The 43rd-annual Vancouver International Film Festival is set to begin on September 26. With an overwhelming selection of movies, it helps to develop a plan. This VIFF preview should help.
Anora, Sean Baker’s latest feature as director, won the top prize Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes and already has 96% on Rotten Tomatoes. The director’s previous movie, The Florida Project, was an Oscar-nominated, indie darling. Anora will have two showings at VIFF, September 27 and October 1, before it is released theatrically by Neon on October 18.
Director Andrea Arnold returns with Bird, her first movie in eight years. It stars Barry Keoghan, the Irish actor that put the world on notice with his performance in The Banshees of Inisherin and won the younger generation’s heart by being Sabrina Carpenter’s boyfriend. Arnold’s last feature, American Honey, featured Shia LaBeouf as a modern-day outlaw. Based on the first images of Bird, Arnold could be taking Keoghan down a similar road. The movie has no official release date, but it plays at VIFF on September 26 and September 30.
Set in Vatican City, Conclave has cinematography by Stéphane Fontaine (Jackie, Captain Fantastic, Un prophète) and a star-studded cast (Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, Isabella Rossellini, John Lithgow). Edward Berger, director of All Quiet on the Western Front, directs this papal picture, which is set to hit theatres on November 1. VIFF will show it on September 29 and October 4.
A musical, starring Selena Gomez and Zoe Saldaña, that won the Jury Prize at Cannes, with costumes by Anthony Vaccarello, creative director of Yves Saint Laurent. This is Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Pérez. The movie hits Netflix on November 13 but will play at VIFF on October 6.
For a postapocalyptic musical, The End is your ticket. It stars Michael Shannon, Tilda Swinton and George MacKay, and is directed by Joshua Oppenheimer. MacKay shined as the lead in 1917. Oppenheimer is a relatively new director who has completed two feature films about Indonesian genocide. It’s unclear if The End will have any relation to his past work or if it will be a curveball. It plays at VIFF on October 4 and October 6.
Searchlight Pictures paid $25 million to win a bidding war for the distribution rights to Nightbitch. Directed and written by Marielle Heller, it stars Amy Adams and is, arguably, VIFF’s most hyped film. Nightbitch has themes of motherhood, feminism and empowerment. Also, Adams turns into a dog – maybe. December 6 is its official release, but VIFF audiences can see Nightbitch on October 6.
Denzel Washington executive produces The Piano Lesson, the directorial debut of his son, Malcolm Washington, with lead acting provided by his other son and Malcolm’s brother, John David Washington. The Piano Lesson is based on the Pulitzer-winning play by August Wilson. Previously producing Fences and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, this is Denzel’s third time adapting a Wilson play. John David has proven himself a top actor in movies like Tenet and Amsterdam. Could this be his Oscar vehicle? Netflix will release The Piano Lesson on November 22, but it plays at VIFF on September 30.
For those looking for zany Canadiana, look no further than Guy Maddin’s next feature, Rumours. It stars Cate Blanchette and other recognizable faces, if not recognizable names, like Zlatko Burić, the old, out-of-shape Russian oligarch in Triangle of Sadness, Denis Ménochet, the farmer that harboured Jews at the start of Inglorious Basterds, and the great Charles Dance, also known as Tywin Lannister in Game of Thrones. VIFF will show Rumours on October 1 and October 4.
There are lots of exciting movies to choose from. Remember to buy your tickets early!
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