The 38th annual Vancouver International Film Festival is about to fall upon us, taking over cinemas across Vancouver with some 300+ films representing 70 countries. Running from this Thursday, September 26th through Friday, October 11th, our beloved film festival is best approached like a multi-country overseas vacation: with pre-planning, and lots of it.
While the 38th annual Vancouver International Film Festival will screen 300 films — 156 features, 60 documentaries and 90 shorts — and while that seems like a lot to the casual filmgoer, it’s a tiny fraction of the films that were considered for the festival this year. Those final 300+ films were chosen through an elaborate process that began at the outset of the year and involved thousands of films, dozens of people (VIFF has 35 people working in some capacity in programming, and an additional 45 who work as prescreeners), and probably not quite enough fresh air and sunshine.
Films chosen for VIFF come to the festival in many ways. One is by blind submission — films that are sent to VIFF for consideration in response to a general invitation. Associate Programming Director Curtis Woloschuk estimates that several thousand films were submitted for the 2019 festival; all were viewed by festival programmers, and less than 10% were chosen.
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The primary question in the mind of most of those planning on attending VIFF 2019 is “What movies to choose?” Please find below a few informed tips to guide you (you’re going to want to read the expansive coverage of VIFF 2019 provided by VanRamblings this month for further insight into the film we write today, by clicking on the mighty purdy graphic above).
Award Winning Films Arriving on Our Shores from Global Festivals
Festival programming staff spend the year traveling to film festivals spanning the globe, and programme the best into the VIFF film schedule.
In total today, we’ll briefly present 24 films set to screen at VIFF 2019 that we believe are worthy of your time and consideration. First up …
Here’s an up-to-date list of Best International Film Oscar contenders that are set to screen at the 38th annual Vancouver International Film Festival:
The Invisible Life Of Eurídice Gusmão | Brazil | Karim Aînouz
Spider | Chile | Andrés Wood
The Painted Bird | Czech Republic | Václav Marhoul
Les Misérables | France | Ladj Ly
Those Who Remained | Hungary | Barnabas Toth
Adam | Morocco | Maryam Touzani
It Must Be Heaven | Palestine | Elia Suleiman
The Whistlers | Romania | Corneliu Porumboiu
Parasite | South Korea | Bong Joon-ho
Pain and Glory | Spain | Pedro Almodóvar
And Then We Danced | Sweden | Levan Akin
Each of the film titles above link to their VIFF online web page, allowing you to purchase your tickets online. In addition, VanRamblings has written, at some length, about all of the above nominated films in our VIFF coverage of the Best International Feature Film Oscar contenders, which may be accessed here (it’d be well worth your while to click on the preceding link).
There are four more films on the VIFF 2019 schedule that won acclaim and awards both at Cannes this year, and in their home countries:
Portrait of a Lady on Fire, directed by Celina Sciamma, arrives from France.
Plus, Iceland’s A White, White Day, directed by Hlynur Pálmason.
Scarborough, our favourite advance screened film.
And, finally, Synonyms, the acclaimed Israeli film.
Acclaimed Oscar Contenders set to screen at VIFF 2019
Ford v Ferrari will screen as a Special Presentation on the final day of VIFF 2019, on Friday, October 11th at 6pm at The Playhouse.
Harriet screens once, at 3pm at The Centre, on Saturday, October 5th.
A Hidden Life screens at The Centre, 8:45pm, Sunday, September 29th.
Jojo Rabbit will screen at VIFF 2019 just once, as a Special VIFF 2019 Presentation, at 6:15pm, on Wednesday, October 2nd, at The Centre.
Just Mercy screens at The Centre at 9pm on Saturday, September 28th.
The Laundromat screens at 3pm at The Centre on Sunday, October 6th.
The Lighthouse screens at The Centre at 6pm, on day three of the festival, Saturday, September 28th
Marriage Story will screen at The Centre, 8:45pm, Thursday, October 10th.
Motherless Brooklyn screens at The Centre, 8:45pm, Monday, Sept. 30th.
Waves will screen once, at noon, at The Centre, on Sunday, October 5th.
Click on the graphic below for more expansive coverage of the films above.
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Note. Pick up a free, glossy Festival guide. They’re available all over town, at libraries, coffee shops, and bookstores, as well as your favourite haunts.
Film Programmes Remain at the Heart of the 38th annual VIFF
You’ll also want to make sure to catch VIFF films captured in the various film programmes, Sea to Sky (BC Spotlight), True North (Canadian), Gateway + Dragons & Tigers (Asia), as well as the “alternative” programmes: M/A/D, ALT, NEXT and Impact each of which pushes both boundaries, showcasing the best new work from across the globe.
And for heaven’s sake, don’t forget about VIFF 2019’s expansive Documentary programme, the always tremendous Shorts programme (about which we’ll be writing this upcoming weekend), and the always impressive Youth programme.
How and where do I buy tickets?
You can buy tickets online at viff.org when clicking on the title of a film, and print your tickets at home, or call the VIFF Infoline from noon to 6pm, daily, or use the VIFF app. During the Festival you can buy tickets at the various festival venues. Tickets for special screenings are $17, while most screenings cost $15, less if you’re a student or a senior. As always, the best deal comes should you purchase a festival pass: weekday matinee passes at $175 are the best deal. Full festival passes range in price from $125 (students), $345 (seniors), $435 (full pass) to $1,000 (the platinum pass). You may wish to consider a discount 6 or 10 ticket pack ($50 – $135).
What about all those lines outside the theatres?
Arrive early at the VIFF venue where your film is screening, the venues mostly the same this year as last: The Centre, the Vancity, Cineplex International, the Playhouse, SFU Goldcorp, the Cinematheque, the Vogue, the Rio, and new this year, The Annex at 823 Seymour Street.
Each VIFF screening will have three separate queues: a pass-holder line (for those with passes hanging around their necks; you know who you are), a ticket-holders line (for those with tickets in hand) and a rush line. Standby tickets, for screenings that are sold out, go on sale 10 minutes before showtime.
What about bus routes and parking?
Translink / Coast Mountain buses are the best way to get around, although most of the venues are within walking distance of one another. Skytrain will whisk you to The Rio in no time flat. There’s parking at Cineplex International Village, but you’re going to want to check in with Festival staff (they’ll be wearing bright yellow VIFF t-shirts) to register your vehicle.
What about crowds?
There will be crowds, particularly at the better-known films; not a lot you can do about that. Maybe you’ll meet somebody nice in line; it happens often. Weekday screenings generally have shorter lines, particularly for the less well-known films.
