The Best Of The 2015 Vancouver International Film Festival

In the mad dash to cover as much of the now-waning fall festival season, it’s easy to take for granted just how many other films aren’t reviewed here at The Playlist. Even with our writing staff that stretches across the globe and then travels even farther to attend all the major fests — Sundance, Berlin, Cannes, Venice, Toronto, Telluride, and plenty of other smaller-scale, but no-less vital cinematic gatherings — we still have blindspots. There are too many movies. And that’s just the way it goes.

But lest I get all cynical about the state of modern world cinema, there’s almost always another festival around the corner to pick up some of the scraps left behind by my intimidatingly well-versed (and well-travelled) colleagues here. Because of its proximity to where I live, I’ve been able to attend the Vancouver International Film Festival for several years now, and though it comes a month after the big premieres and awards push at TIFF and Telluride,...