Movies
Country: United States of America
VIFF: There There
Canadian Premiere A little goes a long way in this ingeniously conceived series of wry conversation pieces by writer-director Andrew Bujalski (Support the Girls; Computer Chess). Faced with the challenge of making movies under quarantine conditions, Bujalski came up with six two-handers, and then shot each actor separately—a technical feat he
VIFF: Quantum Cowboys
Canadian Premiere In 1870s Arizona, a pair of drifters (Kiowa Gordon and John Way) are on a quest to find a legendary musician (Howe Gelb) when they team up with an Indigenous woman (Lily Gladstone) intent on reclaiming her land. Sounds like the setup to a classic Western, right? Instead,
VIFF: Call Jane
A privileged housewife in 1968 Chicago finds herself at odds with the patriarchal medical establishment when she requires a life-saving termination of pregnancy. Joy (Elizabeth Banks, in a charming and nuanced performance) encounters an underground organization called Jane Collective that provides safe abortions to women, and eventually becomes an integral
VIFF: Brother
Clement Virgo (The Book of Negroes) makes a brilliant return to feature filmmaking with this propulsive adaptation of David Chariandy’s celebrated novel. Set against the backdrop of suburban Scarborough, Brother follows siblings Michael (Lamar Johnson) and Francis (Aaron Pierre) as they strive to justify the sacrifices of their devoting mother (Marsha Stephanie
VIFF: Riotsville, U.S.A.
Consisting entirely of government and TV news footage from the 1960s (with essayistic commentary and brief on-screen contextual notes), Sierra Pettengill’s transfixing nonfiction film harks back nostalgically to a period of widespread civil unrest in the United States, when Los Angeles, Detroit, Chicago, and dozens more inner cities went up
VIFF: Something in the Dirt
Determined to escape perpetually post-apocalyptic Los Angeles, Levi (Justin Benson) instead falls in with John (Aaron Moorhead), a kindred conspiracy theorist. After witnessing an inexplicable event in Levi’s apartment, the neighbours become intent on monetizing the paranormal activity by shooting a Netflix-style docuseries. Convincing themselves that they’re piecing together a
VIFF: Nanny
Aisha (Anna Diop), an undocumented Senegalese immigrant, is hired as a nanny by an affluent, self-absorbed Manhattan couple (Michelle Monaghan and Morgan Spector). Recognizing that this may be her best opportunity to bring her son to America, this stranger in a strange land is willing to deflect the upper crust’s
Emily the Criminal
Emily (Aubrey Plaza) is saddled with student debt and locked out of the job market due to a minor criminal record. Desperate for income, she takes a shady gig as a “dummy shopper,” buying goods with stolen credit cards supplied by a handsome and charismatic middleman named Youcef. Faced with
Shakes the Clown
Writer-director-actor Bobcat Goldthwait does triple duty in the cult-classic black comedy SHAKES THE CLOWN. Set against the backdrop of the all-clown town of Palukaville, this colorful tale featuring a recognizable A-list cast (including Julie Brown, Florence Henderson, Adam Sandler, Kathy Griffin, and a cameo from Robin Williams) provides a colorful
Jennifer’s Body (15th Anniversary Screening!)
In director Karyn Kusama’s (GIRLFIGHT, AEON FLUX) 2009 cult horror-comedy JENNIFER’S BODY, Megan Fox stars as newly-possessed hottie high-school cheerleader turned succubus Jennifer, who specializes in killing her male classmates. While this she-demon satisfies her appetite for human flesh with the school’s male population, her nerdy