MUBI, the global distributor, streaming service and producer is partnering once again with My French Film Festival, the world’s first online French-language film festival that is now in its fourteenth year, to bring three films from the festival’s fantastic 2024 lineup to the service in the new year.
The three films will stream exclusively on MUBI from January 19 throughout February. Carefully curated under the From France with Love collection, the partnership aims to highlight the works of a new generation of French-language directors.
JUNKYARD DOG – streaming on MUBI from January 19
Childhood friends Dog and Mirales live in a village in the South of France with little to do—teasing Dog mercilessly is Mirales’ favorite pastime. But with the arrival of newcomer Elsa, this summer is different. Romance soon blossoms between Elsa and Dog, while jealousy eats away at Mirales.
NO DOGS OR ITALIANS ALLOWED – streaming on MUBI from January 19
Luigi and his brothers set out from their native village in the Piedmont to discover “La Merica”, the fabulous land where dollars grow on trees. Finally, instead of crossing the Atlantic, Luigi puts his backpack down in southern France, with hands that could no longer work.
THE BEAST IN THE JUNGLE – streaming on MUBI from January 19
For 25 years, in an enormous nightclub, a man and a woman watch and wait for an unknown event. From 1979 to 2004, we follow the evolution of disco to techno music, the story of a love, the story of an obsession.
One of the Best Films of the Year
Associated Press, The Atlantic, Cahiers du Cinéma, Esquire, Film Comment, The Film Stage, Jim Jarmusch, John Waters, Little White Lies, New York Magazine, The New York Times, The Ringer, RogerEbert.com, Sight & Sound, Slant, Vogue
The #1 Film of the Year “A masterpiece… Sometimes small miracles appear in the form of movies… Kaurismäki works magic” TIME
January 9, 2024 – MUBI, the global film distributor, streaming service and production company, has announced today the exclusive streaming date for Aki Kaurismäki’s (Le Havre, The Other Side of Hope) masterful return with his timeless love story Fallen Leaves. The film won the Jury Prize at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival and is also shortlisted for Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards®. Fallen Leaves will stream exclusively on MUBI in Canada from January 19.
Set in modern day Helsinki, Fallen Leaves tells the story of Ansa (Alma Pöysti) and Holappa (Jussi Vatanen), two lonely souls whose chance meeting at a local karaoke bar is beset by numerous hurdles. From lost phone numbers to mistaken addresses, alcoholism and a charming stray dog, the pair’s path to happiness is as bittersweet as it is ultimately delightful.
Shot through with Kaurismäki’s typically playful, idiosyncratic style and deadpan sense of humor, this tender romantic tragicomedy is both a loving tribute to the filmmaker’s beloved contemporaries and a timely
MUBI have announced their upcoming programming addiitons for January 2024, including their collaboration with Canada’s Top Ten.
Now Streaming
Pieces of April | dir. Peter Hedges, 2003
Quirky and rebellious April Burns (Katie Holmes) lives with her boyfriend in a low-rent New York City apartment miles away from her emotionally distant family. But when she discovers that her mother has a fatal form of breast cancer, she invites the whole clan to her place for a most chaotic Thanksgiving. After screenwriting success with What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, Peter Hedges won the Special Jury Prize at Sundance for his directorial debut. Available to stream as part of MUBI’s FESTIVAL FOCUS: SUNDANCE collection. (Trailer)
Now Streaming
The Blair Witch Project | dirs. Daniel Myrick & Eduardo Sánchez, 1999
This terrifying, super-low-budget horror film shocked audiences and went on to make millions despite its humble origins. Taking the form of a documentary about a local legend, the film cleverly immerses the audience in hand-held video footage that looks like the real thing… and maybe it is. The Blair Witch Project also won the Award of The Youth at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival and is a part of MUBI’s FESTIVAL FOCUS: SUNDANCE collection. (Trailer)
Now Streaming
But I’m A Cheerleader | dir. Jamie Babbit, 1999
Starring Natasha Lyonne, But I’m a Cheerleader premiered at TIFF 1999 and is a delightful, highly-stylized queer comedy that graced the end of a decade in an American cinema otherwise ruled by heteronormative rom-coms. Co-starring Michelle Williams and RuPaul (out of drag), this sweet, satirical yarn is due for rediscovery. (Trailer)
Now Streaming
Shithouse | dir. Cooper Raiff, 2020
Lonely college freshman Alex has closed himself off from his peers, who all appear to have this whole “college thing” figured out. But everything changes one night when Alex takes a leap and attends a party at Shithouse—a legendary party fraternity—where he forges a strong connection with Maggie. Shithouse won the Grand Jury Award at the SXSW Film Festival and is a part of MUBI’s FIRST FILMS FIRST collection. (Trailer)
Now Streaming
Following | dir. Christopher Nolan, 1998
Before Christopher Nolan became a towering talent in the game of big-budget filmmaking with the likes of Inception and Oppenheimer, he made this ingenious small-scale thriller. As complexly structured and cerebrally tangled as his best work, this intimate neo-noir is as beguiling as the classics. Following is Christopher Nolan’s first feature film (part of MUBI’s FIRST FILMS FIRST collection) and won the Tiger Award at the International Film Festival Rotterdam. (Trailer)
Now Streaming
Keane | dir. Lodge Kerrigan, 2004
With a cyclonic performance from Damian Lewis at its center, Lodge Kerrigan’s third feature is a searing psychological drama, stunningly restored in 4K. Through penetrative close-ups, Keane locks its gaze on a lost soul in the big city for a jagged and suspenseful examination of obsession and loss. Keane won the Critics Award and Jury Special Prize at the Deauville Film Festival. (Trailer)
Wednesday, January 10, 2024
Extinction Of The Species | dirs. Matthew Porterfield & Nicolasa Ruiz, 2023
Esther, an 18-year-old from the North of Mexico, wakes up in Mexico City overwhelmed and alone. Wandering the city streets, she attempts to connect with strangers she meets. Arriving at the house of a mysterious woman, Esther finds a kindred spirit and a companion for the end of the world. (Trailer)
Friday, January 12, 2024
Fremont | dir. Babak Jalali, 2023
Exclusive Streaming Premiere
Fremont stars Jeremy Allen White and follows Donya (Anaita Wali Zada) who works for a Chinese fortune cookie factory in San Francisco. Formerly a translator for the U.S. military in Afghanistan, she struggles to put her life back in order. In a moment of sudden revelation, she decides to send out a special message in a cookie. The comedy-drama is nominated for two 2024 Independent Spirit Awards (Best Breakthrough Performance for Anaita Wali Zada), as well as the John Cassavetes Award. (Trailer)
The 23rd edition of Canada’s Top Ten, an annual celebration of outstanding Canadian filmmaking, marks the beginning of a significant partnership between MUBI and TIFF.
This collaboration is set to showcase the diverse and rich storytelling that Canadian filmmakers offer and is just the first step in an ongoing relationship between MUBI and TIFF, dedicated to expanding the reach and impact of unique cinematic experiences globally.
Audiences can watch this year’s selections at TIFF Lightbox. Find the full list and purchase tickets at tiff.net/canadas-top-ten.
2023 was a phenomenal year for Film. So much that this impending awards season is actually still a wide open affair. So when tasked with recalling the year’s best, this year particularlt more than others, Team Mr. Will all have their very own unique takes on the Movies that comprise their Top Ten lists. And if that, narrowing down a list itself to just ten particularly was difficult this year.
That being said, 2023 was a monumental year for the team, navigating the SAG-AFTRA Strike and the barriers to still deliver an abundance of coverage during TIFF. We were proud to bring coverage from Cannes, several films which premiered there, now making their presence felt right now.
A huge thanks goes to Amanda Gilmore, David Baldwin, Nicholas Porteous, George Kozera and Justin Waldman for their hard work and contributions to the site this year and for so many years now. And we thank you our loyal readers and followers for being there as we worked though some very challenging situations these past few years.
Without further ado, Team Mr. Will proudly present our 2023 Top Tens … or st least we tried!
And in cased you missed Mr. Will’s very star-studded 2023 A Year in Review, here it is!
We look forward to bringing you more exciting content and giveaways in 2024!
Have a wonderful New Year!
Mr. Will
Following its premiere this Spring in Cannes, Sean Price Williams’ THE SWEET EAST screens exclusively now at TIFF Lightbox. Williams made a special appearance, speaking at Q&As for the Film this past weekend.
Our Review by Amanda Gilmore of THE SWEET EAST:
Cinematographer Sean Price Williams (Good Time) steps into the Director’s chair and delivers the engrossing The Sweet East.
It follows Lillian (Talia Ryder) who’s craving more excitement in her life. While on a high school trip to Washington, D.C. an opportunity arises to get a first glimpse of the wider world. This takes her on a road trip across the cities and woods of the Eastern seaboard of the U.S. Along the way she runs into many different personalities.
The Sweet East plays out like Alice In Wonderland, but is set in present-day America. Lillian initially begins her road trip odyssey by travelling through a glass mirrored door in a karaoke bar. From there she begins the journey that takes her across different ‘worlds’, just as Alice does. She hops across these worlds and experiences different parts of modern-day America. Some may argue that these different realms resemble different cults operating within the country today. Those people wouldn’t be far off. One of the most memorable stops on Lillian’s journey is when she meets Lawrence (Simon Rex) at what can only be considered a white nationalist gathering.
Director Williams and Screenwriter Nick Pinkerton know what the preconceptions of Lawrence will be, as they are what Lillian’s preconceptions are. But Pinkerton and Williams are more concerned with delivering complex characters. Ones who are deeply flawed but will surprise you and make you see them in different lights. For instance, no matter how many times Lillian attempts to seduce Lawrence, his morals won’t allow him to indulge.
Rex gives a restrained, nuanced performance as a white nationalist (who idealizes Nazis and has Hitler’s Autobiography in his house) with set morals on the sexual front. Sure, he considers and romanticizes the idea of being with Lillian. Yet, he’ll never give in to those desires.
As Lillian travels through each ‘world’ it becomes clear that Williams and Pinkerton are delivering a critique on present-day America. Each ‘world’ delivers a different point of American idealism, possibly none more so than when she happens to run into Producer Matthew (Jeremy O. Harris) and Director Molly (Ayo Edebiri) in New York City who demands she is in their film. This clearly plays into the belief in the American Dream. Lillian comes from no film background but because of her look, this duo MUST have her play their lead role. Harris and Edebiri are outstanding and share a magnetic chemistry that demands to be witnessed.
With a subject such as this, you’d assume The Sweet East is a dark Drama. However, it’s actually a delightful witty Comedy. There is perfect comedic timing from the entire Cast and the precision with which the Script is carried out, in the steady hands of Williams, makes for a singular viewing experience.
At the heart of the Film is Lillian played by insurmountable upcoming talent Ryder, who some will know from her powerful performance in Never Rarely Sometimes Always. She commands each frame of the Film in a true star-making role. The Sweet East is really about a teenage girl going on a gritty road trip through the East of America. Most thrilling is that Lillian is never naive or gullible. Ryder plays her with full control of her own circumstances and uses her own devices to get herself out of sticky situations.
New unscripted comedy GHOSTING WITH LUKE HUTCHIE AND MATTHEW FINLAN (Jan. 26) follows two actors known for their work in the horror genre as they step off script and venture into some of Ontario’s most haunted places
New point-of-view docuseries FOR THE CULTURE WITH AMANDA PARRIS (Jan. 30) showcases urgent and provocative conversations that centre Blackness and Black folks
January kicks off CBC’s winter slate, with the premieres of new CBC original series including workplace comedy ONE MORE TIME (Jan. 9) and crime-solving procedural with a comedic twist WILD CARDS (Jan. 10), and the return of comedy hits RUN THE BURBS (Jan. 9) and SON OF A CRITCH (Jan. 9), as well as character-driven docuseries BOLLYWED (Jan. 14) and PUSH (Jan. 14) and the debut of new hosts Sarika Cullis-Suzuki and Anthony Morgan on THE NATURE OF THINGS (Jan. 4)
Ring in the new year with laughs on the CBC Comedy FAST channel with full-day marathons of SCHITT’S CREEK (Jan. 1-5), RUN THE BURBS (Jan. 6) and SON OF A CRITCH (Jan. 7), available on CBC Gem, LG Channels, The Roku Channel and Samsung TV Plus
International series include the exclusive Canadian premieres of Australian series SUMMER LOVE (Jan. 12), a romance-driven anthology, and haunting comedy IN LIMBO (Jan. 24), as well as Season 4 of YOUNGER (Jan. 3) from creator Darren Star (Sex and the City); police procedural DI RAY (Jan. 5) starring Parminder Nagra (Bend it Like Beckham, ER); and critically acclaimed Australian hit comedy COLIN FROM ACCOUNTS (Jan. 17)
Documentary features include SATAN WANTS YOU (Jan. 7), delving into the satanic panic phenomenon; stranger-than-fiction portrait THE MAN WHO STOLE EINSTEIN’S BRAIN (Jan. 21); and COVEN (Jan. 28), exploring what it means to identify as a witch in today’s world
Feature films include buddy comedy BOOKSMART (Jan. 1) starring Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever; award-winning Canadian drama SCARBOROUGH (Jan. 5) adapted by Catherine Hernandez from her novel; popular comedy-drama MENTEUR (COMPULSIVE LIAR) (Jan. 19); and Cannes Film Festival Grand Prix winning-drama 120 BPM (Jan. 26)
Get ready for some big laughs as Just For Laughs VANCOUVER, in association with SiriusXM Canada, brings the lively spirit of comedy back to the city with their 8th edition of the festival running February 15 to 24, 2024. As Western Canada’s biggest comedy festival, this year’s lineup will feature many of your favourite comedians including comedy icons you’ve always wanted to see, and emerging stars you may already know from TikTok and YouTube; alongside hilarious hosts of today’s most downloaded comedy podcasts. Also joining are some of today’s prominent international stand-up comedians from Egypt, Mexico, Australia, the U.K. and Brazil, who will also perform in various languages. We will continue to showcase vibrant comedic voices from across Canada, including rising talent from Vancouver, adding an extra layer of excitement as we prepare for a truly memorable festival ahead. Plus, there’s more to come! We will be revealing additional artists joining the roster in the coming weeks.
Festival Director, Heather Wallace shares, “As we approach our 8th edition, we’re excited to build on the legacy of consistently delivering top-tier comedy to our city. We take tremendous pride in presenting the world’s biggest comedy stars; artists who are truly making waves across the industry.” She adds, “The valued support of our festival partners makes it possible for us to continue to grow and produce ten days of incredible programming that has something for everyone!”
To get in on all the action, tickets for Just For Laughs VANCOUVER will go on sale to the general public this Friday, December 1, 2023 at 10:00 AM PST at JFLVancouver.com
Performing at the 8th edition of Just For Laughs VANCOUVER, in association with SiriusXM Canada,
Rogers Arena
Bill Burr I Friday, February 23, 2024 I Rogers Arena I 8:00 PM
Emmy and Grammy-nominated comedian Bill Burr stands out as a leading comedic voice of his generation, achieving major success in numerous television and film roles as well as the live stage. In October, Burr’s film, OLD DADS, which he directed, co-wrote and stars in, premiered as the most-watched film on Netflix in its first and second week of release. On November 21, Burr starred with Adam Sandler in the animated Netflix film, LEO, which also premiered as the #1 film on Netflix. His diverse roles include appearances in the Judd Apatow film, The King of Staten Island, Disney+’s The Mandalorian, Hugh Jackman’s film, The Front Runner, and the Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell film, Daddy’s Home just to name a few. Additionally, he hosted Saturday Night Live and played the memorable recurring role of ‘Kuby’ on the acclaimed AMC show, Breaking Bad. Renowned for hosting his widely downloaded ‘Monday Morning Podcast’, in 2023. Burr toured arenas and amphitheatres throughout North America and Europe. In 2022 he made history as the first comedian to perform at Fenway Park. His 2022 Netflix special, Bill Burr: Live At Red Rocks, shot at the legendary venue, further stakes his role as one of the most versatile talents of his time.
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Ronny Chieng: The Love to Hate It Tour I Saturday, February 24, 2024 I Queen Elizabeth Theatre I 9:30 PM
Ronny Chieng is a stand-up comedian, actor and Correspondent on The Daily Show. He starred in the worldwide hit movie Crazy Rich Asians, his Netflix stand-up comedy special Asian Comedian Destroys America! and has appeared on Young Rock, Godzilla vs Kong, Bliss, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, and has been featured in The New York Times, GQ amongst others. Most recently, he also starred in the mega Marvel Studio’s hit movie, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
Wanda Sykes: Please and Thank You I Saturday, February 24, 2024 I Queen Elizabeth Theatre I 7:00 PM
Wanda Sykes is an Emmy winning stand-up comic, writer, actress and producer who has been entertaining audiences for over twenty years. She has ranked among Entertainment Weekly’s “25 Funniest People in America” and her peers have called her “one of the funniest stand-up comics” in the field. In 2023 she was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Nominations; Two for her Netflix special Wanda Sykes; I’m an Entertainer (her sixth stand-up special) and another for her role as in Crank Yankers. In 2020, she received Emmy nominations for both her role as real-life comic Moms Mabley in The Marvellous Mrs. Maisel and for her voice work in Crank Yankers. Her guest-starring role on ABC’s Black-ish also brought her two back-to-back Emmy nominations. Her fifth standup special, Wanda Sykes: Not Normal, is streaming on Netflix and was nominated for two 2019 Primetime Emmy Awards.
The Orpheum
Ben Schwartz and Friends I Sunday, February 18, 2024 I The Orpheum I 8:00 PM
Ben Schwartz can next be seen in Lord & Miller’s AppleTV+ miniseries The After Party, as well as the second season of Greg Daniels and Steve Carell’s Netflix series Space Force, in which he stars opposite Steve Carell and John Malkovich. Previous credits include the Disney feature, Flora and Ulysses, based on the popular novel, the indie feature Standing Up, Falling Down, for which He received rave reviews for his lead performance opposite Billy Crystal; Night School.
He starred opposite Don Cheadle & Kristen Bell in the Showtime comedy series House of Lies and acted alongside Amy Poehler, Chris Pratt and Aziz Ansari as Jean Ralphio on Parks and Recreation. As a writer, he has published four books and written television shows and movies for many major studios.
Vogue Theatre
Marlon Wayans I Saturday, February 17, 2024 I Vogue Theatre I 7:00 PM
Marlon Wayans is an actor, producer, comedian, writer and film director. His films have grossed more than $736-million in domestic box office and $1-billion in global box office. As a stand-up comedian, he is selling out nationwide and adding shows every weekend. His newest stand-up special, God Loves Me, premiered on HBO Max in March 2023. Wayans can most recently be seen on the big screen in Ben Affleck’s Nike drama AIR for Amazon Studios. Wayans is commonly recognized for his role as Marcus Copeland in Columbia Pictures’ 2004 hit comedy White Chicks. He also starred in the horror comedy spoof films Scary Movie and Scary Movie 2.
Bassem Youssef I Tuesday, February 20, 2024 (Arabic show) & Wednesday, February 21, 2024 (English show) I Vogue Theatre I 7:00 PM
Bassem Youssef will return for an encore performance to make history at the festival this year as the first artist ever to do one show in Arabic, and one show in English.
His one-of-a-kind solo English comedy performance, the audience is taken on a personal journey from Youssef’s career as a heart surgeon in Egypt to finding himself in the middle of the Arab Spring and becoming the host of the largest political satire show in the history of the Arab World. His jokes earned him worldwide recognition as “The Egyptian Jon Stewart,” but also got him arrested, interrogated, and ultimately prompted his escape to America just as the country was going through its very own identity crisis.
For his Arabic show: Youssef’s Arabic standup show is a unique and new experience showcasing a 90-minute show of ground breaking Arabic comedy. Standup comedy is a relatively new art form for Arabic culture. The show challenges the audience with subversive narratives that use very “strong” language that is not usually are not heard on Arabic live shows. That is why there is a clear warning for Arabic audiences to attend “at their own risk”. Youssef connects with all Arabic audiences from all the Arab countries which is almost an impossible task knowing that Arab dialects extremely vary from one country to another with totally cultural references making each
dialect almost have its own comedic language. He takes the audience into a very personal journey for Hal life before the fame touching on hilarious nuances that connect different generations and cultures. A unique performance of Arabic comedy that has had massive success in the US, Canada, Europe and the Middle East.
Kathy Griffin: My Life on the PTSD-List I Saturday, February 24, 2024 I Vogue Theatre I
6:30 PM
Kathy Griffin is a two-time Emmy and Grammy Award winning comedian, television star, best-selling author and advocate known for her biting satire and fearless comedy. The legendary performer holds the Guinness Book of World Records for writing and starring in an unprecedented 20 televised stand-up specials. She is perhaps best known for her hit Bravo series, Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List, which aired for 6 years and won 2 Emmys. She starred on NBC’s Suddenly Susan and guest starred on Seinfeld, Law & Order: SVU, Glee, You, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. She has lent her unique voice to animated characters in Shrek Forever After, The Simpsons, American Dad, Futurama and Dilbert. She co-produced and co-hosted CNN’s New Year’s Eve special, with Anderson Cooper for 10 years. Her memoir, Official Book Club Selection: A Memoir According to Kathy Griffin, debuted at #1 on the New York Times Bestseller List. Her second book, Kathy Griffin’s Celebrity Run-Ins: My A-Z Index, was also a New York Times Best Seller.
Nicole Byer I Friday, February 16, 2024 I Vogue Theatre I 9:30 PM
Nicole Byer is one of the most versatile voices in the comedy landscape today. An actress, comedian, writer, author and podcaster, she is perhaps most well-known as the host of Netflix’s Emmy nominated competition baking series Nailed It!, which has gained a cult following of viewers since its premiere on the streaming platform in 2018. In 2020, she made history by becoming the first black woman ever to be nominated in the category of “Outstanding Host for A Reality or Competition Program” and was nominated again in 2021 and 2022. The series premiered its seventh season in October 2022. She can currently be seen in her debut solo stand-up special on Netflix Nicole Byer: Big Beautiful Weirdo and the NBC comedy Grand Crew. She is also known for her standout appearances on MTV’s hit show Girl Code, a female-driven comedy series that opens the dialogue for the wonders and woes of womanhood.
Bob The Drag Queen I Thursday, February 15, 2024 I Vogue Theatre I 7:00 PM
The alter ego of non-binary comic/actor Caldwell Tidicue, “Bob The Drag Queen” describes herself as “hilarious, beautiful, talented and…humble.” Their unabashed confidence won them the title of America’s Next Drag Superstar on season 8 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, multiple acting roles for HBO, Netflix, Sony Tristar, MTV, and VH1. The third season of her Emmy Award nominated HBO Max series We’re Here was released in 2022. They are also an accomplished stand-up comedian with two solo specials under their belt and a starring role in the recent Netflix comedy concert film Stand Out executive produced by Wanda Sykes. Sibling Rivalry – Bob’s podcast with his comedy partner Monet X Change – is now on its sixth season and is also hitting the road playing major venues in the US and Canada.
Christina P. I Friday, February 16, 2024 I Vogue Theatre I 7:00 PM
Christina P. is a stand-up Comedian, podcaster and mother of two young, savage boys. She recently premiered her second one-hour Netflix special, Christina P: Mom Genes, which led to her being written about in outlets such as The Los Angeles Times and Forbes, with Ready Steady Cut calling it, “One of the best specials of the year.” Her previous one-hour stand-up special, Christina P: Mother Inferior, premiered in 2017. Her second half-hour special is featured on The Degenerates, shot in Las Vegas in 2018 and is streaming on Netflix as well. She has a hugely successful podcast Your Mom’s House which she hosts with her husband, comedian Tom Segura, and is a top-rated comedy podcast on iTunes. Launched in October of 2010, the podcast has acquired cult-like status and continues to raise low and loose jeans worldwide. If you enjoy 7th grade humour, you’ll love Your Mom’s House.
Tom Papa: Good Stuff Tour I Friday, February 23, 2024 I Vogue Theatre I 7:00 PM
With more than 20 years as a stand-up comedian, Tom Papa is one of the top comedic voices in the country, finding success as an actor, host, and author, in film, TV, radio and podcasts as well as on the live stage. The comedian has had 5 highly rated stand-up specials on Netflix including his most recent Netflix special, What A Day! The special was taped at the iconic Wilbur Theatre in Boston. His other critically acclaimed specials include Human Mule, Freaked Out and Tom Papa Live in New York City, two of which were directed by Rob Zombie. On June 6, 2023, he released his highly anticipated third book, We’re All In This Together…So Make Some Room.
Jessica Kirson I Sunday, February 18, 2024 I Vogue Theatre I 7:00 PM
Jessica Kirson is a powerhouse on stage. She’s a hilariously relatable performer of sheer silliness, vulnerability, and ridiculous characters. Her countless comedic character videos have racked up over 200 million views on social media. Her audience is multigenerational, creating an excuse for large groups of friends and families to spend a night out together. In an era where only 10% of all touring comedians are female, Kirson stands out as one of the strongest comedians regardless of gender. She produced FX’s Hysterical, a feature-length documentary that premiered at SXSW 2021. Her one-hour special Talking to Myself was executive produced by Bill Burr and debuted on Comedy Central. She is a regular on This Week at the Comedy Cellar and has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The View, HBO’s, Crashing, Netflix’s, Friends Who Kill, and Kevin Can Wait. She also acted in and served as a consultant, producer, and writer on the Robert De Niro film, The Comedian.
Patti Harrison: My Huge Tits Huge Because They Are Infected NOT Fake! I Saturday, February 17, 2024 I Vogue Theatre I 9:30 PM
Patti Harrison can currently be seen in the Sundance hit comedy Theater Camp, which will be released later this year by Searchlight. Last year was an amazing year for her, with audiences seeing her in the Paramount blockbuster The Lost City, and being nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead in Nikole Beckwith’s Together Together, co-starring Ed Helms. Later in the summer, she performed to rave reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and a sold-out residency at London’s famed Soho Theatre. She can be seen on I Think You Should Leave With Tim Robinson, High Maintenance, and Search Party. She can currently be seen on the current and upcoming seasons of HBO Max’s hit series Made For Love and She Hulk, on Disney+.
Che Durena I Saturday, February 24, 2024 I Vogue Theatre I 9:30 PM
Haitian Canadian comedian Che Durena was born and raised in British Columbia and is based in Toronto after spending time performing standup in Mexico. He is known for his work as a host and writer for My Most Amazing Top 10 (over 7.6 million subscribers) and he has amassed a social media following of over 7 million with over 197 million likes on his viral TikTok rants and commentary. He has appeared on JFL All Access, Comedy Network, Crave, and recently dropped his debut comedy album Tales From My Butthole. His comedy offers an absurd angle on his experiences living abroad and his perception of matters like culture, race, relationships and drugs.
Justin Willman: Magic for Humans in Person Tour I Monday, February 19, 2024 I
Vogue Theatre I 7:00 PM
Justin Willman wants to melt your brain while making you laugh. He’s best known as the star and creator of the hit Netflix series Magic For Humans. But you may recognize him from one of his many television appearances on The Tonight Show, The Today Show, Ellen, Conan and many more. Or maybe you know his work as a host: Baking Impossible; Cupcake Wars; Win, Lose or Draw. Or maybe he’s the child magician you hired in suburban St. Louis in the ‘90s. If you don’t know him, he’s a magician and comedian who’s mastered the art of turning cynics into believers (or at least getting them to laugh).
Sooshi Mango: Off The Boat I Sunday, February 18, 2024 I Vogue Theatre I 4:30 PM
Eight years ago, three average guys sat in their cars and started producing truly relatable content. Brothers Joe Salanitri, Carlo Salanitri and their best mate, Andrew Manfre came together for what started out as a fun hobby, which has now turned into what we know as Sooshi Mango. The Melbourne based trio are the only comedy act ever to sell out Rod Laver Arena three times in a row. Receiving an AACTA award for Favourite Australian Digital Comedy Creator in 2021, starring in Wog Boys Forever with Nick Giannopoulos and Nick Colosimo. They toured with their Off the Boat Tour across Australia in 2022, 7 states, 50 shows and a whopping 150,000+ tickets sold. With over 600+ million views online and over 2 million subscribers to their platforms, they continue to grow their brand.
Carlos Ballarta: TLATOANI (All Spanish Show) I Thursday, February 22, 2024
Vogue Theatre I 7:00 PM
Carlos Ballarta is a Mexican standup comedian and actor, born in Mexico City, with a ten-year career in the Spanish speaking stand up scene and to this day he is the only stand-up comedian with 3 jokes about elotes. He has three Netflix specials: El amor es de put*s (2016), Furia ñera (2018) and Falso profeta (2021). His most recent special, Rebelde Comodino, was released on Youtube in 2023. He has successfully toured all around Mexico, Latin America, the United States, Canada and many cities in Europe.
This is That Live I Saturday, February 24, 2024 I Vogue Theatre I 4:00 PM
Each week, hosts Pat Kelly and Peter Oldring introduce you to the voices and stories that give this country character in this 100% improvised, satirical send-up of public radio, society and Canadian culture.
Rio Theatre
Big Jay Oakerson I Friday, February 23, 2024 – 7:00 PM & Saturday, February 24, 2024 – 9:30 PM I Rio Theatre
Big Jay Oakerson is one of the most beloved and easily recognizable comedians working today. His laid-back style and dirty delivery are the signature marks of his comedy. Jay’s career spans two decades, starting in Philadelphia as a “comic’s comic” before rising mainstream fame in New York. Oakerson, co-hosts a weekly radio segment on Sirius XM 95, The Bonfire. On the screen he can be seen on This is Not Happening, Comedy Underground, Inside Amy Schumer and more. This year, he released his newest hour, Dog Belly on YouTube.
Catherine Cohen: Come For Me I Friday, February 23, 2024 – 9:30 PM & Saturday, February 24, 2024 I Rio Theatre I 7:00 PM
Catherine Cohen is best known for her hit Netflix comedy special The Twist…? She’s Gorgeous, which premiered earlier this year. The same live show won her the coveted title of Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh Comedy Festival in 2019. She can be seen next in the Paramount+ feature film, At Midnight, and in the upcoming Hulu series What Was I Doing While You Were Breeding. Last year, she found herself in Comedy Central’s Awkwafina is Nora From Queens, and she joined the cast for Season 3 of FX’s critically acclaimed series What We Do in The Shadows. Additionally in 2021, she published her first book entitled God I Feel Modern Tonight, which is her collection of comedic poetry.
Chris Redd I Thursday, February 15 & Friday, February 16, 2024 I Rio Theatre I 9:30 PM
After becoming a JFL New Face in 2016, Emmy-winning comedian Chris Redd has made his mark on comedy with his 5-year tenure on Saturday Night Live and his starring role on Peacock’s Bust Down, which he co-created, writes, and stars in. Recently, Redd featured in the biographical drama Spinning Gold, alongside Jeremy Jordan, Wiz Khalifa, and Jay Pharoah. His one-hour comedy special Why Am I Like This? premiered on HBO Max in November 2022. He received the Emmy Award in 2018 for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for the SNL song “Come Back, Barack.” Over his impressive career, he has appeared in the Lonely Island film Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, opposite Kathy Bates in the Netflix comedy Disjointed, and featured in NBC’s Kenan, Big Mouth, Wet Hot American Summer, Will & Grace, Netflix’s Love, and more. Later this year, he will star in Prime Video’s Candy Cane Lane, a Christmas comedy with Eddie Murphy, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Nick Offerman, among others.
Zarna Garg: Practical People Win I Wednesday, February 21 – 7:00 PM & Thursday, February 22, 2024 – 9:30 PM I Rio Theatre
Zarna Garg is “One in a Billion”, and that’s not the just name of her first comedy special. She’s also the only Indian mom comedian taking on her mother-in-law. She was recently profiled as one of the gutsiest women in comedy on Apple TV’s new Gutsy Women series, and featured on This American Life with Ira Glass. When she’s not doing 15 shows a week at Comedy Cellar in New York City, she is touring the world with her show. She is the winner of Kevin Hart’s Lyft Comics, the winner of the 2021 Ladies of Laughter Award, and has over a million followers across social media platforms. Her debut feature screenplay, Rearranged won Top Comedy Feature award at Austin Film Festival in 2019 and was a 2019 Nicholl Fellowships Semi-Finalist.
Aparna Nancherla: Uh Oh, I’m Back…and I Have Some Thoughts I Friday, February 16 – 7:00 PM & Saturday, February 17, 2024 – 9:30 PM I Rio Theatre
Aparna Nancherla is an acclaimed comedian, writer, and actor. Praised by critics and fans alike for her distinctive dry, existential, and whimsical sense of humour, she has toured her standup comedy extensively around the U.S. and the world. A true multi-hyphenate, her work spans film, TV, podcasts, and books. She presently hosts The Introvert’s Survival Guide, a new eight-part self-help interview podcast that premiered on Audible via Fresh Produce Media, which features a plethora of notable guests such as Seth Meyers, Elyse Myers, and Eric Smith. On TV, she has starred in many memorable roles on such series as Search Party, Space Force, Bojack Horseman, Corporate and many more. Her late-night standup debut was on Conan in 2013 and she was named a Just For Laughs New Face.
Caroline Rhea: I Identify As A Witch I Thursday, February 22, 2024 I Rio Theatre I 7:00 PM
Caroline Rhea is a stand-up comedian and actress, best known for her role as Hilda Spellman on the ABC hit series Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and numerous comedy specials on Comedy Central, HBO and Showtime. She is currently starring in Disney Channel’s Sydney to the Max, and hosts Caroline and Friends, her hit game show for Game Show Network, now in its second season. She is a regular panellist on ABC’s Match Game with Alec Baldwin and is often on other game shows such as Hollywood Squares and Funny You Should Ask. She was the host of the Caroline Rhea Show, has appeared on Phineas and Ferb for over 10 seasons, and has guest starred on many hit series, including Two Broke Girls, The Marc Maron Show, and The Grinder. She starred as Noleta Nethercott in the cult classic series Sordid Lives and reprised her role in the film A Very Sordid Wedding, which ranked #1 on Amazon Films for a full month following its release. Most recently, she can be seen on the dais of Comedy Central’s Roast of Alec Baldwin. This marks her 30th year as a stand-up comedian.
Mo Gilligan: In the Moment World Tour 2024 I Tuesday, February 20, 2024 I Rio Theatre I 9:30 PM
With his high-energy style and stunning physicality, triple BAFTA winner Mo Gilligan is one of the UK’s biggest comedy stars with an online reach running into multiple millions. Named “The Funniest Man in Britain” by The Times, his debut Coupla Cans stand up tour was a total sell out, including a huge two-week residency in London’s West End. The show went on to be recorded as his debut Netflix Original Momentum, which was globally released in 190 countries. Gilligan fronts his own multi award winning entertainment format The Lateish Show with Mo Gilligan, which saw him win his first BAFTA for Best Entertainment Performance in 2020. That year he also produced and fronted the ground-breaking documentary Mo Gilligan: Black, British and Funny (Channel 4), which achieved huge critical acclaim.
Rafi Bastos: Unfamiliar Territory I Saturday, February 17, 2024 I Rio Theatre I 7:00 PM
Rafi Bastos is a 6’7” tall Jewish-Brazilian comedian with an accent like Dracula and a rapidly growing social media presence of stand-up clips in English. Many of his super-viral stand-up clips come from nightly performances at the prestigious Comedy Cellar. In his home-country of Brazil, he is a trailblazer of comedy, media and is one of the first comedians to pioneer the art of American-style stand-up comedy in Brazil. His 17-year comedy and acting career, before coming to the United States, garnered many firsts and was covered in an interview on The Joe Rogan Experience. He has starred in movies, had his own controversial talk show, been an infield journalist and hosted reality shows Ultimate Beastmaster for Netflix. He is the Co-Founder and owner of Comedians, the largest comedy club in South America. Let’s just say Bastos has done almost everything in Brazil and now he’s in the USA to do it all with a fresh perspective.
Chris Fleming I Tuesday, February 20, 2024 I Rio Theatre I 7:00 PM
Chris Fleming was named one of Variety’s Ten Comics to Watch for 2019. He has amassed over 70 million views on his Youtube channel and has appeared in Comedy Central’s Corporate, Splitting Up Together, Netflix’s Last Laugh and Twelve Forever. The Huffington Post has called him “perhaps one of the best things on the internet.” Of his live show, Chortle says, “you can’t take your eyes off this unpredictable, exciting performer.” Splitsider says, “a madman and I think, genius.” According to Vulture, “equal parts imagination and inferiority complex, a combination that has led him to create some of the most bizarrely funny performance art taking place online and onstage today.”
Lewberger I Sunday, February 18, 2024 I Rio Theatre I 7:00 PM
Lewberger is Keith Habersberger, Alex Lewis, and Hughie Stone Fish. This handsome 3-man comedy band based in Los Angeles, CA, got a standing ovation on America’s Got Talent and were finalists on NBC’s Bring The Funny. Their viral songs have been heard by millions online and on TV and they’ve been described as the illegitimate love child of Lonely Island and Flight of the Conchords. Lewberger has played clubs and colleges all over the country. Their latest comedy special Lewberger: Live at Lincoln Hall can be found on Amazon Prime, and their podcast Celebrity Theme Song can be heard on all streaming platforms. Habersberger is a member of internet sensations The Try Guys, boasting millions of subscribers and their own production company. Lewis is an actor and comedian who can be seen on several TV shows and the movies All About Nina as well as the remake of MGM’s Valley Girl. Stone Fish is an Emmy Award-winning songwriter and a music producer/educator with a non-profit bringing arts education to his hometown of Syracuse, New York.
Celebrity Memoir Book Club I Thursday, February 15, 2024 I Rio Theatre I 7:00 PM
Celebrity Memoir Book Club is the podcast where New York comedians Claire Parker and Ashley Hamilton read celebrity memoirs so you don’t have to. An Apple Podcast top comedy podcast, a Vulture must listen, and featured in the New York Times, This podcast follows them as they comb through the pages of celebrity memoirs for the juiciest moments. Lauded by Vogue as “deftly balancing a tongue-in-cheek, humorous look at its celebrity specimens with generous doses of empathy” and named a best podcast of 2022 by Esquire, they are analyzing the celebs and giving unfiltered takes on celebrity gossip using the celebrities’ own words.
Get ready for some big laughs as Just For Laughs VANCOUVER, in association with SiriusXM Canada, brings the lively spirit of comedy back to the city with their 8th edition of the festival running February 15 to 24, 2024. As Western Canada’s biggest comedy festival, this year’s lineup will feature many of your favourite comedians including comedy icons you’ve always wanted to see, and emerging stars you may already know from TikTok and YouTube; alongside hilarious hosts of today’s most downloaded comedy podcasts. Also joining are some of today’s prominent international stand-up comedians from Egypt, Mexico, Australia, the U.K. and Brazil, who will also perform in various languages. We will continue to showcase vibrant comedic voices from across Canada, including rising talent from Vancouver, adding an extra layer of excitement as we prepare for a truly memorable festival ahead. Plus, there’s more to come! We will be revealing additional artists joining the roster in the coming weeks.
Festival Director, Heather Wallace shares, “As we approach our 8th edition, we’re excited to build on the legacy of consistently delivering top-tier comedy to our city. We take tremendous pride in presenting the world’s biggest comedystars; artists who are truly making waves across the industry.” She adds, “The valued support of our festival partners makes it possible for us to continue to grow and produce ten days of incredible programming that has something for everyone!”
To get in on all the action, tickets for Just For Laughs VANCOUVER will go on sale to the general public this Friday, December 1, 2023 at 10:00 AM PST at JFLVancouver.com
Performing at the 8th edition of Just For Laughs VANCOUVER,
in association with SiriusXM Canada,
Rogers Arena
Bill Burr I Friday, February 23, 2024 I Rogers Arena I 8:00 PM
Emmy and Grammy-nominated comedian Bill Burr stands out as a leading comedic voice of his generation, achieving major success in numerous television and film roles as well as the live stage. In October, Burr’s film, OLD DADS, which he directed, co-wrote and stars in, premiered as the most-watched film on Netflix in its first and second week of release. On November 21, Burr starred with Adam Sandler in the animated Netflix film, LEO, which also premiered as the #1 film on Netflix. His diverse roles include appearances in the Judd Apatow film, The King of Staten Island, Disney+’s The Mandalorian, Hugh Jackman’s film, The Front Runner, and the Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell film, Daddy’s Home just to name a few. Additionally, he hosted Saturday Night Live and played the memorable recurring role of ‘Kuby’ on the acclaimed AMC show, Breaking Bad. Renowned for hosting his widely downloaded ‘Monday Morning Podcast’, in 2023. Burr toured arenas and amphitheatres throughout North America and Europe. In 2022 he made history as the first comedian to perform at Fenway Park. His 2022 Netflix special, Bill Burr: Live At Red Rocks, shot at the legendary venue, further stakes his role as one of the most versatile talents of his time.
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Ronny Chieng: The Love to Hate It Tour I Saturday, February 24, 2024 I Queen Elizabeth Theatre I 9:30 PM
Ronny Chieng is a stand-up comedian, actor and Correspondent on The Daily Show. He starred in the worldwide hit movie Crazy Rich Asians, his Netflix stand-up comedy special Asian Comedian Destroys America! and has appeared on Young Rock, Godzilla vs Kong, Bliss, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, and has been featured in The New York Times, GQ amongst others. Most recently, he also starred in the mega Marvel Studio’s hit movie, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
Wanda Sykes: Please and Thank You I Saturday, February 24, 2024 I Queen Elizabeth Theatre I 7:00 PM
Wanda Sykes is an Emmy winning stand-up comic, writer, actress and producer who has been entertaining audiences for over twenty years. She has ranked among Entertainment Weekly’s “25 Funniest People in America” and her peers have called her “one of the funniest stand-up comics” in the field. In 2023 she was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Nominations; Two for her Netflix special Wanda Sykes; I’m an Entertainer (her sixth stand-up special) and another for her role as in Crank Yankers. In 2020, she received Emmy nominations for both her role as real-life comic Moms Mabley in The Marvellous Mrs. Maisel and for her voice work in Crank Yankers. Her guest-starring role on ABC’s Black-ish also brought her two back-to-back Emmy nominations. Her fifth standup special, Wanda Sykes: Not Normal, is streaming on Netflix and was nominated for two 2019 Primetime Emmy Awards.
The Orpheum
Ben Schwartz and Friends I Sunday, February 18, 2024 I The Orpheum I 8:00 PM
Ben Schwartz can next be seen in Lord & Miller’s AppleTV+ miniseries The After Party, as well as the second season of Greg Daniels and Steve Carell’s Netflix series Space Force, in which he stars opposite Steve Carell and John Malkovich. Previous credits include the Disney feature, Flora and Ulysses, based on the popular novel, the indie feature Standing Up, Falling Down, for which He received rave reviews for his lead performance opposite Billy Crystal; Night School.
He starred opposite Don Cheadle & Kristen Bell in the Showtime comedy series House of Lies and acted alongside Amy Poehler, Chris Pratt and Aziz Ansari as Jean Ralphio on Parks and Recreation. As a writer, he has published four books and written television shows and movies for many major studios.
Vogue Theatre
Marlon Wayans I Saturday, February 17, 2024 I Vogue Theatre I 7:00 PM
Marlon Wayans is an actor, producer, comedian, writer and film director. His films have grossed more than $736-million in domestic box office and $1-billion in global box office. As a stand-up comedian, he is selling out nationwide and adding shows every weekend. His newest stand-up special, God Loves Me, premiered on HBO Max in March 2023. Wayans can most recently be seen on the big screen in Ben Affleck’s Nike drama AIR for Amazon Studios. Wayans is commonly recognized for his role as Marcus Copeland in Columbia Pictures’ 2004 hit comedy White Chicks. He also starred in the horror comedy spoof films Scary Movie and Scary Movie 2.
Bassem Youssef I Tuesday, February 20, 2024 (Arabic show) & Wednesday, February 21, 2024 (English show) I Vogue Theatre I 7:00 PM
Bassem Youssef will return for an encore performance to make history at the festival this year as the first artist ever to do one show in Arabic, and one show in English.
His one-of-a-kind solo English comedy performance, the audience is taken on a personal journey from Youssef’s career as a heart surgeon in Egypt to finding himself in the middle of the Arab Spring and becoming the host of the largest political satire show in the history of the Arab World. His jokes earned him worldwide recognition as “The Egyptian Jon Stewart,” but also got him arrested, interrogated, and ultimately prompted his escape to America just as the country was going through its very own identity crisis.
For his Arabic show: Youssef’s Arabic standup show is a unique and new experience showcasing a 90-minute show of ground breaking Arabic comedy. Standup comedy is a relatively new art form for Arabic culture. The show challenges the audience with subversive narratives that use very “strong” language that is not usually are not heard on Arabic live shows. That is why there is a clear warning for Arabic audiences to attend “at their own risk”. Youssef connects with all Arabic audiences from all the Arab countries which is almost an impossible task knowing that Arab dialects extremely vary from one country to another with totally cultural references making each
dialect almost have its own comedic language. He takes the audience into a very personal journey for Hal life before the fame touching on hilarious nuances that connect different generations and cultures. A unique performance of Arabic comedy that has had massive success in the US, Canada, Europe and the Middle East.
Kathy Griffin: My Life on the PTSD-List I Saturday, February 24, 2024 I Vogue Theatre I
6:30 PM
Kathy Griffin is a two-time Emmy and Grammy Award winning comedian, television star, best-selling author and advocate known for her biting satire and fearless comedy. The legendary performer holds the Guinness Book of World Records for writing and starring in an unprecedented 20 televised stand-up specials. She is perhaps best known for her hit Bravo series, Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List, which aired for 6 years and won 2 Emmys. She starred on NBC’s Suddenly Susan and guest starred on Seinfeld, Law & Order: SVU, Glee, You, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. She has lent her unique voice to animated characters in Shrek Forever After, The Simpsons, American Dad, Futurama and Dilbert. She co-produced and co-hosted CNN’s New Year’s Eve special, with Anderson Cooper for 10 years. Her memoir, Official Book Club Selection: A Memoir According to Kathy Griffin, debuted at #1 on the New York Times Bestseller List. Her second book, Kathy Griffin’s Celebrity Run-Ins: My A-Z Index, was also a New York Times Best Seller.
Nicole Byer I Friday, February 16, 2024 I Vogue Theatre I 9:30 PM
Nicole Byer is one of the most versatile voices in the comedy landscape today. An actress, comedian, writer, author and podcaster, she is perhaps most well-known as the host of Netflix’s Emmy nominated competition baking series Nailed It!, which has gained a cult following of viewers since its premiere on the streaming platform in 2018. In 2020, she made history by becoming the first black woman ever to be nominated in the category of “Outstanding Host for A Reality or Competition Program” and was nominated again in 2021 and 2022. The series premiered its seventh season in October 2022. She can currently be seen in her debut solo stand-up special on Netflix Nicole Byer: Big Beautiful Weirdo and the NBC comedy Grand Crew. She is also known for her standout appearances on MTV’s hit show Girl Code, a female-driven comedy series that opens the dialogue for the wonders and woes of womanhood.
Bob The Drag Queen I Thursday, February 15, 2024 I Vogue Theatre I 7:00 PM
The alter ego of non-binary comic/actor Caldwell Tidicue, “Bob The Drag Queen” describes herself as “hilarious, beautiful, talented and…humble.” Their unabashed confidence won them the title of America’s Next Drag Superstar on season 8 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, multiple acting roles for HBO, Netflix, Sony Tristar, MTV, and VH1. The third season of her Emmy Award nominated HBO Max series We’re Here was released in 2022. They are also an accomplished stand-up comedian with two solo specials under their belt and a starring role in the recent Netflix comedy concert film Stand Out executive produced by Wanda Sykes. Sibling Rivalry – Bob’s podcast with his comedy partner Monet X Change – is now on its sixth season and is also hitting the road playing major venues in the US and Canada.
Christina P. I Friday, February 16, 2024 I Vogue Theatre I 7:00 PM
Christina P. is a stand-up Comedian, podcaster and mother of two young, savage boys. She recently premiered her second one-hour Netflix special, Christina P: Mom Genes, which led to her being written about in outlets such as The Los Angeles Times and Forbes, with Ready Steady Cut calling it, “One of the best specials of the year.” Her previous one-hour stand-up special, Christina P: Mother Inferior, premiered in 2017. Her second half-hour special is featured on The Degenerates, shot in Las Vegas in 2018 and is streaming on Netflix as well. She has a hugely successful podcast Your Mom’s House which she hosts with her husband, comedian Tom Segura, and is a top-rated comedy podcast on iTunes. Launched in October of 2010, the podcast has acquired cult-like status and continues to raise low and loose jeans worldwide. If you enjoy 7th grade humour, you’ll love Your Mom’s House.
Tom Papa: Good Stuff Tour I Friday, February 23, 2024 I Vogue Theatre I 7:00 PM
With more than 20 years as a stand-up comedian, Tom Papa is one of the top comedic voices in the country, finding success as an actor, host, and author, in film, TV, radio and podcasts as well as on the live stage. The comedian has had 5 highly rated stand-up specials on Netflix including his most recent Netflix special, What A Day! The special was taped at the iconic Wilbur Theatre in Boston. His other critically acclaimed specials include Human Mule, Freaked Out and Tom Papa Live in New York City, two of which were directed by Rob Zombie. On June 6, 2023, he released his highly anticipated third book, We’re All In This Together…So Make Some Room.
Jessica Kirson I Sunday, February 18, 2024 I Vogue Theatre I 7:00 PM
Jessica Kirson is a powerhouse on stage. She’s a hilariously relatable performer of sheer silliness, vulnerability, and ridiculous characters. Her countless comedic character videos have racked up over 200 million views on social media. Her audience is multigenerational, creating an excuse for large groups of friends and families to spend a night out together. In an era where only 10% of all touring comedians are female, Kirson stands out as one of the strongest comedians regardless of gender. She produced FX’s Hysterical, a feature-length documentary that premiered at SXSW 2021. Her one-hour special Talking to Myself was executive produced by Bill Burr and debuted on Comedy Central. She is a regular on This Week at the Comedy Cellar and has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The View, HBO’s, Crashing, Netflix’s, Friends Who Kill, and Kevin Can Wait. She also acted in and served as a consultant, producer, and writer on the Robert De Niro film, The Comedian.
Patti Harrison: My Huge Tits Huge Because They Are Infected NOT Fake! I Saturday, February 17, 2024 I Vogue Theatre I 9:30 PM
Patti Harrison can currently be seen in the Sundance hit comedy Theater Camp, which will be released later this year by Searchlight. Last year was an amazing year for her, with audiences seeing her in the Paramount blockbuster The Lost City, and being nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead in Nikole Beckwith’s Together Together, co-starring Ed Helms. Later in the summer, she performed to rave reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and a sold-out residency at London’s famed Soho Theatre. She can be seen on I Think You Should Leave With Tim Robinson, High Maintenance, and Search Party. She can currently be seen on the current and upcoming seasons of HBO Max’s hit series Made For Love and She Hulk, on Disney+.
Che Durena I Saturday, February 24, 2024 I Vogue Theatre I 9:30 PM
Haitian Canadian comedian Che Durena was born and raised in British Columbia and is based in Toronto after spending time performing standup in Mexico. He is known for his work as a host and writer for My Most Amazing Top 10 (over 7.6 million subscribers) and he has amassed a social media following of over 7 million with over 197 million likes on his viral TikTok rants and commentary. He has appeared on JFL All Access, Comedy Network, Crave, and recently dropped his debut comedy album Tales From My Butthole. His comedy offers an absurd angle on his experiences living abroad and his perception of matters like culture, race, relationships and drugs.
Justin Willman: Magic for Humans in Person Tour I Monday, February 19, 2024 I
Vogue Theatre I 7:00 PM
Justin Willman wants to melt your brain while making you laugh. He’s best known as the star and creator of the hit Netflix series Magic For Humans. But you may recognize him from one of his many television appearances on The Tonight Show, The Today Show, Ellen, Conan and many more. Or maybe you know his work as a host: Baking Impossible; Cupcake Wars; Win, Lose or Draw. Or maybe he’s the child magician you hired in suburban St. Louis in the ‘90s. If you don’t know him, he’s a magician and comedian who’s mastered the art of turning cynics into believers (or at least getting them to laugh).
Sooshi Mango: Off The Boat I Sunday, February 18, 2024 I Vogue Theatre I 4:30 PM
Eight years ago, three average guys sat in their cars and started producing truly relatable content. Brothers Joe Salanitri, Carlo Salanitri and their best mate, Andrew Manfre came together for what started out as a fun hobby, which has now turned into what we know as Sooshi Mango. The Melbourne based trio are the only comedy act ever to sell out Rod Laver Arena three times in a row. Receiving an AACTA award for Favourite Australian Digital Comedy Creator in 2021, starring in Wog Boys Forever with Nick Giannopoulos and Nick Colosimo. They toured with their Off the Boat Tour across Australia in 2022, 7 states, 50 shows and a whopping 150,000+ tickets sold. With over 600+ million views online and over 2 million subscribers to their platforms, they continue to grow their brand.
Carlos Ballarta: TLATOANI (All Spanish Show) I Thursday, February 22, 2024
Vogue Theatre I 7:00 PM
Carlos Ballarta is a Mexican standup comedian and actor, born in Mexico City, with a ten-year career in the Spanish speaking stand up scene and to this day he is the only stand-up comedian with 3 jokes about elotes. He has three Netflix specials: El amor es de put*s (2016), Furia ñera (2018) and Falso profeta (2021). His most recent special, Rebelde Comodino, was released on Youtube in 2023. He has successfully toured all around Mexico, Latin America, the United States, Canada and many cities in Europe.
This is That Live I Saturday, February 24, 2024 I Vogue Theatre I 4:00 PM
Each week, hosts Pat Kelly and Peter Oldring introduce you to the voices and stories that give this country character in this 100% improvised, satirical send-up of public radio, society and Canadian culture.
Rio Theatre
Big Jay Oakerson I Friday, February 23, 2024 – 7:00 PM & Saturday, February 24, 2024 – 9:30 PM I Rio Theatre
Big Jay Oakerson is one of the most beloved and easily recognizable comedians working today. His laid-back style and dirty delivery are the signature marks of his comedy. Jay’s career spans two decades, starting in Philadelphia as a “comic’s comic” before rising mainstream fame in New York. Oakerson, co-hosts a weekly radio segment on Sirius XM 95, The Bonfire. On the screen he can be seen on This is Not Happening, Comedy Underground, Inside Amy Schumer and more. This year, he released his newest hour, Dog Belly on YouTube.
Catherine Cohen: Come For Me I Friday, February 23, 2024 – 9:30 PM & Saturday, February 24, 2024 I Rio Theatre I 7:00 PM
Catherine Cohen is best known for her hit Netflix comedy special The Twist…? She’s Gorgeous, which premiered earlier this year. The same live show won her the coveted title of Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh Comedy Festival in 2019. She can be seen next in the Paramount+ feature film, At Midnight, and in the upcoming Hulu series What Was I Doing While You Were Breeding. Last year, she found herself in Comedy Central’s Awkwafina is Nora From Queens, and she joined the cast for Season 3 of FX’s critically acclaimed series What We Do in The Shadows. Additionally in 2021, she published her first book entitled God I Feel Modern Tonight, which is her collection of comedic poetry.
Chris Redd I Thursday, February 15 & Friday, February 16, 2024 I Rio Theatre I 9:30 PM
After becoming a JFL New Face in 2016, Emmy-winning comedian Chris Redd has made his mark on comedy with his 5-year tenure on Saturday Night Live and his starring role on Peacock’s Bust Down, which he co-created, writes, and stars in. Recently, Redd featured in the biographical drama Spinning Gold, alongside Jeremy Jordan, Wiz Khalifa, and Jay Pharoah. Hisone-hour comedy special Why Am I Like This? premiered on HBO Max in November 2022. He received the Emmy Award in 2018 for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for the SNL song “Come Back, Barack.” Over his impressive career, he has appeared in the Lonely Island film Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, opposite Kathy Bates in the Netflix comedy Disjointed, and featured in NBC’s Kenan, Big Mouth, Wet Hot American Summer, Will & Grace, Netflix’s Love, and more. Later this year, he will star in Prime Video’s Candy Cane Lane, a Christmas comedy with Eddie Murphy, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Nick Offerman, among others.
Zarna Garg: Practical People Win I Wednesday, February 21 – 7:00 PM & Thursday, February 22, 2024 – 9:30 PM I Rio Theatre
Zarna Garg is “One in a Billion”, and that’s not the just name of her first comedy special. She’s also the only Indian mom comedian taking on her mother-in-law. She was recently profiled as one of the gutsiest women in comedy on Apple TV’s new Gutsy Women series, and featured on This American Life with Ira Glass. When she’s not doing 15 shows a week at Comedy Cellar in New York City, she is touring the world with her show. She is the winner of Kevin Hart’s Lyft Comics, the winner of the 2021 Ladies of Laughter Award, and has over a million followers across social media platforms. Her debut feature screenplay, Rearranged won Top Comedy Feature award at Austin Film Festival in 2019 and was a 2019 Nicholl Fellowships Semi-Finalist.
Aparna Nancherla: Uh Oh, I’m Back…and I Have Some Thoughts I Friday, February 16 – 7:00 PM & Saturday, February 17, 2024 – 9:30 PM I Rio Theatre
Aparna Nancherla is an acclaimed comedian, writer, and actor. Praised by critics and fans alike for her distinctive dry, existential, and whimsical sense of humour, she has toured her standup comedy extensively around the U.S. and the world. A true multi-hyphenate, her work spans film, TV, podcasts, and books. She presently hosts The Introvert’s Survival Guide, a new eight-part self-help interview podcast that premiered on Audible via Fresh Produce Media, which features a plethora of notable guests such as Seth Meyers, Elyse Myers, and Eric Smith. On TV, she has starred in many memorable roles on such series as Search Party, Space Force, Bojack Horseman, Corporate and many more. Her late-night standup debut was on Conan in 2013 and she was named a Just For Laughs New Face.
Caroline Rhea: I Identify As A Witch I Thursday, February 22, 2024 I Rio Theatre I 7:00 PM
Caroline Rhea is a stand-up comedian and actress, best known for her role as Hilda Spellman on the ABC hit series Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and numerous comedy specials on Comedy Central, HBO and Showtime. She is currently starring in Disney Channel’s Sydney to the Max, and hosts Caroline and Friends, her hit game show for Game Show Network, now in its second season. She is a regular panellist on ABC’s Match Game with Alec Baldwin and is often on other game shows such as Hollywood Squares and Funny You Should Ask. She was the host of the Caroline Rhea Show, has appeared on Phineas and Ferb for over 10 seasons, and has guest starred on many hit series, including Two Broke Girls, The Marc Maron Show, and The Grinder. She starred as Noleta Nethercott in the cult classic series Sordid Lives and reprised her role in the film A Very Sordid Wedding, which ranked #1 on Amazon Films for a full month following its release. Most recently, she can be seen on the dais of Comedy Central’s Roast of Alec Baldwin. This marks her 30th year as a stand-up comedian.
Mo Gilligan: In the Moment World Tour 2024 I Tuesday, February 20, 2024 I Rio Theatre I 9:30 PM
With his high-energy style and stunning physicality, triple BAFTA winner Mo Gilligan is one of the UK’s biggest comedy stars with an online reach running into multiple millions. Named “The Funniest Man in Britain” by The Times, his debut Coupla Cans stand up tour was a total sell out, including a huge two-week residency in London’s West End. The show went on to be recorded as his debut Netflix Original Momentum, which was globally released in 190 countries. Gilligan fronts his own multi award winning entertainment format The Lateish Show with Mo Gilligan, which saw him win his first BAFTA for Best Entertainment Performance in 2020. That year he also produced and fronted the ground-breaking documentary Mo Gilligan: Black, British and Funny (Channel 4), which achieved huge critical acclaim.
Rafi Bastos: Unfamiliar Territory I Saturday, February 17, 2024 I Rio Theatre I 7:00 PM
Rafi Bastos is a 6’7” tall Jewish-Brazilian comedian with an accent like Dracula and a rapidly growing social media presence of stand-up clips in English. Many of his super-viral stand-up clips come from nightly performances at the prestigious Comedy Cellar. In his home-country of Brazil, he is a trailblazer of comedy, media and is one of the first comedians to pioneer the art of American-style stand-up comedy in Brazil. His 17-year comedy and acting career, before coming to the United States, garnered many firsts and was covered in an interview on The Joe Rogan Experience. He has starred in movies, had his own controversial talk show, been an infield journalist and hosted reality shows Ultimate Beastmaster for Netflix. He is the Co-Founder and owner of Comedians, the largest comedy club in South America. Let’s just say Bastos has done almost everything in Brazil and now he’s in the USA to do it all with a fresh perspective.
Chris Fleming I Tuesday, February 20, 2024 I Rio Theatre I 7:00 PM
Chris Fleming was named one of Variety’s Ten Comics to Watch for 2019. He has amassed over 70 million views on his Youtube channel and has appeared in Comedy Central’s Corporate, Splitting Up Together, Netflix’s Last Laugh and Twelve Forever. The Huffington Post has called him “perhaps one of the best things on the internet.” Of his live show, Chortle says, “you can’t take your eyes off this unpredictable, exciting performer.” Splitsider says, “a madman and I think, genius.” According to Vulture, “equal parts imagination and inferiority complex, a combination that has led him to create some of the most bizarrely funny performance art taking place online and onstage today.”
Lewberger I Sunday, February 18, 2024 I Rio Theatre I 7:00 PM
Lewberger is Keith Habersberger, Alex Lewis, and Hughie Stone Fish. This handsome 3-man comedy band based in Los Angeles, CA, got a standing ovation on America’s Got Talent and were finalists on NBC’s Bring The Funny. Their viral songs have been heard by millions online and on TV and they’ve been described as the illegitimate love child of Lonely Island and Flight of the Conchords. Lewberger has played clubs and colleges all over the country. Their latest comedy special Lewberger: Live at Lincoln Hall can be found on Amazon Prime, and their podcast Celebrity Theme Song can be heard on all streaming platforms. Habersberger is a member of internet sensations The Try Guys, boasting millions of subscribers and their own production company. Lewis is an actor and comedian who can be seen on several TV shows and the movies All About Nina as well as the remake of MGM’s Valley Girl. Stone Fish is an Emmy Award-winning songwriter and a music producer/educator with a non-profit bringing arts education to his hometown of Syracuse, New York.
Celebrity Memoir Book Club I Thursday, February 15, 2024 I Rio Theatre I 7:00 PM
Celebrity Memoir Book Club is the podcast where New York comedians Claire Parker and Ashley Hamilton read celebrity memoirs so you don’t have to. An Apple Podcast top comedy podcast, a Vulture must listen, and featured in the New York Times, This podcast follows them as they comb through the pages of celebrity memoirs for the juiciest moments. Lauded by Vogue as “deftly balancing a tongue-in-cheek, humorous look at its celebrity specimens with generous doses of empathy” and named a best podcast of 2022 by Esquire, they are analyzing the celebs and giving unfiltered takes on celebrity gossip using the celebrities’ own words.
Biltmore Cabaret
Joel Kim Booster I Friday, February 16, 2024 – 9:30 PM & Saturday February 17, 2024 – 7:00 PM I Biltmore Cabaret
Joel Kim Booster is a Chicago-bred, Los Angeles-based stand-up comedian, writer, and actor who was recently named one of TIME 100 Next (2022) as an emerging advocate and creative, and a 2022 Variety Screenwriter to Watch. Joel has also been recognized as one of The Queer Young Comics Redefining American Humor by the New York Times. He has starred in shows like Search Party and Hulu’s Shrill, as well as writing and producing Netflix’s Big Mouth and HBO Max’s The Other Two. In 2022, Booster starred in the critically praised Fox Searchlight rom-com Fire Island alongside Bowen Yang. The film, which he also wrote, received a Film Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best First Screenplay, a Gotham Award, and a GLAAD Award for Outstanding Film. His first stand-up special for Netflix, PsychoSexual, also premiered in 2022. He currently stars on the Apple TV+ series Loot alongside Maya Rudolph.
Annie Lederman I Wednesday, February 21, 2024 – 7:00 PM & Thursday, February 22, 2024 – 9:00 PM I Biltmore Cabaret
Annie Lederman is a comic, podcaster, writer & actress. She is co-host of the hit podcast Trash Tuesdays along with Khahlya Kuhn and Esther Povistky, as well as featuring on a number of others. Most recently, Lederman can be seen featured in Showtime’s hit documentary miniseries The Comedy Store alongside Jay Leno, David Letterman, Joe Rogan, and many other Comedy Store legends. Additionally, Lederman has been seen or heard on many TV networks, including Comedy Central, MTV, E!, & Trutv. Lederman has also acted alongside Ron Livingston in the 2017 Cannes darling The Long Dumb Road. On the writing front, she wrote and starred in Stand Ups, a scripted Comedy Central pilot produced by Dan Powell of Inside Amy Schumer, while writing for Impractical Jokers and Borat. Additionally, she was a producer and writer on Sacha Baron Cohen’s series Who Is America?
Andrea Jin I Sunday, February 18, 2024 I Biltmore Cabaret I 7:00 PM & 9:00 PM
Andrea Jin is a stand-up comedian and writer born in Shanghai, relocated to Canada, and currently based in Los Angeles. She gained recognition in the comedy scene after winning Comedy Album of the Year in 2021 at the Juno Awards from the Canadian Academy of Recording Artists for her solo album Grandma’s Girl. She recently made her first late night TV debut on The Late Late Show with James Corden, was selected as a New Face at the Just for Laughs Montreal Festival in 2021, and has performed at several festivals like JFL Northwest, SiriusXM’s Top Comic, Seattle International Comedy Competition, CBC’s The Debaters, and the Winnipeg Comedy Festival. Her writing has been featured on Vice, CBC Comedy, and the Vancouver Sun among other publications.
Chris Gethard I Thursday, February 15, 2024 I Biltmore Cabaret I 9:00 PM
Chris Gethard is a comedian, actor, and author who’s been doing comedy stuff for over twenty years. He’s the host of the Beautiful/Anonymous podcast, the former host of legendary public access television show The Chris Gethard Show, and had a special on HBO called Career Suicide where he talked about a few times he tried to kill himself. It was a comedy special. He’s acted on shows like The Office, Broad City, Space Force, Parks and Recreation, and a bunch more. He’s been in some movies like Don’t Think Twice, The Heat, The Other Guys, and Ghostbusters.
Emma Willmann I Thursday, February 22, 2024 I Biltmore Cabaret I 7:00 PM
Emma Willmann is a stand-up comedian, actress, and podcaster originally from Blue Hill, Maine. A comic who’s mastered chaos under control, Willmann’s vibrant presence, warmth, and unflinching honesty make her a comedian to be reckoned with. She was a part of the inaugural season of Netflix’s The Lineup, and has made memorable appearances in CW’s Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Judd Apatow’s Crashing and The Good Fight on Paramount+. Willmann has also made multiple appearances on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. You can catch her as a regular at the prestigious Comedy Cellar in New York City or on her podcast Ask Men Anything on the BETCHES network.
Jesus Trejo I Saturday, February 17, 2024 I Biltmore Cabaret I 9:30 PM
Jesus Trejo is one of the fastest rising names in the stand-up comedy scene. Trejo will be taping his first hour stand-up special for Showtime this fall, which aired in 2020. He can be seen recurring on the Netflix series Mr. Iglesias, and in roles on Alone Together and Teachers. He was selected to be a New Face comedian in 2016 for the prestigious Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal, and was named a Variety Top 10 Comic to watch at JFL in 2017. Born and raised in Long Beach, CA, Trejo is a paid regular at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles.
Sydnee Washington: How To Start a Fire I Saturday, February 24, 2023 I Biltmore Cabaret 9:30 PM
Sydnee Washington was born in New York City but spent most of her childhood in Oakland, California. She is the host of her own Instagram Live show Syd Can Cook and the host of Headgum’s Hobby Hunter. She co-hosts the popular podcast The Unofficial Expert, where she discusses her many fields of expertise, like flirting, porn, daddy issues, online dating, cookouts, stalking, sex toys, and Runaway Brides. She was recently honoured as an “UpNext” comedian at Comedy Central’s Clusterfest. Washington also hosted a weekly comedy show at the Knitting Factory and can be seen on this season of TruTV’s Laff Mobb Laugh Tracks. Her humour and view toward vanity, dating both sexes, and how to party safely as a woman are both unique and refreshing.
Aaron Chen I Thursday, February 15, 2024 I Biltmore Cabaret I 7:00 PM
Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, Aaron Chen has quickly climbed the ranks of the international comedy scene. He made his mark on Australian comedy with his debut solo show in 2017 and since then has toured nationally in front of sold-out crowds and rave reviews, earning him the sought-after awards for 2017 Best Newcomer and 2019 Director’s Choice. Since his critically acclaimed performance at the 2019 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, he supported comedian Ronny Chieng on his Live Australian Tour, and had feature roles in Ronny Chieng International Student, Orange is the New Brown, and FISK. As a comedian, he also appears on Australia’s #1 panel show, Have You Been Paying Attention. His stand-up special, If It Weren’t Filmed, Nobody Would Believe was released on YouTube in September 2022 and has accumulated almost 1 million views.
Nathan Macintosh: Down with Tech I Friday, February 16, 2024 I Biltmore Cabaret I 7:00 PM
Energetic, loud, and funny, Nathan Macintosh is a comedian and writer originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia now living in New York. Most recently performing for his second time on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on NBC, he has also appeared on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on CBS, Conan on TBS, and multiple Just For Laughs Galas. His debut album I Wasn’t Talking was featured in Exclaim Magazine’s ‘Top Ten Hilariously Good Comedy Moments’ and his newest special, ‘Money Never Wakes’, was reviewed highly by The New York Times. He also has a show called Trapped, that he wrote and starred in, which is on Bell Fibe, was reviewed by The Globe and Mail and has two seasons.
Leslie Liao I Friday, February 23, 2024 I Biltmore Cabaret I 7:00 PM
Leslie Liao is a stand-up comedian, actress, and writer. Audiences around the world have been drawn to her relatable, introspective, and matter-of-fact style of humour which is often anchored around her experiences as a single Chinese-American woman living in Los Angeles. She was recently selected to be a New Face of Comedy at Montreal’s prestigious Just For Laughs Comedy Festival 2023, and her debut set on Don’t Tell Comedy platforms, Fixing Straight Men, debuted boldly on YouTube with clips from her set going viral on Instagram and TikTok. She will next be seen in the new multi-comic standup series on Netflix called Verified Standup which will debut on the platform later in 2023. She has toured with some of the biggest names in comedy, including Fortune Feimster, and can often be seen in Los Angeles gracing the stages of The Comedy Store, Hollywood Improv, Laugh Factory, Flappers, and many more.
Mark Little I Friday, February 23, 2024 I Biltmore Cabaret I 9:30 PM
Mark Little is an award-winning actor, writer and comedian. He has appeared on JFL and Conan, co-founded the sketch comedy group Picnicface and was named one of Variety’s 10 Comics To Watch For 2013. He has starred in multiple TV shows, including Mr. D and Cavendish, and has won a combined 15 Canadian Comedy Awards. In recent years, Mark has written and provided voices for numerous animated series, including Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Cupcake and Dino, and Doomlands. The second season of his animated series Gary and his Demons premiered on Prime Video earlier this year.
An Hour with Josh Johnson I Tuesday, February 20, 2024 I Biltmore Cabaret I 7:00 PM
Josh Johnson is an Emmy-nominated writer, stand-up, actor, and NAACP award-winner from Louisiana by way of Chicago. He is currently a writer on The Daily Show, and is a former writer and performer on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where he made his late-night debut in 2017. In addition, Johnson is Comedy Central’s ‘most watched comedian ever’ with 40M+ views to date across their platforms. Johnson’s most recent stand-up special, Josh Johnson: Up Here Killing Myself, premiered on Peacock earlier this year to rave reviews.
Emil Wakim I Saturday, February 24, 2024 I Biltmore Cabaret I 7:00 PM
Emil Wakim is a stand-up comedian and writer based in Brooklyn, NY by way of Bloomington, Indiana. He recently made his late-night television debut on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and can be seen on the latest season of Comedy Central’s Stand-Up Featuring. He was selected as a New Face of Comedy at the prestigious Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. He has opened for Roy Wood Jr., Kyle Kinane, Nikki Glaser and Neal Brennan.
Desi Comedy Fest – On Tour I Tuesday, February 20, 2024 I Biltmore Cabaret I 9:00 PM
Desi Comedy Fest is the Biggest South Asian Comedy Festival in America. Their mission is to showcase the funniest South Asian comedians from around the world & create a unique live comedy experience for the South Asian diaspora.
The Pearl
Tina Friml: Something Very Particular I Thursday, February 22, 2024 I The Pearl I 7:00 PM
Tina Friml is a standup comedian who uses animated optimism to talk about living with cerebral palsy. Her sharp jokes and fearless honesty about the social assumptions that come with living with a disability has earned her a dedicated social media following with over 200K followers on Instagram and over 140K on TikTok. She made her late-night debut on the Comedy Central series Featuring series and was a 2019 New Face in the acclaimed Just For Laughs Festival. She performs all over the country to sold out audiences and fans.
Just For Laughs VANCOUVER is proud to welcome its partners SiriusXM Canada,Province of B.C., Creative BC, Destination Vancouver, BCLC, Phillips Brewing & Malting, Downtown Van, Huer Foods, Vancouver Sun, The Province, and DailyHive to its 2024 event.
FESTIVAL TICKET DETAILS:
Pre-sale tickets will be available starting today – Tuesday, November 28, 2023 at various times at www.jflvancouver.com
Tickets will be available to the public as of Friday, December 1, at 10:00 AM PT at www.jflvancouver.com
Joel Kim Booster I Friday, February 16, 2024 – 9:30 PM & Saturday February 17, 2024 – 7:00 PM I Biltmore Cabaret
Joel Kim Booster is a Chicago-bred, Los Angeles-based stand-up comedian, writer, and actor who was recently named one of TIME 100 Next (2022) as an emerging advocate and creative, and a 2022 Variety Screenwriter to Watch. Joel has also been recognized as one of The Queer Young Comics Redefining American Humor by the New York Times. He has starred in shows like Search Party and Hulu’s Shrill, as well as writing and producing Netflix’s Big Mouth and HBO Max’s The Other Two. In 2022, Booster starred in the critically praised Fox Searchlight rom-com Fire Island alongside Bowen Yang. The film, which he also wrote, received a Film Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best First Screenplay, a Gotham Award, and a GLAAD Award for Outstanding Film. His first stand-up special for Netflix, PsychoSexual, also premiered in 2022. He currently stars on the Apple TV+ series Loot alongside Maya Rudolph.
Annie Lederman I Wednesday, February 21, 2024 – 7:00 PM & Thursday, February 22, 2024 – 9:00 PM I Biltmore Cabaret
Annie Lederman is a comic, podcaster, writer & actress. She is co-host of the hit podcast Trash Tuesdays along with Khahlya Kuhn and Esther Povistky, as well as featuring on a number of others. Most recently, Lederman can be seen featured in Showtime’s hit documentary miniseries The Comedy Store alongside Jay Leno, David Letterman, Joe Rogan, and many other Comedy Store legends. Additionally, Lederman has been seen or heard on many TV networks, including Comedy Central, MTV, E!, & Trutv. Lederman has also acted alongside Ron Livingston in the 2017 Cannes darling The Long Dumb Road. On the writing front, she wrote and starred in Stand Ups, a scripted Comedy Central pilot produced by Dan Powell of Inside Amy Schumer, while writing for Impractical Jokers and Borat. Additionally, she was a producer and writer on Sacha Baron Cohen’s series Who Is America?
Andrea Jin I Sunday, February 18, 2024 I Biltmore Cabaret I 7:00 PM & 9:00 PM
Andrea Jin is a stand-up comedian and writer born in Shanghai, relocated to Canada, and currently based in Los Angeles. She gained recognition in the comedy scene after winning Comedy Album of the Year in 2021 at the Juno Awards from the Canadian Academy of Recording Artists for her solo album Grandma’s Girl. She recently made her first late night TV debut on The Late Late Show with James Corden, was selected as a New Face at the Just for Laughs Montreal Festival in 2021, and has performed at several festivals like JFL Northwest, SiriusXM’s Top Comic, Seattle International Comedy Competition, CBC’s The Debaters, and the Winnipeg Comedy Festival. Her writing has been featured on Vice, CBC Comedy, and the Vancouver Sun among other publications.
Chris Gethard I Thursday, February 15, 2024 I Biltmore Cabaret I 9:00 PM
Chris Gethard is a comedian, actor, and author who’s been doing comedy stuff for over twenty years. He’s the host of the Beautiful/Anonymous podcast, the former host of legendary public access television show The Chris Gethard Show, and had a special on HBO called Career Suicide where he talked about a few times he tried to kill himself. It was a comedy special. He’s acted on shows like The Office, Broad City, Space Force, Parks and Recreation, and a bunch more. He’s been in some movies like Don’t Think Twice, The Heat, The Other Guys, and Ghostbusters.
Emma Willmann I Thursday, February 22, 2024 I Biltmore Cabaret I 7:00 PM
Emma Willmann is a stand-up comedian, actress, and podcaster originally from Blue Hill, Maine. A comic who’s mastered chaos under control, Willmann’s vibrant presence, warmth, and unflinching honesty make her a comedian to be reckoned with. She was a part of the inaugural season of Netflix’s The Lineup, and has made memorable appearances in CW’s Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Judd Apatow’s Crashing and The Good Fight on Paramount+. Willmann has also made multiple appearances on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. You can catch her as a regular at the prestigious Comedy Cellar in New York City or on her podcast Ask Men Anything on the BETCHES network.
Jesus Trejo I Saturday, February 17, 2024 I Biltmore Cabaret I 9:30 PM
Jesus Trejo is one of the fastest rising names in the stand-up comedy scene. Trejo will be taping his first hour stand-up special for Showtime this fall, which aired in 2020. He can be seen recurring on the Netflix series Mr. Iglesias, and in roles on Alone Together and Teachers. He was selected to be a New Face comedian in 2016 for the prestigious Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal, and was named a Variety Top 10 Comic to watch at JFL in 2017. Born and raised in Long Beach, CA, Trejo is a paid regular at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles.
Sydnee Washington: How To Start a Fire I Saturday, February 24, 2023 I Biltmore Cabaret 9:30 PM
Sydnee Washington was born in New York City but spent most of her childhood in Oakland, California. She is the host of her own Instagram Live show Syd Can Cook and the host of Headgum’s Hobby Hunter. She co-hosts the popular podcast The Unofficial Expert, where she discusses her many fields of expertise, like flirting, porn, daddy issues, online dating, cookouts, stalking, sex toys, and Runaway Brides. She was recently honoured as an “UpNext” comedian at Comedy Central’s Clusterfest. Washington also hosted a weekly comedy show at the Knitting Factory and can be seen on this season of TruTV’s Laff Mobb Laugh Tracks. Her humour and view toward vanity, dating both sexes, and how to party safely as a woman are both unique and refreshing.
Aaron Chen I Thursday, February 15, 2024 I Biltmore Cabaret I 7:00 PM
Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, Aaron Chen has quickly climbed the ranks of the international comedy scene. He made his mark on Australian comedy with his debut solo show in 2017 and since then has toured nationally in front of sold-out crowds and rave reviews, earning him the sought-after awards for 2017 Best Newcomer and 2019 Director’s Choice. Since his critically acclaimed performance at the 2019 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, he supported comedian Ronny Chieng on his Live Australian Tour, and had feature roles in Ronny Chieng International Student, Orange is the New Brown, and FISK. As a comedian, he also appears on Australia’s #1 panel show, Have You Been Paying Attention. His stand-up special, If It Weren’t Filmed, Nobody Would Believe was released on YouTube in September 2022 and has accumulated almost 1 million views.
Nathan Macintosh: Down with Tech I Friday, February 16, 2024 I Biltmore Cabaret I 7:00 PM
Energetic, loud, and funny, Nathan Macintosh is a comedian and writer originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia now living in New York. Most recently performing for his second time on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on NBC, he has also appeared on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on CBS, Conan on TBS, and multiple Just For Laughs Galas. His debut album I Wasn’t Talking was featured in Exclaim Magazine’s ‘Top Ten Hilariously Good Comedy Moments’ and his newest special, ‘Money Never Wakes’, was reviewed highly by The New York Times. He also has a show called Trapped, that he wrote and starred in, which is on Bell Fibe, was reviewed by The Globe and Mail and has two seasons.
Leslie Liao I Friday, February 23, 2024 I Biltmore Cabaret I 7:00 PM
Leslie Liao is a stand-up comedian, actress, and writer. Audiences around the world have been drawn to her relatable, introspective, and matter-of-fact style of humour which is often anchored around her experiences as a single Chinese-American woman living in Los Angeles. She was recently selected to be a New Face of Comedy at Montreal’s prestigious Just For Laughs Comedy Festival 2023, and her debut set on Don’t Tell Comedy platforms, Fixing Straight Men, debuted boldly on YouTube with clips from her set going viral on Instagram and TikTok. She will next be seen in the new multi-comic standup series on Netflix called Verified Standup which will debut on the platform later in 2023. She has toured with some of the biggest names in comedy, including Fortune Feimster, and can often be seen in Los Angeles gracing the stages of The Comedy Store, Hollywood Improv, Laugh Factory, Flappers, and many more.
Mark Little I Friday, February 23, 2024 I Biltmore Cabaret I 9:30 PM
Mark Little is an award-winning actor, writer and comedian. He has appeared on JFL and Conan, co-founded the sketch comedy group Picnicface and was named one of Variety’s 10 Comics To Watch For 2013. He has starred in multiple TV shows, including Mr. D and Cavendish, and has won a combined 15 Canadian Comedy Awards. In recent years, Mark has written and provided voices for numerous animated series, including Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Cupcake and Dino, and Doomlands. The second season of his animated series Gary and his Demons premiered on Prime Video earlier this year.
An Hour with Josh Johnson I Tuesday, February 20, 2024 I Biltmore Cabaret I 7:00 PM
Josh Johnson is an Emmy-nominated writer, stand-up, actor, and NAACP award-winner from Louisiana by way of Chicago. He is currently a writer on The Daily Show, and is a former writer and performer on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where he made his late-night debut in 2017. In addition, Johnson is Comedy Central’s ‘most watched comedian ever’ with 40M+ views to date across their platforms. Johnson’s most recent stand-up special, Josh Johnson: Up Here Killing Myself, premiered on Peacock earlier this year to rave reviews.
Emil Wakim I Saturday, February 24, 2024 I Biltmore Cabaret I 7:00 PM
Emil Wakim is a stand-up comedian and writer based in Brooklyn, NY by way of Bloomington, Indiana. He recently made his late-night television debut on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and can be seen on the latest season of Comedy Central’s Stand-Up Featuring. He was selected as a New Face of Comedy at the prestigious Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. He has opened for Roy Wood Jr., Kyle Kinane, Nikki Glaser and Neal Brennan.
Desi Comedy Fest – On Tour I Tuesday, February 20, 2024 I Biltmore Cabaret I 9:00 PM
Desi Comedy Fest is the Biggest South Asian Comedy Festival in America. Their mission is to showcase the funniest South Asian comedians from around the world & create a unique live comedy experience for the South Asian diaspora.
The Pearl
Tina Friml: Something Very Particular I Thursday, February 22, 2024 I The Pearl I 7:00 PM
Tina Friml is a standup comedian who uses animated optimism to talk about living with cerebral palsy. Her sharp jokes and fearless honesty about the social assumptions that come with living with a disability has earned her a dedicated social media following with over 200K followers on Instagram and over 140K on TikTok. She made her late-night debut on the Comedy Central series Featuring series and was a 2019 New Face in the acclaimed Just For Laughs Festival. She performs all over the country to sold out audiences and fans.
Just For Laughs VANCOUVER is proud to welcome its partners SiriusXM Canada,Province of B.C., Creative BC, Destination Vancouver, BCLC, Phillips Brewing & Malting, Downtown Van, Huer Foods, Vancouver Sun, The Province, and DailyHive to its 2024 event.
FESTIVAL TICKET DETAILS:
Pre-sale tickets will be available starting today – Tuesday, November 28, 2023 at various times at www.jflvancouver.com
Tickets will be available to the public as of Friday, December 1, at 10:00 AM PT at www.jflvancouver.com
Today, TIFF is proud to unveil a full programming slate of the most anticipated New Releases, rare retrospectives, and holiday classics coming to the TIFF Bell Lightbox this December.
From the Collection returns with Member-exclusive 35mm screenings of The Piano and Dust in the Wind with TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey. Reviving a beloved TIFF tradition, Magnificent 70mm presents a slate of rare 70mm prints this holiday season including favourites like Boogie Nights, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and this summer’s box office spectacular Oppenheimer from Christopher Nolan. TIFF is one of the few theatres in Toronto where audiences can watch classics on 70mm and celebrate the way these films were meant to be seen. This series is generously supported by Jennifer Tory.
TIFF Cinematheque will also celebrate German filmmaker Ernst Lubitsch with a new retrospective, The Lubitsch Touch, featuring rare 35mm prints. An exceptional example of a filmmaker whose career began in the silent era and who transitioned with apparent ease into the talkies, Lubitsch is best known for sophisticated films with a dry wit and modern sense of humour, a quality that later became known as the “Lubitsch touch”.
Just in time for the holidays are celebratory and participatory singalong events from Sing-a-Long-a, featuring special screenings of The Sound of Music and The Greatest Showman. On December 16 from 6–8pm in Varda, there will also be a special musical performance to bring in the holidays. Raoul Bhaneja and Tyler Yarema, veterans of the Toronto swing and blues scenes, will perform a special duo show at Varda, showcasing both artists on vocals, accompanied by Yarema’s deft piano stylings.
As part of December’s festive programming are a Q&A with filmmaker Whit Stillman for the screening of his cult classic and ultimate winter-break film Metropolitan; Coopers’ Christmas with Canadian filmmaker Warren Sonoda in attendance; and Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.
In addition, TIFF Bell Lightbox will be showing New Releases fresh off their run at the 48th Toronto International Film Festival, including Kore-eda Hirokazu’s Monster (Cannes 2023 Winner, Queer Palm and Best Screenplay), and Ava DuVernay’s Origin (Venice 2023 Nominee, Golden Lion Best Film). And, see the highly anticipated exclusive release of Bradley Cooper’s Maestro at TIFF Bell Lightbox, and Zack Synder’s exclusive limited run of the epic sci-fantasy Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire in 70mm. TIFF Bell Lightbox is one of four theatres screening the film in the world.
Tickets for all titles are on sale now at tiff.net.
TIFF CINEMATHEQUE
From the Collection | tiff.net/fromthecollection
These screenings are exclusively available to TIFF Members. To become a Member, visit tiff.net/membership.
The Piano (d. Jane Campion) with Cameron Bailey | December 5, 6:30pm
Holly Hunter won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance as Ada, a nonspeaking Scotswoman who is sold into marriage to a settler (Sam Neill) in rugged 19th-century New Zealand.
Dust in the Wind (d. Hou Hsiao-hsien) with Cameron Bailey | January 2, 6:30pm
Wan (Wang Chien-wen), a studious teenager from a small mining town, moves to Taipei with his girlfriend Huen (Hsin Shu-Fen) where they make new friends, obtain tedious employment, and pledge to get married upon Wan’s return from compulsory military service ― but as both discover, life’s seeming certainties are always less than certain.
Magnificent 70mm | tiff.net/70mm
Boogie Nights (d. Paul Thomas Anderson) | December 1, 6:15pm // December 7 & 10, 6:30pm
The setting is the porn industry of the late ’70s, just before video and cocaine would effectively destroy the industry for its stars — but Boogie Nights’ real subject is what happened when the revolutionary politics of the 1960s and ’70s morphed into pure hedonism mixed with greed and absurdly conspicuous consumption.
2001: A Space Odyssey (d. Stanley Kubrick) | December 2, 6:30pm // December 8, 6:30pm // December 15, 1pm
Racing a cosmic mystery from the dawn of mankind to the farthest reaches of time and space, 2001 chronicles an intergalactic mission to find the origin of a mysterious black monolith discovered by American astronauts on the moon.
Print courtesy of TIFF’s Film Reference Library
Oppenheimer (d. Christopher Nolan) | December 13, 6:30pm // December 21 & 23, 1pm
Nolan’s account of the life and legacy of the “father of the atomic bomb” is a story he tells in two ways: through J. Robert Oppenheimer’s wartime recruitment to the Manhattan Project, and the later security hearings over Communist ties that risked ruining his career.
Nope (d. Jordan Peele) | December 29, 1pm // December 31, 3pm // January 3, 6:30pm
Writer-director Jordan Peele follows his genre-bending thrillers Get Out and Us with this western-horror adventure about a strange phenomenon terrorizing a California movie ranch from the skies above. Starring Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, and Michael Wincott.
West Side Story (d. Jerome Robbins, Robert Wise) | December 22, 6:30pm // December 24, 8:30pm // December 30, 5:30pm
The 10-time Academy Award–winning take on Romeo and Juliet — only in this version, the ill-fated romance blooms during a turf war between rival street gangs, the Jets and the Sharks, in 1960s New York City.
Lawrence of Arabia (d. David Lean) | December 26, 6:30pm // December 30, 11:30am // January 4, 12:30pm
David Lean’s account of T.E. Lawrence’s efforts to unify nomadic desert tribes against the Ottoman Turks during World War I is equal parts war film and existential romance, as the arid expanses of the desert draw the British scholar and adventurer into their beckoning, soul-stirring emptiness.
Magnificent 70mm is supported by Jennifer Tory.
The Lubitsch Touch | tiff.net/lubitsch
Ninotchka | December 2, 3pm & December 10, 3pm
Soviet special envoy Ninotchka Yakushova (Greta Garbo), a self-serious administrator, is dispatched to France to check on three wayward comrades who’ve fallen prey to the temptations of Western capitalism.
To Be or Not to Be | December 3, 3pm
A satirical depiction of the Nazis set against romantic misadventure and a self-reflexive interrogation of the role of the dramatic arts in dark times.
The Love Parade | December 3, 6:30pm
The unwed Queen of Sylvania (Jeanette MacDonald) and a philandering Count (Maurice Chevalier) find their way to one another in this musical love story that subverts traditional gender roles.
Heaven Can Wait | December 9, 3pm
A charming, deceptively light comedy-fantasy, Heaven Can Wait begins in the anteroom of Hell, where recently deceased playboy Henry Van Cleve (Don Ameche) calmly awaits what he believes will be a sure condemnation to perdition for his earthly sins.
Rosita | December 16, 4pm
A street performer (Mary Pickford) attracts the lustful eye of the lecherous king, but her heart is reserved for the man who saved her from the royal guards.
Cluny Brown | December 17, 3pm
Adapted from the popular novel by Margery Sharp, the romantic comedy depicts the misadventure of the eponymous character (Jennifer Jones) as she questions and attempts to find her place as a woman in British society.
The Shop Around the Corner | December 20, 6:30pm & December 24, 3pm
In a Budapest notions store during the Depression, longtime clerk Alfred Kralik (James Stewart), sniffily conscious of aapecking order and seniority, takes an instant dislike to newly hired shopgirl Klara Novak (Margaret Sullavan). The two exchange barbs and brickbats while each nurses a secret passion for a pen pal they have never met.
Trouble in Paradise with Alicia Fletcher | December 23, 5pm
Starring Herbert Marshall and Miriam Hopkins as Gaston Monescu and Lily Vautier, a charming gentleman con artist and his pickpocket lover, the film follows the pair on a heist that evolves into a love triangle when they target Madame Colet (Kay Francis), the elegant and wealthy head of the Colet & Co. perfume empire.
Design for Living | December 27, 6:30pm
The striking and confident Gilda (Miriam Hopkins) works as a commercial artist for a successful advertising agency. Upon meeting roommates and close friends Tom (Fredric March) and George (Gary Cooper) on a train to Paris, Gilda ignites a fierce love triangle between all three.
TIFF Cinematheque Special Screenings | tiff.net/special
Metropolitan with Whit Stillman | December 14, 6:30pm
After leaving a debutante’s ball in his rented tux, self-serious Princeton student Tom Townsend (Edward Clements) is inadvertently brought into the cloistered world of a clan of young socialites living off of Old Money on the Upper East Side.
Distant Voices, Still Lives (d. Terence Davies) | December 17, 6:30pm
Commemorating the life and work of the unparalleled British filmmaker Terence Davies, who sadly passed away earlier this year, this partly autobiographical tale evokes his upbringing in Liverpool after the war in a working-class home dominated by the violence of his father, fearsomely played by then-newcomer Pete Postlethwaite.
Eyes Wide Shut (d. Stanley Kubrick) | December 31, 6:30pm
Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman play Bill and Alice Hartford, a wealthy couple whose seemingly stable relationship is suddenly upended by Alice’s confession of a prior erotic obsession, which sends the shocked Bill out of their NYC apartment and into a nocturnal world of sexual fantasy and intrigue.
Midnight Madness | tiff.net/midnightmadness
The Empty Man with David Prior | December 16, 6:30pm
Introduction by Midnight Madness Presents Programmers Peter Kuplowsky and Liane Cunje, followed by a Q&A with writer-director David Prior, and moderated by film critic Adam Nayman.
A retired cop (James Badge Dale) investigates the sudden disappearance of a group of teens and their connection to the urban legend of “the empty man”, an enigmatic entity who over three days is said to malignantly encroach upon the psyche of anyone who dares summon him.
TIFF Wavelengths Presents | tiff.net/wavelengths
Site and Simulation curated by Aria Dean | December 13, 6:30pm
Featuring artists Diego Marcon, Rachel Rose, Aria Dean, Harun Farocki, Nancy Holt, and Robert Smithson, this programme exhibits moving-image works that explore the entanglement of sites and their simulations. Specifically, these films draw out the virtual dimensions of real sites, and the real dimensions of the virtual, often in order to pinpoint political and historical fissures in reality as we understand it.
Site and Simulation curated by Aria Dean is presented in partnership with The Vega Foundation, and coincides with Aria Dean: Abattoir, U.S.A.!, an art exhibition on view at The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery until January 7, 2024.
TIFF Next Wave Presents | tiff.net/nwp
We Are Little Zombies (d. Makoto Nagahisa) | December 6, 6:30pm
A visually-explosive, hyper-fun feature debut follows four teenage orphans who form a pop-punk band and slowly learn to process the emotions of their parents’ recent deaths.
MDFF Selects | tiff.net/mdff
Still Film | December 28, 6:30pm
Introduction by MDFF Co-Founder Kaz Radwanski with a virtual Q&A with director James Kienitz Wilkins following the screening.
Brooklyn-based artist-filmmaker James N. Kienitz Wilkins transforms four decades of 35mm presskit photos from Hollywood blockbusters into an off-beat court case of cinephilia. All characters are voiced by Kienitz Wilkins as they argue and debate movie culture and its hold on memory. Kienitz Wilkins’ previous feature The Plagiarists screened as part of TIFF Cinematheque in 2020, and his shorts have been screened in Wavelengths.
See the North | tiff.net/seethenorth
Coopers’ Christmas with Warren Sonoda | December 12, 6:30pm
Secrets are exposed, inappropriate crushes are revealed, and misery turns out to be twice as excruciating when it’s captured by the merciless lens of a cheap VHS camcorder found under the tree.
TIFF Family Films | tiff.net/family
The Nightmare Before Christmas (d. Tim Burton) | December 10, 1pm
The beloved Pumpkin King of HalloweenTown stumbles upon a doorway to Christmas Town. Inspired after witnessing the amazing wonders of the latter holiday, he decides to take over Christmas.
PUBLIC PROGRAMMING
Silver Screenings Presents: Rosita with George A. Walker | December 8, 11am
Each month, this free series brings seniors together to connect with fellow film lovers and participate in a variety of events, including peer-led film discussions, interactive workshops, and classes. This screening is free for seniors 65+. Please note: this is a silent film with a recorded score.
Following this screening of Lubitisch’s Rosita, starring Mary Pickford, local artist George A. Walker will join the audience for a talk. Walker is best known for his wood engravings and wordless novels, including Pickford, “The Queen of the Silent Film Era.” Capacity for this talk is limited and pre-registration is required. RSVP here to register.
Silver Screenings is supported by the Ontario Trillium Foundation and the New Horizons for Seniors Program.
Sing-a-Long-a Sound of Music | December 14, 7pm // December 17, 2:30pm
The smash-hit musical show returns to TIFF Bell Lightbox for the first time since 2015. Sing-a-Long-a Sound of Music is a screening of the classic Julie Andrews film musical in glorious, full-screen Technicolor, complete with subtitles so that the whole audience can sing along. Award-winning comedian Martha Chaves will guide the audience through the show, including a warm-up and the famous fancy-dress competition.
Canadian Premiere of Sing-a-Long-a The Greatest Showman | December 16, 2:30pm
This screening of the high-energy 2017 musical will be the first time in Canada the film is experienced in this Sing-a-long-a format. Cheer on Hugh Jackman and moon after Zac Efron as you experience The Greatest Showman in the greatest way possible ― with lyrics on the screen so you can join in as loud as you want. Award-winning comedian Martha Chaves will be your host and teach you a unique set of dance moves. Costumes are strongly encouraged and full audience participation is essential.
International Cinema Cafe | December 17, 10:30am
Reel Talk is now International Cinema Cafe and continues to provide a snapshot of the best cinema from around the world, with a focus on films submitted for Best International Picture at the Academy Awards and hidden gems that may not see wide release.
Secret Movie Club | December 19, 7pm
Part of the fun is the surprise: titles are not announced ahead of time, and all screenings are previews of films not yet released in theatres. Each event offers a fun post-film discussion with a member of the film team — such as a director, screenwriter, producer, or actor — a critic, or a subject expert.
NEW RELEASES
*Recently announced
*Opens December 1 | Exclusive | Atmos
Maestro | Netflix Studios
*Opens December 1
Monster | Photon Films
Playing December 7
Raging Grace | Vortex Media
An undocumented Filipina immigrant lands a job as a care-worker for a terminal old man, securing a better life for her and her daughter. But a dark discovery threatens to destroy everything she’s strived for and holds dear, in Paris Zarcilla’s latest film.
✅ SXSW Film Festival 2023 – Winner, SXSW Grand Jury Award and Thunderbird Rising Award
*Opens December 8
Eileen | Elevation Pictures
*Opens December 15 | Canadian Premiere | Exclusive 70mm limited run
Rebel Moon — Part One: A Child of Fire | Netflix Studios
*Opens December 22
Society of the Snow | Netflix Studios
Opens January 19
Origin | Elevation Pictures
Ava DuVernay directs an inspired adaptation of Isabel Wilkerson’s life, as she digs into the nuance of discrimination while writing what would become her New York Times bestselling book, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents.
✅ TIFF 2023 – Official Selection, Gala Presentations
✅ Venice Film Festival 2023 – Nominee, Golden Lion Best Film
COMING IN JANUARY
To kick off 2024, TIFF Cinematheque is presenting Alone in the Arena: Genre-Defining Sports Films, the late TIFF programmer Ravi Srinivasan’s last curated series, which features nine iconic sports films that influenced and transformed the genre including classics like White Men Can’t Jump and The Wrestler. Srinivasan’s love of film was equally matched by his love of sports, and this series is an homage to both Srinivasan and his take on the often underappreciated genre of sports films. Additionally, Canada’s Top Ten List for 2023 will be unveiled on December 7, and it will be followed by a four-day industry event (January 25-28), featuring an opening night celebration, and screenings of this year’s selections.
TIFF’s January programming slate will be announced on December 15, 2023.
By Mr. Will Wong
Director Todd Haynes has a knack for telling stories about complex women. After winning raves at Cannes with his latest, MAY DECEMBER takes a complicated love and examines a vast gray area. With small doses of humour and enthralling performances, it succeeds as an uncomfortable watch, which has us thinking endlessly about these characters and their choices.
The Film which very loosely is based on the Mary Kay Letourneau scandal that rocked the nation in the ’90s, centers on Gracie (Julianne Moore) and Joe (Charles Melton). The two met at a local pet shop when she was 36-years-old, married with a kid, and Joe was in seventh grade. They fell in love, and despite much controversy, wound up starting a family together with three kids. Elizabeth (Natalie Portman who also serves as Executive Producer), plays an Actress who arrives, preparing to play Gracie in an upcoming film about a span of two years in the couple’s relationship. While researching the role, she re-awakens past traumas and uncomfortable feelings as the ripple effects of the couple’s forbidden love are uncovered and felt.
MAY DECEMBER is told through subtext. We don’t trust Elizabeth, even though she is the consummate Actress absorbing Gracie‘s essence and trying to understand her thinking, starting every day with a clean slate and a lack of regret. Does Elizabeth have ulterior motives? We also aren’t quite sure how we feel about Gracie, who struggles mentally after Elizabeth’s arrival, confronting difficult feelings from her past, co-operative in answering the Actress’ questions but also guarding herself by questioning Elizabeth’s questions. Joe also carries the weight of the world on his shoulders, and Elizabeth’s arrival really has him thinking about his life path now that he is 36 and his kids are ready to go off to college.
Portman is all in, giving us a layered Elizabeth. She possesses a bravery, unphased by the uncomfortable moments she is thrown into, whether it be answering questions from high school kids about filming a sex scene, or being told straight-up by Gracie and Joe’s daughter at the dinner table they’d rather she not make this movie. She shines throughout, devastatingly good in an unforgettable monologue, acting out one of Gracie‘s letters to Joe. Melton is superb, taking us through Joe‘s journey, soft-spoken, vulnerable and deeply-protective how he and his family are perceived. Moore has a challenging task navigating Gracie’s wave of emotions, but always gathering herself together keeping-up appearances.
The Film is messy and that is exactly why we love Haynes‘ films so much. He recognizes human beings as the flawed multi-faceted beings we are.
Netflix release MAY DECEMBER in select theatres November 17, 2023 and on Netflix December 1, 2023.
TIFF is thrilled to reintroduce its national film outreach programme, Film Circuit, now one full year into its relaunch with an exciting slate of Festival favourites coming to venues across the country in 2024. Continuing its rich tradition of bringing the best of Canadian and international films and artists to communities across the nation, Film Circuit has expanded its outreach to 100+ locations since relaunching in 2022, after a two-year hiatus. The programme offers transformative film experiences in rural, remote, and underserved communities with the generous support of Major Supporter Telefilm Canada, and Supporters Ontario Creates and Ontario Arts Council.
“We are delighted to join our expanding community of film enthusiasts across the nation in commemorating cinema and presenting our curated programme with the generous backing of Telefilm Canada, Ontario Creates, and the Ontario Arts Council,” stated Cameron Bailey, CEO, TIFF. “I’d also extend my gratitude to our distributors and our steadfast Film Circuit collaborators.”
Now in its 33rd year, Film Circuit engages domestic grassroots networks and community partners — comprising independent cinemas, art galleries, museums, libraries, performing arts theatres, community centres, film clubs, and more — to expand and enrich the breadth of film offerings available to their audience. With a rotating slate of films featuring crowd-pleasers and arthouse hits, Film Circuit offers a unique forum for film-lovers across Canada to gather in person and discover new voices and perspectives.
Film Circuit not only extends the theatrical life of films beyond their initial release, but also champions independent films operating outside the traditional distribution model by working with emerging and local filmmakers to facilitate access for Circuit locations who otherwise would not have an opportunity to see the films. TIFF People’s Choice award-winning films such as Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe and Solo; The Queen of My Dreams; and Rojek, Canada’s submission for Best International Feature Film, are a few of the Canadian films that will be featured on screens coast-to coast-to-coast. Film Circuit groups will also have a chance to catch some of the most talked about international films and hidden gems, including Anatomy of a Fall, Past Lives, Monster, A Difficult Year, and The Persian Version.
“Film Circuit is a shining example of meeting audiences where they are,” said Julie Roy, Executive Director and CEO, Telefilm Canada. “Telefilm Canada is proud to partner with TIFF to showcase some of Canada’s most notable new releases to over 100 locations across our vast country, reaching new communities like Fogo Island, Yellowknife, Qualicum Beach and Invermere. This program highlights the invaluable collaboration of working with local cinemas, distributors and industry partners.”
New Film Circuit location highlights:
Film Circuit is also reintroducing its guest touring programme this year, inviting filmmakers and industry guests to travel across the country to introduce their films and participate in Q&A sessions with Film Circuit audiences. Last season, Canadian filmmaker Chandler Levack toured her award-winning and Canada’s Top Ten film I Like Movies in a six-city stop in Ontario, where it played on 25 screens. Past guests include Deepa Mehta, Michael McGowan, Gordon Pinsent, Ruba Nadda, Don McKellar, Sturla Gunnarsson, Maxime Giroux, and Jennifer Baichwal, to name a few.
FILM CIRCUIT PROGRAMMING HIGHLIGHTS
A Difficult Year | Sphère Films
The latest from writer-directors Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledano (C’est la vie!, TIFF ’17) is a puckish comedy about finding a reason for being — even when the world seems to be falling apart. Featuring winning performances from Pio Marmaï, Jonathan Cohen, Noémie Merlant, and Mathieu Amalric, A Difficult Year is social satire that goes down easy.
TIFF 2023 – Official Selection, Special Presentations
Anatomy of a Fall | Elevation Pictures
Winner of this year’s Palme d’Or and starring German actor Sandra Hüller, Justine Triet’s Anatomy of a Fall is a riveting portrait of a complex woman put on trial for the murder of her spouse. Also starring Samuel Theis, Swann Arlaud, and Milo Machado Graner.
TIFF 2023 – Official Selection, Special Presentations
Cannes Film Festival 2023 – Winner of 3 awards, including Palme d’Or and Queer Palme
Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe | Amazon Studios
This heartfelt documentary from director Robert McCallum, celebrates the life and work of Ernie Coombs, the iconic Canadian children’s television personality who encouraged generations of kids to be their best selves. Featuring Judith Lawrence, Chris Coombs, Cathie LeFort, Nina Keogh, Susan Marcus, Jim Parker, Stu Gilchrist, Bruce McCulloch, Eric McCormack, and more.
TIFF 2023 – Official Selection, TIFF Docs programme
BlackBerry | Elevation Pictures
The latest from Canadian writer-director Matt Johnson tells the story of the meteoric rise and catastrophic demise of the world’s first smartphone.
Aitamaako’tamisskapi Natosi: Before the Sun | Independent
This sports documentary, directed by Nuxalk filmmaker Banchi Hanuse, is an intimate and thrilling portrait of a young Siksika woman and the deep bonds between her father and family in the golden plains of Blackfoot Territory as she prepares for one of the most dangerous horse races in the world… bareback.
“Ontario Creates is proud to be a long-time supporter of Film Circuit, sharing TIFF’s goals to bring thought-provoking, innovative, and entertaining content to communities across Canada. The film and television industry makes a significant impact on Ontario’s economy every year, contributing $3.15B in 2022. You can experience first-hand the wealth of Ontario’s on-screen and behind-the-scenes talent through this year’s Film Circuit selections. Film Circuit is TIFF’s year-round film outreach program, bringing the best of Canadian and international films and artists to communities all across Canada. Congratulations to TIFF for another stellar edition of Canada’s largest film club!” ―Karen Thorne-Stone, President and CEO, Ontario Creates
“The Ontario Arts Council is delighted to support the Toronto International Film Festival’s Film Circuit. This important outreach program offers Ontarians across the province a chance to see films from Canadian and international artists that may not otherwise reach their local cinemas. It also offers a valuable opportunity for Ontario filmmakers to make personal and professional connections through their work.” ―Rita Davies, Chair of the Board of Directors, Ontario Arts Council
The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival (Reel Asian), Canada’s premier pan-Asian festival, today announced its 2023 programming lineup, which will open with Canadian filmmaker Fawzia Mirza’s debut feature The Queen of My Dreams. From November 8 to 19, 2023, the Festival will take audiences on a cinematic journey, transcending borders and bringing the world closer together. This year’s lineup consists of 15 features and 57 shorts from Canada, India, Iran, Japan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, United Kingdom, and the United States. Reel Asian will also present three thoughtful and creative multimedia experiences through their RA:X programme and welcome a number of esteemed industry professionals for their Reel Ideas conference. For the full programming lineup and ticket information visit reelasian.com.
“The continued success and popularity of Asian cinema in Hollywood has brought our collective stories and experiences to the forefront, leading to significant growth in our community’s industry both abroad and in Canada,” said Deanna Wong, Executive Director, Reel Asian. “We’re so proud to welcome audiences back to the festival, which aims to bridge cultural divides, inspire meaningful conversations, and celebrate Asian voices. There is a need for our stories now more than ever and we hope to continue offering a bigger and better festival each year.”
Below highlights Reel Asian’s programming. For the full Festival programme and schedule, please visit reelasian.com or view the 2023 Programme Guide here.
FEATURES
[*] indicates expected attendance
THE QUEEN OF MY DREAMS (Opening Night)
Dir. Fawzia Mirza * | Canada 2023 | 97 min. | Urdu, English
When Azra, a queer Muslim grad student, hears of her father’s sudden death, she flies back to her ancestral home in Karachi, Pakistan for the funeral, where she is received by her conservative mother, Mariam, perpetually disappointed by Azra’s choices. As a self-assured Azra wrestles with Karachi’s customs and norms, we time travel back to Mariam’s own life in the city 30 years ago, a remarkably different era in Pakistan’s political and cultural history.
Official Selection at TIFF 2023
WED, NOV 8 • 7:30 PM • HOT DOCS TED ROGERS CINEMA
THE TASTE OF MANGO
Dir. Chloe Abrahams | United Kingdom 2023 | 73 min. | English
Chloe Abrahams’ debut feature, is an enveloping, hypnotic, urgently personal meditation on family, memory, identity, violence, and love. At its centre are three extraordinary women: the director’s mother, Rozana; her grandmother, Jean; and the director herself. What emerges is a delicately layered, personal and collective portrait of coping with physical and sexual violence, the damage of grief and estrangement, and the possibilities of hope, joy, healing, and reconciliation.
THURS, NOV 9 • 5:30 PM • TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX
OKIKU AND THE WORLD せかいのおきく
Dir. Junji Sakamoto 攫㘭朇㮼 | Japan 2023 | 90 min. | Japanese with English subtitles
Set near the end of the Edo period, the film presents a fresh take on the time and on samurai culture. Okiku (Haru Kuroki) is the daughter of a fallen samurai. The two of them now live in a tenement far from luxury. One day, she meets Chuji (Kanichiro) and love blooms. The problem is that Chuji is a manure man who collects excrement to sell to farmers. Despite the downfall of samurais, there is still a social gap between them.
THURS, NOV 9 • 8 PM • TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX
SMALL FRY
Dir. Joongha Park * | South Korea 2023 | 95 min. | Korean with English subtitles
Ho-jun, a flailing actor, has found relative success as a social media influencer, hawking fishing hacks. He preps his live stream at his preferred fishing spot, only to be disrupted by an obnoxious stranger, Director Nam, a hotshot independent film director about to shoot his first feature. He’s invited rising actress Hee-jin for a quiet pondside chat to convince her that his film will be a star-making breakout role—only Hee-jin isn’t sure about Director Nam’s film, or his ulterior motives. As the day progresses, links between Ho-jun, Director Nam, and Hee-jin entwine and unravel to reveal each character’s ambition, pettiness, and pathos as they try to reel in their respective dreams.
FRI, NOV 10 • 5:30 PM • TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX
IN FLAMES
Dir. Zarrar Kahn * | Canada, Pakistan 2023 | 98 min | Urdu with English subtitles
Mariam, a medical student, is dealing with her grandfather’s passing, her grieving mother, and preparing for upcoming exams. When an estranged and suspiciously helpful uncle re-enters their lives and promises support with their property and finances, Mariam senses trouble. At school, she meets a charming fellow student who presents a tempting option of marriage and financial security, a supposed avenue of freedom and autonomy. When Mariam begins to feel haunted by the presence of men around her and the spirits of those long gone, escape starts to seem elusive.
Official Selection at Cannes 2023 and TIFF 2023
FRI, NOV 10 • 8 PM • TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX
RIVER リバー、流れないでよ
Dir. Junta Yamaguchi | Japan 2023 | 82 min. Japanese with English subtitles
From the team behind Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes (Reel Asian Official Selection,2021) comes Junta Yamaguchi’s latest time loop comedy. Set in a quaint inn along the Kibune river near Kyoto, staff and guests find themselves stuck in a continuous two-minute time loop. Mikoto, a waitress, returns to the river bank after each loop, plunging into a relentless cycle of perplexing scenarios. Her coworkers, the cook, and the mystified guests all grapple with mounting confusion. Despair and disorientation engulf those at the inn, as the uncanny sensation of repeatedly returning to the same moment leads to a frantic quest for answers.
FRI, NOV 10 • 8 PM • TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX
WE WILL BE BRAVE
Dir. Chrisann Hessing * | Canada 2023 | 78 min. | English
The Good Guise is an artist collective in Toronto formed to spark conversations around healthy masculinity. From photography and beat-boxing to poetry and martial arts, these talented artists share their unique lived experiences with inspiring confidence and welcome others to join in their mission of finding radical alternatives to shame and punishment. As each of them grapple with upheavals in their personal lives, their resolve is further tested by a dire lack of resources and the burden of racialized discrimination.
SAT, NOV 11 • 12 PM • TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX
STARRING JERRY AS HIMSELF
Dir. Law Chen | USA 2023 | 75 min. | Mandarin, English
A genre-bending mystery that shakes up notions of traditional storytelling. Jerry Hsu is a loving father of three, a recent divorcé, and has been keeping a secret. The Taiwanese immigrant and Orlando resident has been accused by the Chinese police of being an accomplice in an international money-laundering scheme. In an effort to clear his name, Jerry agrees to help the police with busting the operation. Hiding his role in the investigation from his family, Jerry’s world begins to unravel with each step he takes deeper into the conspiracy.
SAT, NOV 11 • 2:30 PM • TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX
Q
Dir. Jude Chehab * | USA, Lebanon 2023 | 93 min. | Arabic, English
Jude Chehab, a Lebanese American cinematographer and filmmaker, has always known her mother and grandmother to be women devoted to their Muslim faith. During a trip to Lebanon, Chehab is propelled by a curiosity to understand the quest for love, acceptance, and meaning that brought three generations of women in her family to pledge loyalty to a secretive matriarchal religious order operating clandestinely in the country.
Best New Documentary Director Award, Tribeca Film Festival 2023
SAT, NOV 11 • 5 PM • TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX
TIGER STRIPES
Dir. Amanda Nell Eu | Malaysia 2023 | 95 min. | Malay with English subtitles
Free-spirited 12-year-old Zaffan is the first of her friends to get her period and experience the body-changing horrors that come with puberty and menstruation. Set in a kampong, or a Malaysian village, structured around patriarchy and religious expectations, she tries to conceal her pubescent traits out of fear of ostracization. Panic spreads in the village when a monster or demonic spirit is rumoured to be roaming the surrounding jungle. Exposed by her peers, Zaffan eventually learns to embrace herself in the face of exclusion and cultural condemnation.
Critics’ Week Grand Prize, Cannes 2023
Selected to represent Malaysia at the 96th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category
SAT, NOV 11 • 7:30 PM • TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX
TERRESTRIAL VERSES
Dir. Alireza Khatami * and Ali Asgari | Iran 2023 | 77 min. | Persian with English subtitles
A job interview, a children’s clothing store, a government registry office. These are just some of the everyday sites for which the characters of Terrestrial Verses must navigate cultural, religious, and institutional constraints imposed on them. Featuring dynamic and fine-tuned performances, the 11 vignettes with conversations (and confrontations) between onscreen citizens and o!screen interrogators are striking in their ability to feel absurd and regrettably real at the same time, a place where the mundane and the menace coexist. Through these stories, we see how citizens respond to and resist these restraints until the final vignette’s staggering conclusion.
Official Selection at Cannes 2023, Un Certain Regard
SUN, NOV 12 • 2:30 PM • TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX
SEAGRASS
Dir. Meredith Hama-Brown * | Canada 2023 | 115 min. | English
Judith, a Japanese Canadian woman, and her reluctant white husband attend a week-long couple’s retreat on a coastal British Columbia island, their two daughters in tow. With Judith grieving the recent loss of her mother and her connection to her Japanese Canadian identity, the couple’s disconnect grows as she finds herself infatuated with another, seemingly perfect, interracial couple at the retreat. The parents’ rift impresses upon their daughters, as Emmy, the fearful younger sister, becomes increasingly anxious, while the eldest, Stephanie, cautiously navigates the preteen social dynamics of day camp.
FIPRESCI Prize, TIFF 2023
SUN, NOV 12 • 5 PM • TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX
MUSTACHE
Dir. Imran J. Khan * | USA 2023 | 83 min. | Urdu, English
When 13-year-old Ilyas’s parents yank him out of his comfortable Islamic private school and force him to adjust to life in public school, he develops a plan to change their minds. After a staged fondness for non-halal food and explicit music fails to sufficiently scandalize his parents, Ilyas asks his whip-smart former classmate, Yasmeen, to help devise a more foolproof plan. However, underneath those faux concerns, what really preoccupies prepubescent Ilyas is his wispy, dark mustache growing much sooner than that of his peers, prompting a self-loathing born and reinforced by the taunting and teasing of classmates.
Audience Award, Narrative Feature, SXSW 2023
SUN, NOV 12 • 7:30 PM • TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX
RELICS OF LOVE AND WAR
Dir. Keith Lock * | Canada 2023 | 40 min. | English
The venerated Chinese Canadian filmmaker Keith Lock narrates the story of how his mother married his father in Australia, who was training with other Chinese Canadian veteran volunteers for the top secret suicide mission, Operation Oblivion. This incredible story is set against the backdrop of the Second World War, a time when Chinese Canadians could not vote, swim in pools, or hire white women for their businesses.
TUES, NOV 14 • 7 PM • INNIS TOWN HALL
BABY QUEEN
Dir. Lei Yuan Bin | Singapore 2023 | 62 min. | Mandarin, Malay, Teochew, English
A tender and joyful relationship between Singaporean drag queen Opera Tang and her 90-year-old grandmother, who makes many of her performance costumes. The film follows the rhythm of Opera Tang’s day-to-day activities and conversations with chosen family, loved ones, and community, capturing the struggles and joys of being queer through the quiet notation of the personal.
WED, NOV 15 • 7 PM • INNIS TOWN HALL
SHORTS
This year’s Shorts programming includes:
S-EXPRESS MALAYSIA: MADE BY MALAYSIA: Initiated in 2002, S-Express has become an annual showcase from Southeast Asia. This year, Reel Asian presents S-Express Malaysia, programmed by Chong Lee Yow of Mini Film Festival, featuring five films depicting one’s ability to (un)trap themselves from limitations set upon them, be it bodily, mind, or soul, to achieve relief and victory. FRI, NOV 10 • 5:30 PM • TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX
LET’S BE FRIENDS: These shorts look at the soft to even slightly off-kilter bonds we find in one another, the realms we exist in, and ultimately, ourselves, despite ongoing change—no friendship bracelets required. SAT, NOV 11 • 12 PM • TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX
UNSUNG VOICES 12: Six fearless emerging filmmakers embarked on a summer-long filmmaking journey online. Reel Asian is proud to present their world premiere here in the 12th edition of Reel Asian’s filmmaking program. SAT, NOV 11 • 2:30 PM • TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX
EMERGENCE: There’s no need to be certain about what’s next as this collection of shorts places us in a position to face specific pivotal moments of reckoning. Whether feeling stuck or turbulent in the chaos of transition, can we remain gentle to ourselves? SAT, NOV 11 • 5 PM • TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX
UNDER THE INFLUENCE: More to the situation than what it seems, these shorts choose to examine, tease, and redefine the forces that pull us to make a decision. SAT, NOV 11 • 7:30 PM • TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX
HERE WE ARE: With societal, political, and magical forces at play beyond our control, this programme brings together a variety of filmmaking approaches to reflect on what can remain in troubling times, and along with it, agency to construct the narrative. SUN, NOV 12 • 2:30 PM • TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX
THE STRANGE, THE ODD AND THE FAMILIAR: Hmm … this doesn’t seem right?! This programme asks us to sit with the discomforting feelings that arise when we begin to confront the unknown in what we believe to know. SUN, NOV 12 • 5 PM • TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX
RA:X
Storytelling beyond the screen. RA:X is Reel Asian’s programming section with interactive elements and innovative storytelling tools that seek to engage audiences in new and exciting ways. All exhibitions and accompanying events are free.
MULTIMEDIA EXHIBITION AND PROGRAM – PIGEONHOLE
Visit the Pigeonhole, nest and rest from the festival chaos, listen to collaborative pigeon music, watch raw footage, compose your own ditties, and collage a flock of desired futures together with other attendees. This immersive multimedia installation is inspired by artist Emmie Tsumura’s evolving relationship with a motley crew of pigeons who visit her kitchen windowsill to eat snacks and hang out on toy keyboards. NOV 8–19, BACHIR/YEREX PRESENTATION SPACE, 401 RICHMOND ST, 4TH FLOOR, VARIOUS TIMES
INTERACTIVE WALK AND TALK – EIGHTY THOUSAND STEPS
As a child, Crystal Chan loved when her “Pawpaw” (“grandmother” in Chinese) shared life lessons through fables as the two took walks together. Now Crystal realizes Pawpaw was sharing her journey as a child refugee, hiding tragedy behind adventure. Listeners gradually learn about the heartbreaking contrast between real violence and a child’s interpretation of it. As the listener walks to the store or through a park, they’re forced to examine their steps and stories next to a refugee’s. THURS, NOV 16, THE COMMONS AT 401 RICHMOND ST, 4TH FLOOR, VARIOUS TIMES
MINI SYMPOSIUM AND EXHIBITION – THE SARI-SARI XCHANGE
A project that seeks to amplify Asian representation in the creative emerging media industries in Canada, particularly through a community-building residency program that engages artists with digital and extended reality (XR) technologies. There will be a mini-symposium in the morning around issues and accessibility of XR technology, and a public exhibition of works-in-progress will follow in the afternoon. FRI, NOV 17, THE COMMONS AT 401 RICHMOND ST, 4TH FLOOR, 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM
CANADIAN SPOTLIGHT – FIRST FILMS
In the inaugural First Films event, three award-winning Asian Canadian filmmakers will present and discuss the first films they’ve ever made. The program celebrates their earnest creation, irrational confidence, and the miracle of early- (or pre-)career filmmaking. FRI, NOV 17 • 7 PM • INNIS TOWN HALL
HERE I AM, Dir. Sami Khan, 2010, 10 min.
Sami Khan’s most recent film The Last Out, co-directed with Michael Gassert, won the 2023 Emmy for Outstanding Business and Economics Documentary.
SUNDAY AFTERNOON, Dir. Renuka Jeyapalan, 1999, 5 min.
Renuka Jeyapalan’s debut short Big Girl won the TIFF 2005 Best Canadian Short Film Award and she also directed episodes of Kim’s Convenience, Workin’ Moms, Murdoch Mysteries, Ginny and Georgia, among others. Renuka’s acclaimed feature Stay the Night screened at 2022 Reel Asian.
HACKING ‘TIL MY LEGS FALL OFF, Dir. Joyce Wong, 2004, 8 min.
Joyce Wong’s directing credits include the popular shows Workin’ Moms, Baroness von Sketch, and Run the Burbs and she directed the critically acclaimed feature Wexford Plaza (2016).
WEE ASIAN
Free selection of wholesome shorts for all ages and generations to come together, in a relaxed drop-in screening environment. Attendees will also have an opportunity to participate in fun and simple art activities post-screening. SAT, NOV 18 • 10:30 AM – 3 PM • INNIS TOWN HALL
This year’s Wee Asian short film lineup includes:
MON AMI – Canada
EID MUBARAK – USA, Pakistan
GORO GORO – USA
HI ADING – Canada
EVERYWHERE – Hong Kong
SPIRIT OF THE FOREST – India
THE OLD YOUNG CROW (今昔カラス) – Japan
HAIR UNIVERSE (ݚܵசڿਅફ) – South Korea
DANCE ON! NONOKO! – USA, Taiwan
REEL IDEAS
The Reel Ideas conference unites industry professionals, including screenwriters, producers, filmmakers, and performers, to engage in candid discussions about the challenges and successes of starting from scratch, all while drawing inspiration from our roots. Paving a new pathway for today’s storytellers and advocates, celebrating their contributions and giving them their well-deserved recognition.
This year, Reel Ideas presents From the Ground Up, learning from our origins, creative journeys, and the path to forging unique trajectories.
HOW TO FAIL AS A POPSTAR: THE CLUMSY ART OF FINDING YOURSELF (screening and panel)
Discover the comedically honest and heartwarming story of the CBC Gem original short-form series How to Fail as a Popstar. Unravel the creative evolution of the series, which was adapted from Vivek Shraya’s hit play and subsequent book, tracing its journey from page to stage to screen. Vivek and the creative team will join for an insightful conversation about adapting for film, the realities of the music industry, and the power of one’s intersecting identities.
Panelists: Vivek Shraya (creator/artist), Vanessa Matsui (director), Ayesha Mansur Gonsalves (actor)
THURS, NOV 16 • 7 PM • HOT DOCS TED ROGERS CINEMA
JOURNEY BACK: EXPLORING ORIGIN IN FILMMAKING AND CREATING CHARACTER OUT OF “HOME”
There is a profound connection filmmakers forge when revisiting their roots through a cinematic lens. This in-depth conversation explores how filmmakers turn places into their own dynamic character, and unpacks the emotive pull of returning, despite its tensions and contradictions.
Panelists: Fawzia Mirza (director/writer), Zarrar Kahn (director/screenwriter)
THURS, NOV 9 • 2:30 PM • FESTIVAL LOUNGE (401 RICHMOND ST W SUITE 440)
BUILDING FORCES: THE DIRECTOR PRODUCER RELATIONSHIP
The producer/director relationship is a partnership constantly in flux. What is required for these roles to work harmoniously? Panelists will explore the vital but tumultuous collaboration behind every successful film.
TUES NOV 14 • 1 PM • FESTIVAL LOUNGE (401 RICHMOND ST W SUITE 440)
TO THE WRITERS’ ROOM: CANADIAN TV WRITERS ON CREATIVITY, COLLABORATION AND RESISTING TOKENISM (Online YouTube Live Roundtable)
Step into the thrilling world of TV writing as talented writers share their insights into crafting a successful series, advancing careers in the writers’ room, and promoting diversity in showrunning. Explore their creative processes, approach to pitching, and how they navigate tokenism and stereotypes while fostering collaborative writers’ rooms.
Panelists: Rob Michaels (writer/director/comedian), Léa Geronimo (writer/director), additional TBA
WED, NOV 15 • 4:30 PM • ONLINE YOUTUBE LIVE ROUNDTABLE
SO YOU THINK YOU CAN PITCH?
A fun and exciting way to support emerging filmmakers, as the five finalists pitch their projects to esteemed jurors for a chance to win an amazing prize package toward kick-starting or finishing their film. Cheer on a new generation of filmmakers, and let the future of Asian Canadian cinema inspire!
SUN, NOV 19 • 5 PM • CSI ANNEX
For more information, visit reelasian.com.
The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival gratefully acknowledges the support of government partners Canada Council for the Arts, Telefilm Canada, Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council, Province of Ontario, Ontario Trillium Foundation, Ontario Creates, and Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund; and the support of Premier Partners Crave and Warner Bros. Discovery Access Canada.
About Reel Asian
The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival (Reel Asian) is a unique showcase of contemporary Asian cinema and work from the Asian diaspora. As Canada’s largest pan-Asian film festival, Reel Asian® provides a public forum for Asian media artists and their work, and fuels the growing appreciation for Asian cinema in Canada. This year’s festival runs November 8–19, 2023, showcasing special projects featuring prominent artists, content creators, up-and-coming filmmakers and will also include the “Reel Ideas” program for creative minds in the industry to connect online. Works presented at Reel Asian include films, videos, and presentations by artists in Canada, the U.S., Asia and all over the world.
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