VIFF Podcast

In Santiago Lozano's 'I Saw Three Black Lights,' a wise old shaman embarks on a final journey into the Colombian jungle to settle a spiritual debt and reconnect with his late son. We sit down with the filmmaker to discuss how an immersive, lush setting can almost act as a character itself, the importance of connecting with cast in mind, body, and spirit, and more on this story of ho...

'Cat's Cry' filmmaker Sanja Zivkovic sits down with VIFF Festival Programmer & Program Lead, Sonja Baksa, to talk about her global career spanning all the way from SFU's Burnaby campus to Serbia. 'Cat's Cry' first fell into Zivkovic's lap when the son of famous Serbian filmmaker Goran Paskaljević, Vlad Paskaljević, approached her with the possibility of...

When a mute young man seeks to escape into the wilderness, he quickly realizes he's not suited to survive on his own. To adapt, the young man begins to embody a feline, finding solace in a blind man's home, someone also seeking connection and comfort. Together, the pair forge an unconventional path towards tenderness and intimacy, where the mute young man begins to forget his human ident...

Harvey is a lonely, overweight man who discovers new self-esteem when he submits a photo to Cherub, a gay magazine “For big men and their admirers.” Director Devin Shears talks from his move from shorts to features in this gentle, ambient character study, revealing the healing power of being admired. This episode was recorded during the 2024 Vancouver International Film Festival. This podcast is b...

In 'Judas Icarus Twists His Wrist,' Director Kerr Holden (she/her) follows BC-based wrestler, Judas Icarus, following his arduous road to recovery after an injury. On the choreography of wrestling, the power of score, and how to emphasize athleticism and physicality on screen, Holden joins VIFF Shorts programmer Casey Wei on the VIFF Podcast talking her filmmaking journey, how to identif...

Hot air ballooning has been illegal in São Paulo, Brazil since the 1990's. Intrigued by this underworld of guerilla artists, who risk their lives, and freedom in order to craft and release huge, lavishly decorated paper balloons up to 70 metres in height, Director Sissel Morell Dargis began creating 'Balomania' when she was 19, spending a decade earning the trust of these baloeiros...

Filmmaker Emilija Gašić joins VIFF’s Vanguard series programmer Sonja Baksa to discuss 78 Days , a found-footage film that won the Vanguard Award at VIFF 2024. Shot on hi-8 tapes in her native Serbia, the film follows three sisters documenting their lives during the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999. Inspired by her own childhood memories, Gašić’s decision to use analog tape lent to the "doc...

In this episode of the VIFF Podcast, program manager and senior programmer PoChu AuYeung sits down with acclaimed Canadian animator and filmmaker Ann Marie Fleming to discuss her latest film, Can I Get a Witness? , which screened at VIFF 2024. Set in a near future where citizens are required to exit life at 50 to combat climate change and inequality, the live-action film stars veteran Vancouver ac...

In this episode of the VIFF Podcast, programmer Alan Franey interviews American filmmaker Connie Field about her documentary feature Democracy Noir , which explores the rise of Viktor Orbán in Hungary and its global implications. The film follows three women—a journalist, a nurse, and a politician—who fight against Orbán's regime, highlighting Orbán's manipulation of democracy to maintai...

Musqueam filmmaker Faith Sparrow-Crawford joins VIFF short programmer Casey Wei to talk about Uncommon Ground , her haunting sci-fi short set in 2171. They dig into themes of ancestral connection, mental health, and the deep bond between main character Tawny and her aunt. Faith shares how storytelling runs in her family, why the short film format speaks to her, and how she's collaborating wit...

In this episode of the VIFF Podcast, Curtis Woloschuk sits down with Canadian filmmaker Josephine Anderson to talk about her latest documentary Curl Power . Having premiered at VIFF 2024, Curl Power follows five teenage girls chasing curling glory while navigating the emotional terrain of adolescence. Anderson reflects on the challenges of long-term observational filmmaking, the power of trust bet...

On this episode of the VIFF podcast, programmer Alan Franey sits down with Mark Levinson to talk about his film, The Universe in a Grain of Sand . Levinson, who is a former theoretical particle physicist as well as a producer on films such as Mystic Pizza and Teen Wolf , details why he transitioned from physicist to filmmaker—influenced by his findings at Berkeley's Pacific Film Archive. The...

On this episode of the VIFF podcast, director Liz Cairns joins VIFF programmer Curtis Woloschuck to talk about her feature film debut, Inedia . The film, which premiered at VIFF 2024, follows a young woman with mysterious food allergies who joins a remote island community practicing alternative healing methods.  Curtis and Liz discuss the director's deep attachment to the writing of Inedia ,...

In this episode of the VIFF Podcast, Year Round Programmer Tom Charity sits down with iconic Canadian filmmaker and (sometimes) opera director Atom Egoyan to discuss his latest film, Seven Veils , starring Amanda Seyfried. The film premiered during VIFF 2023 and was inspired by his remount of the opera Salome . Touching on trauma, abuse, and the artistic interpretation thereof, Adam talks about hi...

In this episode of the VIFF Podcast, Vancouver filmmaker Devan Scott speaks with VIFF Year-Round Programmer Tom Charity about his experimental feature Preface to a History , co-directed with Willa Ross. The film explores mental health struggles through the characters Vlad and Sophie—Vlad immerses himself in audiobooks, while Sophie grapples with career dissatisfaction. Scott shares how his experie...

In this episode of the VIFF Podcast, Director of Programming Curtis Woloschuk speaks with filmmaker Karen Chapman about her narrative feature Village Keeper , which explores themes of trauma, grief, and economic disparity through the story of a Toronto single mother. Chapman shares her desire to capture "lived-in" moments on screen, and how location plays a vital role in shaping characte...

In this episode of the VIFF Podcast, Director of Programming Curtis Woloschuk interviews filmmaker Yuqi Kang about her documentary 7 Beats Per Minute , which explores the world of free diving and the connection between humanity and nature. Kang shares how a YouTube clip sparked her own free diving journey and led her to meet Jessea Lu, a prominent Chinese free diver who became the subject of her f...

In this episode of the VIFF Podcast, feature film coordinator Natalie Murao interviews filmmaker Jerome Yoo about his debut feature film Mongrels , which follows a Korean immigrant family in rural Canada dealing with grief amid trying to belong in their new home country. Yoo shares about how he found talent in Korea, his casting process, and the challenges of working with 14 dogs while shooting th...

In this episode of the VIFF Podcast, Short Forum programmer Casey Wei interviews filmmaker Deborah Devyn Chaung about her short film Strawberry Shortcake , a genre-defying Freudian fantasy that explores a teenage girl’s relationship with her mother. Chuang shares the deeply personal inspirations behind the film and the challenges of directing intimate scenes. Plus, they discuss the film’s intricat...

On this episode of the VIFF Podcast, Laura Arboleda sits down with filmmaker Thea Loo, director of the documentary Inay (Mama) . Thea shares the creative process behind the film, which explores the mental health impact of migration from the Philippines to Canada on the children of caregivers. Hear about the film’s evolution from a five-minute concept to a feature-length documentary, the challenges...

On this episode of the VIFF Podcast, Director of Programming Curtis Woloschuck sits down with filmmaker Mads K. Baekkevold, director of The Chef & the Daruma. Mads shares his creative process and talks about the journey of capturing Chef Hidekazu Tojo’s life and legacy. Tune in to hear about Mads’ influences, from Tampopo to Jiro Dreams of Sushi , the serendipitous beginnings of the film, and...

In this episode of the VIFF Podcast, filmmaker Asher Penn talks about his debut feature documentary, Physician, Heal Thyself , with VIFF Year Round Programmer Tom Charity. The film is a searingly intimate portrait of the celebrated expert on addiction, stress, and trauma, Dr. Gabor Maté. Physician Heal Thyself follows Gabor's life's journey, from his start as a young contrarian to a cont...

In this episode of the VIFF Podcast, BC-based film producer Mike Johnston talks about his his transition from directing to producing with VIFF Director of Programming, Curtis Woloschuck. He highlights the complexities of financing and managing co-productions, with Beehive and Wild Goat Surf as turning points, and an upcoming international co-production with Colombia, Memoria . Together, Mike and C...

In this episode of the VIFF Podcast, filmmaker Zarrar Kahn talks about his debut feature film, In Flames , with VIFF Director of Programming Curtis Woloschuk. In Flames , which premiered at Cannes 2023 and screened at VIFF 2023, follows a mother and daughter navigating loss and supernatural forces in Karachi, Pakistan. After the death of the family patriarch, a mother and daughter's precariou...

In this episode of the VIFF Podcast, documentary filmmakers Jeremy Schaulin-Rioux and Kirk Thomas along with legendary streetball player Joel Haywood talk with VIFF Director of Programming Curtis Woloschuk. Handle With Care: The Legend of The Notic Streetball Crew chronicles the rise, fall and rebirth of The Notic, an upstart streetball collective. While their creative basketball moves brought the...