10 must-see films to check out at 2023 Vancouver International Film Festival
This year’s highly anticipated Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) is happening from September 28 to October 8, and there is so much to see and do during its 42nd edition.
One of the largest film festivals in North America, VIFF 2023 will showcase approximately 140 feature films and 100 shorts from around the world.
Movie-goers can also enjoy insightful talkbacks, live performances, and other special events throughout the cinema celebration.
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The films and documentaries being presented during the festival include provocative documentaries, elevated genre films, and more from across BC, Canada, and the globe.
To get you ready for this year’s festival and to help fill out your viewing schedule, here are 10 must-see films to check out at VIFF 2023.
La Chimera
La Chimera (VIFF/Submitted)
La Chimera is a wild and mysterious tale of a dishevelled English tomb raider living with a raucous group of Italian bohemians. Director Alice Rohrwacher’s first feature since Happy As Lazzaro introduces audiences to Arthur (Josh O’Connor), who has the gift of divination. An authentic look at the land, the people who live on it, and those buried underneath it.
The Delinquents (Los Delincuentes)
Two bank clerks seeking out a mind-numbing existence in the heart of Buenos Aires have their lives upturned when one of them commits a crime. Argentine director Rodrigo Moreno’s The Delinquents (Los Delincuentes) soon transforms into a genre-defying film full of possibilities.
Red Rooms (Les Chambres Rouges)
Red Rooms by Pascal Plante tells the story of Kelly-Anne (Juliette Gariépy), who arrives early every day to a Montréal courthouse to get front-row seats for the trial of Ludwig Chevalier (Maxwell McCabe-Lokos). The loner is accused of streaming the torture and murder of three teenage girls online in the Dark Web’s “red rooms.”
Witness Kelly-Anne’s life unravel as her obsession with the case grows. Soon she plunges into the depths of the Dark Web to try and find a key piece of evidence.
On the Go
On the Go (VIFF/Submitted)
Milagro and her best friend Jonathan hit the road as they try to work through their respective sudden life quandaries. Their journey soon becomes chock-full of song and dance, steamy trysts and self-discoveries. And there’s even a mermaid!
On the Go by María Gisèle Royo and Julia de Castro promises to be your new cult favourite, filled with wonder and laughs along the way.
Seagrass
Judith brings her family to a remote self-development retreat in a desperate attempt to find a deeper connection in her marriage after the passing of her mother. But another interracial couple soon shows her how badly fractured her relationship is. And their two daughters are left facing a stressful and destabilizing world of their parents’ disharmony.
Can the family come together to face their deepest insecurities before they become permanently broken? Find out in Seagrass from director Meredith Hama-Brown.
Valley of Exile
Sisters Rima and Nour find themselves facing an uncertain future in a Lebanese refugee camp after being forced to flee conflict in the early days of the Syrian war. Valley of Exhile was shot by director Anna Fahr in an actual refugee settlement and is an exploration of the bonds of family during war and separation. Don’t miss this bold testament to the resilience and strength of refugee women.
Mareya Shot, Keetah Goal: Make the Shot
The power of diverse representation in sports gets the spotlight in this documentary by directors Baljit Sangra and Nilesh Patel. Mareya Shot, Keetah Goal: Make the Shot follows four junior hockey players of South Asian descent — Arjun Bawa, Kayden Sadhra-Kang, Arvin Atwal and Surrey’s own Arsh Bains — as they strive to reach their goal of playing in the NHL.
Asog
Asog (VIFF/Submitted)
Director Seán Devlin blends comedy and Filipino mythology for Asog, a unique film that straddles the line between fiction and documentary. Viewers will meet Jaya, a Filipino non-binary teacher and typhoon survivor on a road trip to a drag pageant, and Arnel, a student heading to the city to find his father. Together they encounter resilient and inspirational villagers impacted by exploitation and climate change.
Caiti Blues
Caiti Blues is a heralded documentary by director Justine Harbonnier, already a winner of the DCG Special Jury Prize at Hot Docs, and featured in Visions du Réel 2023 and Cannes Acid. The film takes the audience to a tiny, deserted mining town in New Mexico to meet Caiti Lord, a struggling singer-songwriter who works at a bar to pay the bills and hosts a radio show on the side.
Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person (Vampire humaniste cherche suicidaire consentant)
Ariane Louis-Seize’s charming horror comedy tells the story of Sasha, the world’s most compassionate young vampire who refuses to compromise her principles. Her family is struggling with her hesitance to embrace their deadly traditions and is forced to provide her with dubiously ethically sourced blood bags for survival.
Vancouver International Film Festival 2023
When: September 28 to October 8, 2023
Time: Various times
Where: Various locations
Tickets: Single tickets range from $13 to $18, with ticket packs and festival passes also available. VIFF+ Members receive discounts on all VIFF tickets and the free U25 membership offers additional discounts to those between the ages of 19 and 25. Purchase online.
Daily Hive is a proud media sponsor of the Vancouver International Film Festival
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