Canadian Premiere
There’s no place like home for the holidays and the extended Balsano family gathers to celebrate Christmas Eve together for perhaps the last time. The traditional Xmas party: the ladies gossip in the kitchen, the men smoke cigars outside the garage, and the children play video games in the basement. Snapshots of rituals: games with Grandma, the fire truck adorned in colourful lights, an enormous feast, and a home video screening.
Rich with nostalgia and full of life, Tyler Taormina’s sophomore film focuses on the details that make Christmas feel like home—quickly shifting in tone and perspective to highlight private moments in a crowded house. Shot with warm colours and a soft focus by Carson Lund (whose directorial debut Eephus is also at VIFF) and featuring a stellar ensemble cast, Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point feels like a warm blanket, a fireplace, and a cup of hot cocoa (or spiked eggnog).
“Taormina‘s delightful stocking-stuffer is as alive to the domesticated magic of holiday tradition as any Nat King Cole seasonal classic. From a soundtrack spackled with Sinatra and ’60s pop classics to the hyper-romantic, gauzy visuals… there is no War on Christmas here, just a wholehearted surrender to its folksy, kitschy pleasures.” (VarietyEdited)
Sunday, October 6
3:30 pm
Advance tickets HERE
For detailed Vancouver International Film Fest information, including current showtimes and advance ticketing, please re-direct to www.viff.org.
All ticketing for VIFF events are managed by VIFF. If you have any questions about ticketing and availability, please connect with them directly. Please do not contact the Rio Theatre for ticketing info.
Unless otherwise noted, all VIFF screenings and events at the Rio Theatre are 19+ only. Please have valid ID with you upon entry.
VIFF screenings at the Rio Theatre tend to be busy! All seating is General Admission. We encourage all patrons to purchase tickets in advance to ensure entry, and to please come early (20-30 mins at least) to get great seats and have time for treats at our concession.
Please note: Rio Theatre Groupons and passes are n/a for any VIFF screening.
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.