Opening Night
Feature Documentary
April 2 @ 7:00pm

Alison Reid (Canada)
86 Minutes

In 1957, world renowned wildlife artist Robert Bateman and spirited biologist Bristol Foster embarked on a global expedition in a Land Rover they called “The Grizzly Torque” – a journey that ignited a deep love of our planet and set in motion a powerful story of environmental activism though art and science.

Feature Film
April 3 @ 7:00pm

Mayumi Yoshida (Vancouver, BC) 100Minutes

When Kana, a Japanese artist living in Vancouver, returns to Tokyo for her grandmother’s funeral, she finds herself caught between two worlds — the life she’s built abroad and the one she left behind. As family expectations close in and an old flame, Hiro, reappears, Kana begins to question where she truly belongs.

Feature Documentary
April 4 @ 1:00pm

Patrick Shannon (Comox Valley) 99 Minutes

On the remote islands of Haida Gwaii, the Skidegate Saintsare more than a basketball team: they are a symbol of pride, resilience, and the unbreakable spirit of their community. Saints and Warriorsfollows the Saints as they defend their championship at the 2024 All Nativetournament, even as a wave of challengers emerges from the Lower Mainland and the community fights for sovereignty over their lands, waters, and the future of Haida Gwaii itself.

Closing Night
Feature Film
April 4 @ 7:00pm

Julia Neill & Jacob Smith (Canada)
94 Minutes

Sheila McCarthy and Mary Walsh play Nora and Edna, two women who form an unlikely alliance over a shared distaste for their nursing home. Soon they’re plotting one last rebellious adventure. Funny, poignant, and heart-warming, Dancing On the Elephant is a fitting final film to this year’s CVIFF – celebrating the power of a good story to bring us together.

April 3 @ 10:00am

What’s a film festival without short films! Filmmakers from across the country entered their works in our festival – and these are some of our favourites.

There’s everything from a silent film about umbrellas to a slick gangster caper. An animated film about …. life, to a tender portrait of living after loss. Enjoy a different way of seeing Canada from some of the country’s up and coming filmmakers.

April 3 @ 1:00pm

From a lonely Cyclops looking for a friend, to a young woman coming to terms with her traumatic past, the short films in this block celebrate original storytelling from Vancouver Island.

We also celebrate filmmakers from the rest of the country – including the story of a nightclub magician…who might be more than he seems.

April 4 @ 10:00am

A tender portrait of finding love, even at the end of life. Two young boys who fight make-believe monsters…while real-life monsters lurk nearby. An ancient board game explodes into an animated treat for the senses.

These are some of the amazing short films we’ve found from across Canada and around the world. Sometimes the best things come in small packages.