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New Movies

Melissa’s forgeries, Rami’s dead-on Freddie Mercury and a cult classic re-imagined

Also: a bit of opera (real with Maria Callas and fictional in Bel Canto) and an ode to BC’s chief geographical feature in This Mountain Life

A touching drama about dementia, a daredevil rock climb and another 007 spoof

Also a teen’s life lessons from skateboarders and a cold war anachronism with submarines

Films about a son’s addiction, the continuing assault on sharks and a Halloween killer's return

Also films on modern romance, politics and Thanksgiving, a youth version of Black Lives Matter, a hapless small town cop and some very funny animation from France

VIFF picks: Fun with the Italian Mafia, tension with Ben the addict and what’s with this piece by Banksy?

Also some rule-breaking flamenco and two war stories from the Balkans, one by a Vancouverite.

VIFF picks to start a new week, from Italy, Poland and, an unsettling one, from right here

Also a comedy with bite from the Czech Republic and a not so good hostage drama with opera singing inserted

A Star is Born, a triumph, The Sisters Brothers, Canadian-American, and new VIFF picks like The Happy Prince

Also Marvel’s newest and VIFF’s looking back at the disco and jazz eras, thinking about democracy and watching youth in two countries get into trouble

More VIFF recommendations: a Haida tale, sailing with refugees and a cheeky Bible story

Also an edifying rural tale by a master Iranian filmmaker

VIFF picks: New work from Patricia Rozema, a cinematic ode to our mountains and some very funny Animal Behaviour

Also science whiz kids, a kid tragedy in a Welsh summer, a Palestinian girl with ambitions and refugees on the move

Yeti meets Smallfoot, and from VIFF, Transit and Colette, both excellent

Plus other VIFF picks: Kingsway, very local, Firecrackers, Parallel’s time shifting, constant dancing at Le Grand Bal and Maria Callas, as she saw herself

Seven films to see in VIFF's first few days

Viewers can check out six good documentaries and one shocking holiday tale.