Loretta Sarah Todd’s ‘Monkey Beach’ to open Vancouver film festival

VANCOUVER — The world premiere of Loretta Sarah Todd’s “Monkey Beach” will open the Vancouver International Film Festival later this month.

The adaptation of Eden Robinson’s novel is among more than 100 feature films and events in the festival, which runs Sept. 24-Oct. 7.

The 39th edition of the festival will be mostly online but also with some in-cinema screenings, in compliance with COVID-19 protocols.

There are 24 Canadian features on the docket — 14 of them by female creators and 11 by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of colour) filmmakers.

Other Canadian films having their world premieres at VIFF include “Brother, I Cry” by Jessie Anthony, “Chained” by Titus Heckel, “Events Transpiring Before, During and After a High School Basketball Game” by Ted Stenson, “Flowers of the Field” by Andrew Stanley, and “The Magnitude of All Things” by Jennifer Abbott.

Online films will screen on the new VIFF Connect streaming platform, and be available province-wide.

VIFF will also offer signature programming, including virtual talks, across Canada and internationally.

The festival recently renovated its VIFF Centre, which includes a new 41-seat Studio Theatre, an Education Suite, a New Media Lab and a redesigned atrium.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 3, 2020.

The Canadian Press