The Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival (VIMFF) returns to the Rio Theatre from February 23 – March 4 with their Winter Series of 2025. We’re going to be screening nine shows as part of The Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival, including a lineup of adventure-inspiring, thought-provoking films. Watch stories of identities being carved out on the slopes, breathtaking mountain-sport achievements, and learn more about the wild spaces we’re so lucky to live and work within.
Presented by REFBC
Environmental Film Night highlights nature’s fragility and the fight to protect it. From melting Italian slopes, to rewilding orphaned grizzlies in British Columbia, to restoring kelp forests, to honoring the vital role played by salmon for Indigenous peoples, these films inspire action and reflect on humanity’s connection to the natural world.
4 films in total including:
The Spirit Who Swims – WINNER: Best Canadian Film 2025
There are two economies that live along the waterways; the monetary economy driven by capitalism and profit, and the Indigenous economy driven by a symbiotic relationship with what swims in the rivers and grows and walks on the land. The Spirit Who Swims highlights this ‘clash of cultures’ by focusing on the spiritual significance the Salmon has for Indigenous peoples along the Fraser River.
Through stunning aerials and vivid underwater cinema, we join the Spirit Who Swims as they travel over 1000 kilometers on their annual migration route from the ocean to their spawning grounds in the lake and streams of the mountains. Along the way, we encounter Indigenous people in four unique, riverside communities, and learn of their deep connection to the Salmon and the struggles endured by each.
The Spirit Who Swims is more than just a documentary, it is a record of the challenges facing First Nation communities along the Fraser River. It is an Indigenous-rooted manifesto for restoring balance to our natural world.
Thursday, February 27
Doors 6:00 pm | Event 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.
Purchase tickets HERE
Complete details and ticketing info can be found at www.vimff.org Please direct any questions or concerns about events or tickets to them.
Gather with the VIMFF community to enjoy a curated selection of the best mountain films with eleven thought-provoking and adventure-inspiring shows. Plus, select shows will feature guest speakers, filmmaker intros, and door prizes!
*Minors permitted. Must be 19+ w/ID for bar service.
*All seating is General Admission. Please arrive early to ensure time for great seats, and to purchase treats at concession.
*Unless noted otherwise, tickets will be available for purchase at the Rio Theatre’s box office at showtime. Please direct all queries regarding ticketing to www.vimff.org
*Sorry, Rio Theatre Groupons and passes are n/a for this event.