VIFF Podcast

Solara Thanh Bình Đặng's ripe follows lead character Lệ, on the cusp of a life-altering decision. At this crossroads, she must consider an arranged marriage that is sure to support her family, but yields a profound uncertainty. Representative of a crossroads many women face, ripe represents the experience of facing a dilemma, symbolized by a durian fruit. In this work, Đặng emphasizes not the decision itself, but the spiritual and psychological journey in moving through it, a nod to her love of magical realism, and employing levity when creating a dramatic narrative.

In this episode of the VIFF podcast, Đặng discusses why the durian acts as a catalyst for this story, representative of not only a female's anatomy, but also our ancestral ties to nature and the universe. A short film packed with kaleidoscopic visuals and sound effects, shot entirely on 16 mm, Đặng speaks to the power of the short film form and why using it to experiment is an integral step in every filmmaker's journey.

This podcast is brought to you by the Vancouver International Film Festival.

Presented on the traditional and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) nations.

Nicole Bazuin first encountered Andrea Werhun on the set of a music video she was directing, in search of Go Go Dancers who'd be willing to participate. At first meet, the two developed what Bazuin calls "a creative crush," compelled to work together on several projects since. What resulted from this affinity for each other's art was a self-published​​ book titled "Modern Whore" based on Werhun's experiences as a sex worker in Toronto. But their collaboration didn't end there.

With more story to tell, Bazuin and Werhun teamed up once again, bringing their feature film adaptation of their first collaboration to life. "Modern Whore" the movie centres Werhun's story in this hybrid documentary, where she acts as both narrator and the lead, re-enacting ​her journey in a field that society exclusively villainizes or victimizes. 

On this episode of the VIFF Podcast, we speak with Bazuin (who wrote, directed, and edited the project) on creating a new feminine archetype. Not a femme fatale, but a femme vitale, a woman whose life is sexy, but contains multitudes in self-love and community. A movie that is told through a specific lens, being Andrea Werhun's first-hand accounts in sex work, Bazuin speaks to the beauty of how conversations evolve once the lens is up, getting Sean Baker on board during the height of the "Anora" fandom as Executive Producer, and how cinema has the power to change the conversation.

This podcast is brought to you by the Vancouver International Film Festival.

Presented on the traditional and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) nations.

The urge to escape the mundanities of everyday life is hard to ignore. And yet, so many of us remain tethered to our routines, our homes, our comforts.

In 1957, Robert Bateman and Bristol Foster resisted that pull. Instead, they packed their belongings into a Land Rover and set off on a 30,000-kilometre journey across Africa, India, Southeast Asia, and Australia—an adventure that would shape the course of their lives.

Driven by a shared reverence for the natural world, Bateman—one of Canada’s most celebrated wildlife artists—and Foster, a conservation biologist and filmmaker, are the subjects of the celebrated documentary, The Art of Adventure. Drawing from rare and deeply personal archival footage, the film invites us to be fully present in the landscapes we move through.

In this episode of the VIFF Podcast, Director Alison Reid reflects on the legacy of Bateman and Foster as Canadian icons, her own career as a stunt performer, and why the spirit of adventure matters—at any age.

This podcast is brought to you by the Vancouver International Film Festival.

Presented on the traditional and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) nations.

In a city plagued by social isolation, Brian Daniel Johnson and Dide Su Bilgin found a story to tell. In their film, A Welcome Distraction, lead character, Ernest, looks for answers amidst grief and heartbreak in this unapologetic portrayal of how disconnected Vancouver can be. Soon, he becomes entangled with a wellness enclave led by a charismatic leader (Adriana Marchand).

A true ensemble film, A Welcome Distraction showcases the pursuit of community, as told by a friend group itself. Longtime collaborators, Johnson and Bilgin, met in film school at UBC. Over the years, they cultivated a group of what Bilgin calls "cinematically intertwined" collaborators. Their first feature together depicts the coming-of-age pains they know to be true in a city that challenges them.

In this episode of the VIFF Podcast, Johnson and Bilgin talk about their experience finding your friends in film, pushing each other to create work, and how film itself is its own language. 

This podcast is brought to you by the Vancouver International Film Festival.

Presented on the traditional and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) nations.

Kent Donguines' journey creating Treasure of the Rice Terraces began in 2019. From idea to development, Donguines' slow and steady process was grounded with one intention: to be in community with his subjects.

Treasure of the Rice Terraces follows Donguines' travels back to the Philippines to reconnect with his roots. Discovering the world of Indigenous Kalinga tattoos in Buscalan, he falls upon 108-year-old tattoo artist Apo Whang-Od, marking the beginning of this story. A community that is often exploited by tourists and vloggers day after day, all seeking to be marked by Whang-Od, this film offers a new lens on a precious cultural practice, demonstrating how traditions can survive, evolve, and inspire both local communities and identity worldwide.

Donguines joins Director of Programming, Curtis Woloschuk, on the VIFF Podcast to discuss how making art can affirm your identity and empower you to bring these stories home.

This podcast is brought to you by the Vancouver International Film Festival.

Presented on the traditional and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) nations.

From travel bans to the risk of criminalization for her film's subjects, Elöise King had to persevere through many hurdles to get her documentary, The Shadow Scholars, to screen.

In The Shadow Scholars, cameras follow Patricia Kingori, the youngest Black woman professor in Oxford’s 925-year history, on her compelling global investigation into Kenya’s hidden essay mills — an industry where an estimated 40,000 highly educated yet underemployed Kenyans make ends meet by writing academic papers for wealthy Western students. As the film touches on an ethical gray area— facing many assumptions and judgments in the global north— King was determined to suggest a new worldview.

In this episode of the VIFF Podcast, we talk with King about the simple pleasure of diving deep into research, how documentaries can open doors to other worlds, and how education can mobilize us to think beyond the systems we live within.

This podcast is brought to you by the Vancouver International Film Festival.

Presented on the traditional and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) nations.

In the 20th Century, painter E.J. Hughes quietly helped reshape the artistic landscape of British Columbia. Each canvas was a place of worship for the artist who was famously too shy to attend his own art exhibitions. Hughes' legacy has left us with many opportunities to bask in the beauty of this province through each brush stroke.

Jenn Strom's The Painted Life of E.J. Hughes explores Hughes’s life not only as an artist but as a devoted, humble human being. In this episode of the VIFF Podcast, we speak with Strom about her passion for archival work, the importance of being present in the process of artmaking, and how art can help you experience your own environment in a whole new way.

This podcast is brought to you by the Vancouver International Film Festival.

Presented on the traditional and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) nations.

Growing up, Ahmed felt at odds with her Afghan identity. She describes herself as a rebellious child, not understanding the need for a head scarf, often finding herself "irked" by assumptions about her, before she even knew herself. Perceptions about Afghanistan perpetuated by "breaking news" from CNN certainly didn't help. In her latest work, In The Room, Ahmed sets out to change the conversation.

Today, Ahmed is proud of her identity. But the journey to this place of embrace was not linear. In In The Room, Ahmed interviews five women who in their own right, have taught her something about herself, and the many complexities, beauties, and struggles Afghan women face on their own unique paths.

In this episode of the VIFF Podcast, Ahmed reminds us that in a time where women's rights are under siege, you, with your story in hand, can be an agent of hope.

This podcast is brought to you by the Vancouver International Film Festival.

Presented on the traditional and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) nations.

This isn't Ryan Sidhoo's first time exploring the relationship between sports and space. Also having directed Truth North (2017) and produced Handle with Care (2021), two titles that rounded the festival circuit time and time again, Sidhoo's next feature introduces us to three friends growing up in Bosnia, all of whom have Olympic aspirations. 

What could be seen as a trio chasing a fairytale, The Track (2025) follows three young men coming of age as they train in luge on an abandoned track from the 1984 Olympics. A hopeful look at the next generation striving to clear out the rubble from the past, Sidhoo is keen to remind us that this isn't a sports movie, but a coming-of-age story about following a dream in a post-war society.In this episode of the VIFF Podcast, we speak with the filmmaker about how to make an audience root for your subjects, the logistical hoops of taking your film to market, and the power of seeing life through cinema.

This podcast is brought to you by the Vancouver International Film Festival.

Presented on the traditional and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) nations.

Ava Maria Safai describes Foreigner as “bubblegum horror”—a genre that layers a glossy, fun aesthetic over a dark underbelly of pain. Following an Iranian teenager who moves to Canada, dyes her hair blonde, and becomes a demon, Foreigner explores the ache of wanting to belong and how far you're willing to go to be accepted.

In this episode of the VIFF Podcast, Safai shares how filmmaking can be brutal in what it teaches you about yourself—much like our formative teenage years. Reminiscent of Mean Girls but with a little more guts and gore, this conversation dives into Safai’s process in shaping this 2025 festival favourite.

This episode was recorded during the 2025 Vancouver International Film Festival.

This podcast is brought to you by the Vancouver International Film Festival.

Presented on the traditional and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) nations.