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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mayumi Yoshida is THE multi-hyphenate filmmaker you need to watch. As writer, director, producer, and actor for her debut feature, Akashi, Yoshida's world premiere at VIFF 2025 was met with sold out audiences, celebrating her story tackling themes of identity, class struggle, and artistic aspiration.

In this episode of the VIFF Podcast, we sit down with Yoshida to discuss her Japanese heritage, identity as an immigrant, and why existing in the in between can give you the greatest superpower of all. Plus, we dive into what made the celebrated filmmaker fall in love with cinema to begin with, starting with a formative screening of Titanic at the age of 8 in Brussels, Belgium.

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

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

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

Ari Kinarthy’s existence is marked by worry and vigilance around his health, as he struggles with spinal muscular atrophy. Yet he was born with the soul of an artist, becoming a celebrated composer eager to share his story through the power of music. Making him the subject of Jeff Petry and Nathan Drillot's 'Ari's Theme,' Director of Programming at VIFF, Curtis Woloschuk, sits down with Petry to discuss what it takes to build trust with your documentary subject, the importance of centering their story, and how to ensure their art will be remembered.

This episode was recorded during the 2024 Vancouver International Film Festival.

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

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

In this special edition of the VIFF Podcast, get a glimpse of what goes on behind-the-scenes when it comes to VIFF programming, and how certain shorts make it to screen at our annual festival. VIFF Shorts Forum programmer Casey Wei and her coordinator, Jaewoo Kang discuss how to find the balance between telling the story, and film as a an art form. The pair also dive into the importance of choosing titles with urgent themes, providing an opportunity for audiences to stay engaged with the topic in order to increase education, and invoke change.

This episode was recorded during the 2024 Vancouver International Film Festival.

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

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