"Choose life... But why would I want to do a thing like that?"

Not only did Danny Boyle manage to put Irvine Welsh's "unadaptable" novel 'Trainspotting' on celluloid, but he did it with such kinetic, frenetic and phenomenally stylish aplomb that he also managed to craft one of the 90s most singularly defining films - and stars of its fantastic ensemble. Ewan McGregor commands the lead role of heroin addict Mark Renton, who stumbles through bad ideas and sobriety attempts with his unreliable friends - including Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller), Begbie (Robert Carlyle), Spud (Ewen Bremner) and Tommy (Kevin McKidd). He even also has an underage girlfriend, Diane (Kelly Macdonald, in her film debut), along for the ride. Under the supervision of director Boyle, TRAINSPOTTING has been digitally restored in 4K, bringing updated clarity and immersion to the film's iconic visuals while maintaining its kinetic, frantic 90s aesthetic.

Smart, funny, sickly and sometimes just plain unconscious, Mark Renton became a hero of the times. Set in an underbelly of Edinburgh the city fathers never dreamed of, TRAINSPOTTING is the story of Mark and his so-called friends - a bunch of losers, liars, psychos, thieves and junkies. Hilarious but harrowing, the film charts the disintegration of their friendship as they proceed, seemingly inevitably, towards self-destruction. Mark alone has the insight and opportunity to escape his fate - but then again, does he really want to 'choose life'?

"A brutal, often times funny, other times terrifying portrayal of drug addiction in Edinburgh. Not for the faint of heart, but well worth viewing as a realistic and entertaining reminder of the horrors of drug use." (Rotten Tomatoes)

"TRAINSPOTTING, buoyed by a great Brit Pop soundtrack and Brian Tufano's agile cinematography, captures the stoned-out, gut-churning experience of hardcore addiction with hallucinogenic acuity." (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Tuesday, June 9
Doors 8:15 pm | Movie 8:45 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Tuesday 2-for-1 Tickets!

TRAINSPOTTING (Danny Boyle, 1996 / 93 mins / 18A) Renton, deeply immersed in the Edinburgh drug scene, tries to clean up and get out, despite the allure of the drugs and influence of friends.

"Choose life... But why would I want to do a thing like that?"

Not only did Danny Boyle manage to put Irvine Welsh's "unadaptable" novel 'Trainspotting' on celluloid, but he did it with such kinetic, frenetic and phenomenally stylish aplomb that he also managed to craft one of the 90s most singularly defining films - and stars of its fantastic ensemble. Ewan McGregor commands the lead role of heroin addict Mark Renton, who stumbles through bad ideas and sobriety attempts with his unreliable friends - including Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller), Begbie (Robert Carlyle), Spud (Ewen Bremner) and Tommy (Kevin McKidd). He even also has an underage girlfriend, Diane (Kelly Macdonald, in her film debut), along for the ride. Under the supervision of director Boyle, TRAINSPOTTING has been digitally restored in 4K, bringing updated clarity and immersion to the film's iconic visuals while maintaining its kinetic, frantic 90s aesthetic.

Smart, funny, sickly and sometimes just plain unconscious, Mark Renton became a hero of the times. Set in an underbelly of Edinburgh the city fathers never dreamed of, TRAINSPOTTING is the story of Mark and his so-called friends - a bunch of losers, liars, psychos, thieves and junkies. Hilarious but harrowing, the film charts the disintegration of their friendship as they proceed, seemingly inevitably, towards self-destruction. Mark alone has the insight and opportunity to escape his fate - but then again, does he really want to 'choose life'?

"A brutal, often times funny, other times terrifying portrayal of drug addiction in Edinburgh. Not for the faint of heart, but well worth viewing as a realistic and entertaining reminder of the horrors of drug use." (Rotten Tomatoes)

"TRAINSPOTTING, buoyed by a great Brit Pop soundtrack and Brian Tufano's agile cinematography, captures the stoned-out, gut-churning experience of hardcore addiction with hallucinogenic acuity." (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Wednesday, June 10
Doors 6:00 pm | Movie 6:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

TRAINSPOTTING (Danny Boyle, 1996 / 93 mins / 18A) Renton, deeply immersed in the Edinburgh drug scene, tries to clean up and get out, despite the allure of the drugs and influence of friends.

THE LAST ANNIVERSARY will make its theatrical debut in Toronto May 22, and then open across Canada May 29, from indie distributor Tiny Cabin Pictures. Following its world-premiere at the 2025 Macabro Film Festival in Mexico, and  U.S. premiere at the 2026 Julien Dubuque International Film Festival

Written, directed and edited by Brett Butler and Jason Butler, a.k.a. The Butler Brothers, THE LAST ANNIVERSARY stars Jesse McQueen, Kenneth Northfield, Ry Barrett (IN A VIOLENT NATURE), Kevin Courtney, Manon Ens-Lapointe, Honor Spencer, Jenna Vittoria, Michael Masurkevitch and Jessica Vano.

The story follows Tom (Northfield) and Aubrey (McQueen) as they return to the abandoned hotel where they were married 10 years earlier, inviting their original wedding party for one final night of celebration. But beneath the surface of nostalgia lies a darker purpose: confronting the group about the mysterious disappearance of their Maid of Honor on that long-ago wedding night. As tensions rise and the world edges toward collapse, buried truths begin to surface with devastating consequences.

Wednesday, June 10
Doors 8:15 pm | Movie 8:45 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

THE LAST ANNIVERSARY (Jason Butler & Brett Butler, 2026 / NR / 90 mins) On the eve of the apocalypse, a couple lure their former wedding party back to the abandoned hotel where they were married, intent on finally uncovering the truth behind their Maid of Honor’s disappearance, no matter the cost.

In a unique, immersive, multimedia special event, classic film scholar MICHAEL VAN DEN BOS and the De-Lovely Vancouver jazz
vocalist LAURA CREMA celebrate the works of legendary songwriter COLE PORTER. “Just One of Those Things”, “I’ve Got You Under My Skin”, “I Get A Kick Out of You”, “Anything Goes”, and “You’re The Top” are just a few of Cole Porter’s timeless tunes enshrined in The Great American Songbook.

This swellegant, elegant evening features a sensational collection of Cole Porter Broadway and Hollywood songs performed on
stage live by THE LAURA CREMA SEXTET interwoven with classic film performances projected on the big screen. Get ready for a
night that’s a musical flight . . . one of those crazy flings . . . a trip to the moon on gossamer wings!

Friday, June 12
Doors 6:45 pm | Show 7:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

We're diving deep into horror classics with a #FridayLateNight screening of Dario Argento's giallo-infused, "candy-coloured," phantasmagoric nightmare of a horror icon SUSPIRIA ("the most terrifying movie ever made!"). 

This genre-defining cult-classic has been lovingly restored and remastered in glorious 4K - the film's bizarre colour schemes come alive in a whole new way. Buoyed by a phenomenal soundtrack from the Italian band Goblin, SUSPIRIA is "nightmare fuel" for the senses - and can only be truly enjoyed on the big screen... If you dare!

Suzy (Jessica Harper) travels to Germany to attend ballet school. When she arrives, late on a stormy night, no one lets her in, and she sees Pat (Eva Axén), another student, fleeing from the school. When Pat reaches her apartment, she is murdered. The next day, Suzy is admitted to her new school, but has a difficult time settling in. She hears noises, and often feels ill. As more people die, Suzy uncovers the terrifying secret history of the place...

"It's always fascinating to watch; the thrills and spills are so classy and fast that the movie becomes in effect what horror movies seemed like when you were too young to get in to see them." (Time Out)

"From stormy start to fiery finish, it's a stylish, compelling, phantasmagoric movie." (The Observer)

Friday, June 12
Doors 11:00 pm | Movie 11:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

SUSPIRIA (Dario Argento, 1977 / 92 mins/ 18A) | A newcomer to a fancy ballet academy gradually comes to realize that the school is a front for something far more sinister and supernatural amidst a series of grisly murders.

Join ICG 669 legendary cinematographer, Robert McLachlan, CSC, ASC, at the Rio Theatre for an afternoon of acclaimed cinematography, behind-the-scenes insights, and stories from some of television's most celebrated productions, including Landman, Game of Thrones, Special Ops: Lioness, Ray Donovan, Yellowstone, and Lovecraft Country. Clips from these productions will be presented on the big screen as Robert shares the stories and techniques behind them.

As a special guest, Academy Award-winning actor Billy Bob Thornton will appear via Zoom to discuss his collaboration with Robert on Landman and the creative process behind the series.

Robert has generously agreed to share the techniques, creative approaches, and practical wisdom that have shaped his work, followed by an audience Q&A session.

This is a rare opportunity to learn directly from one of our industry's most accomplished cinematographers.

And that's not all! We have a few additional surprise guests in store.

Don't miss this opportunity to hear directly from the artists behind some of today's most acclaimed screen productions.

Saturday, June 13
Doors 1:00 pm | Event 2:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

General Admission - $16 (includes taxes and fees)

AMORES PERROS ("Love's a Bitch") is Mexican filmmaker Alejandro G. Iñárritu's blisteringly bold, intensely emotional, and ambitious story of lives that collide in a Mexico City car crash. Inventively structured as a triptych of overlapping and intersecting narratives, AMORES PERROS explores the lives of disparate characters who are catapulted into unforeseen dramatic situations instigated by the seemingly inconsequential destiny of a dog named Cofi.

After 25 years, González Iñárritu's legendary feature debut returns to the big screen in a stunning restoration. With Adriana Barraza, Vanessa Bauche, and Gael García Bernal

"If you haven’t fled the theater 20 minutes into the new Mexican film Amores Perros, you’ll be hooked until the end. It pulses with energy and wild style." (LA Weekly)

"Many of the narrative details feel like loving gestures from a storyteller proud of the weight of folklore and of his story. The violence is fast and shocking: a shooting in a restaurant ends with blood dribbling onto a hot griddle, an image that could be a metaphor for the overheated emotions of the film." (New York Times)

"González Iñárritu has modernized Mexican cinema by shooting and editing in a relentlessly urban, fast-paced and hip fashion, packed with sex and violence and raring to go. It's a breath of fresh air in an industry more accustomed to older narrative and pictorial styles." (The Nation)

"One of the most honored and most expertly articulated Mexican films of recent years." (Observer)

Saturday, June 13
Doors 5:00 pm | Movie 5:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

AMORES PERROS (Alejandro G. Iñárritu, 2001 / 154 mins / 14A / Spanish w. EST) A teenager risks it all to run away with his brother’s wife. A model loses everything after moving in with her lover. A homeless man unearths the ghosts of his past. As their stories unfold, human chaos, cruelty, and tenderness come to light – revealing they are more connected than they seem.

Eager to impress his activist crush, a wealthy New York teenager follows an online connection to Texas, where he's convinced he can stop an act of extreme violence. With Jaeden Martell, Asa Butterfield, Chris Bauer, Jennifer Ehle, Avan Joggia.

"Oscillating between brutal humor and unsettling insight, 'Our Hero, Balthazar is an audacious and often astonishing directorial debut tinged with riveting performances and sprawling thematic ambition." (Rotten Tomatoes)

"Taken all together, “Our Hero, Balthazar” is a button pusher that holds up a mirror to America and asks what is performative and what is real. It also dwells on how we can get out of this quicksand trap that young men are trapped in right now. " (San Jose Mercury News)

Saturday, June 13
Doors 8:15 pm | Movie 8:45 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

OUR HERO BALTHAZAR (Oscar Boyson, 2026 / 96 mins / NR) Follows a wealthy New York City teenager who, eager to impress his activist crush, follows an online connection to Texas where he believes he can stop an act of extreme violence.

Gorgeously remastered in 2017, PERFECT BLUE is the groundbreaking (and rarely screened) first film from the legendary director Satoshi Kon that follows the story of rising pop star Mima, who has quit singing to pursue a career as an actress and model - but her fans aren't ready to see her go. Encouraged by her managers, Mima takes on a recurring role on a popular TV show, when suddenly her handlers and collaborators begin turning up murdered. Harboring feelings of guilt and haunted by visions of her former self, Mima's reality and fantasy meld into a frenzied paranoia. As her stalker closes in, in person and online, the threat he poses is more real than even Mima knows...

This iconic psychological thriller that has frequently been hailed as one of the most important animated films of all time, as it represents a major change from traditional anime subject matter, analysing the pop icon phenomenon, fame and its psychological impact on the performer.

"Kon's film deliberately obfuscates, to hypnotic effect." (Total Film)

Saturday, June 13
Doors 10:30 pm | Movie 11:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Late Night Date Night! Bring a friend, date, or your classic anime-loving bestie and get two-for-one entry!

PERFECT BLUE "Pafekuto buru" (Satoshi Kon, 1997 / 81 minutes /18 A / Japanese with English subtitles) Mima Kirigoe is a singer who leaves her trio to become an actress, a career move that angers her fans, who prefer to see her as the pop idol. Plagued by self-doubt and tormented by humiliating compromises, she begins to be stalked, in her waking and sleeping moments, by an alter ego who claims to be "the real Mima", until she collapses into madness as her coworkers are brutally slain around her.

“BENNY AND THE RICKSHAW” is a celebration of the life and times of Benjamin Kemp, 1990-2025, as a collection of his personal close friends and family pay homage to him through his previous bands and close confidants bands. Showcasing his musical writing and lyrics, Rebel Priest, Lust Boys, Barbarians, The Toxiks, RoadRash, Scalding, The Highsides, Speedleopard, and Crystal Pistol preform music from his catalog as well as some music he was a big fan of from his friends. As well as short interviews with people closest to him. “He was Trash N Roll”.

Sunday, June 14
Doors 3:00 pm | Event 3:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

General Admission - $15 (includes taxes and fees)

One of our favourite annual events that we adore participating in and being a part of is Italian Day on the Drive, and we are celebrating its return with one our most requested titles - a screening of Federico Fellini's masterfully surreal, semi-autobiographical take on the trials and tribulations of the film-making, 8 1/2. Even better? Italian Day on the Drive pricing is in effect!

No less than Fellini himself declared 8 1/2 as one of his favorite films ever. Marcello Mastroianni delivers one of his best-loved, career-high performances as troubled Italian filmmaker Guido Anselmi, a harried man struggling with creative stasis as he attempts to get a new movie off the ground. Overwhelmed by his work and personal life, the director retreats into his thoughts, which often focus on his loves, both past and present, and frequently wander into fantastical territory. As he tries to sort out his many entanglements, romantic and otherwise, Anselmi finds his production becoming more and more autobiographical.

One of the greatest films about film ever made, 8 1/2 ("Otto e mezzo") turns one man’s artistic crisis into a grand epic of the cinema. An early working title for 8 1/2 was "The Beautiful Confusion," and Fellini’s masterpiece is exactly that: a shimmering dream, a circus, and a magic act. Also starring Claudia Cardinale, Anouk Aimée, Sandra Milo, Barbra Steele.

"Here is a piece of entertainment that will really make you sit up straight and think, a movie endowed with the challenge of a fascinating intellectual game." (The New York Times)

"Inventive, thought-provoking, and funny, 8 1/2 represents the arguable peak of Federico Fellini's many towering feats of cinema." (Rotten Tomatoes)

Sunday, June 14
Doors 6:00 pm | Movie 6:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Italian Day on the Drive pricing is in effect! Tickets $8.50

8 1/2 "Otto e mezzo" (Federico Fellini, 1963 / 138 mins / 18A / In Italian with English subtitles) Harried movie director Guido, when trying to relax after his last big hit, retreats into his memories and fantasies, but He can't get a moment's peace when the people who have worked with him in the past constantly look to him for more work. He wrestles with his conscience, but is unable to come up with a new idea. While thinking, he starts to recall major happenings in his life, and all the women he has loved and left.

"Choose life... But why would I want to do a thing like that?"

Not only did Danny Boyle manage to put Irvine Welsh's "unadaptable" novel 'Trainspotting' on celluloid, but he did it with such kinetic, frenetic and phenomenally stylish aplomb that he also managed to craft one of the 90s most singularly defining films - and stars of its fantastic ensemble. Ewan McGregor commands the lead role of heroin addict Mark Renton, who stumbles through bad ideas and sobriety attempts with his unreliable friends - including Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller), Begbie (Robert Carlyle), Spud (Ewen Bremner) and Tommy (Kevin McKidd). He even also has an underage girlfriend, Diane (Kelly Macdonald, in her film debut), along for the ride. Under the supervision of director Boyle, TRAINSPOTTING has been digitally restored in 4K, bringing updated clarity and immersion to the film's iconic visuals while maintaining its kinetic, frantic 90s aesthetic.

Smart, funny, sickly and sometimes just plain unconscious, Mark Renton became a hero of the times. Set in an underbelly of Edinburgh the city fathers never dreamed of, TRAINSPOTTING is the story of Mark and his so-called friends - a bunch of losers, liars, psychos, thieves and junkies. Hilarious but harrowing, the film charts the disintegration of their friendship as they proceed, seemingly inevitably, towards self-destruction. Mark alone has the insight and opportunity to escape his fate - but then again, does he really want to 'choose life'?

"A brutal, often times funny, other times terrifying portrayal of drug addiction in Edinburgh. Not for the faint of heart, but well worth viewing as a realistic and entertaining reminder of the horrors of drug use." (Rotten Tomatoes)

"TRAINSPOTTING, buoyed by a great Brit Pop soundtrack and Brian Tufano's agile cinematography, captures the stoned-out, gut-churning experience of hardcore addiction with hallucinogenic acuity." (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Sunday, June 14
Doors 9:00 pm | Movie 9:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Italian Day Pricing -Tickets just $8.50!

TRAINSPOTTING (Danny Boyle, 1996 / 93 mins / 18A) Renton, deeply immersed in the Edinburgh drug scene, tries to clean up and get out, despite the allure of the drugs and influence of friends.

Join us for the world premiere of this year's batch of Templeton Secondary’s Afterschool Film Program films. We’ve got a genre-bending mix of funny, scary, poignant, and as always, weird as heck! This night is the absolute highlight of our year and proclaimed by the students to be the unofficial “film kid prom!”

This event is East Van at it’s best – beautiful, weird, celebratory, and full of amazing support for both the kids we love and the incredible films they make.

This screening event is a fundraiser, and all proceeds go directly towards the Afterschool Film Program / Dream Big Productions at Templeton Secondary School.

Monday, June 15
Doors 6:00 pm | Screening 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Tickets $18+ s/c  | $20+ s/c at the door

"Choose life... But why would I want to do a thing like that?"

Not only did Danny Boyle manage to put Irvine Welsh's "unadaptable" novel 'Trainspotting' on celluloid, but he did it with such kinetic, frenetic and phenomenally stylish aplomb that he also managed to craft one of the 90s most singularly defining films - and stars of its fantastic ensemble. Ewan McGregor commands the lead role of heroin addict Mark Renton, who stumbles through bad ideas and sobriety attempts with his unreliable friends - including Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller), Begbie (Robert Carlyle), Spud (Ewen Bremner) and Tommy (Kevin McKidd). He even also has an underage girlfriend, Diane (Kelly Macdonald, in her film debut), along for the ride. Under the supervision of director Boyle, TRAINSPOTTING has been digitally restored in 4K, bringing updated clarity and immersion to the film's iconic visuals while maintaining its kinetic, frantic 90s aesthetic.

Smart, funny, sickly and sometimes just plain unconscious, Mark Renton became a hero of the times. Set in an underbelly of Edinburgh the city fathers never dreamed of, TRAINSPOTTING is the story of Mark and his so-called friends - a bunch of losers, liars, psychos, thieves and junkies. Hilarious but harrowing, the film charts the disintegration of their friendship as they proceed, seemingly inevitably, towards self-destruction. Mark alone has the insight and opportunity to escape his fate - but then again, does he really want to 'choose life'?

"A brutal, often times funny, other times terrifying portrayal of drug addiction in Edinburgh. Not for the faint of heart, but well worth viewing as a realistic and entertaining reminder of the horrors of drug use." (Rotten Tomatoes)

"TRAINSPOTTING, buoyed by a great Brit Pop soundtrack and Brian Tufano's agile cinematography, captures the stoned-out, gut-churning experience of hardcore addiction with hallucinogenic acuity." (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Tuesday, June 16
Doors 6:00 pm | Movie 6:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Tuesday 2-for-1 Tickets!

TRAINSPOTTING (Danny Boyle, 1996 / 93 mins / 18A) Renton, deeply immersed in the Edinburgh drug scene, tries to clean up and get out, despite the allure of the drugs and influence of friends.

Black, a boy who seeks to bend the city to his will through strength, and White, his innocent counterpart, are two orphaned street kids living in the slums of Treasure Town. When real estate developers threaten to transform Treasure Town into a massive theme park, its very existence is put at risk. Determined to protect both White and their city, Black takes on the yakuza and assassins, gradually losing his innocence as he confronts a dark manifestation within himself.

Featuring dynamic visuals from STUDIO4°C (Mind Game) and based on the legendary manga by Taiyo Matsumoto, Tekkonkinkreet remains a beloved cult classic to this day. Set in a world that cannot escape change, it tells a story of unwavering love, complementary bonds, and a prayer that must never be lost. Now beautifully remastered in stunning 4K.

"In the anime TEKKONKINKREET, two orphans of life's storms sail through the air like birds, like superheroes, like Jackie Chan." (New York Times)

"By the end of this phantasmagorical journey, I was as wrapped up in the precarious fate of these two wounded kids and the honorable yakuza warlords of Treasure Town as I've been in any film all year." (Salon.com)

Tuesday, June 16
Doors 8:15 pm | Movie 8:45 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

TEKKONKINKREET "Tekkon kinkurîto" (Michael Arias, 2006 / 103 / 14A / Japanese with English subs) In Treasure Town, life can be both peaceful and violent. This is never truer than for our heroes, Black and White - two street kids who claim to traverse the urban city as if it were their own. But in this town, an undercurrent of evil exists and has its sights set on the pair of brothers, forcing them to engage in battle with an array of old-world Yakuza as well as dangerous assassins vying to rule the decaying metropolis.

Now in its 15th year,  the smash hit epic comedy THE CRITICAL HIT SHOW returns to the Rio Theatre's stage on Wednesday, June 17 for another night of dork-filled humour.

Prepare yourself for a generous dose of laughter and snorting out loud, as some of Vancouver’s best comedic performers grace the stage in a night featuring some of this City's most intrepid players on a gallant quest for comedy glory (and more snacks!) in a hilarious adventure saga that has been running continuously since 2012.

Spanning over 100 live performances in both Canada and the United States, two years of “at-home” streaming, and frequent festival appearances, THE CRITICAL HIT SHOW is one of the longest running comedy shows around. #DNDLive is an improvised adventure that takes its inspiration from tabletop role-playing games, fantasy film and TV, and (most importantly) you!

Whether you’re a longtime fan, you’ve been enjoying our live streamed shows, or you’re brand new to the experience - you’re going to have a great time.

June, 17
Doors 6:15 pm | Show 7:00 pm *Please arrive on time. Start time subject to change.

Tickets $17 +s/c in advance | $20+ s/c at the door

THE ADVENTURERS

Eric Fell as The Dungeon Master
Ian Boothby as Benoit the Anointed, the Half-Elf Cleric
Joanna Gaskell as Freya, the Elf Warlock
Barbara Beall as Ingrid, the Halfling Fighter
Ellen MacNevin as Belle Strummer, the Half-Elf Ranger
Allen Morrison as Spitz Lube’n, the Human Wizard
Shaun Stewart as Brask Hellbeard, the Dwarf Bard

More monsters! More Magic! More Mayhem! More Off-Brand soda!

Twitter: @critshow
www.criticalhitshow.com

www.facebook.com/dndlive

Dead Lover is the story of a lonely Gravedigger who reeks so strongly of corpses that she can't attract a lover. She concocts fragrant perfumes in her workshop, but nothing can save her romantic prospects from her ghastly odor... Until one day, when Gravedigger meets Lover, an aristocratic dandy in town for his sister's funeral. Lover is different: numb to the pampered palette of the aristocracy, his loins are downright aroused by Gravedigger’s morbid stank. Before long, Gravedigger and Lover begin a rapturous love affair, become engaged, and dream of starting a family.

Dead Lover is a hilarious, delirious, beautiful, horny, and wholly original Frankensteinian tale about the limits one Gravedigger will go to hold onto love. It is the sophomore feature from Grace Glowicki, who directed and stars as the love-obsessed, shovel-wielding Gravedigger turned mad scientist. Ben Petrie, Leah Doz and Lowen Morrow comprise the colourful cast of supporting characters, each playing multiple roles in the style of great romps such as Monty Python and Dr. Strangelove.

Glowicki broke out as a fearless directorial voice with her debut feature Tito, which she wrote, directed and starred in. The film premiered at the 2019 SXSW Film Festival, where it won the Adam Yauch Hörnblowér Award, presented “in honor of a filmmaker whose work strives to be wholly its own, without regard for norms or desire to conform.” Richard Brody atThe New Yorker said “This movie is a tour de force—of performance, in Glowicki’s astounding display of choreographic expressionism... An instant classic of acting.”

"God bless [director] Grace Glowicki for pushing ahead as a genre leading lady who isn’t scared to tackle oddball characters in nutty films." (New York Times)

"'Dead Lover' is pure DIY, playing like low-budget experimental theater with striking gel lighting and sharp contrasts, and minimal set design that lets its wacky characters shine." (Bloody Disgusting)

Wednesday, June 17 
Doors 9:00 pm | Movie 9:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

The Dead Lover Stink-O-Vision screenings turn cinema into a full-body experience. Each audience member receives a scratch-and-sniff card created by scent artists, unleashing a carefully choreographed bouquet of aromas—funky, foul, seductive, and downright unholy—that sync with key moments in the film. From grave-dirt rot to dandy cologne, ghost puke to BBQ stank, the smells guide viewers through a journey of fetid, funky love where romance and revulsion collide.

DEAD LOVER (Grace Glowicki, 2025 / 86 mins / NR) A lonely gravedigger who stinks of corpses finally meets her dream man, but their whirlwind affair is cut short when he tragically drowns at sea. Grief-stricken, she goes to morbid lengths to resurrect him through madcap scientific experiments, resulting in grave consequences and unlikely love.

The scintillating feature debut of Mary Harron (AMERICAN PSYCHO) and one of the most controversial independent films of the 1990s, I SHOT ANDY WARHOL stars an electric Lili Taylor as Valerie Solanas, a militant feminist whose attempted murder of Andy Warhol brought instant fame to her radically anti-male SCUM Manifesto. Dropping out of grad school in the mid sixties, the brilliant yet volatile Solanas survived in New York City as a destitute artist, sex worker, and panhandler, soon striking up a friendship with Warhol superstar Candy Darling that brought her briefly into the orbit of the world’s premier pop artist.

With vivid, hallucinatory attention to historical detail, Harron captures the explosive cross-pollination of New York’s political and artistic countercultures as well as the creativity, snobbery, and decadence at the heart of the legendary Factory. Anchored by pitch-perfect performances—and featuring a blistering score by John Cale as well as covers of sixties hits by some of the nineties’ most iconic bands (R.E.M., Wilco)— I SHOT ANDY WARHOL is an incisive portrait of a rebel without an outlet and the soon-to-be-lost generation she came to define.

"Ferociously entertaining! Makes you realize just how simple (and simple-minded) the majority of biopics are by comparison." (IndieWire)

Thursday, June 18
Doors 6:00 pm | Movie 6:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

I SHOT ANDY WARHOL (Mary Harron, 1996 / 18A / 103 mins) The story of Valerie Solanas, a '60s radical who preached misandry in her "Scum" manifesto. She wrote a screenplay for a film that she wanted Andy Warhol to produce, but after he repeatedly ignored her, she shot him.

AMORES PERROS ("Love's a Bitch") is Mexican filmmaker Alejandro G. Iñárritu's blisteringly bold, intensely emotional, and ambitious story of lives that collide in a Mexico City car crash. Inventively structured as a triptych of overlapping and intersecting narratives, AMORES PERROS explores the lives of disparate characters who are catapulted into unforeseen dramatic situations instigated by the seemingly inconsequential destiny of a dog named Cofi.

After 25 years, González Iñárritu's legendary feature debut returns to the big screen in a stunning restoration. With Adriana Barraza, Vanessa Bauche, and Gael García Bernal

"If you haven’t fled the theater 20 minutes into the new Mexican film Amores Perros, you’ll be hooked until the end. It pulses with energy and wild style." (LA Weekly)

"Many of the narrative details feel like loving gestures from a storyteller proud of the weight of folklore and of his story. The violence is fast and shocking: a shooting in a restaurant ends with blood dribbling onto a hot griddle, an image that could be a metaphor for the overheated emotions of the film." (New York Times)

"González Iñárritu has modernized Mexican cinema by shooting and editing in a relentlessly urban, fast-paced and hip fashion, packed with sex and violence and raring to go. It's a breath of fresh air in an industry more accustomed to older narrative and pictorial styles." (The Nation)

"One of the most honored and most expertly articulated Mexican films of recent years." (Observer)

Thursday, June 18
Doors 8:30 pm | Movie 9:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

AMORES PERROS (Alejandro G. Iñárritu, 2001 / 154 mins / 14A / Spanish w. EST) A teenager risks it all to run away with his brother’s wife. A model loses everything after moving in with her lover. A homeless man unearths the ghosts of his past. As their stories unfold, human chaos, cruelty, and tenderness come to light – revealing they are more connected than they seem.

Cheryl Dunye made cinematic history with THE WATERMELON WOMAN, the first American feature to be directed by a black lesbian as well as an incisive, humorous critique of classic Hollywood's racist stereotypes. Dunye plays an eponymous video store employee and burgeoning filmmaker who sets out to make a documentary on the Watermelon Woman (Lisa Marie Bronson), an actress who specialized in "mammy" roles for Hollywood productions of the 30s and 40s.

As Cheryl uncovers the Watermelon Woman's identity she not only learns about a secret behind-the-scenes interracial romance but also begins one of her own with Diana (Guinevere Turner), a white woman who arouses the ire of Cheryl's best friend Tamara (Valerie Walker). A landmark of the New Queer Cinema, THE WATERMELON WOMAN testifies to the power of excavating legacies of oppression and in the process creates a progressive legacy of its own.

"They don’t get much more groundbreaking than Cheryl Dunye’s landmark of queer cinema." (Chicago Reader)

"A quarter of a century later, 'The Watermelon Woman' suggests that ’90s indie is a genre unto itself. ... For those who came of age as cineastes during that era, it’s a nostalgic nod to that gritty aesthetic and an important milestone in New Queer Cinema." (CineWomen)

"Ingenious and amusing." (Guardian)

"A sweet, sassy mockumentary." (Boston Globe)

Friday, June 19
Doors 5:40 pm | Movie 6:10 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

THE WATERMELON WOMAN (Cheryl Dunye, 81 mins / NR) An aspiring black lesbian filmmaker researches an obscure 1940s black actress billed as the Watermelon Woman.

From the visionary mind of Ari Aster (EDDINGTON, HEREDITARY, BEAU IS AFRAID) comes a dread-soaked cinematic fairytale, where a world of darkness unfolds in broad daylight...

MIDSOMMAR remains one of our favourite arthouse horror films of the past few years, and what better way to pay homage to the start of summer than with a screening of this modern horror classic than with this particular work of nightmare fuel?

Dani and Christian are a young American couple with a relationship on the brink of falling apart. But after a family tragedy keeps them together, a grieving Dani invites herself to join Christian and his friends on a trip to a once-in-a-lifetime midsummer festival in a remote Swedish village. What begins as a carefree summer holiday in a land of eternal sunlight takes a sinister turn when the insular villagers invite their guests to partake in festivities that render the pastoral paradise increasingly unnerving and viscerally disturbing. With Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor.

"'Midsommar' is a dark horror (though shot in bright sunlight), full of disturbing images that will follow you home and possibly inhabit your nightmares." (The National Post)

"'Midsommar' isn't just a great horror movie... It is also one of the best movies ever made about living with mental illness." (Salon.com)

Friday, June 19
Doors 7:45 pm | Movie 8:15 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

MIDSOMMAR (Ari Aster, 2019 / 147 mins / 18A / In English & Swedish with subtitles) A young couple travels to Sweden to visit their friend’s rural hometown and attend its mid-summer festival. What begins as an idyllic retreat quickly descends into an increasingly violent and bizarre competition at the hands of a pagan cult.

"Can you dig it?"

Come out and play with us with one seriously bad-ass (not to mention frequently requested) 1970s action thriller - Hill's pop-art fantasy sensation THE WARRIORS. Beyond its well-deserved status as a total cult-classic, the film is a visual sensation for both its incredibly creative production value and for how it captured a very specific, distinctly gritty era of New York City.There's nothing quite like THE WARRIORS in a theatre with other people that love this movie; if you have seen it, then you already dig we're talking about!

Costumes very welcome - and encouraged. But please: Leave your glass bottles and baseball bats at home, OK?

"Much of the movie looks as if Fritz Lang had directed 'The Wiz,' with occasional contributions from Sergei Eisenstein and Bruce Lee." (The Village Voice)

Friday, June 19
Doors 11:00 pm | Movie 11:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

THE WARRIORS (Walter Hill, 1979 / 93 mins / PG) It's the Summer of 1979 in New York City and a prominent, charismatic gang leader named Cyrus summons street gangs to set aside rival turf wars in a bid to overtake the city instead. When he is killed, a rag-tag gang called The Warriors are falsely blamed, at which point they must figure out a way fight their way all the way from the Bronx to the safety of home in Coney Island while every other gang and the cops are hunting them down... And trying to kill them.

The Saturday Morning All-You-Can-Eat Cereal Cartoon Party is returning to the Rio Theatre with a "school's out" event featuring an all-new lineup of retro TV goodness, covered in sugary cereal. It's Volume XIII!

Kids today may not realize the significance of the Saturday morning ritual, but once upon a time, we had to wait a whole week to get our cartoon fix, and when we got it, we tended to binge. Well – welcome to The Saturday Morning All-You-Can-Eat Cereal Cartoon Party - that special time when kids and kids-at-heart get to relive the exciting Saturday Morning ritual of non-stop retro cartoons, and binge on the multi-colored sugary cereals that used to be a part of every “balanced” breakfast!

The cartoon lineup is always a mystery, but expect to see monsters, sci-fi, sleuths, superheroes and all kinds of 2D silliness, both faves and obscurities spanning the '30s through the '90s, all punctuated with vintage commercials, PSAs and station IDs for a 3-hour trip down memory lane! So get ready for a sugar rush and an explosion of nostalgia all wrapped up in one candy-coated package.

Curated by David Bertrand

Dairy-free and gluten-free options available! Compostable bowls and spoons will be provided, however we welcome and encourage guests to bring their own NON-BREAKABLE (ie, not ceramic) bowls and spoons.

Saturday, June 20
Doors 9:30 am | Event 10:00 am *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Adults $23
Kids Pricing (13 and under) $16

An astounding collection of top notch Vancouver burlesque performers will take to the Rio Theatre‘s stage on Saturday June 20th for Burlesque Long Form. In an artistic challenge set by producer and noted performer April O’Peel, local luminaries will have one chance to perform a full ten minute act.

Will the performers be able to please, tease and captivate their audience for a full ten minutes? Expect outlandish props, projections, and over- the-top narratives as a stunning variety of unique and spectacular burlesque performers push the boundaries at Burlesque Long Form!

Saturday, June 20
Doors 8:00 pm | Show 9:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

General Admission $30 + s/c | $35 + s/c at the door
VIP tickets (Rows 1-3, centre section) $40 + s/c
Squad Pass $100 + s/c

Featuring

Scarlet Delirium
Buk
Dae Leegrind
Ariel Helvetica
Arabella Boop
April O'Peel

Hosted by:
Diva The Violet Femme

We're tipping our hat to Father's Day with a Peter Weir's Oscar-winner MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD, which was digitally restored in 2025 (and looks stunning on the big screen!).

Known for films including WITNESS, THE TRUMAN SHOW, and DEAD POETS SOCIETY, Weir's 2003 sea-faring epic is adapted from author Patrick O'Brian's popular 20-book Aubrey-Maturin series of historical fiction, which captures the spirit of early 19th-century naval life and warfare. Set in1805 aboard the H.M.S. Surprise, the story revolves around the audacious and brash Captain Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe) and his trusted friend, the ship's scholarly surgeon, Stephen Maturin (Paul Bettany), as they are ordered to hunt down and capture a powerful French vessel off the South American coast. Though Napoleon is winning the war and the men and their crew face an onslaught of obstacles, including their own internal battles, "Lucky Jack" is determined that nothing will stop the Surprise from completing its mission. With Max Pirkis, Billy Boyd,

"We feel ourselves to be in good company with these men, and strangely jealous of their packed and salted lives." (The New Yorker)

"'Master and Commander' is grand and glorious, and touching in its attention to its characters." (Roger Ebert)

Sunday, June 21
Doors 2:00 pm | Movie 2:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD (Peter Weir, 2003 / 138 mins / 14A) During the Napoleonic Wars, a brash British captain pushes his ship and crew to their limits in pursuit of a formidable French war vessel around South America.

DAY 1 — Sugar N Venom + Glitter N Spice

Sunday, June 21
Doors: 5:30 PM
Screenings: 6:30 PM & 8:30 PM

Kick off the Rio screenings with a night of fierce stories, female rage, empowerment, and unforgettable characters. Then stick around for Glitter N Spice, a celebration of queer voices, bold filmmaking, and one of the festival's most energetic parties.

A DAY 1 pass gets you access to both Screenings on June 21st. So come for one or come for both!

DAY 2 — Put on Shuffle + Touch Grass

Monday, June 21
Doors: 5:30 PM
Screenings: 6:30 PM & 8:30 PM

Little bit of everything and a whole lot of fun. Put on Shuffle and Touch Grass bring together an eclectic mix of comedy, drama, action, horror, and everything in between. If you want the ultimate Run N Gun sampler platter, this is the night for you.

A day 2 pass gets you access to both Screenings on June 22nd. So come for one or come for both!

DAY 3 — Smoke N Mirrors + Spark ’Em If You Got ’Em
Presented by Sparky's Rentals

Tuesday, June 23
Doors: 5:30 PM | Screenings: 6:30 PM & 8:30 PM

Get ready for a night of huge laughs, strange journeys, and unforgettable characters. Sponsored by Sparky's Rentals, this crowd-pleasing double feature packs some of the funniest and most delightfully bizarre films of the festival into one massive celebration.

A day 3 pass gets you access to both Screenings on June 23rd. So come for one or come for both! 

DAY 4 — Dark Matter + Nightmare Fuel

Wednesday, June 24
Doors: 5:30 PM
Screenings: 6:30 PM & 8:30 PM

We close out the Rio screenings the only way we know how: with horror, thrills, and pure chaos. Dark Matter and Nightmare Fuel showcase the festival's darkest, weirdest, and most shocking films. Expect screams, surprises, and one of the wildest nights of Run N Gun.

A day 4 pass gets you access to both Screenings on June 24th. So come for one or come for both!

Join The Vancouver Burlesque Co. as we kick off summer with our outstanding students and alumni! Get ready for large group acts and fantastic solos to make your heart fill with sunshine and your eyes sparkle with joy. We're ready to give you a show that will make you squeal so grab someone cute and let's have a night to remember.

These shows are pure magic, sparkle and fun, and we can't wait to share the evening with friends, family and fans.

Thursday, June 25
Doors 7:00 pm | Show 8:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

General Admission $30+ s/c | $35+ s/c at the door

Please note: These shows tend to sell out well in advance - buy tickets sooner than later to avoid disappointment!

Hosted by Miss Kiss

Mom Com is a charming comedy about a once-successful writer and overwhelmed mom racing to finish a script before a looming deadline. As she writes, her fictional heroine Emily comes to life in a colorful rom-com world- and when Mommy struggles, Emily feels it too. As their realities begin to collide in magical and unexpected ways, the two meet through imaginative musical numbers, and Emily helps Mommy rediscover her voice, reclaim her story, and find her way back to herself. Written and directed by Aubrey Arnason - the Mom Com movie is a celebration of moms everywhere. 

Aubrey Arnason is an award-winning filmmaker of Icelandic heritage whose work has premiered on Lifetime, Amazon, Hulu, and Peacock. She won the Leo Award for Best Direction in a Television Movie for her directorial debut, A Love to Remember, and has received 13 Leo Award nominations throughout her career.

Her short film I Don't won Best Romance at the Hollywood Best Indie Film Festival and Best Romantic Comedy at Indie Short Fest, while Kindergarten Da Bin Ich Wieder won the Goldie Award for Best Writing, aired on CBC, and screened at festivals across Canada.

Aubrey has directed more than 70 episodes of television, co-created and executive produced two comedy pilots with Rogers, and was recognized by the Bell Media Fellowship and NSI Totally TV. She is also an accomplished actor, television host, and host of the DGC podcast Talking to Actors.

Mom Com is a proof-of-concept film for what will become Aubrey's feature film directorial debut. Follow Aubrey on Instagram @aubreyarnason

Saturday, June 27
Doors 11:00 am | Movie 11:30 am *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

General Admission - $10 (includes taxes and fees)

The runtime for Mom Com is under 30 mins with the Q&A beginning immediately after the screening.

This summer, STArt Film Studio presents Dear Home, a touring showcase of acclaimed Chinese-language films. For our Vancouver stop, we are proud to co-present this program with the Rio Theatre, inviting you to look closely once more at the moments of love and parting. As the places we grew up in drift further away, how do our memories, attachments, and the delicate mending of family ties find their way back? We hope these cinematic letters from the silver screen bring comfort to anyone who still finds themselves longing for somewhere else.

这个夏天，STArt Film Studio 精选了几部华语电影佳作，开启《乡书何处达》巡映之旅。在温哥华站，我们特别联合 Rio Theatre，邀你走进影院，重新凝视那些关于爱与别离的瞬间。当人与故乡渐行渐远，那些关于来处的记忆、亲情的裂痕与修补，又将如何抵达？愿这封来自银幕的“乡书”，能抚慰每一个仍在思念某处的人。

As the Water Flows/Cuì Hú is the debut feature film of Bian Zhuo and has already garnered significant critical acclaim on the international independent film festival circuit:

-Shanghai International Film Festival (2025): Won the Golden Goblet Award for Best Film in the Asian New Talent category.
-Silk Road International Film Festival (2025): Won two major awards, including Best Film and Best Actor.
-Hong Kong Asian Film Festival (HKAFF): Received the New Talent Award.
-Cannes Film Festival (2026): Screened on Cannes' official promotional platform, marking a breakout international moment for local Yunnanese cinema.
-Asian Art Film Festival (2026): Awarded Best Feature Film in the Rural Chronicle Unit.
-Global Screenings: Featured as an official selection at the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) and the Alula Film Festival.

Set against the tranquil backdrop of Green Lake in Kunming, an elderly widower's attempt to start a new emotional chapter sparks a sharp conflict with his daughters. A tender and quiet exploration of buried regrets, generational friction, and the bittersweet journey toward family reconciliation.

《翠湖》 以昆明翠湖为背景，讲述了丧偶的老人书文试图开启新的情感生活，却与女儿们陷入激烈冲突的故事。影片直面一个三代家庭跨越长久缺席留下的亲情裂痕，在那些被掩埋的遗憾与寂静的悲伤中，展开一场温柔的修补与和解之旅。

"Much of the movie’s strengths emerge from Li Zhenping’s nuanced depiction of Shu-wen. Li manages a quiet depiction of an unassuming academic, who still bears the scars of having been labeled a rightist during the Cultural Revolution, as an educated intellectual. Dealing with the struggles of old age, Shu-wen is lonely after the death of his wife, and increasingly unsure how to connect with his children now that he has to depend on them in old age." (cinemaescapist.com)

"Bian Zhuo treats his characters with understated honesty. I loved how the film moves at the pace of real life, letting emotions grow. The father, the daughters, and grandchildren are all trying, in their own imperfect ways, to find meaning in togetherness. The acting is superbly natural, so much so that it often feels as though we are eavesdropping on a real family." (viewofhearts.com)

Saturday, June 27
Doors 1:30 pm | Movie 2:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Assigned Admission - $20 (includes taxes and fees)

AS THE WATER FLOWS "Cuì Hú" (Bian Zhuo, 2025 / 119 mins. / NR / Chinese w. EST) The movie follows Xie Shuwen, a retired academic and octogenarian intellectual, whose wife passed away a year prior. On the first anniversary of her death, he announces to his family that he intends to pursue a new romance with a family friend. This decision triggers strong opposition and conflict with his three grown daughters

About STArt Film Studio:
STArt aims to use film as a medium to break through information bubbles, allowing people to hear different voices, discover the diversity of people, cultures, and the world on this journey, and ultimately find their own voice.

Learn more about our projects and events:
Website: www.startfilmstudio.org
WeChat: STArt电影
Xiaohongshu (RED): STArt电影
Instagram: @startfilmstudio

STArt Film Studio是在华盛顿州注册登记的非营利组织。
STArt希望用电影作为媒介让大家打破信息茧房， 听到不同的声音，在这个旅程中发现人、文化、世界的多样性， 最后找到属于自己的声音。

了解更多关于我们的项目与活动：
官网：www.startfilmstudio.org
微信公众号：STArt电影
小红书：STArt电影
Instagram：@startfilmstudio

CJ The X
Philosophy Lecture: Optimized Grass Touching

How to lock in, optimize your grindset and work harder than anyone else at living a wholesome balanced meaningful life.

CJ The X a Toronto based independent artist and philosopher that began making YouTube videos in 2021. Since then they’ve amassed over 350 thousand subscribers, 15 million views, a robust crowdfunding base on Patreon, a loyal personal mailing list, and sold out lectures across the world. Their breathless interdisciplinary approach makes them one of the most unique cultural voices in the internet age, blending irreverent humour, sharp intellectualism, and earnest spirituality.

They speak passionately on an eclectic array of subjects, blending together art, religion, technology, community, and beauty in their singular style. They have developed 7 different lectures so far, each completely distinct from the rest while fitting into a cohesive whole.

When not philosophizing, CJ is a rapper and a writer, always most comfortable working on multiple things at once.

Saturday, June 27
Doors 6:30 pm | Lecture 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.
Tickets $45+ s/c

For first access to tickets subscribe to their mailing list @ cjthex.com/subscribe

cjthex.com
youtube.com/cjthex
patreon.com/cjthex

This summer, STArt Film Studio presents Dear Home, a touring showcase of acclaimed Chinese-language films. For our Vancouver stop, we are proud to co-present this program with the Rio Theatre, inviting you to look closely once more at the moments of love and parting. As the places we grew up in drift further away, how do our memories, attachments, and the delicate mending of family ties find their way back? We hope these cinematic letters from the silver screen bring comfort to anyone who still finds themselves longing for somewhere else.

这个夏天，STArt Film Studio 精选了几部华语电影佳作，开启《乡书何处达》巡映之旅。在温哥华站，我们特别联合 Rio Theatre，邀你走进影院，重新凝视那些关于爱与别离的瞬间。当人与故乡渐行渐远，那些关于来处的记忆、亲情的裂痕与修补，又将如何抵达？愿这封来自银幕的“乡书”，能抚慰每一个仍在思念某处的人。

Fly Me To The Moon marks the first feature length film by upcoming director, Sasha Chuk and has been the winner of several Chinese-language awards including:

Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival (2023):
-Winner: NETPAC Award (Best Asian Film).
-Winner: FIPRESCI Prize.
-Winner: Best New Performer (Yoyo Tse Wing-yan).
-Nominee: Best Adapted Screenplay (Sasha Chuk).

Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards (2024):
-Winner: Best Actor (Wu Kang-ren).
-Winner: Best Screenplay (Sasha Chuk).
-Nominee: Best Director (Sasha Chuk), Best Actress (Yoyo Tse).

Hong Kong Film Awards (2024):
-Winner: Best New Performer (Yoyo Tse).

Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) (2023):
-Winner: Won five awards, including WIP Award, CCG Grand Award, and Heaven Pictures Young Director Award.

Moving from Hunan to Hong Kong at age eight, Yuen confronts a reality far from her dream home—marked by poverty, cultural barriers, and her father’s destructive drug habit. As she and her younger sister grow from quiet appeasement in childhood to resistance and escape in adolescence, Yuen eventually realizes that everyone she loves and treasures bears the inescapable shadow of her father. A profound, decades-spanning reflection on childhood memory, identity crisis, and the complicated nature of affection.

《但愿人长久》

来自湖南的新移民姐妹在香港历经二十年成长，在面对身份认同与贫穷的同时，还要面对一个长年吸毒、若即若离的父亲。影片温柔而细腻地解构了一段横跨二十年的父女羁绊，在离散与重聚之间寻找血脉的归属。

"Fly Me to the Moon isn’t just well-acted and well-written. Its greatest strength lies in its visual storytelling. Long takes, a fixed camera, and a restrained use of close-ups create a less deliberate, more meditative tone compared to most American melodramas." (nadamucho.com)

"Despite appearances, Fly Me to the Moon isn’t a tragic tearjerker; Yuen and Kuet aren’t anyone to pity. There’s a clear-eyed matter-of-factness about the story that makes it as observational as it is reflective. After all, these sisters could have moved from Hawaii to Tokyo, from Damascus to Toronto, or from Durban to Adelaide and many of the same issues would rear their ugly heads. Chuk’s film is universal in that aspect, but it’s the personal touch that gives the film its emotional heft – that and a strong cast that makes everyone empathetically real rather than archetypical. Not bad for a first time. Let’s hope there’s a second." (kai-fong.com)

Sunday, June 28
Doors 3:15 pm | Movie 3:45 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Assigned Admission - $18 (includes taxes and fees)

FLY ME TO THE MOON (Sasha Chuk, 2023 / 113 mins. / NR / Chinese w. EST) A pair of sisters moving from Hunan to Hong Kong in the 1990's are faced with an identity crisis, poverty and their father's drug addiction.

About STArt Film Studio:
STArt aims to use film as a medium to break through information bubbles, allowing people to hear different voices, discover the diversity of people, cultures, and the world on this journey, and ultimately find their own voice.

Learn more about our projects and events:
Website: www.startfilmstudio.org
WeChat: STArt电影
Xiaohongshu (RED): STArt电影
Instagram: @startfilmstudio

STArt Film Studio是在华盛顿州注册登记的非营利组织。
STArt希望用电影作为媒介让大家打破信息茧房， 听到不同的声音，在这个旅程中发现人、文化、世界的多样性， 最后找到属于自己的声音。

了解更多关于我们的项目与活动：
官网：www.startfilmstudio.org
微信公众号：STArt电影
小红书：STArt电影
Instagram：@startfilmstudio

Clarence has spent his whole life face-down in the dirt — the only Chinese kid in a redneck town where being different is a crime punishable daily. With a timid mother who cannot protect him and nothing but a faded polaroid of a father he never knew,
Clarence builds himself a mythology: that man with the gun is who he was meant to become.

When Mo, a powerful Triad boss, rolls through town, Clarence sees his blueprint. Using raw ingenuity and his best friend's connections to a local Native reserve, he parlays small-town hustle into a one-way ticket to the big city — and into the inner circle of a criminal empire. He rises fast, engineering an audacious cross-border gun-running operation that makes him indispensable. For the first time in his life, people fear him. Want him. Respect him.

But the hunger that drove him here has no bottom. Every act of power costs him a piece of himself — and the consequences he';s outrun are closing in. His mother is in danger he can't see coming. His best friend becomes a debt he can't escape. And the truth about his father threatens to detonate everything he's built his identity on.

Slant is a visceral, culturally charged crime drama about the seductive poison of power — and what's left of a man when the myth he's chased finally turns and faces him. With Wern Lee, Terry Chen, Stephen Dorff.

Monday, June 29
Doors 9:00 pm | Movie 9:30 pm *Start time subject to change Please arrive on time.

SLANT (Chester Sit, 2026 / NRA relentlessly bullied Asian kid from a small redneck town turns to crime to get the respect he craves. But when he joins a big-city Triad, he is soon forced to choose between gaining untold power and saving what’s left of his soul.

Let’s do the Time Warp… Again!

There is no better way to experience the pop-culture juggernaut that is THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW than the the way it is meant to be seen – on the big screen, in the dark, and with a raucous Rio Theatre audience who are just as into it as you are.

Whether you’re a Virgin or a veteran, you’ll have a blast!

Even better? The one and only Dandy-furter will be on-hand as your evening's host to guide the Virgins (and veterans!) through all the do's-and-don'ts of this monumentally experiential cinematic phenomenon.

As always, costumes and audience participation are highly encouraged - because costume contest! (In other words: Prizes! Here's your chance to go all out and let your freak flag fly, people.) The ticket price includes a fun prop bag, too!

Your own props are also very welcome, but please – whatever you do – DO NOT BRING RICE OR CONFETTI!

Tuesday, June 30
Doors 9:00 pm | Movie 9:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

General Admission - $20 (Includes taxes and fees)
Why not make it a Cheap Date Tuesday with two-for-one tickets?

THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (Jim Sharman, 1975 / 100 mins / 14A) A newly engaged couple (Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick) have a breakdown in an isolated area and must pay a call to the bizarre residence of Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry).

The East Van Laugh RioT welcomes comedian Jeff Dye to the Rio Theatre's stage on Saturday, July 4.

Saturday, July 4
Doors 6:00 pm | Show 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

VIP (First 5 rows / Centre Section) $55+ s/c
Adult Entry $45 + s/c

Meet n' Greet add on $35 (Limited availability).

About Jeff Dye

Jeff Dye isn't here to play nice, he's here to wreck polite conversation and leave audiences howling. A regular on Gutfeld! and The Joe Rogan Experience, he delivers comedy that's loud, sharp, and hilariously inappropriate. He conned America on MTV's Money From Strangers, globe-hopped with legends on NBC's Better Late Than Never, and somehow kept a straight face while cracking jokes on The Tonight Show. Jeff's not chasing clout - he's chasing truth, mic in hand, and not looking back.

Connect with Jeff:
FACEBOOK: @JeffDye
TWITTER: @JeffDye
INSTAGRAM: @JeffDye
YOUTUBE: Jeff Dye

"We're gonna need a bigger screen."

Steven Spielberg's original summer blockbuster, JAWS, is still cause for maritime terror over 50 years after its release in 1975. Based on Peter Benchley's novel of the same name, Spielberg's JAWS forever changed the cinematic landscape, setting a whole new bar for mainstream horror. Masterfully directed with artful yet thrilling cinematography - coupled with John Williams' truly iconic score - JAWS retains its rightful place in movie history as a genuine classic, four decades after its release. Best enjoyed on the big screen (if you dare!).

The charming story of a police chief (Roy Scheider), a marine scientist (Richard Dreyfuss), and a grizzled fisherman (Robert Shaw) who spring into action after a white shark terrorizes the inhabitants of Amity, a quiet island.

"It may be the most cheerfully perverse scare movie ever made. Even while you're convulsed with laughter you're still apprehensive, because the editing rhythms are very tricky, and the shock images loom up huge, right on top of you." (The New Yorker)

"Delivers an astonishingly effective thriller built on a very primal level: fear... On a sheer cause and effect basis, it could be Spielberg's finest." (Empire Magazine)

Saturday, July 4
Doors 9:30 pm | Movie 10:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.
Tickets HERE

JAWS (Steven Spielberg, 1975 / DCP / 124 mins / PG) When an unusually large great white shark decides to terrorizes the inhabitants of Amity Island, three unlikely heroes - a police chief, a marine scientist, and a grizzled fisherman - set out to catch it.

*Minors welcome. Must be 19+ w/ID for bar service.
*Rio Theatre Groupons and passes OK for any single film only. Please redeem at the door.
*We recommend purchasing your tickets in advance at www.riotheatretickets.ca. If a screening or live event is not sold out, the remaining tickets will be available for in-person purchase at the Rio Theatre’s Box Office prior to showtime (subject to availability).
*Our box office is typically open 30 minutes before showtime. All seating is General Admission; please arrive 20-30 minutes prior to showtime to ensure great seats, and time for treats at concession.
*If you are looking to redeem either a Rio Theatre gift certificate or Groupon to any regular Rio Theatre screening: You can either email us in advance and give us a “heads up,” or do it at the box office prior to showtime. (We seat 400+ people and our regular screenings are rarely at capacity – you should not have issues being admitted.)

Best friends Tracy and Martina have never been farther than Nova Scotia, but when they hear promises of big opportunities “out west,” the pair pack their clothes into garbage bags and hop a flight to Alberta. What starts as a dream trip quickly unravels: internal tensions, surprise expenses, and cousins who are nowhere to be found. With their return tickets unbooked and Martina’s credit card maxed, the girls are stranded, broke, and desperate.

They thought they’d make enough money opening for the band Slowcoaster at their three stops in Fort McMurray, Edmonton, and Calgary, but budgeting has never been their strength. Things go from bad to worse when old small-town tensions between the girls bubble to the surface. Through it all, Tracy and Martina discover that making ‘Berta Money isn’t as easy as they thought, but
sticking together and relying on East Coast hospitality just might be their ticket back to Cape Breton.

"'Tracy and Martina Goin' Out West' lovingly mocks a refined flavour of Canadian delusion.... The girls get their moment in the limelight, and make the most of it in their own chaotic fashion." (Screen Anarchy)

"If 'Barb and Star' were headed to the West Edmonton Mall instead of Vista Del Mar, this offbeat and wildly entertaining mockumentary would be the result." (Inside Out 2026)

"... serves as a prime example of Canadian comedy at its best." (Exclaim!)

Filmmakers Justine Williamson, Greg Vardy and Brendan Lyle will be on site for an introduction and post-show Q&A.

Monday, July 6
Doors 5:30 pm | Movie 6:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

TRACY AND MARTINA: GOIN' OUT WEST (Brendan Lyle, 2025 / 77 mins / 14A) Two Cape Breton best friends head west to Alberta for the first time with the hopes of making a few bucks as they open for a local band, but things go south when their accommodations fall through and they run out of money before booking a flight back home.

Yee Haw!

This ain't Texas, but we are bringing the magic of Stampede to VANCOUVER at the Rio Theatre on Sunday, July 12, with an all-star ALL CAST OF COLOUR lineup!!

Vajayjay La'Belle hosts an iconic lineup of Canada’s Drag Race stars, including Season 6 favourites Eboni La'Belle and Karamilk. Get ready for the one and only  Nyongbella from RuPaul's Drag Race UK, who will be making her Vancouver debut! Plus, local talent Wan-Ting Moi and Michelangela are set to make an appearance too.

This will be a hoe-down you DON'T want to miss... Giddyup!

Sunday, July 12
Doors 7:30 pm | Show 8:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

VIP (Exclusive Pre-Show Meet and Greet 7:00 pm + Preferred Seating Rows A-B) $40+ s/c
Main Floor Seating $25 + s/c

Meet and Greet Add-On $10 (Limited Quantity Available)

Save the date! Canadian blues ingenue turned Texas axe-slinger Sue Foley brings over 35 years of professional talent back to the Rio Theatre's stage on Thursday, July 16.

Foley delivers her own brand of high energy, guitar driven Texas blues along with her band that features a seasoned rhythm section that responds to her every move as she sways, rocks, and digs in deep with equal parts ease and intensity. Known for her fiery playing and soulful voice, Foley blends Texas blues grit with a refined fingerstyle technique, whether on her signature pink paisley Fender Telecaster or a hand-built flamenco guitar.

Thursday, July 16
Doors 7:30 pm | Show 8:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Early Bird Pricing (Until May 31) $35+ s/c

--Regular Tickets $40+ s/c
--Students & Veterans (ID Required Upon Entry) $25+ s/c
--4-Pack Ticket Bundle $140+ s/c
--VIP Ticket Bundle $80 + s/c
(Includes exclusive pre-show meet 'n greet at 6:45 pm with Sue Foley, artist's circle seating Rows A-C, exclusive merch bundle!)

Sue Foley is a multi-award-winning blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter whose latest album, One Guitar Woman: A Tribute to the Female Pioneers of Guitar, was nominated for the 2025 GRAMMY® Award for Best Traditional Blues Album.

Born in Ottawa, Canada, Foley began performing professionally at 16 and made her mark in Austin, Texas, with the legendary Antone’s label. Since her 1992 debut Young Girl Blues, she’s toured internationally, sharing stages with B.B. King, Buddy Guy, and Billy F Gibbons. Foley is a five-time consecutive Blues Music Award winner for Traditional Blues Female Artist (2020–2025) and a recipient of multiple other honors, including a JUNO Award and the 2024 Maple Blues Lifetime Achievement Award.

A passionate scholar as well as a performer, Foley holds a PhD in Musicology and will release her first book, Guitar Women, in 2026. As the Philadelphia Inquirer wrote, “Foley has a killer voice, an impossibly alluring blend of sex and innocence to go with those blazing guitar chops.” With One Guitar Woman, she reclaims history and redefines what a guitar hero can be.

"Foley continues to cement her place as one of the leading torchbearers of the blues tradition. Male or female." (Nick Cristiano, Rock and Blues Muse)

“Canada’s greatest blues guitarist." (Brad Wheeler, Toronto Globe and Mail)

Celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the critically acclaimed, award-winning rock movie musical "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" with an unforgettable evening featuring writer, director, and Golden Globe–nominated star, John Cameron Mitchell.

The event includes a stunning 4K screening of the film, followed by a live Q&A, and a special mini acoustic performance by Mitchell.

Arrive early for the pre-show costume contest—held in every city—for a chance to win prizes from our sponsors, The Criterion Collection and The Punk Rock Museum. Come dressed as your best Hedwig or in a look inspired by the work of John Cameron Mitchell.

Post show meet and greet add-ons available!

Produced by ThisMyShow Presents

Monday, July 20
Doors 6:30 pm | Show 7:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Balcony Tickets (GA) $58.25 + s/c
Main Floor (Assigned) $68.75 + s/c
VIP (First four rows, centre section & Meet n' Greet - includes signed poster!) $158 + s/c

Tickets on sale now!

JOHN CAMERON MITCHELL

John Cameron Mitchell wrote/directed/starred in the rock musical and film "Hedwig and the Angry Inch," for which he won the 2014 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical, a Special Tony for his performance, an Obie Award, the Best Director award at the 2001 Sundance Festival and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor, along with 25 other awards.

He wrote/directed the improv-based film SHORTBUS (2006); directed the film adaptation of Pulitzer Prize-winning play RABBIT HOLE (2010) which garnered a Best Actress Oscar nomination for Nicole Kidman; and  co-wrote and directed the YA punk romance HOW TO TALK TO GIRLS AT PARTIES  (2017) starring Kidman and Elle Fanning. He executive-produced (with Gus Van Sant) Jonathan Caouette’s TARNATION (2004) which was the most decorated documentary of 2004.

John was in the original casts of Tony-winning "Big River," "The Secret Garden," and "Six Degrees of Separation" as well as "Hello Again" (Drama Desk nomination) and Larry Kramer’s The Destiny of Me (Obie Award). TV roles include, "Girls", "Shrill", "The Good Fight", "Mozart in the Jungle", "Yellowjackets", "The Sandman", "City on Fire" and "Joe Exotic in Joe Vs Carole." He wrote and directed two scripted podcast series: the musical Anthem: Homunculus (2019) starring Glenn Close, Cynthia Erivo, Patti Lupone and Laurie Anderson; and the satirical sitcom "Cancellation Island "(2025) starring Holly Hunter.

"'Hedwig and the Angry Inch' is a powerful story about identity and creation and pain and love." (Birth.Movies.Death.)

HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH (John Cameron Mitchell, 2001 / 95 mins / 14A) | Hedwig, born male as Hansel in East Berlin, fell in love with an American G.I. and underwent a Gender Reassignment Surgery in order to marry him and flee to the West. Unfortunately, nothing worked out quite as it was supposed to - years later, Hedwig is leading her rock band on a tour of the U.S., telling her life story through a series of concerts at Bilgewater Inn seafood restaurants. Her tour dates coincide with those of arena-rock star Tommy Gnosis, a wide-eyed boy who once loved Hedwig - but then left with all her songs.

Celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the critically acclaimed, award-winning rock movie musical "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" with an unforgettable evening featuring writer, director, and Golden Globe–nominated star, John Cameron Mitchell.

The event includes a stunning 4K screening of the film, followed by a live Q&A, and a special mini acoustic performance by Mitchell.

Arrive early for the pre-show costume contest—held in every city—for a chance to win prizes from our sponsors, The Criterion Collection and The Punk Rock Museum. Come dressed as your best Hedwig or in a look inspired by the work of John Cameron Mitchell.

Post show meet and greet add-ons available!

Produced by ThisMyShow Presents

Tuesday. July 21
Doors 6:30 pm | Show 7:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

JOHN CAMERON MITCHELL

John Cameron Mitchell wrote/directed/starred in the rock musical and film "Hedwig and the Angry Inch," for which he won the 2014 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical, a Special Tony for his performance, an Obie Award, the Best Director award at the 2001 Sundance Festival and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor, along with 25 other awards.

He wrote/directed the improv-based film SHORTBUS (2006); directed the film adaptation of Pulitzer Prize-winning play RABBIT HOLE (2010) which garnered a Best Actress Oscar nomination for Nicole Kidman; and  co-wrote and directed the YA punk romance HOW TO TALK TO GIRLS AT PARTIES  (2017) starring Kidman and Elle Fanning. He executive-produced (with Gus Van Sant) Jonathan Caouette’s TARNATION (2004) which was the most decorated documentary of 2004.

John was in the original casts of Tony-winning "Big River," "The Secret Garden," and "Six Degrees of Separation" as well as "Hello Again" (Drama Desk nomination) and Larry Kramer’s The Destiny of Me (Obie Award). TV roles include, "Girls", "Shrill", "The Good Fight", "Mozart in the Jungle", "Yellowjackets", "The Sandman", "City on Fire" and "Joe Exotic in Joe Vs Carole." He wrote and directed two scripted podcast series: the musical Anthem: Homunculus (2019) starring Glenn Close, Cynthia Erivo, Patti Lupone and Laurie Anderson; and the satirical sitcom "Cancellation Island "(2025) starring Holly Hunter.

"'Hedwig and the Angry Inch' is a powerful story about identity and creation and pain and love." (Birth.Movies.Death.)

HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH (John Cameron Mitchell, 2001 / 95 mins / 14A) | Hedwig, born male as Hansel in East Berlin, fell in love with an American G.I. and underwent a Gender Reassignment Surgery in order to marry him and flee to the West. Unfortunately, nothing worked out quite as it was supposed to - years later, Hedwig is leading her rock band on a tour of the U.S., telling her life story through a series of concerts at Bilgewater Inn seafood restaurants. Her tour dates coincide with those of arena-rock star Tommy Gnosis, a wide-eyed boy who once loved Hedwig - but then left with all her songs.

Carole Pope’s fearless voice redefined Canadian rock and broke barriers for LGBTQ+ artists. ANTIDIVA traces her journey from underground cult figure to celebrated pioneer, revealing never-before-seen archival footage, candid interviews, and a live performance. The film captures her ongoing fight for artistic expression, cultural history, and inter-generational connection in the face of censorship and erasure.

Opening Film, Hot Docs Film Festival 2026

"'Antidiva: The Carole Pope Confessions' is a raw and rollicking portrait of a taboo-shattering provocateur and Canada’s original queer rock icon... Interviews with k.d. lang, Peaches, Rufus Wainwright, Jann Arden and Jeanne Beker affirm Pope’s place in queer and Canadian cultural history and show how she had kicked the door open for others to walk through." (CBC)

"An affectionate and nostalgic profile of hugely talented, deeply influential Canadian LGBTQ+ hero, singer-songwriter, Carole Pope of the band Rough Trade. Solid archival footage and interviews with celebrity fans like Peaches, Rufus Wainwright and Jann Arden along with Rough Trade co-founder, the late Kevan Staples, make this a feel-good look at a star who never grabbed the international attention — and recording contract — that she deserved. " (NEXT)

Wednesday, July 22 With Special Guest Veda Hille
Doors 7:00 pm | Screening & Q&A 8:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

VIP Tickets (Rows A-F, Post-show Meet & Greet) $40
Tickets $30

ANTIDIVA: The Carole Pope Confessions (Michelle Mama, 2026 / 83 mins / NR) Carole Pope shattered taboos with raw, unapologetic music and defiant sexuality—Antidiva tells the story of a queer rock icon reclaiming her rightful place in music history.

Carole Pope’s fearless voice redefined Canadian rock and broke barriers for LGBTQ+ artists. ANTIDIVA traces her journey from underground cult figure to celebrated pioneer, revealing never-before-seen archival footage, candid interviews, and a live performance. The film captures her ongoing fight for artistic expression, cultural history, and inter-generational connection in the face of censorship and erasure.

Opening Film, Hot Docs Film Festival 2026

"'Antidiva: The Carole Pope Confessions' is a raw and rollicking portrait of a taboo-shattering provocateur and Canada’s original queer rock icon... Interviews with k.d. lang, Peaches, Rufus Wainwright, Jann Arden and Jeanne Beker affirm Pope’s place in queer and Canadian cultural history and show how she had kicked the door open for others to walk through." (CBC)

"An affectionate and nostalgic profile of hugely talented, deeply influential Canadian LGBTQ+ hero, singer-songwriter, Carole Pope of the band Rough Trade. Solid archival footage and interviews with celebrity fans like Peaches, Rufus Wainwright and Jann Arden along with Rough Trade co-founder, the late Kevan Staples, make this a feel-good look at a star who never grabbed the international attention — and recording contract — that she deserved. " (NEXT)

Thursday, July 23
Doors 5:30 pm | Film + Q&A 6:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

General Admission - $20 (includes taxes and fees)

ANTIDIVA: The Carole Pope Confessions (Michelle Mama, 2026 / 83 mins / NR) Carole Pope shattered taboos with raw, unapologetic music and defiant sexuality—Antidiva tells the story of a queer rock icon reclaiming her rightful place in music history.

Slay. Serve. Circus!
2025’s Sold-Out Circus Show Returns to the Rio Theatre This July!

Think you know circus? Think again.

On Thursday, July 30th, Du Jour Marketing and April O’Peel Productions brings Cirque Du Slay back to the Rio Theatre for a one-night-only spectacle of drag, circus, comedy, and unapologetic star power. Expect jaw-dropping aerial acts, seductive sets, and unforgettable stage moments designed to keep your pulse racing from start to finish.

Get ready to ooh, ah and ooh la la! Cirque Du Slay is back!

Thursday, July 30
Doors 7:00 pm | Event 8:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Advanced (Main Floor, Assigned; Balcony GA) - $30 + s/c | $35 + s/c at the door
VIP (Front 3 rows centre, Assigned) - $40 + s/c (includes premiere seating + photos with the cast)

Our prize-packed Intermission will feature a special performance and giveaways from local circus schools, queer-owned businesses, and the artists themselves. Support the scene and snag something sweet! Between the thrills onstage, the Rio Theatre lobby and bar will be buzzing with cocktails, mocktails, and all your favourite queer anthems. Be sure to snag a limited-edition Rio Theatre Pride T-shirt, hit up the Cirque Du Slay merch booth, and tag us in your pics: @riotheatre & @aprilopeelproductions.

This boundary-breaking show is proudly sponsored by Rifflandia who produces international projects across music, art, film, sports and live entertainment.

Featuring an ALL-QUEER core cast plus guests including Batty Banks, Cali Cobalt, Justin Heat, Kit
Fox, Maverick, Miss Kiss, Circus Dancer Sarah, Space Cake, Rain City Circus, and more.

Behind the Curtain: Production Partners in Crime

Du Jour Marketing is the personal project of Tita Cupcakedujour. The former professional figure skater and pint-sized pin up, has shifted from pairs skating to pairing passions. Her unique ability to blend athletics, artistry, and community-building took her around the world, and across Canada. Having stuck her landing in the heart of Vancouver’s live performance scene, Tita is back for another season of dynamic performances and audience thrilling productions.

Joining her is the beloved burlesque star and award winning producer April O’Peel. As the creative force behind monthly Burlesque revues at the Rio Theatre, and performances across Vancouver, April is known for turning every event into a guaranteed good time. April O’Peel

Productions combine top level talent and low-ball humour in equal measure, forever over-serving audiences with classic show biz magic and unexpected delights.

After producing a show that left no crumbs, April O’Peel and Du Jour Marketing are back with another dazzling and dizzying lineup. Their decades of stage experience, shared love for fearless, inclusive art, and sold out success is coming to the Rio stage for Pride 2026!

For Pride this year the Rio Theatre is rolling out the rainbow carpet to welcome back Vancouver Pride & the return of Dandy's BIG GAY CABARET! Celebrate with us in a interactive comedy cabaret hosted by the award-winning host and social media sensation DANDY!

HAPPY PRIDE from the RIO THEATRE!!!  It’s Pride week in Vancouver and that means it’s time for BIG GAY CABARET, hosted by DANDY!

Dahlings this is our best year yet because we’re doing a ROAD TRIP! I rented us a big gay bus and we’re going across the country together to experience the gayest things the world has to offer. We’ll see drag queens, burlesque, fire dances, cosplay, feminist book clubs, and sexy original vocalists. PARTY BUS VIBES ALL THE WAY SO DRESS TO IMPRESS DAHLINGS. And as for our final destination? A HEATED RIVALRY look alike competition IN MONTREAL! Are you kidding? Am I? Well you’ll have to show up to find out. Don’t miss it, and VIP gets interactive prop bags darlings. Let’s go gurrrrlz.

Friday, July 31
Doors 7:15 pm | Show 8:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Gas prices are up but ticket prices are down when you book EARLY BIRD tickets!

Main Floor Assigned $30 + s/c | $35 at the door
VIP - First 4 rows $40 + s/c **VIP ticket holders also get an interactive prop bag to be used during the show!**
The 'We Are Family' 4 Pack $25 a ticket + s/c (Available online only)

But wait, there's more!

The Rio Theatre lobby and bar will be open between shows and serving up Pride inspired cocktails, mocktails and your favorite gay anthems. Don't forget to pick up a Rio Theatre Pride Edition T-shirt, check out the merch booth and pose, vogue, pose at our pride photo backdrop. Don't forget to tag us in your pics @riotheatre & @dandyandfriends

Featuring:

Layna Emerald

Shoop Dumplin

Celeste

Leviticus

And MORE!

Behind the award winning costumes and make-up:

Ryan Leslie Fisher plays Dandy (he/him) is the revelrous cabaret host made popular on TikTok for his viral videos promoting queer joy! Winner of Host of the Year 2024 for Vancouver International Burlesque Festival and awarded runner up in the Georgia Straight’s BEST OF VANCOUVER for his show Drag Attack! - you can catch him regularly on stage in his shows at the iconic Rio Theatre in Vancouver, BC. His Emmy-winning series Dandyland, which highlights businesses, organizations, and artists in the LGBT Community, is now streaming on Optik TV.
@dandyandfriends

Rafaella Rabinovich is an internationally trained, award-winning costume designer working across film, television, and live performance. A proud queer artist, she is known for her bold, character-driven approach to storytelling and her ability to elevate the visual language of every project. Trained in costume and set design, Rafaella further specialized and furthered her educetion in theatrical prosthetics, advanced pattern-making and shoe making. Her credits span major studios and networks including Netflix, The CW, ABC, TBS, Disney, Lifetime, Discovery Channel, and Sony, with notable projects including To All the Boys I've Loved Before, Project Mc2, Kung Fu, Stranger in Town, and the upcoming thriller Harmonia staring Carrie Coon, Lily James, Bella Ramsey, and Odessa Young. Her work has earned multiple CAFTCAD Awards, Leo honors, a Costume Society of America Design Award, a Day Time Creative Emmy nomination as well as a Children’s & Family Emmy Award win and recognition at the 27th and 28th Costume Designers Guild Awards for Dandyland. @costume_designer101

Anirban Dasgupta’s Player is an immersive stand-up show that explores two childhoods, with a twist. Anirban's childhood dream was to become a sportsperson. But instead of Eden Gardens, he’s ended up at your neighbourhood theatre. Clearly it didn’t work out.

Now, as a dad navigating the chaotic second half of life, he’s rethinking the rules and wondering if everything from comedy to raising a kid is actually just a game? Who’s winning, who’s losing, what’s the endgame?

Come find out in this new stand-up comedy thriller that will go down to the… Last joke!

Presented by StageAdda

Sunday, August 2
Doors 6:15 pm | Show 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

VIP Tickets (Rows A-E, Centre Section) $50 + s/c
Tickets $40+ s/c

The East Van Laugh RioT is happy to welcome comedian TJ back to the Rio Theatre's stage on Thursday, August 27.

Fresh off a TV pilot filmed for FX, comedian TJ is back on the road (and returning to the Rio Theatre's stage!) with new jokes about love, death, grief, and immigration. Come for the same fresh, incisive, and caustic wit, stay for the poetry of laughter to be found within the darkest of subjects.

THE ALIEN EVERYWHERE is TJ’s third standup tour. Following successful stints in North America and Europe, he’s ready to go again and bring jokes from the singular Haitian perspective to the rest of the English speaking world. He’s also planning to add a few more countries, and even continents to this one. He hopes to see you in a room, wherever in the world you live, laughing together at the human condition.

Thursday, August 27
Doors 6:30 pm | Show 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Early Bird Tickets (Until July 6) $25+ s/c
Tickets $30+ s/c | $40+ s/c at the door
Date Night! Pair of tickets $60+ s/c (Online Only)
Squad Pass! Group of Four $25+ s/c (Online Only)

On sale May 28

A Haitian born stand-up comedian who is currently based in New York City, TJ has a very laid back, smooth, and conversational style. He jokes about race, society’s idiosyncrasies, and the inherent contrast between life in Haiti and America, and has made appearances on Gotham Comedy Live (AXS TV) and Good Day New York (FOX).  Some people say his humor is smart and eye-opening; he would probably agree with these people.

TJ is a paid regular at the Comedy Cellar and Gotham Comedy Club in NYC, but has performed all over the world, and recently returned from a small European tour where he performed in English and French. In addition to opening for Colin Quinn, Janelle James, Maria Bamford and Sean Patton, TJ has also been a featured performer at numerous festivals like Netflix Is A Joke Festival, SF Sketchfest and the Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival.

Not just limited to the stage, TJ is also an Op-Ed contributor for The New York Times, offering a unique and thoughtful perspective on various societal issues. His special, “JANUARY 3RD,” available on Amazon, and album, “SON OF HAITI,” accessible on all major audio platforms, have been celebrated by comedy enthusiasts worldwide.  Check out his Don’t Tell Comedy set on YouTube.

Vancouver’s longest-running, best-kept secret!

Inspired by early David Letterman and the classic variety show format, Paul Anthony’s TALENT TIME combs youth talent shows and unique corners of underground entertainment to create an innovative, strange and hilarious show that also accidentally builds connection and reaffirms the human spirit.

Come experience what the Vancouver Sun called a "Phenomenon"! Paul Anthony’s TALENT TIME is a live comedy/variety/talk show performed in the heart of East Vancouver. Featuring a live house band and co-host Ryan Beil from The Sunday Service Improv.

Now in its 18th season, this entertaining and unique two-hour live show is also a fast-paced, half-hour television series broadcast on the Novus Network locally and globally on YouTube.

Theme and lineup TBA.

Thursday, September 3
Doors 7:00 pm | Show 8:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Artist Presale: May 19, 2026 @ 10:00 AM PT
Vancouver is Funny: May 21, 2026 @ 10:00 AM PT
On Sale: May 22, 2026 @ 10:00 AM PT

Do Go On is a comedy/history podcast hosted by Australian Comedians Dave Warneke, Jess Perkins and Matt Stewart. Every week since 2015 they've taken it in turns to pick a topic from history and report back. Over ten years and 500+ episodes later, they've covered everything from Dolly Parton to Bigfoot, Chernobyl to the real Great Escape.

In that time they've been downloaded more than 25 million times and toured live shows across Australia, The UK, Ireland, Germany, New Zealand and Thailand. This is their first ever time in Canada! Yes it will be weird seeing their voices come out of their faces but don't worry, you'll get used to it!

Saturday, September 12
Doors 12:00 pm | Podcast Taping 1:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Get ready, Vancouver! Dhaka Club Vancouver brings you Artcell Live in Vancouver at the iconic Rio Theatre on Sunday, September 13, 2026 at 6:00 PM.

Known as one of Bangladesh’s most influential progressive rock/metal bands, Artcell has captivated fans for decades with powerful vocals, unforgettable guitar work, deep lyrics, and an electrifying stage presence. From fan-favourite classics to their signature progressive sound, this will be a night filled with energy, nostalgia, and pure live music excitement.

Join the Vancouver Bangladeshi community and rock fans from across the Lower Mainland for an unforgettable evening celebrating music, culture, and the return of Artcell to Vancouver.

Sunday, September 13
Show begins at 6:00 pm *Please arrive on time.

Early Bird Tickets (Expires June 10, 2026 at midnight):
Main Floor: $45 + s/c | Balcony: $35 + s/c

Regular Tickets:
Main Floor: $50 + s/c | Balcony: $40 + s/c

TICKETS GO ON SALE FRIDAY, MAY 29 @ 10:00 AM PST!

Secure your tickets early and be part of one of Vancouver’s biggest Bangla Rock Nights of the year.

The East Van Laugh RioT welcomes comedian Katie Boyle to the Rio Theatre's stage for a night of laughter on Thursday, September 17.

Thursday, September 17
Doors 6:00 pm | Show 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Tickets on sale April 24 @ 9:00 am

Katie Boyle is an Irish comedian living in New York City. Her favorite stand-up topics are her journey through American culture, dating, therapy and shame! She performed as a "New Face" in the 2023 Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal, and was featured in NY Funniest showcase and New York Comedy Festival in 2022. Katie's debut album and special, I'll Do It Myself, was released through Pinch Records in summer of 2023. The special has since hit half a million views on YouTube and the album hit #1 on iTunes Comedy Charts and is currently available to stream on all major audio platforms. Her Don't Tell Comedy set premiered in November, 2023.

Her second full-length special, Terapy, was released in July, 2025, and is currently available to stream on YouTube and Disruptor Comedy. She performed a full run of her critically acclaimed one-woman dark comedy, Roe v. Wade versus Katie, at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August, 2025.

Katie has headlined clubs across the United States and Ireland, and brought her hour to Dublin and Cork in the summer of 2024 for four sold-out shows. She’s been featured in The Hollywood Reporter, Irish Independent, and The Irish Times and her work has been featured at Laughing Skull, Women in Comedy, Kansas City Irish Fest, and on SiriusXM. Her new, widely acclaimed dark comedy, Roe v Wade versus Katie, was named among the “Best of the Fest” at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival by The Scotsman in August 2025. She is currently touring the show globally.

Outside of stand-up, Katie has acted in various sketches and shorts, including LadBible and Unilad's Man of the Street videos, and she appeared in a commercial for Oracle. She also collaborates with brands like Piece of Cake Moving, Language Drops, Sundance, and MTV to create and develop funny content. Katie has been producing and emceeing a consistently sold out Irish comedy show at the Dead Rabbit since February, 2023, which flies in Irish comedians to perform. She currently hosts The Shift podcast, on which she and guests discuss sex and dating from an Irish perspective.

Connect with Katie Boyle @KatieBoylecomic

Wes Barker is the funniest magician touring today! Wild tricks, hilarious stories, and incredible feats. A magic show like you’ve never experienced. You may recognize Wes from his TV show (Big Trick Energy) or other appearances on Kill Tony, America’s Got Talent, Ellen, Syfy, MTV, and Penn & Teller: Fool Us (which he won). Wes also has numerous viral videos which have gained over a billion views across the internet!

Saturday, September 19
Doors 5:30 pm | Show 6:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Early Bird Tickets $36.75+ s/c (Until June 5)
Tickets $42+ s/c

www.youtube.com/WesBarker

One of YouTube's most popular comics with over 225 million views and half a billion more on Facebook, Steve Hofstetter is also the host of Finding Babe Ruth on FS1. Hofstetter was the host and executive producer of Laughs (FOX) and he has been on CBS’ The Late Late Show, E! True Hollywood Story, Comics Unleashed, and more. He’s sold out shows in hundreds of cities and dozens of countries. Now is your chance to find out what the fuss is about during this no-holds-barred stand-up performance, featuring some of his unfiltered observations about life.

Wednesday, September 23
Doors 7:00 pm | Show 8:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Meet and Greet:  Row A, seats 5-17: $210 + GST + s/c
Gold (Centre Section / Main): $77 + GST + s/c
Silver (Side Sections / Main)  $49 + GST + s/c
Balcony (General Admission)  $42 + GST + s/c

Guess who's back to keep Vancouver laughing in 2026... The East Van Laugh RioT is pleased to welcome back comedian Sammy Obeid - with all-new material! We just can't keep him off our stage!

Sunday, September 27
Doors 4:00 pm | Show 5:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Adult Balcony (General Admission) $44 + s/c
Adult Main Floor (Assigned Seating) $55+ s/c
VIP Meet n' Greet (Rows 2-6, centre section) $69+ s/c
VVIP Meet n' Greet (Front Row, centre section) $85+ s/c
Group Ticket Pricing (Minimum 4) $49 (ea)+ s/c (online only)

Lebanese-Palestinian American and born in Oakland California, Sammy Obeid double-majored in Business and Mathematics at UC Berkeley and then turned down a job at Google to be a comedian.

Now the host of 100 Humans on Netflix, he’s also appeared on NBC's Last Comic Standing and America's Got Talent, as well as TBS’s Conan, and is best known for his world record of performing comedy 1,001 nights in a row, a story featured in both Time Magazine and The New York Times.

Connect on Instagram @sammyobeid
Connect on Facebook
Connect on TikTok @sammyobeidthem
Connect on X @sammyobeid

Guess who's back to keep Vancouver laughing in 2026... The East Van Laugh RioT is pleased to welcome back comedian Sammy Obeid - with all-new material! We just can't keep him off our stage!

Sunday, September 27
Doors 7:00 pm | Show 8:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Adult Balcony (General Admission) $44 + s/c
Adult Main Floor (Assigned Seating) $55+ s/c
VIP Meet n' Greet (Rows 2-6, centre section) $69+ s/c
VVIP Meet n' Greet (Front Row, centre section) $85+ s/c
Group Ticket Pricing (Minimum 4) $49 (ea)+ s/c (online only)

Lebanese-Palestinian American and born in Oakland California, Sammy Obeid double-majored in Business and Mathematics at UC Berkeley and then turned down a job at Google to be a comedian.

Now the host of 100 Humans on Netflix, he’s also appeared on NBC's Last Comic Standing and America's Got Talent, as well as TBS’s Conan, and is best known for his world record of performing comedy 1,001 nights in a row, a story featured in both Time Magazine and The New York Times.

Connect on Instagram @sammyobeid
Connect on Facebook
Connect on TikTok @sammyobeidthem
Connect on X @sammyobeid

Lloyd Cole will take to the road in 2026 with a run of solo shows in North America, including a stop in Vancouver at the Rio Theatre on Thursday, October 15. His elegant solo live performances in recent years have been predominantly acoustic, but for these concerts he has decided to go electric. The performance will run the gamut from his masterful debut with the Commotions ‘Rattlesnakes’ right up to 2023’s acclaimed ‘On Pain’ touching on all points in between.

Says Lloyd: “In 1999, in retreat from mainstream ambivalence, the idea of becoming a troubadour was perversely alluring. Two acoustic guitars, a suitcase, and a round the world ticket. It took a while for me to become comfortable with it, but The Folksinger Show became my staple. And then, somehow or other, twenty-five years were gone, and now I find myself approaching the end of my career, and wanting to be seen more as just a singer, who wrote a body of work, very little of which one would reasonably label ‘folk’. So I’m back with my Telecaster, my Princeton amp, and my solo show is now electric.”

Thursday, October 15
Doors 7:00 pm | Show 8:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

VIP / Artists Circle (Rows A-D, Centre) $65+ s/c
Main Floor (Assigned Seating) $50+ s/c
Balcony (General Admission) $50+ s/c

ABOUT THE ARTIST

In 2023 Lloyd Cole released ‘On Pain’, his twelfth album as a solo artist. He has released 17 studio albums including three with The Commotions [‘Rattlesnakes’ (84), ‘Easy Pieces’ (’85), Mainstream (’87)] twelve solo albums [‘Lloyd Cole’ (’90), ‘Don’t Get Weird On Me Babe’ (’91), ‘Bad Vibes’ (’93), ‘Love Story’ (95), ‘Plastic Wood’ (’01), ‘Music In A Foreign Language’ (’03), ‘Anti Depressant’ (’06), ‘Broken Record’ (’10), ‘Standards’ (’13), ‘1D’ (’15), ‘Guesswork’ (’19), ‘On Pain’ (’23)],  one with The Negatives [‘The Negatives (2000)] and one with Hans Joachim Roedelius  [‘Selected Studies Vol. 1’ (’13)].

WHAT THE PAPERS SAID ABOUT LLOYD COLE’S 2023 ALBUM ‘ON PAIN’

“Ghostly electronica accompanies meditations on loss, mortality and the passage of time on Cole’s absorbing new album.” 4 **** Sunday Times

“Grappling with the ineffable…a richly detailed synth-pop LP of admirable sophistication…it’s Cole’s growing sound design expertise – and ever unique lyrical voice – that ensure his 40-year career still has legs.” (4**** MOJO)

“’A storied songwriter comes of age (again)… He too has become more of what he always was. And somehow he’s achieved that by paring his music down to its rawest essence.” (8/10 Uncut)

“…beautiful and special, the kind of miminalist adventure we hoped Mark Hollis would return with one day, only with added tales of bloodthirsty wolves and drug-addled rockers...Cole is on a roll. He’s still making erudite melodies, but now there’s something new and other to them. At 62, ‘On Pain’ is the sound of a man just getting started.” (8/10 Classic Pop)

“Cole’s ruminations on the human condition have rarely been as finely tuned as this.” (4***  The Sun)

The iconic “Half Italian, Half Jersey Boy” brings his viral dating stories and emotional reflections to live audiences this fall.

Outback Presents is proud to announce that viral storyteller, author, and live performer Davide de Pierro will bring his unique live storytelling experience to Canada this fall with three special performances, including at the Rio Theatre on Sunday, November 1.

Known for his candid reflections on relationships and the everyday moments that define the human experience, De Pierro has built a devoted online following of more than 6 million across TikTok and Instagram, where his commentary on dating, personal growth, and modern life regularly reaches millions of viewers.

Inspired by his newly released novel The Letters I Never Sent, the live show blends personal storytelling, humor, and audience conversation. Throughout the night, De Pierro will deliver a monologue and read selections from the book, followed by an open Q&A with the audience. Limited meet-and-greet opportunities will also be available for those who purchase in advance.

“The show is a night out together,” said De Pierro. “It’s storytelling, conversation, some laughs, and hopefully a reminder that we’re all navigating a lot of the same things — relationships, personal growth, and the moments in life that connect us. If people leave feeling a little lighter and a little less alone, then it was a good night.”

Sunday, November 1
Doors 2:00 pm | Show 3:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Platinum (Rows A & B, Centre Section) $85.75 + s/c
Main Floor  $55.75 + s/c
Main Floor (Aisle Seats) $65.75 + s/c
Balcony (General Admission) $45.75 + s/c

Tickets on sale Friday, March 27 at 10:00 am PST!

The iconic “Half Italian, Half Jersey Boy” brings his viral dating stories and emotional reflections to live audiences this fall.

Outback Presents is proud to announce that viral storyteller, author, and live performer Davide de Pierro will bring his unique live storytelling experience to Canada this fall with three special performances, including at the Rio Theatre on Sunday, November 1.

Known for his candid reflections on relationships and the everyday moments that define the human experience, De Pierro has built a devoted online following of more than 6 million across TikTok and Instagram, where his commentary on dating, personal growth, and modern life regularly reaches millions of viewers.

Inspired by his newly released novel The Letters I Never Sent, the live show blends personal storytelling, humor, and audience conversation. Throughout the night, De Pierro will deliver a monologue and read selections from the book, followed by an open Q&A with the audience. Limited meet-and-greet opportunities will also be available for those who purchase in advance.

“The show is a night out together,” said De Pierro. “It’s storytelling, conversation, some laughs, and hopefully a reminder that we’re all navigating a lot of the same things — relationships, personal growth, and the moments in life that connect us. If people leave feeling a little lighter and a little less alone, then it was a good night.”

Sunday, November 1
Doors 6:00 pm | Show 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Platinum (Rows A & B, Centre Section) $85.75 + s/c
Main Floor  $55.75 + s/c
Main Floor (Aisle Seats) $65.75 + s/c
Balcony (General Admission) $45.75 + s/c