan | 2017 | 95 min 79 THE THIRD MURDER suspense + twists + artful SANDOME NO SATSUJIN三度目の殺人 Fri | February 9 | 6:30 PM | The Vic

estival favourite and master director Kore-eda returns, taking the drama to the courtroom rather than the living World: Japan World: Froom this time. Tomoaki Shigemori is the lead defense lawyer in what should be an open and shut case. His client Misumi has already openly confessed to the robbery and murder of his industrialist boss and Misumi clearly had some deep gambling debts to pay back too. With two prior murder convictions to boot, he seems only too happy to go back to the pen. There’s just something to the eerie smiles and calm demeanor that doesn’t sit right with Shigemori. Channeling classic Perry Mason-like determination, he sets his team on Truth rather than ease. However, just like the classic Roshomon, Truth has many sides and only gets more complex the closer you get to it.

This isn’t the frst time Kore-eda has deviated from the family dramas like After The Storm and Still Walking that have made him famous in recent years. But there is still much in common with his lower-key fare. Many of the best scenes in The Third Murder take place between Shigemori and Misumi in a small cell. It’s here when you limit mise- en-scene and camera movement, that the ability to make moving, believable dialogue makes a difference. It is the kind of difference that not only get at the truth of a crime but at the truth between people. BC Premiere Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda Japan | 2017 | 124 min

RADIANCE gentle + optimistic + beauty HIKARI Sat | February 3 | 1:30 PM | Capitol 6 Thu | February 8 | 9:15 PM | Capitol 6 n the rather specialized world of audio description for the visually impaired, Misako is an earnest-hearted young woman trying to do the best she can at her unique job. Not able to live in the world of her clientele, she relies Ion the rather timid feedback she gets from a volunteer advisory board to make her work ring true. It’s just that it never quite feels right.

It’s not until she gets a rather rude dressing down from Nakamori, a once prominent photographer who is losing his eyesight, that she really begins to understand what she sees. Her new insights lead her into an unlikely relationship with the rather sensitive and reclusive older man, taking her close to the source of his own inner anger.

Naomi Kawase is undeniably one of the living legends of Japanese auteur cinema, a flmmaker whose works are often rich with light, tone and nuanced emotion. It’s hard to describe her movies without giving away all of the plots because the true beauty and enjoyment of them comes from the details between the other things that happen.

A refection (pun intended) on the problems of seeing and knowing, Radiance is a great addition to her extremely thoughtful cannon of work. Those who don’t yet know her works are well advised to check out her last two features: Sweet Bean and Still the Water.

rom the opening moments of documentary- turned-feature flmmaker Huang Hsin-yao’s FThe Great Buddha+, you know this isn’t going to be your usual black comedy. The director himself steps in to say he’ll need to explain some things as the movie goes along and we start right at the bottom of Taiwanese society with two dimwits named Belly Button and Pickle.

By day, Belly Button is a freelance recycler, getting by on what others throw away. By night, he’s best friend to Pickle, an even more absurdly oblivious night watchman at a somewhat prestigious bronze statue-making company. One night, while bored, snacking away and picking through nudie mags, Belly Button urges Pickle to help kill the time by going through his rich boss Kevin’s dashcam footage. It turns out that “quality time” at a local love hotel isn’t the only thing Kevin’s been getting up to. Before they know it, the two lowlifes are caught up in a scandal involving Taiwan’s business, political and religious elites. Oops.

Smart and pointed, Huang Hsin-yao takes a comedic swing at virtually every layer of Taiwanese society. His storytelling chops are so much stronger than his shoestring budget that you’d never know the movie was shot almost entirely on dashcams and an iPhone 6+. (Now you know where the “+” in the title came from!) Director: Huang Hsin-yao Taiwan | 2017 | 104 min Audience Choice & Best Film | Taipei FF NETPAC Award | TIFF

pitch-black comedy and an investigation into life’s absurdity, all rolled into a flm that starts Awith a drug deal gone wrong and ends up being a thoughtful treatise on the fckle hand of fate.

A mid-level gangster escapes from particularly nasty Thai drug dealers with a package of their product and he is looking to sell it to his associate. He hires pudgy car thief, Na Dow, to make the delivery from Taipei. Na Dow is a drug courier who found the job by answering an ad and his method of transporting the illegal goods is equally mundane: he hails a cab in the morning, rides it from the north of the country to the south, delivers a package and returns in the same cab that night. These journeys and deliveries run uneventfully, until one day when he gets into Old Xu’s cab (actor Michael Hui). Little does Old Xu know that his cab is about to become the most wanted vehicle in Taiwan.

Mong-Hong has a vibrant cinematic style with provocative off-kilter compositions. Improbably humorous touches of irony run alongside the slow revelation of Old Xu’s miserable life. The director whose fascination with quirks of fate was obvious from his fction debut Parking, makes Godspeed something quite out of the ordinary depicting the dichotomy of the violence of the gangsters with the humanity between the two in the car. Mong-Hong relates how spectacularly varied are the ways in which each individual experiences the world. Director: Chung Mong-Hong Taiwan | 2016 | 111 min Best Film | Mainland China & Taiwan | Hong Kong Film Awards

82 insightful + emotional + gorgeous 七月与安生SOULMATE

Sat | February 3 | 2:00 PM | Odeon 5 China World: Wed | February 7 | 9:15 PM | Capitol 6

in “July” Qiyue and Li Ansheng have been friends from the frst day they met and broke Lthe school’s fre alarm together. It seemed that they were destined to be together forever. It didn’t matter that their smart and goofy temperaments contrasted so much or that Ansheng would get only as far as a vocational school while Qiyue went to college. Theirs was the bond that could become the stuff of legends.

But then something happened, something Ansheng hadn’t thought about for a long time, something sparked by the mysterious publication of a novel based on her youthful friendship with Qiyue and an unfortunate run-in with Su Jia-miang, a man they once both loved. Now, confronted with a public interest in her private life, she refects back on her life with the friend from her youth. The strength of their bond, despite time, distance, family, loves and losses, makes Qiyue’s current disappearance all the more mysterious.

Dual leads Zhou Dongyu and Ma Sichun give knock-it-out-of-the-park performances as the fated friends Lin and Li respectively. Despite the relatively short screen time they spend together, it’s amazing how well they convey the depth of their connection to each other and the way they shape each other’s lives. As an examination of two modern Chinese women, Soulmate has every opportunity to segue into campy melodrama but instead it transcends into something genuinely moving. Director: Derek Tsang China/Hong Kong | 2016 | 110 min Best Lead Actress | Golden Horse FF Best Actress | Golden Phoenix Awards

83 NEWTON fun + thoughtful + brave Sun | February 4 | 1:30 PM | The Vic

World: India World: Thu | February 8 | 9:45 PM | Odeon 5

ewton Kumar (Rajkummar Rao) is an idealistic young government clerk Nvolunteering as a poll worker, who fnds himself tasked with conducting an election in a remote village in the jungles of India. Unfortunately for him, the jungles are full of Communist guerillas who have been at war with the government for years. Newton is determined to fulfll his duty and prevails upon a seasoned and reluctant army offcer, Aatma Singh, (Pankaj Tripathi) to provide a military escort through the bush to the tiny village. The story is based mostly around the day of the election as Newton, faced with the apathy of the security forces and the looming fear of guerrilla attacks by Communist rebels, tries his best to do his job on behalf of the locals who have no knowledge or interest in the election.

This is a sharp and insightful black comedy that asks us to consider democracy in all its imperfect glory. It examines the importance of the democratic electoral system we take such pride in and asks us to question some of our assumptions about it. The flm resists taking sides or being blatantly pedantic and director Masurkar resists the temptation to fall into slapstick. The characters are bigger than life in subtle ways, yet wholly relatable as people. Beautifully shot and skillfully acted, Newton begs the question: how important is it to follow the rules? Director: Amit Masurkar India | 2017 | 106 min CICAE Award | Berlin Film Festival

84 A SUITABLE GIRL eye-opening + verité + intimate Thu | February 8 | 9:00 PM | SilverCity 3

Sat | February 10 | 3:30 PM | SilverCity 3 India World:

Suitable Girl follows three young women in India struggling to maintain their identities and Afollow their dreams amid intense pressure to get married. Ritu, Dipti and Amrita represent the new India. Educated, fnancially stable and raised with a mix of traditional and contemporary values in the urban cities of Mumbai and New Delhi, they have access to the world in ways their mothers did not. Yet their lives take a dramatic turn when the pressure to settle down and get married hits. Career aspirations become secondary to the pursuit of a husband, and the women struggle with the prospect of leaving their homes and families to become part of others.

The flm explores how women are judged by their prospective husbands, most placing more emphasis on their appearance than on their education, a harsh fact for Ritu and Amrita who each earned MBAs and have to acknowledge that marriage may be the end of their working careers. It’s impossible not to be moved by A Suitable Girl, in part because it’s not telling you how to think but instead offers stories, letting the audience decide. The flm will push your buttons and force you to rethink the concept of love.

Khurana and Mundhra document the arranged marriage and matchmaking process in vérité over four years as they examine the women’s complex relationships with the institution of marriage and the many nuanced ways society molds them into traditional roles and makes it nearly impossible to escape. Directors: Sarita Khurana, Smriti Mundhra India/ USA | 2017 | 90 min Documentary Best New Documentary Director | Tribeca FF

85 ASK THE SEXPERT taboos + vitality + humorous Fri | February 9 | 9:00 PM | SilverCity 3

World: India World: Sun | February 11 | 3:30 PM | SilverCity 3

ne-third of India’s states ban sex education in schools, leaving a gaping hole between Ogovernment-imposed restrictions and what the people really need. Into this chasm has stepped the Mumbai Mirror’s Sexpert columnist – 93 year-old Mahinder Watsa.

In a country of 1.2 billion, it might seem surprising that any mention of sex education is forbidden (except for recommending abstinence) as if not talking about the subject will mean that people won’t indulge in it. Ignorance is prevalent, the population has exploded and to address that, Dr. Watsa gives advice without judgment combined with a healthy dose of humour, answering questions people are afraid to talk about: masturbation, fetishes, bananas and other topics from the ordinary to the bizarre.

Watsa laboured in obscurity for four decades. The high profle he has suddenly gained in the last few years is a testament to the generational divide over the approach to this subject.

Director Sinha uses images to play off the topics discussed and highlights the importance of Watsa’s work through interviews with fans and a core of sex educators who provide a broad perspective on the issue. Watsa, it seems, has a lot of happy customers. Director: Vaishali Sinha India | 2017 | 80 min Documentary

86 DARKLAND atmospheric + antihero + palpable

UNDERVERDEN Thrill Chill

Sat | February 10 | 9:00 PM | The Vic

rime, justice and family ties tear apart the veil of society in this stylish vigilante box Coffce hit from Denmark! Zaid Stine is a well-respected heart surgeon who has done very well for himself in Copenhagen during the decades since he frst emigrated from Iraq as a youth. Life in the gilded Gemini Residence, the respect of his peers at the hospital and the love of his pregnant girlfriend have been well earned by Zaid. But no matter how high he climbs, he is still tied to his brother Yasin, who never rose above his drugs and criminal roots. When a local boss makes Yasin pay the ultimate price, Zaid must decide how far down the rabbit hole he will go for revenge.

Spectacular action and fght scenes explode wildly on the screen under Fernar Ahmad’s direction. Undoubtedly there are important social issues for an immigrant director at play in this flm, but Ahmad keeps his eyes frmly on the cinematic and pulse pounding in Darkland.

Dar Salim (Exodus, Game of Thrones) turns in a powerhouse performance as the avenging demon Zaid. A host of high-calibre Nordic regulars fll out the fantastic cast: Fischer Christensen (After the Wedding), Roland Møller (Land of Mine), and Dulf Al-Jabouri (A War). BC Premiere Director: Fernar Ahmad Denmark | 2017 | 109 min

87 LES AFFAMÉS black humour + zombies + original

Thrill Chill Sat | February 3 | 9:15 PM | Capitol 6

e don’t know how or why, all we know is that somewhere in the Quebec Wcountryside, a mysterious epidemic has turned almost everyone into zombies. For the survivors, especially those on a remote road, life is now a brutal game of survival. Named Best Canadian Feature at TIFF (2017) and winner of the audience award at the Festival du Nouveau Cinéma, Robin Aubert’s Les affamés immerses Marc-André Grondin, Monia Chokri, Micheline Lanctôt and Brigitte Poupart in a genre flm blessed with tight direction, a sense of humour and plenty of style. (crédit : Helen Faradji)

On ne sait ni comment, ni pourquoi. Mais quelque part dans la campagne québécoise, une mystérieuse épidémie a transformé la plupart des habitants en zombies. Pour les survivants, en particulier du côté du rang 8, commence un grand jeu de survie dont peu vont pouvoir sortir indemnes. Sacré meilleur flm canadien au dernier Festival de Toronto, prix du public au Festival du Nouveau Cinéma, Les affamés signé Robin Aubert plonge Marc-André Grondin, Monia Chokri, Micheline Lanctôt ou Brigitte Poupart en plein territoire de genre, grâce à une mise en scène d’une effcacité, d’un humour et d’un aplomb redoutables. (crédit : Helen Faradji) Director : Robin Aubert Quebec | 2017 | 96 minutes Best Canadian Feature Film | TIFF 2017 Montreal FNC | People’s Choice

88 SHORTS PROGRAM Shorts

You spoke and we listened. You loved our cross-Canada 150 shorts highlight from 2017 so we're keeping it. Everybody's a local somewhere and this is a great way to check out the scenes across Canada without ever catching a ferry. Try going someplace new, there are many unique places from the Pacifc to the Atlantic and so many uniquely Canadian voices to go with them.

If you're feeling even more adventurous, check out our World Perspective section after if you think you've got Canada all fgured out. For this, our most competitive program, our jury has spent many long hours to bring you the best world shorts on offer this year. Shorts Program: BC Wed | February 7 | 7:00 pm | Odeon 5 SCRATCHY THE WISHING JAR 20 scenes from 4 or 5 unfnished One starry night, a little animated motion pictures girl, Ruby, chases a star carefully assembled and streaking across the night orchestrated to an original music sky. With her walking, talking soundtrack from the legendary Teddy bear following close creator of Bambi Meets Godzilla. behind her, Ruby runs with Marv Newland | BC | 3 min hope to capture the star in her jar so that she can make one more wish. Denver Jackson | Victoria 9 min

THE HOUSE It’s just your usual night down at the local rink but a moment of passion and skill can change the LIONS IN WAITING whole evening’s game. A minor hockey player Rachel Moore | Victoria | 5 min fnds the courage to accept himself after being hazed and in turn, inspires another teammate to be fearless. Jason Karman BC | 17 min

SHOP CLASS Head back to junior high with young Hart Snider, a boy on the cusp of manhood. He’s lost amongst his peers, unable to ask out his dream girl and forced to take shop with the dreaded Mr.P. A dark and funny WHAT APPEARS TO BE THE look at growing up in the ’80s. PROBLEM? Hart Snider | BC | 9 min In an aggressive attempt to deter youth from drug abuse, downtown Vancouver police THE UNDERTAKER’S SON offcers produced a series of Despite his desire to do educational flms and have anything but, Christopher travelled around the globe Redding is going to work with with their hard-hitting anti-drug his father for the frst time program. Two decades later, in to learn the macabre family the midst of the worst overdose business. When the duo is epidemics in Canadian history, faced with a tragic death, we revisit the footage the Christopher is pushed to his offcers collected in the 1990s, breaking point, revealing a along with the drug users they deeper confict that simmers flmed. just below the surface. Lindsay Fitzgerald The Affolter Bros. | BC | 14 min BC-ON | 30 min 89 TSANIZID (WAKE UP) Shorts Program: Indigenous Two-Spirit flmmaker Sun | February 4 | 9:00 pm | The Vic and performer, Beric Shorts Manywounds, invokes a AKS GYIGYIINWAXL graceful odyssey of light, (WATER PRAYER) movement, and color. This mother and son Beric Manywounds collaboration, Aks Gyigyiinwaxl (Tsuut’ina/Anishnaabe) (Water Prayer), is a tender prayer QC | 6 min and a ferce call to action. Nick is from the Nisga’a, Tsimshian, Tlingit, Haida, Gitxsan, Tsetsuat THREE THOUSAND & Colville Nations. Nick Dangeli Artist and animator Asinnajaq (Nisga’a*) | BC | 3.5 min transcends time and space with tenderness and moves us FROM UP NORTH through the NFB archives in a While working as a statement truly luminescent fashion. This is taker for Canada’s Truth and experimental cinema at its fnest. Reconciliation Commission, Asinnajaq (Inuk) | QC | 14 min flmmaker Trudy Stewart felt compelled to refect on her own deeply personal journey as a OCCUPATION OF MEMORY survivor of the Sixties Scoop. Trudy “What does it mean for a place Stewart (Cree) SK | 13.5 min to have memory?” This nuanced but powerful short flm prompts THIRZA CUTHAND IS AN introspection as it quietly and INDIAN WITHIN THE MEANING directly considers the relationship OF THE INDIAN ACT between place and memory. “Would you look at me and know Jade Baxter (Nlaka’pamux) that my great-great-grandfather BC | 2017 | 6 min fought the Canadian Government at Cutknife Hill? Would you know I have medicine people on both sides of my family? Would you know I get my resume LELUM’ (HOME) thrown in the garbage when I apply for jobs back home Indigenous youth from across because I have a Cree last name?” Thirza Cuthand returns what is now known as British with another unconventional but piercing short flm examining Columbia, offer profound and her own experiences as a light-skinned Indigenous woman. heartfelt contemplations on Thirza Cuthand (Cree, Metis) | ON | 8.5 min their personal relationships with the land. Lelum’ (the Hul’qumi’num word for ‘home’), is HOLY ANGELS a tender gesture to mobilize and to care for the land and all During his work recording she offers. Asia Youngman | BC | 2017 | 9 min survivor’s statements for Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, director Jay Cardinal MUST KILL KARL Villeneuve was inspired to create this visionary piece. Everyone has “that” Holy Angels is a lyrical and dreamlike meditation of Lena friend - the one who Wandering Spirit’s memories from her time at a residential shows up uninvited, school. drinks all your booze Jay Cardinal Villeneuve (Cree, Metis) and hits on your AB | 13.5 min girlfriend - whom we all secretly hate and wish would just go away. One night, a group of friends decide enough is enough Shorts Program: Ontario and there’s only one way to get rid of him for good… they MUST KILL KARL. Sat | February 3 | 4:00 pm | Capitol 6 Joe Kicak | ON | 12 min 165708 Exploring the capacity of the DUST flm medium to express various When Isaac begins his transition notions of time, a woman looks from male to female, Logan must out from the shoreline. Josephine deal with the grief of ‘losing’ his Massarella | ON | 6 min older brother. J. Adam Brown | ON THE LEGEND OF 14 min RASPUTIN The Henson Company THE QUIET ZONE presents the greatest story A community of electrically- of sex, betrayal and murder sensitive people is feeing to a ever told… with puppets. remote mountainous region of Felix, an aristocrat of the great Romanov Empire recruits the West Virginia called the National Radio Quiet Zone. In the infamous Gregori Rasputin to save the Heir to the throne. shadow of one of the world’s largest and most sensitive radio Using his “healing” musk the Mystic revives the boy and telescopes, The Quiet Zone follows four characters as they is showered with gold by Felix until a ft of rage changes adapt to life in this unique environment. 90 Rasputin’s destiny. Jamie Shannon | ON | 12 min Daniel Froidevaux | Elisa Gonzalez | ON | 45 min Shorts Program: Quebec Sun | February 4 | 1:30 pm | Capitol 6 Shorts MY YIDDISH PAPI HEDGEHOG’S HOME A young woman misses her In a lush and lively forest lives grandfather’s last phone call. a hedgehog. He is respected After his death, she remembers a and envied by the other animals. promise not kept: her vow to pass However, Hedgehog’s unwavering on to future generations his story devotion to his home annoys of courage and resistance in the a quartet of insatiable beasts. face of fear. Together, they march off towards Éléonore Goldberg | QC Hedgehog’s home and spark a 7.5 min tense and prickly standoff. Eva Cvijanović | QC | 10 min

FENCE (PALISSADE) CRÈME DE MENTHE An indigenous artist presents Following the death his work at a viewing in the of her father, Renée city. Overcoming the feeling goes back home to he is instrumentalized by Saguenay for the the well-intentioned gallery funeral. Forced to owner, he sparks interest in empty her late father’s potential buyers. He returns house, she fnds a to his community, proud to gigantic mess, the have proven his talent. result of years of hoarding. In the following six days, Renée Marie-Michèle Genest | QC seeks her signifcance, a trace of herself, in the clutter. 9 min Philippe David Gagné | Jean-Marc E. Roy QC | 22 MIN HOW TOMMY LEMENCHICK BECAME A GRADE 7 LEGEND BORN IN THE MAELSTROM Ophelia is an 11-year-old girl who A young bi-racial woman lives with a complex: she’s never named Rebecca struggles been kissed. First, fnd a suitable to fnd her identity in a world candidate -Tommy Lemenchick. shaped by her black mother’s Second, orchestrate a situation painful past. that leads to her frst kiss. Meryam Joobeur | QC Bastien Alexandre | QC | 10 min 28 min

Shorts Program: Down East & Out West Sun | February 4 | 9:15 pm | Capitol 6 SURFACING A woman deals with trauma during a guided meditation session with her therapist. BREATHING THROUGH A Trevor Kristjanson STRAW MB | 5 min Meet Parker, a 45 year-old closeted gay man. He has just moved back into his childhood home to care CROCUSES for his ailing mother, Ernie. On the fnal day of packing When a hookup ends in up her home, Rita falls into homicide, Parker decides a reverie of love and regret to confront the man who about her late husband. abused him as a child. Wanda Nolan | NL Leigh Rivenbark | NB-AB 7 min 18.5 min THE TINWIFE NOT A ONE WAY STREET Set in an atomic-age 1950s, An up close look at the caring a woman is imprisoned in an and compassion that happens internment facility for unwanted within three very diverse android housewives. caregiver relationships. Travis Neufeld | SK | 27 min Their worlds aren’t black and white… Heidi Janz | AB | 15 min 91 Shorts Program: International Tue | February 6 | 9:15 pm | Capitol 6 Shorts THE DUEL A sixteen-year-old girl must save her younger brother from the dangerous reality of their father’s sudden mental breakdown. Sean David Christensen | USA | 6 min WICKED GIRL (KÖTÜ KIZ) S., 8 years old, is a little Turkish girl with an overfowing imagination. She is keen on nature and animals. As she is in hospital, she looks back on happy holidays in her grandparents’ village, but dark and terrifying memories emerge and, little by little, begin to make sense. Ayce Kartal | Turkey | 8 min , ---- - FOG PEOPLE (LES ÊTRES DU - T B BBB- - B - BROUILLARD) In a world pervaded by fog, B - B, B B - - humans can no longer see. Neither the landscapes around - - B - B - them, nor their bodies. The story - - - - B . tells of the quest of a young woman looking for her own face. P - - Antoine Janot | France | 8.5 min - GOOD LUCK, ORLO! As his parents mourn the loss - - - , B - of his baby sibling, Orlo does what he thinks is necessary to - - repair his family. However, even the best intentions can lead to questionable decisions. Sara Kern | Slovenia | 14 min WEEKENDS Weekends is the story of a young boy shuffing between the homes of his recently divorced parents. Surreal dream-like moments mix with the domestic realities of a broken-up family in this hand animated flm set in 1980s Toronto. Trevor Jimenez | USA | 15 min NEEMKOMOK’ Early 1800’s: Isadora, an Indigenous Californian woman, faces a battle to survive after being emancipated from the abusive Los Angeles mission where she was raised. She’s helped by Domingo, a Franciscan friar, on the journey to bring her to a Native village where she can fnally be safe. Douglas Cushnie | USA | 20 min 784 Y- S MOTHER (MATKA) At the turn of 1943-44, in the town www.BrickyardPizza.com of Legionowo, near Warsaw, Nazi German offcers Spiller, Rode 250-995-2722 and Klingemann decide to seize a house where the Pelka family Dine in or take out live. From that moment on, the life of the Pelka family starts hanging by a thread. Piotrek Golebiowski 92 Poland | 27 min

THE PARTY | FEB 2 | 7:00 PM SALLY POTTER | UK | 2017 | 71 MIN Having premiered at Berlinale to critical acclaim, British director and screenwriter Sally Potter’s (Orlando, Ginger & Rosa, Rage) eighth feature - a political comedy wrapped around a tragedy about a dinner party gone very wrong - features a spectacular cast including Kristin Scott Thomas, Emily Mortimer, Cillian Murphy, Timothy Spall and Patricia Clarkson. More on page 72 BOMBSHELL: THE HEDY LAMARR STORY | FEB 3 | 3:30 PM ALEXANDRA DEAN | USA | 2017 | DOCUMENTARY | 90 MIN If you heard a story that involved the most beautiful woman in Hollywood secretly developing a radio system during WWII that paved the way for WIFI and Bluetooth, would you think, oh more Hollywood silliness? What’s on offer in Bombshell is a look at a complicated and conficted woman. Feminist, brilliant and gorgeous, Hedy Lamarr could walk into a room and stop the conversation. More on page 47 WATERBOYS | FEB 3 | 7:00 PM ROBERT JAN WESTDIJK | UK | 2016 | 89 MIN After charming audiences at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in 2017, this free-wheeling comedy drama makes its frst trip to Canada for the Victoria Film Festival. In classic road-movie form, Waterboys tells the story of a mismatched egotistical father and his emotionally sensitive son as they embark on an unusual journey which heals their broken bonds. More on page 15 AURORE | FEB 4 | 3:30 PM BLANDINE LENOIR | 2017 | 89 MIN A warm comedy about a woman of ffty who is in the process of change on many fronts. The flm tells the story of Aurore (Agnès Jaoui) who has reason to be concerned as menopause takes over her body with continuous hot fashes. Her work as a waitress changes completely when a new boss arrives who’s 94 passionate about the ‘youthful spirit’. More on page 77 THE UNTOLD STORIES OF ARMISTED MAUPIN | FEB 4 | 7:00 PM JENNIFER M. KROOT | USA | 2017 | 90 MIN | DOCUMENTARY The titular character: a warm, winning and much-accomplished writer who’s best known for a series of novels, a miniseries and his almost daily column titled Tales of the City in the San Francisco Chronicle. Since frst beginning his column, sexual politics have radically changed and Armistead Maupin can take a lot of pride in being at the forefront with his fctional boarding house of gay and

straight tenants presided over by the transgendered Mrs. Madrigal. Sidney Program More on page 66

MEDITATION PARK | FEB 5 | 7:00 PM MINA SHUM | BC | 2017 | 94 MIN Maria has spent her life being a devoted wife and mother. Never questioning her husband Bing’s authority as a provider and excusing his vices, she has willingly followed his wishes, including not speaking to their estranged son. While doing Bing’s laundry one day, her world is turned upside down when she discovers lingerie tucked away in his pants’ pocket. Unable to look past his hurtful deception, she takes matters into her own hands. More on page 29

THE RIDER | FEB 6 | 7:00 PM CHLOÉ ZHAO | USA | 2017 | 104 MIN Chloe Zhao’s poetic docudrama follows a young rodeo cowboy who’s been sidelined by a grave injury, the result of a catastrophic fall off a horse. With the prospect that he might die if he ever rides again, Brady (played by real- life rodeo star Brady Jandreau, whose own life and injury inspired the flm) struggles with the idea of a future without the one activity that gave his life meaning. More on page 53

ETHEL & ERNEST | FEB 7 | 7:00 PM ROGER MAINWOOD | UK | 2016 | 94 MIN Based on the award-winning book by acclaimed British author and illustrator Raymond Briggs, this beautifully hand-drawn flm tells the true story of Raymond’s own parents Ethel and Ernest - two ordinary Londoners living through a period of extraordinary social change in twentieth century Britain. More on page 68

SAMMY DAVIS, I GOTTA BE ME | FEB 8 | 7:00 PM SAMUEL D. POLLARD | USA | 2017 | DOCUMENTARY | 100 MIN Sammy Davis, Jr.: I’ve Gotta Be Me is the frst feature-length flm documentary to examine Davis’ considerable talent and his journey to establish his identity during the civil rights movement in 20th-century America. Born into a family of entertainers, Davis, a dancer, singer, impressionist and actor of remarkable charisma, began dazzling audiences at age three and would continue to defy expectations and shatter glass ceilings throughout his career. More on page 44

EDIE | FEB 9 | 7:00 PM SIMON HUNTER | UK | 2017 | 102 MIN At 83, Edie, played by the extraordinary Sheila Hancock (The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas), is taking some time to reassess her life. After years of living with a cruel and domineering husband and then becoming his carer in old age, Edie suddenly fnds herself a free woman. Though somewhat jaded and grumpy, Edie is determined to recapture a little of the magic she had as a young girl. More on page 69

RACER AND THE JAILBIRD | LE FIDÈLE FEB 10 | 3:30 PM MICHAËL R. ROSKAM | BELGIUM | 2017 | 130 MIN In the latest crime-thriller from Belgian director Michaël R. Roskam (Bullhead, The Drop) it’s love at frst sight when gangster Gigi meets Bibi, a glamorous and bold racing car driver. Gigi Vanoirbeek (played by the intense Mathias Schoenaerts) heads a notorious Brussels gang responsible for a string of expertly executed, high-net-worth robberies. More on page 62 95 TULIPANI, LOVE HONOUR AND A BICYCLE FEB 10 | 7:00 PM MIKE VAN DIEM | ITALY/ NETHERLANDS | 2017 | 90 MIN

Sidney Program Old fashioned and refreshing, van Diem’s latest is a wonderfully engaging tale that travels across three countries to reveal a bizarre family history. Anna (Ksenia Solo) has arrived in Italy to return her guardian’s ashes to her hometown. What she didn’t count on was learning the story of her parents, which with years of retelling, has taken on, shall we say, a certain exaggerated fair. More on page 74 ROMANTIC ROAD FEB 11 | 3:30 PM BC PREMIERE DELICIOUS FILMS OLIVER MCGARVEY ALBERTA | 2017 FOOD & DRINKS DOCUMENTARY 90 MIN Rupert & Jan Grey, JUNE14-16 both in their mid-sixties, have raised their three FEASTFOODFILM.CA daughters in a draughty old cottage in the south of England. Now empty- nesters and approaching retirement from their careers as a lawyer and bereavement visitor, Rupert and Jan are experiencing a case of wanderlust. Eschewing group tours and luxurious cruises, an invitation to be guests of honor at a Human Rights festival in Bangladesh sparks their sense of adventure. More on page 28

SCHOOL LIFE | FEB 11 7:00 PM NEASA NÍ CHIANÁIN, DAVID RANE | USA | 2016 | DOCUMENTARY | 99 MIN Welcome to Headfort School. A real life Hogwarts look- alike in the Irish countryside that educates students ages 3 to 13 in math, Latin, Shakespeare and Rock & Roll among other essential subjects. This charming observational documentary focuses on married couple John and Amanda Leyden, who have been living and teaching at Headfort for more than 40 years following the tenet, “It’s up to you what you think you can learn. All of you are in charge of your own lives.” More on page 51

of that.VR,booksand country andwholelot A bitofthisandalot videos featuringthis of rock &roll.Oris that oldschool and year’s flmmakers. We’re alittlebit DEEP DIVE new school? pg 101 SPRINGBOARD you’re lookingfor. Find outwhohas the information GREET pg 106-107 MEET pg 104 AND Film, drinks,food VIP and discussion- ‘nuf said?Okay

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pg 102 complete 360in WORKSHOP It’s allabouta this two-day workshop. pg 108 VR Fernwood cofee. Plus agreatflm Parents, thereis You’re welcome. JAMMIES & local...Current works Oh they’relocaland and cereal. hands, ohthey’re them -clapyour from Victorians. TOONS pg 103 Professionals Victoria Film screening you know VIFPA pg 105

99 Amplify Amplify Sips ‘n’ Cinema Scrumptious food, delicious libations, captivating flms

A triple treat of scrumptious food, delicious libations and captivating flm with a side measure of flm discussion with the head programmer, Donovan Aikman, or others. You will see the flm indicated below on the day noted, followed immediately by the restaurant portion with discussion. ADVANCE TICKETS ONLY. Ticket price includes flm, food, drink and discussion. Must be 19 years or older to participate. Sips ‘n’ Cinema - Cocktail RADIANCE February 3 | 1:30 pm | Capitol 6 Clarke & Co. | 1002 Blanshard St. Director Naomi Kawase is undeniably one of the living legends of Japanese auteur cinema. In Radiance, Misako, a passionate writer of audio scripts for flms for the visually impaired, meets an older photographer who is slowly losing his eyesight. Full write-up on pg. 80. Followed by food, drink & discussion at Clarke & Co., 1002 Blanshard St. THE FROG February 10 | 1:30 pm | The Vic Clarke & Co. | 1002 Blanshard St. Handling depression, writer’s block and a separation – no big deal. The real problems arise when you fall in love. Jann Preuss’ has created a bittersweet comedy about life’s crises – and how to make them worse. Full write-up on pg. 54. CLARKE & CO Followed by food, drink & discussion at Clarke & Co., 1002 Blanshard St. Sips ‘n’ Cinema - Wine NEWTON February 4 | 1:30 pm | The Vic 10 Acres Bistro | 611 Courtney St. Winner of the Berlin Film Festival: CICAE Award, Newton is a sharp and insightful black comedy about an idealistic young government clerk vol- unteering to be a poll worker in a remote village 10 ACRES in the jungles of India. Full write-up on pg. 84. Followed by food, drink & discussion at 10 Acres Bistro, 611 Courtney St. SUPPORTED BY:

100 In Perspective infuential worksincontext. but onothers,andalookatsomeoftheirmost thrived, theinfuencesnotonlyonthemselves on amorecomplexlevel,theerawherethey dive viainterviewsandcuratedworks.Discover, or behindthescreen,arefeaturedhereforadeep Artists representedatthe2018VFF, whetheron All activitiesarefree 10:00 am-5:00pmdailythroughouttheFestival Lower Level,TheBayCentre|1150DouglasStreet VR Exhibits Deep Dive SUPPORTED BY: Victoria BC. in iconiclocationsaround artwork ofmigratorybirdspecies highlighting RobertBateman’s a uniquevirtualexperience Get localandjourneythrough Director: MikeIrvine Robert Bateman360 Anthony&Alex Hiromasa Yonebayashi Brackets indicatethecurrentflm thatVFFisscreeningintheatres. Hsin-yao Huang Mila Aung-Thwin Mina Shum Denis Côté Naomi Kawase Sally Potter February 2-4 February 8-9 ( Susanne Bartsch:On Top ( ( ( Meditation Park The GreatBuddha+ ( A SkinSoSoft Let There BeLight ( The Party ( ( Radiance Waiting for You pg72) pg80) pg36) pg29) feeding onhumanemotions. apocalyptic TorontoIsland, Lovecraftian horrorinapost- roll withit?Comelurkinthis VR isweirdsowhynotjust Director: JimMunroe Manimal Sanctuary pg27) pg 81) pg67) pg63) Drop inandfndafullerperspectiveoneach subjects. Enjoyacoffee andstayforawhile. features workbyoraboutourflmmakersand The VFFhasalsoprovidedareadingareathat on aloopthatwillplaythroughouttheday. artist. Eachprofleisapproximatelyonehourand Michael R.Roskam Hirokazu Kore-eda Zoe LeighHopkins Olivier Nakache Cory Bowles Chloé Zhao Barbet SchroederScreening February 10-11 February 5-7 ( The Venerable W oversized friend. girl andherveryunlikely learn mindfulnesswithayoung Need tochillinstead?Come Director: LillianChan Yumi andBoom ( Racer andtheJailbird

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101 Amplify Amplify FilmCan What is FilmCan? An online Video Competition for Students. Entries are open every October - mid Youth make short flms and upload them to December. Please visit the VFF website for the VFF Vimeo channel. more details.

What do they get? Why would I be interested? An opportunity to explore their creativity and to You get to see what sparks young minds and be on have their flm screened during the Festival and the jury when you go and view the flms at https:// win great prizes. vimeo.com/vffflmcan

FilmCan Prizes FilmCan Prizes Senior Category (Grade 9-12): Junior Category (Grade 8 and under): • Camcorder • One Full Tuition for the Gulf Islands Film and • A one-year membership to Adobe Creative Cloud Television School - for any 6-day course *Room • One Full Tuition for the Gulf Islands Film and and board not included* Television School - for any 6-day course *Room and board not included* The junior category winning flm will be screened with The senior category winning flm will be screened with Mary and the Witch's Flower pg. 103 Maker of Monsters: The Extraordinary Life of Beau Dick pg. 30 CineKids Young Filmmakers The Victoria Film Festival ofers a comprehensive education program for classroom and community outreach to youth groups, youth centres, libraries, and schools. In 2017, 908 youth were informed by the Victoria Film Festival programming. Filmmakers Into Schools Guests of the Victoria Film Festival, including writers, directors, composers, producers and musicians who attend the Festival visit local classrooms to talk about their art, offering advice about careers in the flm industry and inspiring a new generation of flmmakers. Snapshots: 1 Hour - Filmmaking Workshops Snapshots is an interactive hands-on introductory flmmaking workshop led by experienced, award-winning local flmmakers and artists who teach youth the fundamentals of writing, lighting, editing and camerawork through the use of smart phones and other do-it-yourself solutions. School Screenings Year-round at The Vic Theatre, and during the Victoria Film Festival, the VFF offers special screenings of great independent flms and documentaries for local schools, inviting flmmakers and actors involved in these flms for interactive Q&As. FILMCAN SUPPORTED BY: CINEKIDS SUPPORTED BY:

102 In English Japan |2017103min Hiromasa Director: Yonebayashi Canadian Premiere Hayao Miyazakimightornotmakeanother moviebuthisendearinglegacyisundeniable. Longtime fanswillseeatonofsimilaritiesbetween thetwostudiosin frst featureflmfromStudioPonocwasmadeby manyofthesametalentedpeoplefromStudioGhibli. Adapted fromMaryStewart’s 1971muchbelovedchildren’s book nobody discoversjustwhereherspecialpowerscamefrom. After all,theydon’ttakekindlytotrespassersthere.Shemightbeablegetawaysafelyaslong as where she’s tooscaredand overwhelmedtoexplaintheheadmastersthatshemightnotbeawitch. Before Maryknowswhat’s happening,she’s whiskedawaytoaHarry Potter-likeschoolofmagic SUPPORTED BY: a fun-flledmorningofworld-classanimation! fun isthat?Sokids,grabyourjammies,bowlsandparentscomeondownto at theirSaturdaymorningheroeson TV. Nowadays,alltheydoistellyoutogooutsideandplay. What Once uponatimeourparentswerekidswhofeastedonhugebowlsofsugarydelightandmarveled February 11|11:00amTheVic Meari tomajonohana Mary andtheWitch’s Flower Jammies &Toons:Kidflix Joyful Maryisjustyouraverageredheaded Studio Ghibli-likemagicyou’vecometolove. comes anewanimatedtalebristlingwiththe Marnie Was There From themulti-awardwinningdirectorof powers andthenit’s up,upintothesky! discovers amagicfowerthatgrantsher nothing. That isuntilthedaysheaccidentally the sidewalkseemslikemorefunthandoing chasing cats,doingdeliveriesandsweeping desperately searchingforsomethingtodo.Even with herbelovedauntsbutboredoutofmind, young girl,enjoyingabeautifulcountrysummer The LittleBroomstick Mary and . Ghibli’s legendary director The SecretLifeof Arrietty pyjamas and the morning of cerealat get abowl screening! wear your favourite , thiswonderful The Vic for When

103 Amplify Amplify In Conversation With Sat | February 3 | 1:00 pm | Victoria Conference Centre Theatre

Film: The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin A look at a warm, winning and much-accomplished writer who is best known for a series of novels, a miniseries and his almost daily column titled Tales of the City which was a key catalyst for changing sexual politics in America. Full flm description on page 66

Followed by a conversation with Armistead Maupin hosted by Richard Crouse of CTV’s Pop Life.

About Armistead Maupin Launched in 1976 as a groundbreaking serial in the San Francisco Chronicle, Armistead Maupin’s iconic Tales of the City series has since blazed its own trail through popular culture – from a sequence of globally bestselling novels, to a Peabody Award-winning television miniseries starring Olympia Dukakis and Laura Linney, to an ambitious new musical that had its world premiere Armistead Maupin at San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theater in 2011. The series now encompasses eight hugely popular novels: Tales of the City, More Tales of the City, Further Tales of the City, Babycakes, Signifcant Others, Sure of You, Michael Tolliver Lives, and Mary Ann in Autumn. The fnal Tales novel, The Days of Anna Madrigal, was released in January 2014. It premiered at #3 on the Independent Bestseller list and #7 on the New York Times Bestseller list. His new book is a memoir titled Logical Family (October 2017) which grew out of his critically acclaimed one-man show of the same name. Neil Gaiman said this about Logical Family; “Maupin is one of America’s fnest storytellers, and the story of his life is a story as fascinating, as delightful and as compulsive as any of the tales he has made up for us.”

Maupin also received the Visionary Award from the 2014 Outfest Legacy Awards for his collected novels and their “...diverse, interconnected community of San Francisco bohemians – which shaped our collective fantasy of what LGBT life is and could be...” Richard Crouse

VIP Meet and Greet Sat | February 3 | 4:00 PM VFF Exhibit Space Lower Level, The Bay Centre

After the flm and conversation there is an opportunity to meet the man in person.

Enjoy reserved VIP seating at the Victoria Conference Centre Theatre event followed by a reception featuring wonderful hors d’oeuvres by Ten Acres Bistro, and libation from Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub and the Okanagan.

SUPPORTED BY:

104 SUPPORTED BY: upstream, thefnalstageofsalmons’ lives. tidal zoneofarivertoprepareforspawning colour ofsalmonthathaverecentlyenteredthe Pacifc Northwestwaters. The titlereferstothe system, including Atlantic salmonfarmedinthe and issuesassociatedwiththeglobalfood salmon conservation,theethicsofsportfshery, Super Bright & DavidParft,5:19min 2016, TrevorDixonBennett Super Bright programming andanimation. television series,dramaticflms,educational members arecreatorsofdocumentaries, winning flmandtelevisionproduction,ViFPA Actively involvedinthedevelopmentofaward- flm professionalsbasedonVancouver Island. ViFPA isanon-proftassociationofindependent 2017, Various,5min ViFPA DemoReel a selectionoftheircurrentwork,followedbythe(nowfamous)V Join localflmmakersfromtheVictoria IndependentFilmProfessionals Association (ViFPA) for Sun |February47pmOdeon5 Association Night Victoria IndependentFilmProfessionals intendstoopenadialogueabout Americas BeforeColumbus 1491: TheUntoldStoryofthe how werelatetotheenvironmentaroundus. Blood decolonize previouspatterning. our movementhastheabilitytotranscend& Returning toanIndigenousknowingbody 2016, StevenThomasDavies,3:01min Written InMyBlood local andvisitingflmmakers. free! Here’s yourchancetomeetandminglewith Ticket holdersandVFFpassgetinfor ViFPA AFTER-PARTY-9:00pm Barbara Hager, withQ&A tofollow. ago to1491.In Attendance: Producer/Director along atimelinethatdatesfrom20,000years drama, theflmtakesitsaudienceonajourney through ablendofdocumentaryandscripted Presented fromanIndigenousperspective in the Americas beforethearrivalofColumbus. and interconnectednessofIndigenouspeoples Columbus 1491: The UntoldStoryof the Americas Before 2017, BarbaraHager,44:42min expresseslonging&belongingthrough bringstolifethecomplexity, diversity iFPA After-Party! Written inMy

105 AmplifyViFPA Amplify SpringBoard Sat | February 3 | Parkside Hotel - Theatre | 810 Humboldt St. SpringBoard Pass includes: keynote, two panels, Fernwood coffee, plus networking Happy Hour. Each event is 1 hour in length.

Keynote: If It’s the End of the World as We Know It, Why Don’t I Feel Fine? 1:00 PM The rise of Apple and Facebook! The continued surge of Netfix and Amazon! The almost daily emergence of new players, new platforms, new alternatives! And more and more and more content! All of that set against declining numbers for traditional media, escalating cord cutting, shrinking advertising revenue and the quest for the ever-elusive millennial! It is the best of times; but it is also the worst of times, and you have to manage both because even the good news can be bad news in today’s media landscape. Join us for a look back at the

tumultuous year of 2017 and a peek at how to prepare for 2018. Harold Gronenthal Harold Gronenthal is Executive Vice President of Programming and Operations for AMC Networks International. A 31-year veteran of the business, Gronenthal was key in AMC’s global expansion, including the Canadian launches of IFC, AMC, and Sundance Channel. He currently oversees a portfolio of channels in over 120 countries and manages the multiple rights and contractual issues confronting media companies across all delivery platforms. An Emmy nominee for his work as executive producer of the documentary mini-series “Monty Python: Almost the Truth (The Lawyer’s Cut)”, Gronenthal is the frst American invited to the Board of Directors of the Canadian Film Centre. Panel:

Meet the Programmers Jo Duncombe 2:30 PM Here is your opportunity to meet the programmers in person and talk to them about your work, what they look for and ask the questions that have been plaguing you. Moderator: Donovan Aikman, Victoria Film Festival Head Programmer Jo Duncombe is the Film Programmer at the Independent Cinema Offce in the UK where she works strategically to develop the future of independent cinemas across the UK through innovative programming. Before joining the ICO, Duncombe was the Programme Director of the London Short Film Festival. Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers currently programs for the Victoria Film Festival. Tailfeathers is a writer, director, producer and actor. She is a member of the Kainai First Nation (Blood Tribe, Blackfoot Confederacy) as well as Sámi from

Norway. Her award-winning flms have screened at festivals around the world Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers including the Berlinale International Film Festival, imagineNATIVE, the Seattle International Film Festival and the TIFF Top Ten Festival. François Lemieux For the past 6 years, François Lemieux has been director of the Québec Cinema Tour for the Québec Cinéma organization, which produces the Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma and the Québec Cinema Gala, which annually reach more than 1,000,000 spectators. Involved in the world of cinema for more than a decade, he has produced short and documentary flms in India and has also developed business partnerships for cultural flm organizations in cinema. Panel:

4:00 PM Meet the Funders Francois Lemieux Get more active with your career and meet the people who can say yes to your 106 project. Moderator: Harold Gronenthal SUPPORTED BY: 5:30 NetworkingHappyHour@VIP Lounge623BroughtonSt. the flm/videoprogramatEmilyCarrInstitute(nowUniversity). and of SGaana on anumberofanimatedprojects,includingtherecentlyreleased Willings), andtheinteractiveproject, Bolton), including theacclaimed National FilmBoardofCanadawhereshehasworkedonmanydocumentaries Teri Snelgrove studies insemioticsatUQAM. Intersdisciplinary Arts MastersatUniversitéLavalandhasbeenpursuingdoctoral cultural worker, artcritic andartistforthepast20years.Shehascompletedan Townships inQuébecandhasbeeninvolvedtheartisticcommunityasa was artisticdirectoratSporobole,anartist-runcentrelocatedintheEastern program Arts Across Canadainthedisciplinesof mediaanddigitalart.She Line Dezainde Media Foundation. working atCreativeBC,Erikawasaprojectcoordinatorfor The Adbusters Entertainment Administration fromtheUniversityofBritishColumbia.Priorto in CommunicationfromSimonFraserUniversity, andhasaCertifcatein William Vince Scholarships.ErikagraduatedwithaBachelorof Arts degree for thecoordinationofMPPIA ShortFilm Award andtheDarylDuke& Domestic IndustryInitiativesandtheInteractiveFund.Erikaisalsoresponsible Erika Kumar based in Teleflm’s Vancouver offce. television, featureflmandbusiness-processmanagementteams.Laurenis the last15years,shehasheldanumberofmanagementpositionswithin joined Teleflm in1998afterhavingworkedasanindependentproducer. Over production andpost-productioninvestmentsinlower-budgetfeatureflms.Lauren Western Region,wheresheisresponsibleforsupportingemergingtalentthrough Lauren Davis VIP Lounge. Meet theFunders,Programmers,plusvisitingflmmakersatFestival The Zoo Bone WindFire (Christopher Auchter) andupcomingflms, (JuliaKwan). Teri SnelgroveisaNewfoundlanderandgraduateof manages CreativeBC’s directfundingprograms,including is Teleflm Canada’s RegionalFeatureFilmExecutiveforthe isProgramOffcerattheCanadaCouncilfor Arts forthe isthe Associate Producer attheBC& Yukon Studioof The (JillSharpe), The RoadForward Bread Crazywater (MarietteSluyter). Teri isalsoworking (MarieClements), , (Denis Allen) Shop Class Debris Beauty (HartSnider) The Mountain (John (Christina

Teri Snelgrove Line Dezainde Erika Kumar Lauren Davis

107 Amplify Amplify VR Workshop Saturday + Sunday | February 3 + 4 | 10 am - 5 pm Club Kwench | 843 Fort St

Virtual Reality (VR) is starting to pop up everywhere. The Victoria Film Festival presents an opportunity to try your hand at creation. In this two-day workshop, Jason MacNaughton of ThisIsMeInVR will be providing training on 360VR video flmography: scripting, flming, post-production; stitching and editing. The weekend will feature several talks on immersion and its effects and offer hands-on tutorials for creating your own 360° video content for viewing in VR devices. If you’re looking for the most advanced level of participation, bring your Smartphone fully charged, (and/or 360 cameras if you have one.) Guest Speakers: Derek Jacoby, Victoria Makerspace Mike Wozniewski, Hololabs Please note that for this workshop you will be required to sign an indemnifcation waiver for any damage you cause to the equipment.

Facilitator Jason MacNaughton (aka Zen CaptureAll) is CEO of ThisIsMeInVR.com, a growing Tech business here in Victoria, specializing in Virtual Reality Content flmography. You may have seen him speaking at CVR 2017 Vancouver, or on the 360VR panel at Victoria Film Festival last year or perhaps on the radio at CFax 1070 as he is an active speaker for VR technology. He’s been making 360 videos for several years having captured hundreds of Canadian locations coast to coast, flming over 2000 videos in 360VR format. He also writes about VR for VirtualRealitypop and VR Today Magazine https://medium.com/@ ThisIsMeIn360VR As an immersive environment specialist, he provides consultation services for VR content capture. Excelling in innovative uses of V.R. / 360 video content creation and flmography, currently offering virtual reality video production services across Canada and 360VR website inclusion into the metaverse.

SUPPORTED BY:

108 • 2tickets totheOpening Gala • 2FilmPasses • Invitationto the exclusivePatron’s Reception • Fullaccess to theFestivalVIP loungefor2 • 3MonthPasstotheVic Theatre launch • Invitationtotheexclusive PreFestProgramGuide sale • Opportunitytopurchasetickets beforetheygoon • EarlyaccesstotheFestivalProgramGuide behind-the-scenesinfo • VFFdonorsonlynewsletterwithsneakpeeksand • RecognitiononVFFwebsiteandinprogram • 1FilmPass • FullaccesstotheFestivalVIP loungefor2 • 3MonthPasstotheVic Theatre launch • InvitationtotheexclusivePreFestProgramGuide sale • Opportunitytopurchaseticketsbeforetheygoon • EarlyaccesstotheFestivalProgramGuide behind-the-scenesinfo • VFFdonorsonlynewsletterwithsneakpeeksand • RecognitiononVFFwebsiteandinprogram • 1FilmPass*NEW* • 4single-nightpassestotheVIP lounge Guidelaunch • InvitationtotheexclusivePreFestProgram onsale • Opportunitytopurchaseticketsbeforetheygo • EarlyaccesstotheFestivalProgramGuide andbehind-the-scenesinfo • VFFdonors-onlynewsletterwithsneakpeeks • RecognitiononVFFwebsiteandinprogram Guidelaunch • InvitationtotheexclusivePreFestProgram onsale • Opportunitytopurchaseticketsbeforetheygo • EarlyaccesstotheFestivalProgramGuide andbehind-the-scenesinfo • VFFdonorsonlynewsletterwithsneakpeeks • RecognitiononVFFwebsiteandinprogram • EarlyaccesstotheFestivalProgramGuide andbehind-the-scenesinfo • VFFdonorsonlynewsletterwithsneakpeeks • RecognitiononVFFwebsite&inprogram Show yoursupport,becomeaVFFVIP! Donor Membership PRODUCERS CIRCLE:FILMREEL |$1,000 SEE EM ALL |$500 UNWIND |$250 FIRST INLINE|$100 MAGENTA |$50 • 2GoldPasses (Galaincluded) • Invitationto the exclusivePatron’s Reception • Fullaccess to theFestivalVIP loungefor2 • 1 Year PasstotheVic Theatre • ProgramGuidelaunch • Invitationtotheexclusive PreFest sale • Opportunitytopurchasetickets beforetheygoon • EarlyaccesstotheFestivalProgramGuide behind-the-scenesinfo • VFFdonorsonlynewsletterwithsneakpeeksand • RecognitiononVFFwebsiteandinprogram FirstinLine Magenta IgiveVFFpermissiontocontactmebyemail Email Address: Phone: Postal Code: Province: City: Address: Name: V8W 3J4orcall2503890444. Please mailto:1215BlanshardSt,Victoria, BC Expiry: Nameoncard: CreditCard#: Cheque I wouldliketopayby: Iwouldlikenobeneftsandafulltaxreceipt forthemaximumallowableamount Iwouldliketoreceivethebeneftsandataxreceipt GoldReel FilmReel Producers Circle: Seeem All Unwind PRODUCERS CIRCLE:GOLDREEL |$2,500 MEMBERSHIP LEVEL MEMBER INFORMATION PAYMENT INFO

$100 $50 $2,500 $1,000 $500 $250

Tax Receipt Amount $100 $50 $1,662 $390 $220 $80

109 Donor Information

Tickets, Passes & Membership Program guide available at www.victoriaflmfestival.com, Fernwood Coffee, Monk Offce, Serious Coffee, The Vic Theatre, Silver City, Odeon and several coffee shops around town. THREE EASY WAYS TO BUY BOX OFFICE cash, credit, debit accepted for advance tickets Tickets subject to GST. Advance tickets can be 1) Advance, Online: purchased until three (3) hours before the show. www.victoriaflmfestival.com Remaining tickets will be on sale at the door January 8 - February 11 (cash only) 30 minutes before the show begins, Visa, MasterCard accepted

based on availability. Information & Pricing Ticket 2) In Person: No exchanges. No refunds. Program subject to change. January 8 - February 11 1215 Blanshard Street GST #883954026RT0001 Monday - Friday 10 am - 4 pm Debit, Visa, MasterCard, cash accepted FILM VFF/The Vic Film Festival Membership: $2 3) At the door: Feature Film or Short Film Programs: $11.43 Cash Only 5 Feature Film Tickets: $56 10 Feature Film Tickets: $110 PASSES Film Pass: $159 SPECIAL EVENTS Admits holder to regular flm screenings VIFPA Night $11.43 (excludes Opening Gala and special events) Family Day Films $7 Gold Pass: $299 Opening Gala (All Inclusive) $79 Front of the Line access at regular flm Sips ‘n’ Cinema $25 screenings; Opening Gala; two single night VR Workshop (2 days) $200 admissions for VIP lounge; and pass with End of Fest $15 lanyard. Note: Guarantees seating up to 10 In Conversation With minutes before flm’s posted start time. Armistead Maupin + Film $15 Armistead Maupin VIP Meet & Greet $49 SpringBoard Pass: $39 Deep Dive Free Admits holder to Keynote, Panel with Programmers, Panel with Funders, and FESTIVAL AWARDS Saturday Networking Happy Hour. Several of the flms that are juried and accepted Sidney Pass: $129 into the Festival are selected to receive an Admits holder to all regular screenings in award. Announcing the winners on February 11. Sidney. Cannot be used at any screenings in Victoria. The Categories Please... Best Feature Film Note: A generous allotment of seats are Best Canadian Feature reserved for Film & Sidney pass holders who Best Canadian First Feature are seated on a frst come, frst served basis. Best Documentary Seating is not guaranteed. Recommended Best Short Animation arrival time is 30 minutes prior to screening. Cineplex Entertainment Audience Favourite Cultural Currents Award

FILM FESTIVAL MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION Membership has its privileges. In B.C. the only way to view unclassifed flms is to be a member of the Society showing the flms and be over the age of 18 - that’s the law. The Victoria Film Festival screens unclassifed flms. That’s why you have to have a membership – which costs just $2. Once you’re a member of the Festival Society you qualify to see any of the 2018 Victoria Film Festival flms and flms playing at The Vic Theatre year-round at 808 Douglas St. www.thevic.ca 111 VICTORIA SHORTS 20th Circuit Suspects 49 165708 90 Adventures in Public School 18 Aks Gyigyiinwaxl Water Prayer 90 Affamés, Les 88 Born in the Maelstrom 91 All You Can Eat Buddha 36 Breathing Through a Straw 91 Ask the Sexpert 86 Christmas at Moose Factory 39 Aurore 77 Crème de menthe 91 Index of Films Black Cop 21 Crocuses 91 Black Kite 31 Duel, The 92 Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story 47 Dust 90 Brexitannia 49 Fence Palissade 91 Cardinals 23 Fog People Les Êtres Du Brouillard 92 C'est La Vie Le sens de la fête 76 From Up North 90 Ćəsnaʔəm,: the city before the city 33 Good Luck, Orlo! 92 Chavela 48 Hedgehog's Home 91 Dark River 71 Holy Angels 90 Darkland Underverden 87 House, The 89 Double Lover, The 78 How Tommy Lemenchick Edie 69 Became a Grade 7 Legend 91 Ethel & Ernest 68 Legend of Rasputin, The 90 Frog, The Der Frosch 54 Lelum’ Home 90 Girl Who Was Too Fond of Matches, The 37 Lions in Waiting 89 La Petite Fille Qui Aimait Trop Les Allumettes Manimal Sanctuary 101 Godspeed 82 Mother Matka 92 Gospel According to André, The 43 Must Kill Karl 90 Great Buddha+, The 81 My Yiddish Papi 91 Hochelaga, Terre des Ames Land of Souls 35 Neemkomok' 92 Indian Horse 25 No Reservations 40 Kayak to Klemtu 40 Not a One Way Street 91 Land of the Little People 65 Occupation of Memory 90 Let There Be Light 27 Quiet Zone, The 90 Let Yourself Go Lasciati Andare 73 Robert Bateman 360 101 Maker of Monsters: The Extraordinary Life of Beau Dick 30 Scratchy 89 Man Proposes, God Disposes 33 Shop Class 89 Mankiller 41 Surfacing 91 Mary and the Witch's Flower Meari to majo no hana 103 Thirza Cuthand is an Indian within Mary Goes Round 22 the Meaning of the Indian Act 90 Meditation Park 29 Three Thousand 90 Modifed 27 Tinwife, The 91 Mountain 46 Tsanizid Wake Up 90 Never Steady, Never Still 20 Turtles are Always Home 19 Newton 84 Undertaker's Son, The 89 Number One Numéro Une 78 Weekends 92 Oh Lucy! 79 What Appears to Be the Problem? 89 Our People Will Be Healed 39 Wicked Girl Kötü Kiz 92 Double Lover, The 78 Wishing Jar, The 89 Party, The 72 Yumi & Boom 101 Photon 61 Pickups 70 Racer and the Jailbird Le Fidèle 62 SIDNEY flms and schedule pg. 94 - 96 Radiance Hikari 80 Aurore 77 Rebels On Pointe 17 Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story 47 Rider, The 53 Edie 69 Romantic Road 28 Ethel & Ernest 68 Sami Blood Sameblod 42 Meditation Park 29 Sammy Davis Jr.: I've Gotta Be Me 44 Party, The 72 School Life 51 Racer And The Jailbird 62 Schumann's Bar Talks Schumanns Bargespräche 65 Rider, The 53 Shiners 26 Romantic Road 28 Shut Up and Say Something 32 Sammy Davis Jr.: I've Gotta Be Me 44 Signature Move 45 School Life 51 Skin So Soft, A Ta Peau Si Lisse 36 Tulipani: Love, Honour and a Bicycle 74 Soulmate 七月与安生 83 Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin, The 66 Suitable Girl, A 85 Waterboys 15 Susanne Bartsch: On Top 63 Swan, The Svanurinn 50 Teacher, The Les Grands Esprits 75 Third Murder, The Sandome no Satsujin三度目の殺人 80 Tulipani: Love, Honour and a Bicycle 74 Unarmed Verses 24 Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin, The 66 Venerable W., The 64 ViFPA Screening 105 Waiting For You 67 Waterboys 15 We Make Couples 19 112 When God Sleeps Wenn Gott Schläft 61 Yellow Zard 52