A Bit of Light: VIFF 2026
A Bit of Light: VIFF 2026
The Vancouver International Film Festival returns for their 45th year this October 1-11 for another curated season celebrating the best in independent, Canadian, documentary, and international shorts and features.
North American Premiere
Set in contemporary Iran, A Bit of Light tells the story of a doctor arrested for secretly treating injured protestors. Following the closure of his practice, and with his faith in the future shattered, he decides to take his own life. Determined there is no way forward, he visits his siblings and mother, intending to say goodbye — but things do not go as planned. Encountering affection, concern, and companionship in the presence of his family, the certainty of his decision slowly begins to crumble.
A Bit of Light ultimately asks what might reconnect a person to life when faith in institutions and the future has been exhausted. Throughout his filmography, Ali Asghari has explored individuals caught between personal vulnerability and the pressures of social and institutional structures, and it’s remarkable to witness how beautifully and effortlessly he renders his protagonist’s internal conflict.
Thursday, October 8
Doors 3:30 pm | Film 4:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.
Tickets HERE
VIFF thanks the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations for their continued stewardship of the unceded and occupied land on which our work takes place. As an organization founded and predominantly directed by settlers and immigrants, we understand our responsibility to seek out and build authentic relationships with Indigenous communities, and to allow this ongoing dialogue to influence our practices. As part of this process, we remain committed to collaborating with and supporting Indigenous artists, filmmakers, curators, and audiences.
