East Van Vodville Cinema

the tiny theatre with short shorts

Category: Shows

  • 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! 

  • Public Domain* Day 2026: Films of 1930 * if you‘re American

    From Soup to Nuts and Marxists to Marxes! 
    On January 1, all films published 95 years ago lose their copyright restrictions and enter the public domain. This year, the crop of 1930can now be freely used to display, remix, and build upon. In the USA. Here in Canada, due to a legal Gordian Knot involving the Bern Convention, a series of treaties, and the “rule of the shorter term” possibly being exempted for works from the USA and Mexico… Public domain American films may still be copyrighted here, specifically if, (due to CUSMA, 2020) the “authors” (and it’s legally a bit vague who all this is for a motion picture) of the work died after 1971. It’s a mess.Result: a 20 year public domain hiatus in Canada, with no new works entering public domain until 2042. So unless that changes, we at the Vodville look forward to celebrating a real public domain day in Canada with you then.THAT SAID, we get around all this by exercising our rights as granted by the Fair Dealing provision of the Copyright Act (1985). Here’s some non-substantial portions of possibly still copyrighted films presented non-commercially, and for educational and critical purposes. *jazz hands*

    • First up, some good ol’ fashioned Marxist propaganda from Animal Crackers, it’s the memorable numbers Hello, I Must be Going and Hurray for Captain Spaulding. [3:23]
    • Some reflections on man’s mortality from Alexander Dovzhenko’ Earth. [2:56]
    • *after 8 pm The aerial camera work by Winnipeg’s own Osmond Borradaile sets the dogfight scene from Hell’s Angels amid towering clouds, bringing the viewer directly into a landscape that’s usually only seen from a distance, far below. [2:24]
    • Next we go to Just Imagine which looks 50 years into the future and imagines a 1980’s Dr Frankenstein. No one appears to have imagined a social safety net though. Fun fact, the electrical effects in this were by Kenneth Strickfaden, they entered the collective imagination of moviegoers a year later when they appeared in 1931’s Frankenstein. [3:28]
    • Speaking of fever dreams of the imagination, check out this airship-borne ode to all things electricity from Cecil B. DeMille’s  Madam Satan. [3:29]
    • Rube Goldberg (of ‘Machine” fame) was a real guy, and he wrote a movie, and it’s amazing. Check out the burglar alarm from Soup to Nuts. [2:07]
    • Scythes vs combine in Earth. This film was created in response to the collectivization of Ukraine and it was banned by Soviet authorities 8 days after its release. In the following years the Soviets extended government control over the film industry, strangling its creative output. In totally unrelated news, Hollywood’s Hays Code debuted in 1930, although it was un-enforced until ‘33. [2:55]
    •  Speaking of banned films, Luis Buñuel & Salvador Dalí’s surrealist masterpiece L’Âge d’Or managed to get banned from exhibition for 50 years, by the French no less. Here is a charming scene with a cow. [0:55]
    • Back to Animal Crackers for a friendly card game with absolutely no tricks. [4:47]
    • Ub Iwerks’ Fiddlesticks is his first animation after leaving Walt Disney’s Studio. Featuring Flip the Frog, and a suspiciously familiar looking cartoon mouse. [2:36]
    • Animal Crackers again with a quick lesson on musician rates negotiations, gig workers take note. [2:56]
    • Dizzy Dishes notable for the first appearance of Betty Boop. [1:37]
    • Aside from it being the most whitewashed Jazz show I have ever seen, it does have some glorious two strip technicolor production pieces. Here is one from King of Jazz. [1:24]
    • Back to the rigid airship party in Madam Satan, now with some cats on the catwalk, which seems like a recipe for static electricity and explosions. [2:22]
    • That awkward moment when you get the government letter marrying you to your backup plan. 1980’s romance problems in Just Imagine. [3:15]
    • *after 8 pm Director Howard Hughes himself was flying the camera plane for much of this aerial duel in Hell’s Angels. [3:43]
    • Some Groucho asides on love and marriage from Animal Crackers. [3:30]
    • You know the party is going to be good when there is a beer cart, L’Âge d’Or. [0:41]
    • Some disembodied heads singing about lower extremities in King of Jazz. [0:43].
    • More Rube Goldbergian genius from Soup to Nuts. [1:37]
    • I love how pretty this movie is; Earth, with a series of scenes that will stir the heart of any child of the prairies, but chill the soul of any celiac. I’m conflicted. [1:52]
    • Ever been so angry you just have to throw some things? This guy too, L’Âge d’Or. [1:43]
    • Soup to Nuts is also known for being the first screen appearance of the Four Stooges (who, minus Ted, would go to work as a trio). Here they help out with a fire. [2:29]
    • The perils of food service from Dizzy Dishes. [1:11]
    • Coburg Ontario’s own Marie Dressler gives an oscar winning performance as dockside innkeeper in the film Min and Bill. Here is some yacht chaos. [3:34]
    • 7 years before the Hindenburg, and 87 years before the Fyre festival, there was this disaster of a party from Madam Satan. [3:17]
    • More zeppelin crashes! from Hell’s Angels. [1:28]
    • More Four Stooges firefighter shenanigans from Soup to Nuts. [1:25]
    • King of Jazz with a meditation on monarchy. Personally I feel that you shouldn’t expect to wield supreme executive power just because a chimpanzee hucked a coconut at your head. Also this was  the first technicolor cartoon. [2:38]
    • Animal Crackers Groucho Marx at his best, giving a pitch to an investor. [2:00]
    • Everyone loves a good munitions dump explosion or 47. Hell’s Angels. [1:58]
    • Just Imagine, launching on a mission to Mars. [1:46]
    • A short animation to celebrate 2026 by local stop-motion animators Brongadoo productions.

  • ‘Tis the Season TV

    Mariah Carey has been back on the radio for at least a week, so we figure it’s time to find the gold pipecleaners and warm up the old seasonal programming.

    We’ve hooked up with Christmas film and TV historian Joanna Wilson to bring you clips from some deeply weird, almost entirely forgotten Christmas Specials.

    If you have any suggestions for our big “Mostly Christmas” show (Especially  if you know of some seasonal holiday films or TV that aren’t Christmas!!) please email us at vodvilleEV@gmail.com

    Here’s Joanna!

    The 1960s was the golden age of Christmas animation on television. However, the two decades following inspired animators to produce unforgettable Christmas entertainment that is often overlooked and undervalued. Here are five examples from the 1970s-80s of underappreciated Christmas animation. 

    My name is Joanna Wilson and I curated this list. I’m a TV and film historian, specializing in Christmas entertainment, and the author of the book “Tis the Season TV: The Encyclopedia of Christmas Episodes, Specials and Movies,” 2nd edition—coming in 2026 by 1701 Press. 

    Instagram: @TistheSeasonTV. 

    christmastvhistory.com 

    [she has some neat books here, and we’re not being paid to say this!! -EVV]

    The Snowman (1982) 

    Adapted from the book by Raymond Briggs, this British-made story about a snowman that comes to life has charmed viewers around the world. The subtle pastel colors and charming characters are accompanied by a haunting melody “Walking in the Air,” performed by choirboy Peter Auty and the Sinfonia of London. 

    George and the Christmas Star (1985) 

    Academy award-nominated creator Gerald Potterton both wrote and directed this sciencefiction tale. The adorable story is about George who builds himself a rocket ship to go into space in pursuit of the perfect star for the top of his Christmas tree. Potterton’s distinctive imagery and imaginative storytelling raises this Christmas TV special above most others. 

    A Very Merry Cricket (1973) 

    In this story, a cat and mouse recruit their friend Chester C. Cricket to make his special music to cut through the chaotic noise and distractions at Christmas time in the city. This TV special offers a challenge to the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, a welcome solution of pleasant melodies from nature. This story is adapted from the book “A Cricket in Times Square” by George Selden and brought to life by master animator Chuck Jones, who also crafted the 1966 cartoon “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” 

    The Gift of Winter (1974) 

    This animated program features a one-of-a-kind visual style and character design with an inspiring story. A group of townsfolk unhappy with the cold and wind of the season, organize their protest to the bureaucratic head, the Minister of Winter. The politician is so moved by their appeal, he begins to cry, creating snowflakes—a fun and acceptable addition to the wintry weather. This cult classic evokes the familiar 1970s zeitgeist of political movements and people coming together to work towards a solution to systemic problems. 

    A Cosmic Christmas (1977) 

    Another science-fiction story, this one sees a young boy Peter and his pet goose Lucy greet three aliens from another planet at the holidays. The visitors ask about the meaning of Christmas but Peter struggles to show them examples of love, peace, generosity, and goodwill in the city as he described them. This TV special was an early creation of Nelvana, the same company who created the animated segment in 1978’s infamous “Star Wars Holiday Special.” 

    Bonus Video: Jingle Bell Rocks (2013) 

    Vancouver documentary filmmaker Mitchell Kezin created a feature-length live-action movie about the joy of Christmas record collecting. Kezin’s seminal film includes interviews with celebrity collectors, like filmmaker John Waters and journalist/publicist Bill Adler, and also features artists who have created Christmas music, such as Wayne Coyne, of the band the Flaming Lips, and jazz musician Bob Dorough who worked with Miles Davis. More importantly, Kezin’s film drew Christmas music collectors together from around the world, including myself. Friend Mitchell Kezin passed away in 2024 and I wanted to share a brief clip from the beginning of his film of him shopping for Christmas records, engaged in the passion of collecting, an activity all Christmas record collectors know and enjoy. Rock on, Mitchell.

  • Teen Angst

    special guest curator, Sara Bynoe

    25 years ago I made a website with my brother: TeenAngstPoetry.com. I created and found the content and he made the code and design. My dream was to have an online archive of funny, bad, and cringeworthy poetry from people’s teen years. I thought it was silly and hilarious. I also wrote a lot of bad poetry during adolescence and I had to do something with it, right?

    To launch that website I had an event where I got a bunch of people together to read from our teenage poetry books and diaries. That night we laughed so hard that some people literally peed themselves.

    Ever since then I’ve been hosting “Teen Angst Nights” where people read from their teenage notebooks – not just old poetry. There are 3 rules for the show: 1 – You must have written what you share. 2 – It must have been created by you between the ages of 10-19 years old. 3 – You cannot be proud of what you share. It should be embarrassing. It’s a comedy night, afterall.

    For the East Van Vodville, I have collected a bunch of retro TV and movie clips that feel teen angsty to me. Me, an elder millennial. So enjoy the nostalgia, Gen X’ers and Millennials! Gen Z and Alpha, gaze upon a world pre iPhones.

    If Teen Angst Night has taught me anything it’s that these feelings of despair, loneliness, hurt, and “no one understands my pain” are universal, it’s just the pop culture references that change.

    • Sara Bynoe

    10 Things I Hate About You 1999

    It’s Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew but set in the late 90s. In this clip, Kat reads a poem to the class.

    Directed by: Gil Junger Written by: Karen McCullah Lutz, Kirsten Smith Edited by: O. Nicholas Brown

    Anne of Green Gables 1985

    It’s the 1880s in PEI; Anne is an orphan with red hair and Gilbert, a boy in her class, called her “carrots” and hurt her feelings.

    Directed by: Kevin Sullivan Written by: Kevin Sullivan, Joe Wiesenfeld Edited by: James Lahti, Mairin Wilkinson

    Bend It Like Beckham 1985

    A young football (better known as soccer in Canada) player is a girl and her family disapproves, until her father speaks up for her.

    Directed by: Gurinder Chadha Written by: Gurinder Chadha, Guljit Bindra, Paul Mayeda Berges Edited by: Justin Krish

    Booksmart 2019

    This is the only modern movie on this list. It’s a great film about teenagers, so I had to include it. In this scene a girl overhears people talking about her in the bathroom.

    Directed by: Olivia Wilde Written by: Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins, Susanna Fogel, Katie Silberman Edited by: Jamie Gross, Brent White

    But I’m a Cheerleader 1999

    This is a legendary satiric coming-of-age movie about queer kids. In this scene a cheerleader arrives at “True-directions” and is confronted about her feelings for other girls.

    Directed by: Jamie Babbit Written by: Brian Peterson. Jamie Babbit Edited by: Cecily Rhett

    Can’t Hardly Wait 1998

    Two high school students from different cliques find themselves locked in a bathroom during a high school house party.

    Directed by: Harry Elfont; Deborah Kaplan Written by: Deborah Kaplan; Harry Elfont

    Clueless 1995

    This is the best movie of all time. You should watch the whole thing. In this scene Cher, the lead of the movie, has to do a high school debate.

    Directed by: Amy Heckerling Written by: Amy Heckerling Edited by: Debra Chiate

    Dazed and Confused 1993

    It’s 1976 and junior high kids are being hazed by senior high school students. Side note: If Dazed and Confused were made today, it would be set in 2008.

    Directed by: Richard Linklater Written by: Richard Linklater Edited by: Sandra Adair

    Dead Poets Society 1989

    A teacher makes a student write a poem.

    Directed by: Peter Weir Written by: Tom Schulman Edited by: William M. Anderson

    School’s Out! (Degrassi) 1992 – (after 8pm only)

    If there’s one scene people I know still talk about from Degrassi Jr. High it’s the one with the line “You were F-ing Tessa Campanelli.” This Canadian show is a classic.

    Directed by: Kit Hood Written by: Yan Moore Edited by: Robert de Lint

    A New Start (Degrassi High) 1989 – (after 8pm only) 

    Degrassi covered so many issues that teenagers sometimes have to deal with. Like unplanned pregnancies. Good thing Spike is around to talk about this.

    Directed by: Kit Hood Written by: Yan Moore Edited by: Robert de Lint

    Ferris Bueller’s Day Off 1986

    A kid skips school and takes his friends on a joy-filled day around Chicago. One catch, he makes his best friend take out his father’s sports car. This is the scene after their joyride adventure has ended.

    Directed by: John Hughes | Written by: John Hughes | Edited by: Paul Hirsch

    Pretty in Pink 1986

    A love story about two high school kids from different cliques. She works in a record store. He is a preppy rich guy whose friends think she’s beneath them.

    Directed by: Howard Deutch Written by: John Hughes Edited by: Richard Marks

    Mean Girls 2004

    It’s like Clueless only different. This is the scene when everyone finds out about the Burn Book.

    Directed by: Mark Waters | Written by: Tina Fey | Edited by: Wendy Greene Bricmont

    The Breakfast Club 1985

    There have been a lot of serious clips in this curation. This one is just a fun dance scene because teens, even ones from different groups, can have fun together.

    Directed by: John Hughes | Written by: John Hughes | Edited by: Dede Allen

    The Craft 1996

    “We are the weirdos, mister.” What is it about teenage girls and witchcraft? It just feels right, right?

    Directed by: Andrew Fleming | Written by: Peter Filardi, Andrew Fleming | Edited by: Jeff Freeman