Our fair city is preparing for another incredible year of the Vancouver International Film Festival (“VIFF”) beginning on September 26th. I am very proud to once again be an official VIFF media partner, and a media partner for a hand-picked Canadian film that will screen during the festival (more details on that will follow over the coming weeks). Tickets are on sale today as we lead up to the catalogue launch and the hottest movie — and gala — season in town. Here is a quick VIFF 2013 Preview to get you started:
New VIFF Venues
With the movie theatre landscape changing in Vancouver over the last year there are a few new venue options available for 2013. VIFF now has three distinctive neighbourhoods: Granville and Davie, Commercial and Broadway, Gastown/Crosstown (with the latter offering 3,600 comfortable seats on 6 screens within seven blocks of each other).
The Centre in Vancouver
for the Performing Arts
Exceptionally grand and well-provided 1800 seat auditorium with a HUGE screen. International guests will be very impressed.
Cineplex Odeon International Village
(3 screens)
VIFF used ‘Tinseltown’ previously and is delighted to be able to return to this popular and well-equipped Chinatown multiplex under its new management.
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Vancouver Playhouse
Gracious and Spacious. We’re installing the latest in digital cinema technology.
Rio Theatre
VIFF returns to Commercial Drive at this popular licensed music and movie venue.
SFU’s Goldcorp Centre for the Arts
Not just a new venue, a whole new partnership with SFU Woodwards Cultural Programs.
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VIFF’s traditional non-profit homes include the Vancity Theatre, VIFF’s own state-of-the-art facility, showing festival films (and serving beer and wine) year-round, and The Cinematheque, VIFF’s treasured neighbour and colleague.
Film Series
Canadian Images
Canadian Images Opener: All the Wrong Reasons on September 27th and September 28th.
Dragons and Tigers
Master director Jia Zhangke’s most popular film yet, A Touch of Sin is a Cannes prize-winning drama shows China’s gangsters, massage parlours, vicious bosses and desperate workers drawn into a whirlwind of violence, passion and vengeance. Winner, Best Screenplay, Cannes 2013.
Information on other series such as Altered States, Arts and Letters, Cinema of Our Time, International Shorts, Non-Fiction Features, Special Presentations, and Spotlight on France will be released in the coming weeks.
Must See BC
Preview. Promote. Vote! As part of the new BC Spotlight program, VIFF 2013 is thrilled to present a dozen feature films from our own creative backyard. The Must See BC campaign invites audiences to preview the lineup, promote BC filmmakers and vote on the must see festival screenings. And there are rewards. Follow the tag #MustSeeBC and @VIFFest on Twitter for more information.
Gala Screenings
Opening Gala
The Canadian premiere of Nebraska, with Bruce Dern, Will Forte, June Squibb, Bob Odenkirk, and Stacy Keach, will open VIFF this year at The Centre for Performing Arts.
BC Spotlight Gala
The BC Spotlight Gala will pay tribute to the late Babz Chula through the screening of Ben Ratner’s Down River — a beautiful example of local storytelling.
Closing Gala
The Face of Love with Annette Bening, Ed Harris, Robin Williams, Amy Brenneman, and Jess Weixler will be screened on October 11th to close out VIFF this year.
Tickets on Sale Now
The online box office is officially open today for ticket packages and passes. The in-person box office will be open on September 14th. The VIFF Mini Guide is available online as PDF download or around town and the full program catalogue will be on sale September 19th.
Be sure to follow along on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest festival information.
The Vancouver Aquarium’s next adults-only After Hours evening will be on September 19th as guests can explore “The Secret Sex Lives of Animals” through programming and shows.
This exclusive nighttime event allows adults to peruse the aquarium’s galleries and exhibits without kids underfoot while enjoying a selection of food, wine and beer.
In addition to our current exhibits, animals and shows, the September “The Secret Sex Lives of Animals” After Hours at the Vancouver Aquarium will feature a scientific talk from staff veterinarian Martin Haulena, an Amazon interactive learning show with live animals, and a seahorse romance program to catch up on your aquatic mating knowledge. Penguin Point and the Amazon Gallery will be open along with the Wet Lab Experiences (every 10 minutes).
Tickets are $18 for Vancouver Aquarium members and $25 for non-members. The event will run from 6:00pm until 10:00pm on Thursday, September 19, 2013.
If you would like to attend, I have a pair of tickets to give away. Here’s how you can enter to win your way in:
- Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
- Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
Follow the Vancouver Aquarium on Facebook and Twitter for more special event information and updates about their latest 4-D experiences.
I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Wednesday, September 11, 2013. Must be legal drinking age to enter, win, and attend. Please enjoy responsibly.
19+ event. Photo ID required for entry. No tickets available for purchase at the door. Due to BC liquor laws, alcohol is only available with the purchase of food. Membership cards will be required for member priced ticket holders.
Update The winner is Katie Schiebler!
There will be no lack of events happening this weekend and whether you’ll be in Surrey, in the West End, or out at UBC you’ll be able to join in on some festival fun. The West End Fest, Wesbrook Village Festival, and Fleetwood Family Festival are all family-oriented and each will have their own bouncy castle and face-painting for the kids on top of unique community offerings:
West End Fest
West End Fest takes place Saturday, September 7, 2013 from 11:00am until 3:00pm at the West End Community Centre (870 Denman). The theme this year for the free, all-ages event is “60’s Flashback!” featuring live music, a bouncy castle, caricatures, crafts, face-painting, and more.
Wesbrook Village Festival
Wesbrook Village Festival will be a giant block party at UBC on Saturday, September 7, 2013 from 11:00am until 3:00pm. The event is free to attend, will have free parking, and even the barbecue is complimentary. UBC Opera will make an appearance, as will a cellist from the Mozart School of Music (who also happened to study at Juilliard School of Music), there will be bouncy castles, face-painting, balloon animal twisting, crafts, and children’s entertainer Will Stroet (star of CBC’s Will’s Jams) will perform. For the older crowd, Vancouver’s Top House Band Dr. Strangelove will be playing, and the UBC Dance Team will perform.
Fleetwood Family Festival
The Fleetwood Family Festival is happening Saturday, September 7, 2013 from 11:00am until 3:00pm at the Fleetwood Community Centre (15996 – 84 Ave). Now in its 15th year, the festival will have a variety of children’s activities such as a trackless train, bouncy castle, face-painting, crafts, balloons, indoor/outdoor games, and more. There will be an outdoor cafe, barbecue, and concession available.
The Canadian production of The Wizard of Oz premiered in North America last December in Toronto and Broadway Across Canada is bringing Dorothy, Toto, the ruby slippers and wicked witches to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre this fall.
On stage in Vancouver from November 5th until November 10th, this new production of The Wizard of Oz is an enchanting adaptation of the all-time classic that has been totally reconceived for the stage.
Developed from the ever popular MGM screenplay, this new production contains all the beloved songs from the Oscar®-winning movie score, all the favorite characters and iconic moments, plus a few surprises along the way, including new songs by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Click your heels together and join Scarecrow, Tin Man, Lion, Dorothy and her little dog Toto, as they journey through the magical land of Oz to meet the Wizard and obtain their hearts’ desires. Watch out for the Wicked Witch of the West and her winged monkeys as you rediscover the real story of Oz in this fantastic musical treat for all the family.
Single tickets for The Wizard of Oz will go on sale Saturday, September 7th and are available by calling 1-855-985-5000 or online through Ticketmaster. Performances will run Tuesday through Friday evenings at 7:30pm, Saturday evening at 8:00pm, and Sunday at 7:30pm from November 5th to 10th. There will also be two matinees, on Saturday and Sunday at 2:00pm. Ticket prices will range based on seat location and performance but will start at $35.00 plus applicable service fees.
Wizard of Oz in Vancouver Pre-Sale Code
I have a pre-sale code that will be valid STARTING THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5th for a very short time:
- Click this link
- Enter this where it says “Got An Offer Code”: scarecrow
This link and code will be valid only from Thursday, September 5, 2013 at 10:00am until 10:00pm Friday, September 6, 2013. General ticket purchase will open up on Saturday, September 7, 2013.
Going to the theatre in Vancouver, especially in the fall, is such a nice experience. You can make a date night of it or bring the whole family. Follow Broadway Across Canada on Twitter and Facebook for more information about their shows this season.
A great bit hat tip to the Vancouver is Awesome team for spotting (and promoting) Vancouver Rising, a new Tumblr blog that takes footage from the Vancouver Archives‘ video collection and creates fantastic animated GIFs. Here are just a few of the gems they have posted so far:
1973: Granville at Robson – “
Vancouver Impressions“. City of Vancouver Archives: AM1487-: MI-121.
1983: BC Place Stadium – “Stadium“. City of Vancouver Archives: AM1553-8-S11-: MI-251.
1954: “The New Granville Bridge“. City of Vancouver Archives – COV-S361-: MI-4.
My friendly competition has a keen sixth sense-like talent for finding highly-entertaining GIF-filled blogs as VIA was also my source for finding the Definitely Raining blog on Tumblr that provides humorous social commentary on life in Vancouver. Browse a full mosaic of GIFs created from the archives on Vancouver Rising today and I’m sure there are more to come.
