Xavier Dolan (right), a 21-year-old writer-director-actor from Quebec, won three awards at Cannes this year for his visually and emotionally striking first film, I Killed My Mother.

Credit: Supplied

MOVIES: Top picks for this year’s VIFF

THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY OF PHIL SPECTOR
He is, of course, a convicted murderer and the proud owner of many ridiculous wigs. But Phil Spector is also one of the most visionary musical minds of the 20th century — the sonic architect whose “Wall of Sound” production style gave pop music in the 1960s the scale and sophistication of high art. Given uncommonly generous access to Spector (before his conviction), filmmaker Vikram Jayanti seeks to help us finally understand the little man at the core of the towering legend. Fri., Oct. 2 at Empire Granville 7 (855 Granville), 12:20 p.m.; Tues., Oct. 13, 9:15 p.m.; Thurs., Oct. 15, 1:15 p.m. —Michael White

CHLOE
Few actresses of this or any era portray a woman scorned as fiercely or convincingly as Julianne Moore, and in this Atom Egoyan-directed marital drama, the three-time Oscar nominee plants her simmering rage in Canadian soil. Filmed in Toronto — where, unbelievably, the city plays itself — Moore stars as Catherine, a doctor who seeks to confirm suspicions about her husband’s (Liam Neeson) infidelity by hiring a younger woman (Amanda Seyfried) to test his fidelity. Chaos, presumably, ensues. Tues., Oct. 13 at Empire Granville 7, 7 p.m.; Wed., Oct. 14, 4 p.m. —MW

DOUBLE TAKE
Multimedia artist Johan Grimonprez’s highbrow affair mines the rich visual and cinematographic history of Alfred Hitchcock, juxtaposing elements of the iconic filmmaker’s movies with a chronological recap of the Cold War. It looks like a marvel of media, technology, and narrative — and a timely reminder of a tense period in world history. Sun., Oct. 4 at Vancity Theatre (1181 Seymour), 4:45 p.m.; Tue., Oct 6 at Empire Granville 7, 7:15 p.m. —Andrea Warner

AN EDUCATION
The buzz surrounding this 1960s-era coming-of-age drama has been fueled by rave reviews and an Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival. The script, based on U.K. journalist Lynn Barber’s memoirs, was penned by the perpetually hip Nick Hornby (About a Boy), while the cast includes Peter Sarsgaard, Emma Thompson, and newcomer Carey Mulligan, who’s generating plenty of Oscar buzz. Mon., Oct 12 at Empire Granville 7, 6:45 p.m.; Wed., Oct. 14, 11 a.m. —AW

EXCITED
Fans of the local theatre and film communities have long been anticipating the premiere of Vancouver director Bruce Sweeney’s latest film about a lovelorn golf course owner (Cam Cronin) whose sexual inadequacies drive love interest Hiam (Laara Sadiq) away — much to the consternation of his domineering mother (the incomparable Gabrielle Rose). Sat., Oct. 3 at Empire Granville 7, 1:30 p.m.; Wed., Oct. 7, 6:40 p.m. —Steven Schelling

I KILLED MY MOTHER
Much like Jean-Marc Vallée’s (see The Young Victoria, below), Xavier Dolan is a French-Canadian writer-director whose semi-autobiographical coming-of-age film has made him an international critical darling. Dolan, who won three awards at Cannes last May, plays Hubert, a gay teen whose hatred of his manipulative mother (Anne Dorval) is overwhelming — to the point that she eventually sends him away to a Catholic boarding school. Thanks to its darkly humourous storyline, accessible but ever-present homo sensibility, and the use of saturated colour and pattern, 21-year-old Dolan has elicited comparisons to none other than Spanish cinematic maestro Pedro Almodovar. Sun., Oct. 11 at Empire Granville 7, 6:45 p.m.; Thurs., Oct. 15, 1 p.m. —SS

McDULL KUNG FU KINDERGARTEN
A cartoon pig who’s a dim-witted, gentle-souled kindergartner named McDull? Who learns kung fu from a former opponent of Bruce Lee? This Hong Kong cartoon practically sells itself, and offers a blisteringly funny (but still poignant) family-friendly option that’s even — gasp! — entertaining for grown ups. Fri., Oct. 9 at Empire Granville 7, 6:40 p.m; Sun., Oct. 11 at Ridge Theatre (3131 Arbutus), 1 p.m.; Thu., Oct. 15 at Empire Granville 7, 11 a.m. —AW

MY YEAR WITHOUT SEX
When a doctor’s orders prohibit Natalie from engaging for a year in any activity that causes unnecessary strain to her body, including sex, the Australian wife and mother is forced to experience her otherwise chaotic life at a slower, more measured pace than she’s used to. Writer-director Sarah Watt cleverly uses Natalie’s year of recovery to explore the intersections of sex, death, and the ties that bind. Sat., Oct. 10 at Empire Granville 7, 4 p.m.; Tues., Oct. 13 at Ridge Theatre, 7 p.m. —Jackie Wong

PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL ‘PUSH’ BY SAPPHIRE
It’s Harlem in 1987, and Claireece ‘Precious’ Jones is pregnant for the second time by her father, treated like a slave by her mother, and on the verge of getting kicked out of high school. This monumental film — based on the novel by one-time Harlem teacher and poet, Sapphire — was the darling of this year’s Sundance Film Festival, and also one of the most anticipated entries at TIFF, where it won the Audience Choice Award. There’s much to recommend in this transformative indictment of racial, sexual, and economic injustice. Wed., Oct. 7 at Empire Granville 7, 9:15 p.m.; Fri., Oct. 9, 2:30 p.m. —JW

PROM NIGHT IN MISSISSIPPI
In the very heart of the black-white divide in America lives in Tallahatchie County, Mississippi, hometown of actor Morgan Freeman, who has been fighting an uphill battle to host the town’s first-ever integrated high school prom — in 2008. The documentary comes to life thanks to the voices of students who take on the community’s fear of (and desperate need for) change. A must-see for anyone who’s ever laid claim to the notion that racism is a thing of the past. Sun., Oct. 11 at Empire Granville 7, 6 p.m.; Tues., Oct. 13, 1:30 p.m. —JW

THE RED ROOSTER
The anticipated follow-up to director Terry Miles’ 2008 VIFF hit When Life was Good, The Red Rooster explores the restlessness and recklessness of Terrance, a young writer who embarks on what he believes is a fishing trip in hopes of curing a creative dry spell. What results is a series of misadventures that spring from Terrance’s vain attempts to break through his jaded ways and feel something again. Fri., Oct. 9 at Empire Granville 7, 9:15 p.m.; Sat., Oct. 10, 4 p.m. —JW

WE ALL FALL DOWN
Among the many VIFF documentaries examining the global economic collapse, this American production hits closest to home — literally. Setting the U.S. mortgage industry in its crosshairs, We All Fall Down traces a direct path from the traditional middle-class dream of home ownership to the day in August of last year when trillions of dollars (and, seemingly, almost as many dreams) suddenly swirled down the plughole. In a city where most of us can’t afford a 500-square-foot piece of the sky and don’t fully understand why, this film could provide the most essential kind of tough-love education. Thurs., Oct. 1 at Empire Granville 7, 3:20 p.m.; Tues., Oct. 6 at Pacific Cinématheque (1131 Howe), 10:45 a.m. —MW

THE YOUNG VICTORIA
Montreal-based director Jean-Marc Vallée follows up his intimate, semi-autobiographical 2005 coming-of-age film, C.R.A.Z.Y, with the pomp and circumstance of a lavish English costume drama following the early reign of Queen Victoria (Emily Blunt) and her love affair with her husband, Prince Albert (Rupert Friend). Written by Julian Fellowes, who wrote Gosford Park for Robert Altman and Bob Balaban, the film co-stars some of the U.K.’s biggest stage and screen talents, including Jim Broadbent, Miranda Richardson, and Paul Bettany. Sat., Oct. 3 at Empire Granville 7, 7 p.m.; Wed., Oct. 7, 11 a.m. —SS

The Vancouver International Film Festival runs Oct. 1-16. For complete list of films, schedules and ticket information, visit VIFF.org.