East Van Vodville Cinema

the tiny theatre with short shorts

Author: East Van Vodville

  • The Beautiful Game(s)

    Sportsball, the Vodville show!   

    Good news everyone! Historica Canada offered to let us show you Heritage Minutes whenever we want. There are 105 of ‘em, and no, we won’t be giving those peach baskets back.

    Rather than embrace only one kind of sportsball, we went wide and brought in a whole variety of sportsballs. 

    Much like artistic creative expression, sport is ultimately a form of creative expression that is by the people, for the people. Regardless of the institutions that spring up to either support or exploit them.

    For those who want to fill  your Can Con quota look for the🍁 below.

    The Beautiful Game(s)     

    • 🍁Men with Brooms (2002) – A salute to the noble game of sliding rocks over a frozen pond while cross-training housework. Curling puns, so hot right now. -ed [1:20]
    • I Love Melvin (1953) – Debbie Reynolds as a human football, in this fever dream musical tribute to American hand-egg.  [3:16] 
    • Fantastic Mr Fox (2009) – Whack bat rules, explained with helpful infographics. Presented here in glorious Wes Anderson Vision.  [2:11]
    • Blow-up (1966) –  Mime tennis; reality is a social construct, discuss.  [3:12]
    • 🍁Air Bud: World Pup * (2000) – So upon review, dogs can play soccer, as can puppies. Filmed right here in Vancouver.  [2:13] * – any resemblance to large litigious organizations, living or deceased, is purely coincidental. 
    • Next Goal Wins (2023) – Some legends are born in the telling. From Taika Waititi’s comedy about the American Samoa national football team  [3:25]
    • 🍁The Grizzlies (2018) – This one goes out to all the goalies, shine on you crazy diamonds. [1:14]
    • Space Jam (1996) – Bill Murray saves the world. Speaking as a fellow old person he’s going to want to find a hot tub and a sauna after that jog.  [3:01]
    • Ice Cold Cocos (1926) – They should bring back cabaret seating at hockey games. Discuss. [2:13]
    • 🍁 Heritage Minute –  Jacques Plante (1991) – A Montréal goalie challenges hockey’s conventions by wearing his invention, the hockey mask, during an NHL game (1959).  [1:00]
    • 🍁 Strange Brew (1983) – We went to the Hamlet production and a hockey game broke out; Taketh off eh, ye hosers.  [2:02]
    •  After 9pm – Slap Shot (1977) – Speaking of taking off, here is a delightful little burlesque number from the hockey classic.   [3:41]
    • Murderball (2005) – The 2004 Canada vs USA Wheelchair Rugby Olympics final is presented in this documentary about the game. [3:17]
    • 🍁 Men with Brooms (2002) – There’s a popular legend that American Kleenex brand tissues were driven out of the Canadian market (before it was cool!) because they couldn’t compete with the good will that Scotties built by sponsoring the Tournament of Hearts curling championship. We feel that this clip captures that sentiment. [2:12] 
    • 🍁 Heritage Minute – Mary “Bonnie” Baker (2023) This Heritage Minute celebrates Saskatchewan’s Mary “Bonnie” Baker, an all-star catcher in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League and a pioneer for women in sports. [1:00]
    • A League of Their Own (1992) – It’s our league and we can cry if we want to.  [0:57]
    • Shaolin Soccer (2001) –  Any volunteers to hand out yellow cards? No? Play on, I suppose.  [2:17]
    • Space Jam (1996) – The kiss that launched a thousand conventions. [1:24]
    • 🍁The Grizzlies (2018) – a celebration of Canada’s OG national sport, Lacrosse. [2:03]
    • 🍁 Heritage Minute – Jackie Robinson (1997) – Montréal Royals players and fans welcome the first African American player, marking the beginning of the end of baseball’s colour barrier (1946). [1:00]
    • A League of their Own – Tryout montage from the 1992 classic . [1:24]
    • 🍁 Heritage Minute – Vancouver Asahi (2019) – From 1914-1941, the Vancouver Asahi were one of city’s most dominant amateur baseball teams, winning multiple league titles in Vancouver and along the Northwest Coast. [1:00]
    • 🍁 Heritage Minute – Norman Kwong (2024) – This Heritage Minute celebrates Norman Kwong, the first CFL player of Chinese heritage and 4x Grey Cup winner. [1:00]
    • 🍁 Men with Brooms (2002) – Don’t mess with tradition, personified.  [1:23] 
    • Hearts and Flowers (1919) – Some classic beach ball that in no way advances the plot.  [1:14]
    • Personal Best (1982) – Feel the struggle. Thanks to Alysa for the suggestion on our Discord.  [2:47]
    • 🍁Air Bud (1996) – Oh sure this kid leaves pudding cups out in the Howe Sound backcountry and finds a basketball playing dog; all I got was a mama bear and tetanus shot.   [3:03]
    • Teen Wolf (1985) –  Ain’t no rule that says a werewolf can’t play basketball. [2:36]
    • 🍁 Heritage Minute – Basketball (1992)The sport’s inventor, James Naismith of Almonte, Ontario, explains the rules during one of the first experimental games (1891). [1:00]
    • Don’t Play Bridge with Your Wife (1933) – Cave people playing bridge, presented in pig latin. Behold, 1930s meme culture! It will happen to youuuuuuuuuu…  [1:54]
    • After 9pm! – Monty Python’s Flying Circus “The Naked Ant” S1E12 (1970) – Upper Class twit of the year. We’ll let this one speak for itself. [3:18] 

  • Little Mountain Animation

    Emerging voices in Animation 

    This week we’re showcasing the work of local indie animation house Little Mountain Animation, Founded by Natha Thomas and Bradley Sorochka. Working with the Unreal Engine, this compact team creates highly dynamic, original intellectual property through the innovative use of real-time development tools.

    Check them out at littlemountainanimation.com

    Little Mountain Animation    

    • Big Friendly Killbots

    Exclusive Canadian Premiere! 

    A proof of concept short film, this mile-a-minute short 

    jams a whole action movie into a minute and 38 seconds.

    Red Carpet Opening reception Saturday May 23, 1 PM! 

    Featuring Tiny bubbly and a tiny dog!

    Much like the Vodville itself, the Big Dinosaur mini series began as a pandemic project, with animator Nathan Thomas teaming up with his young son Jack to create some absolutely adorable short animations

    • Bug Bug
    • Bubbles
    • Downhill Dinosaur
    • Donuts
    • Space
    • Fake Candy Commercial
    • Big Dinosaur
    • Wash Your Hands

  • Swordfights!

    Salute to the noble art of fighting with pointy sticks.

    Prepare for the fight scene! The feistier cousin of the dream ballet, the cinematic sword fight owes more to traditions of dance choreography than actual combat, and serves the same purpose; when your feelings are too strong to be expressed with words or singing, you dance… or duel!

    This collection covers over 80 years of on screen sword fights, from the sublime to the ridiculous, to the ridiculous sublime (looking at you Peter Greenway). Note the relatively long takes; giving the choreography room to breathe. This requires a great deal of rehearsal and training, but the results are memorable sequences that hold up decades later.

    On a below the line note, quite a few films in this collection were choreographed by swordmaster and champion fencer, Bob Anderson; who despite getting a rough start by slashing Errol Flynn’s thigh on his first gig went on to become a highly influential Hollywood swordmaster. He fight directed films such as The Mask of Zorro, The Princess Bride, and The Empire Strikes Back. He was also the man behind Vader’s mask for the lightsaber fights of the last two films of the original trilogy.

    • The Valiant Girl White Rose (1929) – Some very early Chinese cinema drag; shout out to Christopher Rea of Modern Chinese Cultural Studies at UBC for making this available on YouTube with subtitles. Musical additions are solely the fault of the exhibitor.
    • Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (2000) – Remember, the customer that’s armed with a magical sword of destiny is always right. 
    • Raining in the Mountain (1979) – King Hu’s wuxia (lit. martial arts and chivalry) epic, here we present the absolutely gorgeous bamboo forest fight. 
    • The Princess Bride (1987) – The showdown on the cliffs of insanity is the centre piece of Rob Reiner’s infinitely quotable fairy tale epic. Incidentally, we are not left handed either. 
    • The Court Jester (1938) – Danny Kaye’s stand out performance, never has an actor portrayed such a wide range of sword fighting abilities in one scene. Look for Angela Lansbury in her Hollywood ingenue era. 
    • Douglas Fairbanks in Robin Hood (1922) – Before there was extreme parkour, there was Douglas Fairbanks. 
    • The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) – Errol Flynn and some great set dec makes a magical combo. 
    • Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993) – Unlike some other Robin Hoods, Cary Elwes can speak with an English accent.
    • The Princess Bride (1987) – Hello, our name is the East Van Vodville Cinema, you have pressed the button, prepare to smile. 
    • Samurai Saga (1959) – Toshiro Mifune as Cereno De Bergerac with a beautiful little swordfighting ditty. 
    • The Tale of Zatoichi Continues (1962) – The blind swordmaster returns, with predictable results for all anonymous mooks and general ruffians. 
    • (After 9pm!) Sanjuro (1962) – Akira Kurosawa’s classic Samurai tale, with Toshiro Mifune’s regular nose. In contrast to most of the films in this collection, the violence here is treated less as spectacle than terrible finality.    
    • (After 9pm!) The Princess Bride (1987) – Mandy Potemkin delivers one of the greatest revenge arcs in cinema.
    • Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) – It’s just a flesh-wound.  
    • Dünyayı Kurtaran Adam – The Man Who Saves The World (1982) – AKA Turkish Star Wars. Did you bring a fist to a sword fight? Well don’t worry, you can always use your opponents arms against them. 
    • Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (1999) – The lightsaber duel that inspired many stick related injuries across early 2000’s suburbia. 
    • Spaceballs (1987) – Spaceballs the Vodville show! We are cautiously excited about the upcoming sequel.
    • The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother (1975) Robot fights are back, as Gene Wilder presents a bicycle powered fencing trainer. 
    • Hamlet (1996) – Kenneth Branagh’s lavishly art directed adaptation ratchets up the intensity of the final duel in this exceptionally faithful adaptation of the William Shakespeare classic. 
    • The Adams Family (1996) – More school plays should have a splash zone, discuss. 
    • Hamlet (1996) – Hey look, it’s a Hamlet sandwich. 
    • Prospero’s Books (1991) – Peter Greenway makes some fantastically weird films that are very pretty. We would strongly suggest reading a plot summary of them before sharing the full films with your kids. 
    • Jason and the Argonauts (1963) – Stop motion skeleton fight, Ray Harryhausen at his best.
    • The Navigator (1924) – A lot of movies of this era used wavy glass to simulate under sea scenes; Keaton shot this underwater in Lake Tahoe instead, after collapsing a municipal pool on the first filming attempt. 
    • Captain Blood (1934) – Buckle your swashes, it’s Errol Flynn pirate fight time. 
    • Muppet Treasure Island (1996) – Kermit the Frog unbuckles Tim Curry’s swashes in some classic Muppet on Muppet mayhem.
    • (After 9pm!) The Mask of Zorro (1998) – Speaking of… Antonio Banderas + Catherine Zeta-Jones. If you know you know; if you don’t you’ll find out after 9pm.
    • (After 9pm!) The Heroic Trio  (1993) –  Michelle Yeoh, Anita Mui, & Maggie Cheung kick ass together in Johnnie To’s fantasy action insanityfest. Happy new year!
    • The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother (1975) – Fencing in a prophouse… As practical special effects technicians, this is the kind of scene you either dream of or dread, or both!
    • Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988) – We will use any excuse to show some of this excellent movie.
    • The Empire Strikes Back (1980) – This scene features swordmaster Bob Anderson playing the role of Darth Vader. It’s so good. 
    • Dünyayı Kurtaran Adam – The Man Who Saves The World (1982) – Lax Turkish copyright laws and John William’s score really elevate this fight. 
    • The Empire Strikes Back (1980) – Spoiler alert.
    • Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) – According to on set legend, there was a planned whip vs sword duel, but the star, Harrison Ford had come down with dysentery (which claimed many lives on the Oregon Trail) and suggested this simplified version that made it to the screen.
    • Kung Fu Hustle (2004) – Stephen Chow convinced martial arts legend Yuen Qiu to come out of retirement for this movie, we are so glad he did.   


           Bonus clip by special request! 

    • That Darn Cat!  (1965) – #TeamNigel sends their regards. 

  • Emerging voices in Animation

    This exhibition brings together seven short films produced by Brazilian artists who studied Animation Design at Belas Artes, in São Paulo, Brasil. 

    The works explore themes such as social inclusion, the importance of unsung professions, passage of time, and of course, Brazilian culture.

    Through a variety of techniques, they invite the viewers to dive into unique visual styles and narrative choices and offer a glimpse at the voices of young filmmakers that might be shaping the future Brazilian animations.

    Curated by Vancouver-based animator Ana Luiza Coelho

    Full Artist Bios here: Artists & Credits

    • What is her name? [2:43] – Júlia Rolim Perez
    • Tick-Tock [2:56] – Ana Luíza Coelho and Pedro Lucca Castellon
    • Seasoning Feelings [2:23] – Ana Luíza Coelho
    • Last Round [2:51] – Gíovana Magiezi
    • In Other Times [4:54] – João Pedro Paulini
    • Five Petals [2:35] – Aimê K. Veloso and Lui Lezante
    • Anonymous [1:40] – Raissa Maia

  • National Canadian Film Day

    This theatre is going to smell like maple syrup and socialism for months, and we’re here for it.     

    Wednesday April 15th 2026 is National Canadian Film day. To celebrate, Reel Canada and Historica Canada let us raid their archives for films under five minutes in length. We grabbed everything that would fit in the Vodville, 16 short films by Canadian filmmakers and we also curated a selection of 23 Heritage Minutes to bounce off of one another.  

    Don’t worry about trying to see them all in a day, we got permission to show these for a full week. 

    Our home and history are vast, complex and full both contradictions and harmonies. Humans getting it beautifully right, and horribly wrong. As artists, we feel that the culture of conversation about all these parts makes Canada interesting as a country, and a home. 

    We hope you enjoy, and don’t forget to check out one of the many free local feature film screenings on April 15th 2026.

    NATIONAL CANADIAN FILM DAY
    In partnership with Historica Canada, and Reel Canada.  

    • William Shatner Sings O Canada (5m, 2011) When William Shatner gets a Lifetime Achievement Award from Canada’s Governor General, he shows appreciation as only Shatner can. In this short film, the most famous space cadet in showbiz takes helm of our heritage and treats us to a memorable rendition of Canada’s national anthem. Directed by Jacob Medjuck.
    • Heritage Minute – Jacques Cartier (1m, 1991) Lost in translation? The explorer’s first meeting with Iroquoian peoples provides one story of how Canada got its name (1534).
    • Heritage Minute – Sitting Bull (1m, 1990) Confident that the North-West Mounted Police will respect him and his people, the great Sioux Chief chooses to remain in Western Canada rather than return to the United States (1877).
    • Heritage Minute – Naskumituwin (Treaty) (1m, 2016) The making of Treaty 9 from the perspective of historical witness George Spence, an 18-year-old Cree hunter from Albany, James Bay.
    • Heritage Minute – Joseph Tyrrell (1m, 1992) A Canadian geologist makes an astounding discovery of dinosaur bones in the Alberta badlands (1884).
    • Birchbark (4m, 2008) Symbols of traditional knowledge come alive and find themselves inside the pages of a book. Directed by John Hupfield (Anishinaabe).
    • Heritage Minute – Marshall McLuhan (1m, 1990) The world-renowned communications theorist fascinates students with his insights about mass media (1961).
    • De Face Ou De Profil (Face or Profile) (5m, 2014) Told from 16-year-old Sharon’s point of view, this charming short uses her wit and humour to reflect on society’s use of online avatars. Directed by Sharon Fontaine (Innu)
    • Heritage Minute – Emily Carr (1m, 1992) The British Columbia painter discovers the artistic muse that will drive her life’s work (1871–1945).
    • Mobilize (3m, 2015) Mobilize repurposes footage from the NFB archives to explore the perpetual negotiation between the modern and the traditional by a people always moving forward. Directed by Caroline Monnet (Algonquin).
    • Cycles (4m, 2016) Through playful choreography and piano harmonies, a man revisits abstract memories of a failed relationship. Directed by Joe Cobden.
    • Heritage Minute – Bluenose (1m, 1995) A Nova Scotian schooner — the undefeated champion of the International Fisherman’s Trophy — is pitted against an American ship in the last and most dramatic sailing race of her career (1938).
    • Heritage Minute – Elsie MacGill (1m, 2020) Elsie MacGill was the world’s first female aeronautical engineer and Canada’s first practicing woman engineer.
    • Heritage Minute – Marion Orr (1m, 1997)  The ferry command pilot delivers fighter planes to Britain during the Second World War, and plans her post-war career as Canada’s first female flight school operator (1943).
    • Heritage Minute – Avro Arrow (1m, 1990) Canadian aerospace scientists design and test the world’s fastest and most advanced interceptor aircraft (1953).
    • The Visit (3m, 2009) The charming “true” story of an encounter between extraterrestrials and a Cree family. Directed by Lisa Jackson (Anishinaabe).
    • Heritage Minute – Myrnam Hospital (1m, 1995) The struggle of one small Alberta community to care for its residents during the Great Depression marks a tiny step in the evolution of Canada’s universal health care system (1937).
    • Heritage Minute – The Discovery of Insulin (1m, 2021) Scientists Banting, Best, Collip and Macleod at the University of Toronto as they race for a treatment to cure 13-year-old Leonard Thompson of his life-threatening diagnosis of diabetes.
    • Heritage Minute – Peacemaker (1m, 1992) A girl learns about the Iroquois legend of the Tree of Great Peace and the origins of the Iroquois Confederacy.
    • Namid (5m, 2021) Struggling with a tragic loss in her family, Namid finds new meaning in her Grandfather’s teachings and is inspired to reconnect with those who have passed through fancy shawl dancing. Directed by Victoria Anderson-Gardner (Ojibwe), Sagi Kahane-Rapport.
    • Heritage Minute – Jim Egan (1m, 2018) Pioneering gay activist Jim Egan publicly challenged a culture of rampant homophobia in the press starting in the late 1940s, when it was dangerous to speak out.
    • Heritage Minute – Basketball (1m, 1992) The sport’s inventor, James Naismith of Almonte, Ontario, explains the rules during one of the first experimental games (1891).
    • Only Light Will Touch Us (3m, 2021) In the safety of his bedroom sanctuary, a divine light liberates a man’s inner joy, in this celebration of a Black man’s vulnerability and freedom. Directed by Alicia K. Harris.
    • The Cinnamon Peeler (Available after 9pm, 3m, 2004) Michael Ondaatje reads his poem The Cinnamon Peeler accompanied by the choreographed movements of two dancers. Directed by Veronica Tennant.
    • Heritage Minute – Paldi (1m, 2023) In 1927, Bishan Kaur left her home in Punjab, India to join her husband, the lumber entrepreneur Mayo Singh, in Canada. They helped shape the community of Paldi as a welcoming and inclusive home to people of all backgrounds.
    • Women like Bishan immigrated to Canada during an era of uncertainty for Asian Canadians. In the face of anti-Asian sentiments and policies, the Mayo Lumber Company was established by Sikh lumbermen in 1917 and employed South Asian, Chinese, Japanese, and white Canadian workers. The workers and their families called Paldi home until the 1980s.
    • Today, the historic site of the Paldi gurdwara remains a symbol of this inclusive, multicultural community.
    • Heritage Minute – “Boat People” Refugees (1m, 2017) A family escapes persecution in Vietnam, traveling by boat to a Malaysian refugee camp before finding a new home in Montreal (1980).
    • Tussle (2m, 2021) In this hauntingly beautiful hand-drawn animation, simple shapes form increasingly complex entities, all set to an immersive and powerful score by the filmmaker. Playful forms must merge together in an anxious wrestle for unified harmony, no matter how difficult. Directed by Christopher Grant (Mi’gmaw).
    • Hip Hop Mom (4m, 2011) A comedic take on how moms can stay true to themselves while raising a family. Directed by Mina Shum.
    • Lake (5m, 2019) Two Métis women demonstrate their process of ice fishing on a cold lake in northern Alberta. Directed by Alexandra Lazarowich (Cree).
    • Heritage Minute – Kenojuak Ashevak (1m, 2016) A founding member of Cape Dorset’s famed printmaking co-op, Kenojuak Ashevak introduced Inuit art to the world (1927-2013).
    • Tuktumit (Available after 9pm, 4m, 2014) This gorgeously-rendered animation explores the way traditional hunting in Nunavut has evolved so that it can continue to play a vital role in contemporary Inuit culture. Directed by Ippiksaut Friesen (Inuk).
    • Heritage Minute – Richard Pierpoint (1m, 2012) At 68, a formerly enslaved Black Loyalist enlists men for the Coloured Corps, an instrumental company in the War of 1812.
    • Heritage Minute – Tom Longboat (1m, 2022) This Heritage Minute follows the life of Onondaga long-distance runner Gagwe:gih, whose name means “Everything.” Known around the world as Tom Longboat, he was one of the most celebrated athletes of the early 20th century.
    • Heritage Minute – Edwin A. Baker (1m, 2024) After losing his sight during the First World War, Edwin A. Baker co-founded the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. His determination and resilience carried forward to other blinded Canadians, empowering them to live independently.
    • Heritage Minute – Terry Fox (1m, 2015) Terry Fox inspires the nation with his Marathon of Hope, a cross-country run to raise money for cancer research (1980).
    • Où est Maurice? (5m, 2006) A woman searches for her lost dog and instead finds a Parisan man eager to take its place. Directed by Matthew Rankin, Alek Rzeszowski.
    • Heritage Minute – Sir Sandford Fleming (1m, 1990) An engineer who planned three railways plays a pivotal role in the creation of Standard Time (1885). 
    • Heritage Minute – Nitro (1m, 1990) A young Chinese worker volunteers to set a dangerous nitroglycerine charge at a CP construction site in British Columbia in the 1880s.
    • The Guest (5m, 2015) A trapper finds a strange wounded animal in the forest. But his new little friend quickly proves insatiable. Directed by Nick Rodgers (Anishinaabe).
    • Grandfather on the Prairies (3m, 2018) Jason meets his great-great-greatgrandfather and soon finds himself in a hilarious debate about what it means to be a hunter. Directed by Andrew Genaille (Sto:lo & Ojibway).

  • Old Favourites

    We had a bit of an awkward gap to fill between Titmouse Animation’s 5 Second Day…Night!!!, and our upcoming Canada Film Day week-long extravaganza… So swing by and enjoy some Vodville roulette as we feature 100 of our favourite clips from the last 21 months of Vodvilling.

    Highlights include the driving beds scene from Le Grand Amour, and all of the clips from our popular Good Neighbours show, for no current-events related reasons whatsoever. Plus some Roger Rabbit scenes that we hadn’t found an excuse to show yet.

  • 5 Second Day… Night!!!

    Titmouse’s Annual 5 Second Day… Night!!! is BACK

    Celebrating Two Decades of Animated Chaos  – Now Smaller Than Ever For A Limited Time! 

    To celebrate 20 years of its annual 5 Second Day studio tradition, Titmouse is thrilled to bring a special, micro-preview of the showcase to East Van Vodville ahead of the Vancouver premiere of
    5 Second Day… Night!!! on March 26 at the Rio Theatre.

    The special 20th anniversary edition of 5 Second Day… Night!!! will feature a brand-new uncensored lineup of short-form cartoons created during this year’s studio-wide 5 Second Day, alongside a curated selection of standout classics from the past two decades.

    In anticipation of this year’s event, TWO different alternating versions of the 5 Second Day…Night!!! micro-preview will be screened on demand during the week of the one-night-only showcase. 

    DAYTIME (ALL-AGES PREVIEW) | 5:00 AM – 9:00 PM
    A family-friendly program featuring a selection of this year’s Vancouver-created shorts, alongside a mix of 5 Second Day classics pulled from the vault.

    AFTER DARK (NOT-SO-PG PREVIEW) | 9:00 PM – 5:00 AM
     A later screening featuring a slightly less filtered collection of 5 Second Day classics—same chaotic spirit, fewer guardrails.


    But what is 5 Second Day?

    5 Second Day is a longstanding annual Titmouse tradition where we shut down production across our Vancouver, LA, NYC, and Paris studio locations for 24 hours, to give our artists a fully paid day to unleash their most quirky, beautiful, bizarre, and laugh-out-loud ideas. No studio notes. No restrictions –  aside from having to be 5 Seconds or longer in length. It’s pure, unhinged creative freedom—and after 20 years, it’s become an annual artist holiday. Learn more at 5SecondDay.com

    How can I see the FULL 5 Second Day…Night!!! showcase?

    The Vancouver premiere of the FULL5 Second Day…Night!!! program will take place Thursday March 26th at the Rio Theatre at 7:00 PM.

    About Titmouse

    Since its inception 25 years ago, Titmouse has evolved into an award-winning, multi-hyphenated animation studio and pop culture brand. Some of the studio’s most celebrated recent projects include Big Mouth, The Legend of Vox Machina, The Venture Bros., Star Trek: Lower Decks, and Beavis and Butt-Head, to name a few. With the strength of a major studio and the mindset of an indie company, Titmouse has become one of the most well-known and prolific animation studios in the world, challenging the idea of what an animation company can look like by focusing on comedy, subversive and counterculture communities, and expanding into other avenues for fans to enjoy including merchandise, live shows and events, festivals, interactive experiences, and so much more. For more information, please visit www.titmouse.net.

    LIST OF SHORTS (ALPHABETICAL):

    • The Beautiful Ocean – Mike Moloney, Brandon Cuellar 
    • By the Stream – Otto Tang
    • The Curious Case of the Bouncing Baby Boy – Jacob Ospa
    • Extinction – Ryan DeLuca 
    • Flatulene – Reverend Dave Johnson
    • Gunman: The Man Made of Guns – Mac Kerman
    • Internal – Jeremy Polgar
    • The Meating – Angelo Hat
    • Morph – Jordan Theberge
    • Pancake – Kyle Angelucci
    • Recursive – Ness Xu
    • Run – Marina Gardner
    • Shamrock Shake – Parker Simmons
    • Spinny Head Guy – Nigel Clark
    • Stab Ham – Chris Prynoski 
    • Timtom & Mister Whiskers in “Tree Trouble”  – Mac Kerman
    • Turbo Tom – Adriel Garcia 
    • Two Gentlemen of Leisure – James Segrue
    • The Underwear Poem – Reem S. Ali-Adeeb, Freddy Cristy
    • Wally Cheeseburgers – Mike Carlo 
    • Wally Cheeseburgers 2 – Mike Carlo
    • Whee – Freddy Christy
    • Where is Everybody? – Tommy Ho
    • 5 Second Day – Brian Pak
    • 5 Second Day – Brian PaK

  • Domo Arigato Mr Roboto.

    Simply Smashing    

    Last week the US Library of Congress announced the discovery and restoration of a lost George Méliès short, Gugusse et l’Automate (Gugusse and the Automaton) which was first released in 1897.
    It notably features the first robot attack on film. We are proud to present to you its first miniature theatrical screening.

    In keeping with industry standard practice of Méliès’ day, the exhibitors have added music of their own choosing to accompany the film.

    We are accompanying the screening with a collection of robots in film, from the oddly prescient Uber teats of Disney’s 1927 The Mechanical Cow, to the labor class destructing universal robots of the classic Soviet sci-fi Гибель сенсации (Loss of Sensation), loosely based on the Czech play R.U.R. from which the term Robot originated.

    If this kind of thing is your jam, and/or if you’d like to see robots fighting in interactive 3D,  Vancouver Combat Robotics is hosting its third monthly event at the Vancouver Hack Space (1601 Venables, front door)  on March 13, ‘26. Bring a bot or just come cheer them on.

    • Gugusse et l’Automate (1897) This newly discovered and freshly restored short film by legendary French cinema pioneer Georges Méliès establishes the fundamental narrative arc of man vs. man-shaped machine.
    • The Mechanical Cow  (1927) This delightful exploration of the possibilities of modern mechanization  by Walt Disney Ub Iwerks features Mickey mouse progenitor Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.
    • The Iron Man (1930) by John Foster Harry Bailey In a century of massive technological advances, it’s oddly comforting that package delivery remains essentially the same after 96 years.
    • ゴジラ対メカゴジラ (Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla) (1974) by Jun Fukuda. You knew we had to. 
    • キングコングの逆襲  (King Kong Escapes) (1967) by Ishirō Honda Who doesn’t love a good old rubber monser suit fight featuring Mecha King Kong? (Sadly, to the best of our knowledge, Mecha King Kong and Mecha Godzilla have yet to meet on film.)
    • гибель сенсации (Loss of Sensation) (1935) Speaking of themes that stay the same after 90 some years…
    • KING KONG ESCAPES (1967) Spoilers for the end fight, sort of… you know from the opening credits that this film can only end one way: an ape vs. robot ape fistfight conducted whilst climbing a tall structure, accompanied by tiny screaming woman.
    •  A Clever Dummy Comic legend Ben Turpin stars in this 1917 Mack Sennett vignette. 
    • Super-Hooper-Dyne Lizzies (1925) by  Del Lord Self-driving electric vehicles anyone? I’m sure they’ll figure out how to get them to stop for the cops any day now.
    •  Loss of Sensation (1935) OK Google… play “Overthrow our Capitalist Overlords” on Spotify.
    • The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother (1975) Gene Wilder’s directorial debut features some very fun swordfights, including whatever this is.
    • Super-Hooper-Dyne Lizzies If that thing weighs less than 3 lbs, they should bring it to Robot Combat night. 
    •  Loss of Sensation (1935) Bonus style points at Robot Combat night if your bot is saxophone controlled.

  • My Funny Valentine

    From the absurd to the sweet to the poignant to the maniacal…   

    Valentine’s Day is almost here, and with the physical and political temperature of the world right now, it seems like the best and highest purpose for this shoebox with a holesaw and a dream is a rom-com spectacular. But let it get a little weird.

    With the news of Canadian comedy legend Catherine O’Hara’s passing on the day we finally clawed this show together, it seemed like a natural fit for a tribute. We have three pieces of her work in this show, grouped together.

    We have a few clips from films produced by Danville, Quebec’s own Mack Sennett. Builder of the first fully enclosed film stage in 1912 (known as the Fun Factory). He quickly became known as the ‘King of Comedy’ after producing slapstick classics like the Keystone Cops. His style was one of manic chaos where the story made way for spectacle. Seems perfect for a rainy night. Incidentally if you have a library card a bunch of his films are available on Kanopy, and often are a great way to experience just how very far we have actually come with racial sensitivity over the last 100 years. We are pleased to also present the charmingly weird short film Portraits of Tracy by local filmmaker Aurélien Rosset

    • Some feelings can only be expressed through mass synchronised dance movements. It’s 2001’s The Happiness of the Katakuris. [2:24]
    • Featuring silent film legend Snub Pollard as “Man Gene Kelly hands his umbrella to”, we feel that this love-struck dance number from 1952’s Singin in the Rain is best viewed whilst standing outdoors in an atmospheric river. [4:46]
    • *rerun alert* Love is not always easy, especially when you are an international super criminal with feelings towards an operative of a secret clandestine military organization of highschool girls tasked with hunting you down, its Angela Robinson’s 2004 film D.E.B.S. [2:26]
    • A year before dancing the Filibuster for the US Senate, James Stewart learned to dance the Big Apple with his sweetie in 1938’s You Can’t Take It with You. [2:15]
    • Some very classical Vaudeville chaos featuring a bawdy parody of the magic flute from 1984’s Amadeus. Now that’s entertainment, and a pretty successful family date night [3:00].
    • *rerun alert* Some amazing costumes and great atmosphere in this labyrinth scene from Sally Potter 1992’ film, Orlando. [2:47]
    • Some rather acrobatic swingers in the 1933 Mack Sennett production Don’t Play Bridge with Your Wife. [2:16]
    • *rerun alert* We cheer for loving who you love in the 1999 conversion camp comedy But I’m a Cheerleader by Jamie Babbit. [2:10]
    • The charming Portraits of Tracy by local filmmaker Aurélien Rosset is a fantastical take that blurs the line between romance and art appreciation. [3:00]
    • Mustachioed Ben Turpin parlayed his accident-derived crossed-eyes into a successful career in Vaudeville and film, he even had a large insurance policy from Lloyds payable if his eyes uncrossed. Here he stares down a double barrel of shotgun weddings in the 1927 Mack Sennett production The Pride of Pikeville. [3:39]
    • If mustaches are your thing, look no further, these ones are worth a million. It’s the 1924 Mack Sennett produced Galloping Bungalows. [2:41]
    • *rerun alert* Back by popular request, the dream sequence from Pierre Etaix’s 1969 film Le Grand Amour, where even if your dreams and your love are free, it’s still a good idea to comply with all relevant local traffic ordinances. [4:46]
    • Keeping it as French as possible with the blue arrows scene from 2001’s Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain.
    • May you find somebody who looks at you the way Joe Pesci looks at Marissa Tomei in this scene from 1992’s My Cousin Vinny [4:51]
    • Some underwater romance featuring Australian Vaudevillian Billy Bevan’s mustache in the 1926 Mack Sennett production A Sea Dog’s Tale. [2:04]
    • Next we go to Buster Keaton’s 1924 film The Navigator featuring a damp deckhand with a soggy deck. [2:32]
    • Here is a date loaded with red flags from 1993’s Groundhog Day. [3:48]
    • Mme. Suzanne’s recipe for true love: “Take two regulars, mix them together and let them stew. It never fails.” Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain [2:18] extended cut after 9 pm.
    • *rerun alert* Here is a double date in a bougie restaurant with a fantastic cameo from 2019’s Always Be My Maybe directed by Nahnatchka Khan. [3:28]
    • The Taxidermist sketch from the 1977 season of SCTV features Catherine O’Hara and John Candy at their unhinged prime. [4:22]
    • *rerun alert* We feel that this scene is best understood as an O’Hara – Belafonte duet, with some strong supporting performances. 1988’s Beetlejuice. [2:45]
    • Others have observed that one of the stand-out qualities that O’Hara brought to her performances was a sincere sweetness, and we think her voice performance of Sally’s Song in 1993’s The Nightmare Before Christmas is a lovely example. [1:57]

  • “FRENCH LESSONS” by STUPID CO

    We’re excited to welcome these two delightful films from Stupid Co to our little big screen, and we very much look forward to collaborating with Off-Viff later this year.

    THE FESTIVAL-LAUDED SATIRE OPENS THE EAST VAN VODVILLE CINEMA ON JANUARY 20TH AND KICKS OFF A PARTNERSHIP TO SUPPORT MORE SHORT FILM EXHIBITION AS PART OF OCTOBER’S OFF-VIFF 2026 FESTIVAL

    STUPID CO, the artistic label from filmmaker/distributor duo Anna Maguire & Kyle Greenberg have announced their second co-directed short film, French Lessons (2025) will open theatrically in Vancouver at the East Van Vodville Cinema for a weeklong *qualifying run starting January 20, 2026 following a 2025 festival campaign with the likes of New/Next, The Downtown Festival, SXSW Sydney, OFF-VIFF and more.

    The hybrid-documentary short follows Greenberg who fittingly plays a film distributor, secretly meeting with real-life director Arran Shearing (co-director of King Baby and co-founder of OFF-VIFF) to practice French ahead of going to the Cannes Film Festival. A satirical take on the industry vs. artistry divide, the weeklong theatrical announcement advances Stupid Co’s commitment to non-traditional releasing, with Greenberg & Maguire saying in a joint statement:

    “As we work to circumvent the archaic pitfalls and/or gatekeepers of the independent film landscape and combat the perceived limitations of short films in the marketplace, this weeklong run of French Lessons and partnership with the EV Vodville Cinema is an exciting step forward to find another new and rare physical pathway for short exhibition. By finding a new physical space to exhibit our short for a week in Vancouver, we feel more than ‘qualified’ to ask for your consideration! Looking further ahead, we can’t wait to expand upon our festival OFF-VIFF, by working with EV Vodville to provide another key satellite location for short exhibition as well!”

    ​​Screening with French Lessons at the East Van Vodville Cinema will be Stupid Co’s first short, Hi! You Are Currently Being Recorded (2024), a selection of the inaugural OFF-VIFF in addition to festivals such as Fantasia, SXSW Sydney, Chattanooga and more. On April 20th last year, Stupid Co released Hi! You Are Currently Being Recorded as a “never-ending loop” on their own website hiyouarecurrentlybeingrecorded.com. Now, audiences who are not in Vancouver can also find another way to watch French Lessons online, as part of Stupid Co’s live-streamed loop (with French Lessons playing after Hi! You Are Currently Being Recorded only at): hiyouarecurrentlylearningfrench.com

    To submit a short film to OFF-VIFF 2026, visit FilmFreeway, but be aware… OFF-VIFF only accepts up to 50 short film and 25 feature submissions so time is of the essence! https://filmfreeway.com/OFF-VIFF 

    *The weeklong theatrical run of French Lessons is not actually a qualifying Academy run, nor is EV Vodville considered a real theater, nor is Vancouver considered a qualifying theatrical market as it pertains to the Academy, despite much of Hollywood shooting their studio films in Canada, British Columbia and Vancouver (and Academy winners or nominees such as Juno, Titanic, Five Easy Pieces, The Accused, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, First Blood, Godzilla (2014) and many more shot fully or partially in the city). French Lessons was not submitted to any awards by Stupid Co nor did it win any awards at a ‘Qualifying’ festival in order to ‘Qualify’ for any awards!