The Vancouver International Film Festival returns for their 45th year this October 1-11 for another curated season celebrating the best in independent, Canadian, documentary, and international shorts and features.

With wit, whimsy, and a treasure trove of archival material, Matthew Rankin tells the story of Brian Mulroney’s rise to power. Taking us from Mulroney’s humble beginnings in Northeastern Quebec to his triumph in the federal election of 1984, Rankin uses found footage, reenactments, and more to piece together a tale of political upsets, shifting allegiances, and savvy manoeuvring. Our former Prime Minister comes off as a master of calculated charm, and the film depicts his ascension in wildly satirical terms.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney is a gonzo work of archival documentary that’s as funny as it is trenchant. Rankin, who is credited as writer, director, editor, and researcher, uses juxtaposition to bring out both the silliness and the sleaze in Canadian politics, and he bolsters his satirical power with visuals that are hilariously redolent of the late seventies and early eighties, when the neoliberal consensus was cemented. This is our nation’s history as you’ve never seen it before — amusing and dismaying in equal measure.

Sunday, October 4
Doors: 5:45 pm | Film: 6:15 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Tickets HERE

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VIFF thanks the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations for their continued stewardship of the unceded and occupied land on which our work takes place. As an organization founded and predominantly directed by settlers and immigrants, we understand our responsibility to seek out and build authentic relationships with Indigenous communities, and to allow this ongoing dialogue to influence our practices. As part of this process, we remain committed to collaborating with and supporting Indigenous artists, filmmakers, curators, and audiences.