No Other Land

Basel Adra, a young Palestinian activist from Masafer Yatta, has been fighting his community’s mass expulsion by the Israeli  occupation since childhood. Basel documents the gradual erasure of Masafer Yatta, as soldiers destroy the homes of families -the largest single act of forced transfer ever carried out in the occupied West Bank. He crosses paths … Read more

The Seed of the Sacred Fig

Shot entirely in secret, Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof’s award-winning thriller, THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG, centers on a family thrust into the public eye when Iman is appointed as an investigating judge in Tehran. As political unrest erupts in the streets, Iman realizes that his job is even more dangerous than expected, making him … Read more

Sing Sing

Divine G (Colman Domingo, in a BAFTA and Golden Globe-nominated performance), imprisoned at the notorious Sing Sing facility for a crime he didn’t commit, finds purpose by acting in a theatre group alongside other incarcerated men, including a wary newcomer (Clarence Maclin, in a BAFTA-nominated performance). SING SING is a stirring true story of resilience, … Read more

The Room Next Door

Winner of the Golden Lion Award for Best Film at the 2024 Venice Film Festival, iconic Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar‘s first English-language film, THE ROOM NEXT DOOR, firmly retains the director’s signature narrative complexities buoyed by irreverence, dark humour, and capable performances. The film follows lngrid (Julianne Moore) and Martha (Tilda Swinton, in a Golden-Globe nominated … Read more

2046

Wong Kar-Wai’s loose, “spiritual sequel” to IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE combines that film’s languorous air of romantic longing with a dizzying time-hopping structure and avant-sci-fi twist. Tony Leung Chiu Wai reprises his role as writer Chow Mo-Wan, whose numerous failed relationships with women who drift in and out of his life (and the one … Read more

Ghost

“Molly, you in danger girl.” The Rio Theatre is getting into the Valentine’s Day mood with a screening of one of the most memorable, supernatural romantic fantasy fairy-tale films ever, Jerry Zucker’s GHOST. In one of his most defining performances, Patrick Swayze stars as banker Sam Molly Jensen (Demi Moore) is an artist, and the … Read more

From Ground Zero: Stories From Gaza

22 Palestinian filmmakers living through war capture their lives in Gaza following the attacks on October 7, 2023, revealing stories beyond the headlines. Through a blend of animation, documentary, and fiction, they create a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit. This film serves as a remarkable reflection of how art can thrive … Read more

New Wave (Director in Attendance for Q&A!)

Documantarian Elizabeth Ai embarks on a journey to capture the vibrant spirit of a musical phenomenon that electrified Vietnamese American teens in the 1980s: New Wave. What begins as an exploration of the rebellion and freedom within this subculture evolves into a profound narrative of identity, loss, and healing. In Orange County, California, the synth … Read more

Bring Them Down

What better way to mark St. Patrick’s Day at the Rio Theatre than with an Irish movie night? We’re teaming up with our friends at CelticFest Vancouver to present an evening of live, traditional Celtic music and a double bill featuring both the breakout 2024 hit musical comedy KNEECAP (Ireland’s submission to the Oscars, and … Read more