Movies
Country: Canada
Deathstalker
The Kingdom of Abraxeon has fallen under siege by the Dreadites, a scourge of bloodthirsty demonic warriors said to herald the return of the sinister, ancient sorcerer Nekromemnon. The titular Deathstalker (martial artist and legendary stuntman Daniel Bernhardt) is a lone wolf who survives by scavenging the corpses strewn about
Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie: VIFF 2025
Almost 20 years into their fruitless quest to book their band a gig at a hallowed Toronto venue, Matt (writer-director Matt Johnson) and Jay (writer-composer Jay McCarrol) decide it’s time to pull out all the stops. But after a publicity stunt parachuting from the CN Tower goes spectacularly awry, a
Soul’s Road (Filmmakers in Attendance for Q&A)
Shot in Alberta and starring Canadian country star Dallas Smith, filmmaker Joel Stewart‘s SOUL‘S ROAD is a riveting tale of self-discovery and redemption, promising audiences great music and heartwarming performances. After ruining his solo career and taking an extended break from music, the infamous Ronan Garrett returns to
She Talks to Strangers (Filmmakers in Attendance for Q&A)
Divorcée Leslie discovers that her deadbeat ex-husband Keith has moved back in to “lay low for a while” and to stake claim on what he feels is owed to him: half the value of her house. In need of an accomplice, Leslie turns to her mother Staci in order to
Endless Cookie (National Indigenous Peoples Day)
Through a series of vignettes – some tragic, some funny, all a little bizarre – the unique animated feature documentary ENDLESS COOKIE explores the complex bond between two half brothers, one Indigenous, one white, spanning bustling 1980s Toronto to the present day isolated First Nations community of Shamattawa. The
The Hobby: Tales from the Tabletop (With Filmmaker Q&A)
From the World Series of Board Games on the Vegas strip and dating back to ancient Mesopotamia, THE HOBBY: TALES FROM THE TABLETOP is an affectionate, character-driven portrait of the massive and diverse subculture of board games. With a fascinating cast of charming subjects – including the “Roger Ebert
Dangerous Animals
The Rio Theatre’s patented Friday Late Night Movie series continues on July 11 with Australian filmmaker Sean Byrne‘s (THE DEVIL’S CANDY) latest, the cold blooded survival thriller DANGEROUS ANIMALS. Zephyr, a solitary surfer with a troubled past has come to Australia’s Gold Coast to find an
When Strangers Re-Unite (With Filmmaker Q&A)
It’s a story of sacrifice, separation — and the strength it takes to reunite. Each year, thousands of Filipina women come to Canada as domestic workers, leaving behind their own families to care for others. When Strangers Re-Unite follows three families as they navigate the emotional and
Brokeback Mountain (20th Anniversary Screening)
June is Pride month across North America and the Rio Theatre is joining in the celebration with the groundbreaking, and first of its kind in contemporary Hollywood mainstream films, Ang Lee’s BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN. The film is set in a fictitious yet picturesque location, Brokeback Mountain, and chronicles the lives of
Door Mouse (With Director Q&A)
Canadian creator Avan Jogia does triple duty as writer, director, and actor in the gritty and super-stylish thriller DOOR MOUSE, a neo-noir fable following Mouse (Hayley Law), an irreverent dancer at a dead-end burlesque club run by Mama, a tough, shady club owner. When Mouse’s only friends and fellow club