2023 Vancouver International Film Festival

2023 Vancouver International Film Festival
LocationVancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Founded1958
Festival dateSeptember 28 - October 8, 2023
WebsiteVIFF
Vancouver International Film Festival
43rd

The 2023 Vancouver International Film Festival, the 42nd event in the history of the Vancouver International Film Festival, was held from September 28 to October 8, 2023.[1]

Awards

Winners of the juried Canadian film awards were announced on October 5.[2] The Vanguard award winner was announced on October 8, and Audience Award winners were announced on October 12.

Award Film Filmmaker
Audience Award, Galas & Special Presentations Monster Hirokazu Kore-eda
Audience Award, Showcase The Monk and the Gun Pawo Choyning Dorji
Audience Award, Panorama Irena's Vow Louise Archambault
Audience Award, Vanguard Let Me Go (Laissez-moi) Maxime Rappaz
Audience Award, Northern Lights Aitamaako'tamisskapi Natosi: Before the Sun Banchi Hanuse
Audience Award, Insights Physician, Heal Thyself Asher Penn
Audience Award, Spectrum Asog Seán Devlin
Audience Award, Portraits Call Me Dancer Leslie Shampaine, Pip Gilmour
Audience Award, Altered States Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person (Vampire humaniste cherche suicidaire consentant) Ariane Louis-Seize
Best Canadian Film Fitting In Molly McGlynn
Best Canadian Film, Honorable Mention Gamodi Felix Kalmenson
Best Canadian Documentary Someone Lives Here Zack Russell
Best Canadian Documentary, Honorable Mention Asog Seán Devlin
Best Canadian Short Film Katshinau Julien G. Marcotte, Jani Bellefleur-Kaltush
Best Canadian Short Film, Honorable Mention Our Grandmother the Inlet Jaime Leigh Gianopoulos, Kayah George
Emerging Canadian Director Valley of Exile Anna Fahr
Emerging Canadian Director, Honorable Mention Richelieu Pier-Philippe Chevigny
Best BC Film WaaPaKe Jules Arita Koostachin
Best BC Film, Honorable Mention Asog Seán Devlin
Vanguard Award Animal Sofia Exarchou
Vanguard Award, Honorable Mention Octopus Skin (La Piel Pulpo) Ana Cristina Barragán

Films

The full schedule was announced on September 6.[3]

Galas and special presentations

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
Anatomy of a Fall Anatomie d'une chute Justine Triet France
The Boy and the Heron 君たちはどう生きるか Hayao Miyazaki Japan
La Chimera Alice Rohrwacher Italy, France, Switzerland
Fallen Leaves Kuolleet lehdet Aki Kaurismäki Finland, Germany
I'm Just Here for the Riot Kathleen Jayme, Asia Youngman Canada
Last Summer L'Été dernier Catherine Breillat
Monster 怪物 Hirokazu Kore-eda Japan
Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe Robert McCallum Canada
A Normal Family 보통의 가족 Hur Jin-ho South Korea
The Old Oak Ken Loach United Kingdom, France, Belgium
The Pot-au-Feu La Passion de Dodin Bouffant Tran Anh Hung France
Priscilla Sofia Coppola United States
The Promised Land Bastarden Nikolaj Arcel Denmark, Germany, Sweden
Seven Veils Atom Egoyan Canada
Swan Song Chelsea McMullan Canada
The Zone of Interest Jonathan Glazer United Kingdom, Poland, United States

Showcase

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
About Dry Grasses Kuru Otlar Üstüne Nuri Bilge Ceylan Turkey, France, Germany, Sweden
Close to You Dominic Savage Canada, United Kingdom
Creature Asif Kapadia United Kingdom
The Delinquents Los delincuentes Rodrigo Moreno Argentina, Brazil, Luxembourg, Chile
Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World Nu astepta prea mult de la sfârsitul lumii Radu Jude Romania
Evil Does Not Exist 悪は存在しない Ryûsuke Hamaguchi Japan
Four Daughters بنات ألفة Kaouther Ben Hania France, Tunisia, Germany, Saudi Arabia
Four Little Adults Nelja Pienta Aikuista Selma Vilhunen Finland, Sweden
Green Border Zielona granica Agnieszka Holland Poland, Czech Republic, France, Belgium
How to Have Sex Molly Manning Walker United Kingdom
I Am Sirat Deepa Mehta, Sirat Taneja Canada
Il Boemo Petr Václav Czech Republic, Italy, Slovakia
Just the Two of Us L'Amour et les forêts Valérie Donzelli France
Kidnapped Rapito Marco Bellocchio Italy, France, Germany
The Monk and the Gun Pawo Choyning Dorji Bhutan, France, United States, Taiwan
The Royal Hotel Kitty Green Australia, United Kingdom
The Teachers' Lounge Das Lehrerzimmer Ilker Çatak Germany
They Shot the Piano Player Dispararon al pianista Fernando Trueba, Javier Mariscal Spain, France
Tótem Lila Avilés Mexico, Denmark, France

Panorama

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
19B Ahmad Abdalla Egypt
All Ears Liu Jiayin China
Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry Elena Naveriani Georgia, Switzerland
The Braid Laetitia Colombani France, Canada, Italy
Days of Happiness Les Jours heureux Chloé Robichaud Canada
The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has Passed Joanna Arnow United States
Gamodi Felix Kalmenson Canada, Georgia
Goodbye Julia وداعا جوليا Mohamed Kordofani Sudan
Here Bas Devos Belgium
Housekeeping for Beginners Domakinstvo za Pocetnici Goran Stolevski Macedonia, Poland, Croatia, Serbia, Kosovo
If Only I Could Hibernate Баавгай болохсон, Baavgai Bolohson Zoljargal Purevdash Mongolia
In Broad Daylight 白日之下 Lawrence Kan Hong Kong
Irena's Vow Louise Archambault Canada, Poland
Let the River Flow Ellos Eatnu Ole Giæver Norway, Sweden, Finland
Measures of Men Der vermessene Mensch Lars Kraume Germany
Oceans Are the Real Continents Los océanos son los verdaderos continentes Tommaso Santambrogio Cuba, Italy
One Day All This Will Be Yours En dag kommer allt det här bli ditt Andreas Öhman Sweden
Only the River Flows 河边的错误 Wei Shujun China
Puan Maria Alché, Benjamín Naishtat Argentina, Italy, France, Germany, Brazil
Raging Grace Paris Zarcilla United Kingdom
The Rapture Le Ravissement Iris Kaltenbäck France
Red Rooms Les Chambres rouges Pascal Plante Canada
Robot Dreams Pablo Berger Spain, France
The Settlers Los Colonos Felipe Gálvez Haberle Chile
Snow in Midsummer 五月雪 Chong Keat Aun Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan
Suddenly Melisa Önel Turkey
There's No Place Like Home Den, der lever stille Puk Grasten Denmark
Toll Pedágio Carolina Markowicz Brazil, Portugal
A Tour Guide Eun-mi Kwak South Korea
Tsugaru Lacquer Girl バカ塗りの娘 Keiko Tsuruoka Japan
Undercurrent アンダーカレント Rikiya Imaizumi Japan
Wild Swans Gorai Phakhri Rajni Basumatary India

Vanguard

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
Animal Sofia Exarchou Greece, Austria, Romania, Cyprus, Bulgaria
Bitten La Morsure Romain de Saint-Blanquat France
The Face of the Jellyfish El Rostro de la Medusa Melisa Liebenthal Argentina
Let Me Go Laissez-moi Maxime Rappaz Switzerland, France, Belgium
Octopus Skin La Piel Pulpo Ana Cristina Barragán Ecuador
On the Go María Gisèle Royo, Julia de Castro Spain
The Sea and Its Waves La Mer et ses vagues Liana Kassir, Renaud Pachot Lebanon, France
Tomorrow Is a Long Time Míng tian bi zuo tian chang jiu Jow Zhi Wei Singapore, Taiwan, France, Portugal

Northern Lights

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
Aitamaako'tamisskapi Natosi: Before the Sun Banchi Hanuse Canada
Les Filles du Roi Corey Payette
Fitting In Molly McGlynn
Float Sherren Lee
Hey, Viktor! Cody Lightning
I Don't Know Who You Are M. H. Murray
I Used to Be Funny Ally Pankiw
In Flames Zarrar Kahn
Richelieu Pier-Philippe Chevigny
Seagrass Meredith Hama-Brown
Someone Lives Here Zack Russell
Union Street Jamila Pomeroy
When Adam Changes Adam change lentement Joël Vaudreuil
Wild Goat Surf Caitlyn Sponheimer

Insights

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
Common Ground Josh Tickell, Rebecca Harrell Tickell United States
Deep Rising Matthieu Rytz United States
The Invention of the Other A invenção do Outro Bruno Jorge Brazil
Lynx Man Ilveskuiskaaja Juha Suonpää Finland, Estonia
Mareya Shot, Keetah Goal: Make the Shot Baljit Sangra, Nilesh Patel Canada
The Mission Amanda McBaine, Jesse Moss United States, India
On the Adamant Sur l'Adamant Nicolas Philibert France, Japan
Physician, Heal Thyself Asher Penn Canada
WaaPaKe Jules Arita Koostachin Canada
Winter Chants 冬未來 Jessey Tsang Tsui-Shan Hong Kong

Spectrum

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
Asog Seán Devlin Canada, Philippines
Between Revolutions Între revoluții Vlad Petri Romania, Croatia, Iran
Hello Dankness Soda Jerk Australia
Kim's Video David Redmon, Ashley Sabin United States, United Kingdom, France
Lonely Oaks Vergiss Meyn Nicht Fabiana Fragale, Kilian Kuhlendahl, Jens Mühlhoff Germany
Mighty Afrin: In the Time of Floods Angelos Rallis Greece, France, Germany
The Mother of All Lies Kadib Abyad Asmae El Moudir Morocco, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar
Orlando, My Political Biography Orlando, ma biographie politique Paul B. Preciado France
Smoke Sauna Sisterhood Savvusanna sõsarad Anna Hints Estonia, France, Iceland
The Tuba Thieves Alison O'Daniel United States

Portraits

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
Anselm Anselm – Das Rauschen der Zeit Wim Wenders Germany
Apolonia, Apolonia Lea Glob Denmark, Poland
Caiti Blues Justine Harbonnier Canada, France
Call Me Dancer Leslie Shampaine, Pip Gilmour United States, India
A Cooler Climate James Ivory, Giles Gardner France
Invisible Beauty Bethann Hardison, Frédéric Tcheng United States
It's Only Life After All Alexandria Bombach United States
Pianoforte Jakub Piątek Poland
Robert Irwin: A Desert of Pure Feeling Jennifer Lane United States
Sculpting the Giant Banu Wirandoko, Rheza Arden Wiguna Indonesia

Altered States

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
The Animal Kingdom Le Règne animal Thomas Cailley France
Animalia Parmi nous Sofia Alaoui Morocco, France, Qatar
Chronicles of a Wandering Saint Crónicas de una Santa Errante Tomas Gomez Bustillo Argentina, United States
Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person Vampire humaniste cherche suicidaire consentant Ariane Louis-Seize Canada
My Animal Jacqueline Castel Canada
Restore Point Bod obnovy Robert Hloz Czech Republic, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia
The Sacrifice Game Jenn Wexler United States
Tiger Stripes Amanda Nell Eu Malaysia, Taiwan, France, Germany
The Wait La espera F. Javier Gutierrez Spain
White Plastic Sky Műanyag égbolt Tibor Bánóczki, Sarolta Szabó Hungary, Slovakia

Leading Lights

A special program curated by guest programmer Anthony Shim, featuring a selection of films that had influenced his own journey as a filmmaker.

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
Dust in the Wind 戀戀風塵 Hou Hsiao-hsien Taiwan
Joint Security Area 공동경비구역 Park Chan-wook South Korea
Peppermint Candy 박하사탕 Lee Chang-dong South Korea, Japan
A Woman Under the Influence John Cassavetes United States

Focus: Women, Life and Freedom

A special program curated by guest programmer Fay Nass, screening films about misogyny and the subjugation of women.

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
Joonam Sierra Urich United States
Numb Amir Toodehroosta Iran
Seven Winters in Tehran Sieben Winter in Teheran Steffi Niederzoll Germany, France
Terrestrial Verses Ayeh Haye Zamini Ali Asgari, Alireza Khatami Iran
Valley of Exile Anna Fahr Canada, Lebanon

Short Forum

All films in this short film program are Canadian.

English title Original title Director(s) Province
All the Days of May Tous les jours de mai Miryam Charles Quebec
Ancestral Threads Sean Stiller British Columbia
Between You and Me Cameron Kletke British Columbia
Black Box Investigations Paige Smith British Columbia
Cassandra Bea Santos Ontario
Cloud Striker Allan W. Hopkins British Columbia
Conviction Bruce Thomas Miller Alberta
The Company We Keep Wojtek Jakubiec Quebec
Cristo Negro Paul Stavropoulos, Brendan Mills Ontario
Death Mask John Greyson Ontario
Defining Human Daniel Code British Columbia
Dickinsonia Charline Dally Quebec
Donna Keenan MacWilliam Ontario
Dream Tricks: Over a Six Stair Adam Seward Ontario
Element Will Niava Quebec
Four Mile Creek Ryan McKenna Quebec
Gentle Hum of Spring Simon Garez Saskatchewan
The Great Kind Mystery Ella Morton Newfoundland and Labrador
Hair or No Hair Janessa St. Pierre British Columbia
Her Name Is Like a Sigh Solara Thanh-Binh Dang British Columbia
In the Wake of the Cedar Tree Towustasin British Columbia
Katshinau Julien G. Marcotte, Jani Bellefleur-Kaltush Quebec
Lake Baikal Baigal Nuur Alisi Telengut Quebec
Les Lavandières Laura Kamugisha Quebec
Making Babies Faire un enfant Éric K. Boulianne Quebec
Master of the House Dylan Maranda British Columbia
Modern Goose Karsten Wall Manitoba
Mothers and Monsters Édith Jorisch Quebec
My Tomato Heart Mon cœur de tomate Benoît Le Rouzès Ménard Quebec
Nigiqtuq (The South Wind) Lindsay McIntyre Alberta
Our Grandmother the Inlet Jaime Leigh Gianopoulos, Kayah George British Columbia
Outside Center Eli Jean Tahchi Quebec
Portrait of the Con Artist as a Young Man Ryan Leedu Alberta
Redlights Eva Thomas Ontario
Return to Hairy Hill Retour à Hairy Hill Daniel Gies Quebec
Return to Ombabika Ma-Nee Chacaby, Zoe Gordon, Shayne Ehman Ontario
Silkworm Amir Honarmand British Columbia
Sisters Marisa Hoicka Ontario
Soleil de Nuit Fernando Lopez Escriva, Maria Camila Arias Quebec
Something Else Autre Chose Étienne Lacelle Quebec
Swallow Flying to the South Mochi Lin British Columbia
Sub Terra Jeffrey Zablotny Ontario
Sun, Moon and Four Peaks Kevin Jin Kwan Kim British Columbia
Take Care Tony Massil British Columbia
Two Apples Bahram Javahery British Columbia, Yukon
Two One Two Shira Avni Quebec
Unspeakable Heap Kara Ditte Hansen British Columbia
Where Rabbits Come From D'où viennent les lapins Colin Ludvic Racicot Quebec
You Feel Soft Cameron Kletke British Columbia
Yun Yuezhang Qin British Columbia

International Shorts

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
Almost Fall Presque l'automne Margot Pouppeville France
Basri and Salma in a Never-Ending Comedy Basri & Salma Dalam Komedi Yang Terus Berputar Khozy Rizal Indonesia
Beyond the Sea Hippolyte Leibovici Belgium, France
Big Bang Carlos Segundo Brazil
Big Day Chung Chieh Chiang Taiwan
Confessions Stephanie Kaznocha United States
Cuarto de Hora Nemo Arancibia Chile, France
Cut Samuel Lucas Allen Australia
Fairplay Zoel Aeschbacher Switzerland, France
The Family Circus Andrew Fitzgerald United States
Far from the Tree Daleko od stromu Emma Marková Czech Republic
Headdress Taietsarón:sere ‘Tai’ Leclaire United States
Hedgehog D. Mitry United States
Hide Your Crazy Austin Kase United States
In Too Deep Chris Overton United Kingdom
Jeong-Dong Choi Woo Gene South Korea
Just a Rehearsal Solo un Ensayo Hugo Sanz Spain
Just the Two of Us Toutes les deux Clara Lemaire Anspach France
A Lien Sam Cutler-Kreutz, David Cutler-Kreutz United States
Lovebugs Teddy Alvarez-Nissen United States
Mira Eva Louise Hall United States
Night Shift Turno nocturno Santiago Lago Argentina
Nowhere Garin Hovannisian Armenia, United States
An Ordinary Day Ju-yeon Gim South Korea
Pisko the Crab Child Is in Love Makoto Nagahisa Japan
Snif & Snüf Michael J. Ruocco United States
Southern Afternoon Nan fang wu hou Tian Lan China
Spasm اسپاسم Sahra Asadollahi Iran
Sushi Iván Morales Spain
Where the Time Goes Justin Tyler Close United States, Canada
Youssou & Malek Youssou et Malek Simon Frenay France

Modes

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
Aqueronte Manuel Muñoz Rivas Spain
A Bird Called Memory Leonardo Martinelli Brazil, United Kingdom
Let's Talk Simon Liu Hong Kong
Loving in Between Jyoti Mistry South Africa, Austria
Mast-del Maryam Tafakory Iran, United Kingdom
Mother Land Kantarama Gahigiri Rwanda, Switzerland
NYC RGB Viktoria Schmid Austria, United States
Shadow Does Laure Prouvost Belgium, France, Austria
Slow Shift Shambhavi Kaul India, United States
Square the Circle Hanna Hovitie Finland
This Is Not Here Charlotte Mungomery Australia, Peru, Spain

References

  1. ^ Bridget Stringer-Holden, "Vancouver International Film Festival 2023 announces live performances and special presentations". The Georgia Straight, August 11, 2023.
  2. ^ V.S. Wells, "VIFF announces Canadian film award winners". The Georgia Straight, October 5, 2023.
  3. ^ Becca Clarkson, "Lineup for 2023 VIFF revealed ahead of the 1st fully in-cinema event since the pandemic". CTV News Vancouver, September 6, 2023.