10 things to see at the 2023 Windsor International Film Fest
The 2023 edition of the Windsor International Film Festival (WIFF) is finally here.
This year's celebration of cinema takes place from Oct. 26 to Nov. 5, featuring 186 films from around the world, to be shown across 300 screenings — all taking place in downtown Windsor.
But with so much being offered, even film buffs might feel a little overwhelmed and could benefit from some suggestions on what to see.
WIFF executive director Vincent Georgie and CBC reporter/lifelong cinephile Dalson Chen offer 10 selections from the many choices.
The Windsor International Film Festival's executive director joins CBC Windsor's Dalson Chen at the Chrysler Theatre in downtown Windsor on the eve of WIFF 2023. (Michael Evans)
The Pot-au-Feu
The inimitable Juliette Binoche stars in this charming French period film combining romance with cuisine.
Binoche's character is wooed by a chef who tries to express his adoration for her through cooking. The film's title refers to a beloved French stew dish.
"I don't think I've ever seen the act of cooking and ingredient preparation done in such a cinematic way, and such a sensual way," Georgie said.
Screens Thursday, Oct. 26, 6 p.m., at the Chrysler Theatre.
An image from the film The Pot-au-Feu (2023). (Windsor International Film Festival)
The Zone of Interest
Director Jonathan Glazer (Under the Skin, Sexy Beast) presents a Holocaust drama with a unique perspective: The film focuses on the home of Rudolf Höss, commandant of Auschwitz.
Instead of showing the horrors of the concentration camp, Glazer portrays mundane domestic life inside the walled Höss villa — which was infamously situated just metres away from the camp.
"We see his wife, we see their daily household stuff. And yet, over it all — the shadow of Auschwitz," Chen said.
The film's craftsmanship earned it the Grand Prix at this year's Cannes Film Festival.
It screens Sunday, Oct. 29, 8:15 p.m. at the Capitol Theatre.
An image from the film The Zone of Interest (2023). (Windsor International Film Festival)
The Peasants
Made by the same people behind the Vincent Van Gogh tribute Loving Vincent, this Polish historical drama employs a similar artistic technique: Individual frames of the film were meticulously painted over by hand in post-production.
The method turns the story of a young woman in a 19th-century Polish village into a stunning visual experience — a literal painting on the screen.
"They employed hundreds and hundreds of artists to work on that film. The labour involved is astronomical," said Georgie. "It's our centrepiece, right in the middle of the festival."
The Peasants screens Wednesday, Nov. 1, 7:30 p.m. at the Chrysler Theatre.
An image from the film The Peasants (2023). (Windsor International Film Festival)
Robot Dreams
Don't let the whimsical cartoon appearance of this animated movie fool you. Spanish director Pablo Berger has things to say about loneliness, companionship, and the finite nature of life — all without a single line of dialogue.
Set in 1980s New York City, the wordless story follows an anthropomorphic dog who responds to an infomercial and buys himself a robot friend.
"The trailer features the dog in his apartment, heating up a microwave meal slowly, watching it rotate," Chen said. "I saw that, and I was thinking: I know that feeling."
Robot Dreams screens Saturday, Nov. 4, 10:40 a.m. at the Windsor Armouries.
An image from the animated film Robot Dreams (2023). (Windsor International Film Festival)
Depraved Mind
Director Nicholas Shields of Windsor's Suede Productions offers his darkest and most ambitious work yet: An eerie psychological thriller about a serial killer who has lost his memory.
Shot entirely in Windsor, the film offers twists, turns, striking visuals, and compelling performances.
"It's an excellent film that was made in Windsor — but it's not just a Windsor film," Georgie said.
You can catch Depraved Mind Friday, Oct. 27, 8 p.m., at the Chrysler Theatre.
An image from the film Depraved Mind (2023). (Windsor International Film Festival)
Skinamarink
Horror fans have been divided on this micro-budget experimental spooky movie, which has next to no plot and even lacks a definite antagonist. Instead, Skinamarink is all about atmosphere.
The film follows two children who wake up in their darkened house with only the cathode-ray glow of a tube television set to keep them company.
Some have dismissed the movie as excruciatingly boring. Others have praised it for conjuring childhood fears.
"There's definitely a generational thing to it," Chen said. "TV static is not a thing anymore."
Skinamarink screens Saturday, Oct. 28, 10:45 p.m. at the Capitol Theatre.
An image from the film Skinamarink (2022). (Windsor International Film Festival)
Anatomy of a Fall
This French murder-mystery was honoured with the Palme d'Or at this year's Cannes Film Festival.
Told in three languages (French, German, and English), this suspenseful and inventive whodunit portrays a woman who may or may not have pushed her husband out of a window.
Lead actress Sandra Hüller and director Justine Triet have both earned rave reviews for their work.
"This is a must-see," Georgie said. "It's not really about guilty or not guilty. It's more about revealing and unveiling certain things."
Anatomy of a Fall screens Friday, Nov. 3, 6 p.m. at the Capitol Theatre.
A scene from the film Anatomy of a Fall (2023). (Windsor International Film Festival)
I'm Just Here for the Riot
The year is 2011. The Canucks have just lost the Stanley Cup finals — and their fans are rioting in the streets of downtown Vancouver. Police cars are on fire, storefronts are being smashed.
This documentary brings us back to a shameful Canadian episode of vandalism and mass looting that resulted in more than 800 charges, 101 arrests, and millions of dollars in property damage.
"This was one of the first major Canadian incidents that happened on social media," Chen said. "it's hard to believe this was 12 years ago."
It screens Sunday, Oct. 29, 5 p.m., at the Chrysler Theatre.
A famous image from the 2011 Vancouver Canucks riot. (Getty Images)
299 Queen Street West
For a certain generation of Canadians, MuchMusic wasn't just our version of MTV: It was a cultural touchstone, shaping taste in music, style, and more throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
This definitive documentary about MuchMusic was created with unprecedented access to the station's video archives.
WIFF's screening of the documentary will be attended by the filmmakers, along with former MuchMusic on-air personalities Erica Ehm and Rick Campinelli.
"We're really honoured that the only film festival in Canada to have had this film is us," Georgie said. "This is, without question, the [most] buzzed-about title of WIFF."
It screens Sunday, Nov. 5, 6 p.m. at the Chrysler Theatre.
An image from the documentary 299 Queen Street West (2023). (Windsor International Film Festival)
The Lord of the Rings marathon
It's been two decades since Peter Jackson's landmark adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's iconic fantasy epic hit the big screen.
WIFF is celebrating the anniversary by showing the extended editions of the original trilogy, back to back.
With a combined run time exceeding nine hours, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King will immerse fans in Middle Earth all day.
"I'm probably betraying my geekiness," Chen said. "I remember in The Return of the King, the charge of the Rohirrim upon the orcs at Gondor. The theatre's sound system swelled. It was like a visceral experience. Tears were welling up in my eyes."
The marathon screening is Sunday, Oct. 29, starting 9 a.m. at the Capitol Theatre.
An image from the film Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King (2003) (Windsor International Film Festival)
