VIFF Podcast

Nicole Bazuin on the Modern Whore

Nicole Bazuin first encountered Andrea Werhun on the set of a music video she was directing, in search of Go Go Dancers who'd be willing to participate. At first meet, the two developed what Bazuin calls "a creative crush," compelled to work together on several projects since. What resulted from this affinity for each other's art was a self-published book titled "Modern Whore" based on Werhun's experiences as a sex worker in Toronto. But their collaboration didn't end there. With more story to tell, Bazuin and Werhun teamed up once again, bringing their feature film adaptation of their first collaboration to life. "Modern Whore" the movie centres Werhun's story in this hybrid documentary, where she acts as both narrator and the lead, re-enacting her journey in a field that society exclusively villainizes or victimizes.  On this episode of the VIFF Podcast, we speak with Bazuin (who wrote, directed, and edited the project) on creating a new feminine archetype. Not a femme fatale, but a femme vitale, a woman whose life is sexy, but contains multitudes in self-love and community. A movie that is told through a specific lens, being Andrea Werhun's first-hand accounts in sex work, Bazuin speaks to the beauty of how conversations evolve once the lens is up, getting Sean Baker on board during the height of the "Anora" fandom as Executive Producer, and how cinema has the power to change the conversation. 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.

Alison Reid wants you to put down your phone—and go on an adventure

The urge to escape the mundanities of everyday life is hard to ignore. And yet, so many of us remain tethered to our routines, our homes, our comforts. In 1957, Robert Bateman and Bristol Foster resisted that pull. Instead, they packed their belongings into a Land Rover and set off on a 30,000-kilometre journey across Africa, India, Southeast Asia, and Australia—an adventure that would shape the course of their lives. Driven by a shared reverence for the natural world, Bateman—one of Canada’s most celebrated wildlife artists—and Foster, a conservation biologist and filmmaker, are the subjects of the celebrated documentary, The Art of Adventure. Drawing from rare and deeply personal archival footage, the film invites us to be fully present in the landscapes we move through. In this episode of the VIFF Podcast, Director Alison Reid reflects on the legacy of Bateman and Foster as Canadian icons, her own career as a stunt performer, and why the spirit of adventure matters—at any age. 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.

Brian Daniel Johnson and Dide Su Bilgin on community and Vancouver's avoidance culture

In a city plagued by social isolation, Brian Daniel Johnson and Dide Su Bilgin found a story to tell. In their film, A Welcome Distraction, lead character, Ernest, looks for answers amidst grief and heartbreak in this unapologetic portrayal of how disconnected Vancouver can be. Soon, he becomes entangled with a wellness enclave led by a charismatic leader (Adriana Marchand). A true ensemble film, A Welcome Distraction showcases the pursuit of community, as told by a friend group itself. Longtime collaborators, Johnson and Bilgin, met in film school at UBC. Over the years, they cultivated a group of what Bilgin calls "cinematically intertwined" collaborators. Their first feature together depicts the coming-of-age pains they know to be true in a city that challenges them. In this episode of the VIFF Podcast, Johnson and Bilgin talk about their experience finding your friends in film, pushing each other to create work, and how film itself is its own language.  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.

How film can reconnect you with your roots with Kent Donguines

Kent Donguines' journey creating Treasure of the Rice Terraces began in 2019. From idea to development, Donguines' slow and steady process was grounded with one intention: to be in community with his subjects. Treasure of the Rice Terraces follows Donguines' travels back to the Philippines to reconnect with his roots. Discovering the world of Indigenous Kalinga tattoos in Buscalan, he falls upon 108-year-old tattoo artist Apo Whang-Od, marking the beginning of this story. A community that is often exploited by tourists and vloggers day after day, all seeking to be marked by Whang-Od, this film offers a new lens on a precious cultural practice, demonstrating how traditions can survive, evolve, and inspire both local communities and identity worldwide. Donguines joins Director of Programming, Curtis Woloschuk, on the VIFF Podcast to discuss how making art can affirm your identity and empower you to bring these stories home. 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.

Why documentaries are the door to understanding with Elöise King (The Shadow Scholars)

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.