Canada's Coolest Film Festival --The Whistler Film Festival Announces Full Film Lineup for 22nd Edition -November 30-December 4, 2022

 Whistler, BC (November 2, 2022) Whistler Film Festival (WFF) has announced the full lineup for its 22nd edition taking place in-person from November 30, to December 4 2022  in Whistler, BC, and online from December 5 to January 2, 2023. 

Selected from over 2,000 submissions, the lineup includes 86 bold and inspiring films curated into nine program strands. There are 41 features and 45 shorts from 19 different countries, including award-season contenders, new breakthrough Canadian features, heart-stopping extreme adventure films, and previously unseen projects from around the globe. 

 

WFF is known for its commitment to Canadian artists and is once again thrilled to showcase the rich diversity of perspectives and talent with 13 first-time features and by dedicating 66% of its programming to premiering Canadian features. The lineup also proudly includes 39 films directed by women.  

Films in competition will vie for 15 film awards and $223,500 in cash and prizes awarded by juries composed of leading cinematic talent.

Screenings are available both in-theatre and online. More than 75% of festival films available to cinephiles across Canada from December 5, 2022, to January 2, 2023, on the Whistler Film Festival screening platform. 50% of net proceeds from online ticket revenues will be directly shared with the filmmakers or Canadian rights holders. Not all festival films will be available online. Some restrictions apply.

”With a particular emphasis on Canadian content creators and distinct and emerging voices, Whistler Film Festival continues to fill a valuable niche within the film festival ecosystem,” says Paul Gratton, WFF’s Director of Programming. “WFF has evolved into a premium showcase for exciting new motion pictures not previously shown at other film festivals. With our strongest lineup ever of Canadian gems, coveted international festival titles, and an inspiring selection of award-hopefuls, our 22nd edition hums with the energy and creativity that result when new voices mix with established filmmakers in one of the most awe-inspiring settings for a film festival.”

WFF’s opening night will set the tone with the Western Canadian Premiere of WHITE NOISE, Noah Baumbach’s sly parody of an ideal American nuclear family under threat, featuring Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig. The film, which opened both the Venice International Film Festival and the New York Film Festival, already holds wide-spread acclaimed status.

Other significant award-contenders having their first Canadian festival showings at Whistler include Guillermo del Toro’s PINOCCHIO, a stop-motion reinvention of the classic Collodi tale set in fascist Italy, and Alejandro González Iñárritu’s epic BARDO, FALSE CHRONICLE OF A HANDFUL OF TRUTHS, about a journalist returning to his country in the final lap of his career. Inarritu won the Oscar for Best Director for both THE REVENANT (2015) and BIRDMAN (2014). Having run Alfonso Cuaron’s ROMA in 2018, WFF is honored to have hosted premieres by the holy trinity of Mexican filmmakers: Cuaron, del Toro, and Inarritu. 

Rian Johnson’s crowd-pleasing GLASS ONION (People’s Choice runner-up at Toronto International Film Festival) and Laura Poitras’ ALL THE BEAUTY AND THE BLOODSHED (surprise Golden Lion winner at this year’s Venice Film Festival) will also inspire film buffs to make the trek to BC’s world-class ski destination to see great movies projected in 4k on the big screen.

World Premieres

Acclaimed actor and director Jason Priestley returns to WFF for the World Premiere of OFFSIDE: THE HAROLD BALLARD STORY. Big money, big headlines, and a long list of enemies – Harold Ballard made them all during the two decades he owned the crown jewel of Canadian sports – The Toronto Maple Leafs – down the road to ruin. This not-to-be-missed feature-length documentary explores one of the most controversial figures in Canadian sports history. Directed by Priestley, this world premiere marks the star’s return to the festival for the first time since the release of his critically-acclaimed film Cas and Dylan – the opening night selection at WFF in 2013.

Relationship dynamics are examined in Vanessa Matsui’s first feature, MIDNIGHT AT THE PARADISE, which deals with three couples at different stages in their relationships and includes extraordinary performances by Liane Balaban, Allan Hawco, and the late Kenneth Welsh in his final screen role. EXILE, directed by Jason James, stars actor Adam Beach in his most haunting and mature performance yet as a father trying to deal with guilt when protecting his family following a DUI incident. 

French director Thierry Donard taps into the mind of extreme sports athletes in the World Premiere of his film HUMAN EXTREME in WFF’s closing night selection. 

Music fans will love BOY CITY, a funny throwback to the era of boy bands and those who loved them, directed by Sean Cisterna and featuring Jonas Chernick. Chernick is also the co-lead in the comedy THE END OF SEX directed by Sean Garrity, a sort of spiritual successor to MY AWKWARD SEXUAL ADVENTURE which won the Audience Award at WFF in 2012.

In Competition

Nurturing cinematic excellence remains at the heart of the Whistler Film Festival with 15 film awards in seven juried competitions: 

• Best Canadian Feature Film - ($15,000 cash prize) sponsored by Directors Guild of Canada, British Columbia as well as ($20,000 worth of production prize) sponsored by Company 3. 

• Best Director of a Borsos Competition film sponsored by the Directors Guild of Canada

• British Columbia Best Screenplay for a Borsos Competition film 

• Best Performance in a Borsos Competition film 

• Best Cinematography in a Borsos Competition film presented by ICG 669 

• NEW: Best Editing in a Borsos Competition Film presented by IATSE 891 ($1,000 cash prize)

Additional awards at the festival include:

• World Documentary Award

• Mountain Culture Award - presented by Whistler Blackcomb

• International ShortWork Award 

• Canadian ShortWork Award ($1,000 cash award) 

• Student ShortWork Award ($500 cash award) - presented by Capilano University Film Centre 

• AWFJ EDA Awards (2) for Best Female-directed Narrative Feature and Short Film

• Best BC Director Award - presented by the Directors Guild of Canada – British Columbia 

• MPPIA Short Film Award ($15,000 cash award plus up to $100,000 in production services) presented by MPPIA and Creative BC

• Audience Award for Best Feature of the Festival (narrative or documentary, non-cash prize) - with Online and In-Theatre Awards

The Whistler Film Festival Awards will be presented in person on December 4. The Alliance of Women Film Journalists’ EDA Awards for Best Female-Directed Narrative Feature and Best Female-Directed Short Film will be announced on December 13. The Audience Award will be announced online on December 28. All narrative and documentary feature-length films in the Whistler Film Festival are eligible to receive the Audience Awards as voted by festival attendees. 

Programming strands this year are American Indies, Canadian Vanguard, Doc Bloc, Films From Away, From the Vault, Mountain Culture, New Voices, Special Presentations, and ShortWork.

BORSOS COMPETITION FOR BEST CANADIAN FEATURE

The coveted Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature is named for legendary Canadian filmmaker Phillip Borsos. In the 19 years since the competition’s inception, the participating films have exemplified the creative fire and artistry embodied by Borsos, best known for his inspiring work on the Genie Award-winning films THE GREY FOX (82), and BETHUNE: THE MAKING OF A HERO (90). 

This year, the Borsos Competition features 14 films, including an impressive number of first-time and female directors competing for the coveted prizes. Along with EXILE, MIDNIGHT AT THE PARADISE, and THE END OF SEX, 11 other titles will be in the running. 

SOFT-SPOKEN WEEPY CULT CHILD, directed by Irina Lord, deals with a daughter whose mother is a member of a religious sect. ADULT ADOPTION, directed by Karen Knox, tells the story of a lonely adult foster-home graduate who longs for family connection and tries to get adopted as an adult. And BROKEN ANGEL traces an abusive relationship as an Indigenous woman and her daughter seek respite by escaping to an Indigenous safe house. Director Jules Koostachin’s son Asivak, (a WFF21 Star to Watch) also stars in the movie. 

The four Quebec entries this year all deal with family, two of which are on the road. RODEO, directed by Joelle Desjardins-Paquette, is about a trucker who illegally runs off with his young daughter to Western Canada to participate in a truck rodeo. Guillaume Lambert’s NIAGARA follows three sons who have to put their differences aside as they take a road trip to bury their father who died following a “bucket challenge” in Niagara Falls. COYOTE, by Katherine Jerkovic, tells the story of a struggling ex-chef who suddenly has to look after his grandson following his daughter's need to go to rehab. 

No words can truly describe the bizarre hilarity found in Martin Villeneuve’s affectionate tribute to his paternal grandmother, THE 12 TASKS OF IMELDA. Donning granny’s clothes and make-up, a la Tyler Perry’s MEDEA, Villeneuve himself plays Imelda as a tart-tongued force of nature–nasty, petty, but full of life and not willing to fade into the great beyond without putting up a fight. 

Additional BC-based Borsos entries include Jeffery Lando’s LISSA’S TRIP, a psychedelic film about an actress in LA who accidentally imbibes a lot of acid on the day of a major audition. The visual effects used to represent the hallucinatory images in the film were created by Lando, who experimented with artificial intelligence to ensure the audience experiences the full extent of Lissa’s psychedelic trip.

COLORBLIND follows a Black mother and her son, who are both colorblind by birth, as they move to a new apartment and get entangled with a racist landlord. The film is directed by Mostafa Keshvari.

From the Yukon comes POLARIS, a dystopian action movie set in a frozen future, a sort of MAD MAX on Skidoos, directed by WFF alumni Kirsten Carthew. Representing Winnipeg comes the stylish DIASPORA, directed by deco dawson. Set in North Winnipeg, it tells the story of a young Ukrainian immigrant who lands in a new neighborhood where virtually nobody speaks English, much less Ukrainian. The architecture of the run-down areas and the colourful locals who have made these dwellings homes and businesses make for a fascinating and original look at the immigrant experience in Canada.

Canadian films out of competition include Mary Nighy’s ALICE DARLING starring Oscar® nominee Anna Kendrick who plays a woman pushed to the breaking point by her psychologically abusive boyfriend.

DOC BLOC SHINES IN 2022

WFF is pleased to present an exciting line-up of documentaries, with a strong focus on sports and music.

For sports fans, ICE-BREAKER: THE ‘72 SUMMIT SERIES, directed by Robbie Hart and based on a book by diplomat Gary J. Smith, is a must-see that examines the unforgettable 1972 hockey series between Canada and the Soviets set against the Cold War political backdrop that defined the era. It’s a fine companion piece to Jason Priestly’s OFFSIDE: THE HAROLD BALLARD STORY. OUT IN THE RING brings a queer perspective to the screen as director Ry Levey explores the history of LGBTQ representation in professional wrestling through archival footage and interviews.

Music has a large presence in the WFF doc mix this year. A special screening of BUFFY SAINTE-MARIE: CARRY IT ON, with a live-streamed and in-theatre Zoom conversation with the iconic singer, songwriter, and activist, takes place on December 2. The documentary is directed by Madison Thomas, an alum of the Whistler Film Festival Indigenous Filmmaker Fellowship (2017). 

WFF will screen the too-crazy-to-be-believed behind-the-scenes concert doc REVIVAL ‘69: THE CONCERT THAT ROCKED THE WORLD. It features John Lennon in his first post-Beatles appearance, as well as Yoko Ono, Klaus Voorman, Eric Clapton, Alice Cooper (and the infamous chicken incident that put him on the map), Little Richard, Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, and The Doors, plus a couple of hundred bikers used to provide Lennon with a motorized escort from Pearson Airport to Varsity Stadium to make the concert in time. A must-see for any rock historian.

This year, WFF’s Mountain Culture selection is represented on an international and local scale. Australian director Jennifer Peedom will grace audiences with her breathtaking documentaries MOUNTAIN and RIVER. Both films focus on the artistry of mother nature and will leave viewers feeling deeply connected to the world around us.

Thierry Donard of Nuit De Glisse (NDG Films) brings us RESET and the closing night selection HUMAN EXTREME. Shot over two years with BC as one of its locations, Donard focuses on extreme sports practitioners and the natural environments where they choose to play.

Also featured in the mountain culture competition is KNOW BEFORE YOU GO, the latest film from Whistler's local legends Sherpas Cinemas, who are also credited as cinematographers on Peedom’s films. The festival will also be welcoming back WFF alumni Mike Douglas and Anthony Bonello (GUILT TRIP, SNOWMAN) with TRACING INFLUENCE, which connects six skiers and the people who inspired their lives.

FILMS FROM AWAY

The three Films From Away strand starts with a family-friendly film from Ukraine, GULLIVER RETURNS, based on an idea and concept by President Volodymyr Zelensky. Over 35 Ukrainian animators worked on the computer-generated animation that follows Gulliver’s journey back to the land of Lilliput after a forty-year absence – only he is not the giant they remember. 

SALT LAKE is a powerful exploration of late-life desire and emancipation. In this Polish film, 64-year-old Helena announces her intention to pursue sexual experiences with other men before she dies, much to the shock of her husband of 40 years. And WINTER BOY features Juliette Binoche as the mother of a gay 17-year-old son trying to adjust after the death of his father. 

AMERICAN INDIES

WFF’s American Indies strand is particularly cutting-edge and inventive this year. Selections include 

BABY RUBY, a film that looks at postpartum depression and an inability to bond with your child, featuring GAME OF THRONES’ Kit Harington and Noémie Merlant.

SANCTUARY is a riveting two-hander about a professional dominatrix who tries to blackmail her client when he inherits a lot of money. Margaret Qualley and Christopher Abbott star in this intense cat-and-mouse game. 

FÉLINE@6.15 is Carl Bessai’s ingenious look at a day in the life of an online influencer who is dealing with a health scare. CORNER OFFICE, shot in BC and based on the novel The Room by Jonas Karlsson, stars Jon Hamm as an uptight overachiever who discovers a hidden office that no one else can see when he starts a new job at a strange company. And Steve Zahn was made to play the stoned-out surfer dad living in Mexico and reunited with his almost grown-up daughter in the very funny and touching GRINGA.

Rounding out the American Indies is the charming LITTLE JAR from Dominic Lopez about Ainsley, a misanthropic woman who must work from home, where she befriends a stuffed mouse.

ShortWorks

WFF is excited to unveil six ShortWorks programmes consisting of 45 short films from Canada and around the world that highlight the creativity, diversity, and strength of storytelling in this form. The programme includes celebrated filmmaker and Whistler alumni Ingrid Veninger’s beautifully composed drama “If you were me”, as well as the Western Canadian premieres of the top short film prize winners from TIFF: Canadian-Egyptian director Aziz Zoromba’s “Simo” and Mongolian director Lkhagvadulam (Dulmaa) Purev-Ochir’s “Snow in September.” 

ShortWorks also features work from a number of Whistler film and talent alumni including Aisha Evelyna, Andrea Nirmala Widjajanto, and Ariane Louis-Seize, as well as exciting debuts from Canadian directors Gaëlle Graton and Nancy Pettinicchio.

ShortWorks will shine a spotlight on BC talent with 22 shorts at the fest, including the World Premieres of alumni Ali Liebert’s “Calls from a Bridge”; compelling action sports documentaries “The Trapline” directed by Andrea Wing and “Skin Swimmer” directed by Hannah Walsh; and debuts from student filmmakers Zane Klassen, Cam Liardi, and Calum Watson. 

“We are delighted to celebrate the diversity and innovation of filmmakers working in the short form,” says Lisa Haller, WFF Senior Short Film Programmer. “From standout animation and thrilling drama to thought-provoking documentary, ShortWork has something for everyone.” 

About the Whistler Film Festival + Content Summit

From November 30 to January 2, WFF will deliver an in-person and online event with an inclusive program that both facilitates the human connections we crave and is accessible to national audiences from the comfort of their homes. 

• November 30 to December 4 (WHISTLER): In-person screenings, conversations with top talent, lively celebrations, awards, and time to explore round out this cinematic celebration in North America’s premier mountain resort destination.
  
  

• December 5 - January 2, 2023 (ONLINE): WFF22 moves online to connect audiences across Canada by streaming a selection of the festival’s best titles. Some restrictions apply.

• November 30 - December 8 (WHISTLER + ONLINE): The industry-focused Content Summit serves up a unique hybrid event, starting with a robust four-day calendar of in-person programming, keynotes, panel discussions, workshops, and networking events in Whistler, BC. Can’t make it to Whistler? A selection of industry sessions and virtual meetings will also be available to online industry pass holders.

The Whistler Film Festival Society’s RE:U:NITE Gala returns to the Whistler Conference Centre on December 3. The annual fundraiser is an extraordinary celebration of film and music. Tickets are available at: whistlerfilmfestival.com

Tickets, film passes and Industry passes are now available through WFF’s online box office at whistlerfilmfestival.com/tickets.

PLAN TO ATTEND: Air travel and ground transportation deals are now available as well as discounted accommodation rates with WFF accommodation partners at whistlerfilmfestival.com/stay.

The Whistler Film Festival is funded by the Government of Canada through Telefilm Canada, by the Province of British Columbia and the Resort Municipality of Whistler through the Resort Municipality Initiative. We gratefully acknowledge our major festival sponsors, Creative BC, Variety, the Directors Guild of Canada - British Columbia, Tourism Whistler, RBC, Whistler Blackcomb and William F. White International. Gold sponsors include Canada Media Fund, Netflix and the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) and the Fairmont Chateau Whistler. 

Discover more at whistlerfilmfestival.com.