Set in the year 2027, French comic book artists turned filmmaker Ugo Beinvenu's ARCO tells the story of a 10-year-old girl, Iris, who sees a mysterious boy wearing a rainbow jumpsuit falling from the sky. It's Arco. He comes from a distant, idyllic future where time travel is possible. Iris takes him in and will do whatever it takes to help him return home. The  star-studded English voice cast includes Will Ferrell, Natalie Portman, Andy Samberg and Mark Ruffalo The film blends Ghibli-esque wonder with serious themes about humanity's future and connection to nature, and is perfect for animation lovers of all ages.

"A sweet, immersive glimpse at two of our futures, and it’s clear-eyed about which aspects of those worlds we want to avoid, and which ones we have to pursue." (TheWrap)

"Like a cross between a Studio Ghibli joint and “Interstellar,” “Arco,” by the French comic-book artist turned filmmaker Ugo Bienvenu, strikes a lovely balance between fantastical kid-friendly wholesomeness and real-world bleakness." (New York Times)

"'Arco' is a children’s adventure set in world that’s literally on fire, which makes the moments of childlike wonder and connection all the more endearing and vital." (Slant Magazine)

"When filmmakers attempt to replicate Ghibli, they often come off leaden and overwritten—“Mononoke” made too many think that Hayao never had a sense of humor—so it’s nice to see a filmmaker who values whimsy as much as message." (RogerEbert.com)

Saturday, February 7
Doors 11:00 am | Movie 11:30 am *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

ARCO (Ugo Bienvenu, 2025 / 90 mins / G) A boy from a peaceful future lands in 2075, teaming up with a local girl and her robot to find his way home, potentially saving the planet.

Presented by System Entertainment.

Nikola Kojo se vraća liku Miše Pavlovića posle više od 30 godina. Miši u Srbiju dolaze sinovi koje dugo nije video, jer žive sa Natašom u Moskvi, ali kada stignu momci koji nose imena svojih pradeda - Žike i Milana, počinje nova luda godina, prepuna smeha, avanture, ali i porodičnih vrednosti.

A violinist named Misha struggles to support his family by playing at weddings. He has two sons, each named after their grandfathers. The boys are navigating the challenges of puberty as their father tries to make ends meet.

English subtitles.

Saturday, February 7
Doors 1:30 pm | Film 2:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

General Admission - $25.50 + s/c

Režija: Milan Konjević
U glavnim ulogama: Nikola Kojo, Danijela Dimitrovska, Nikola Brun, Gavrilo Ivanković Srđan Timarov, Mladen Sovilj, Jovo Maksić, Vesna Čipčić, Vladimir Petrović, Gala Videnović, Slobodan Boda Ninković…
Žanr: Komedija
Trajanje: 100 min
Scenario: Milena Marković
Producenti: Milan Todorović, Ognjen Rakčević, Jovan Marković, Goran Peković
Produkcija: Talking Wolf Productions, Olimp produkcija, FIT
Film podržali: Filmski centar Srbije, Apollon
Distribucija: Art Vista

The East Van Laugh Riot is pleased to welcome back comedian Ian Bagg, who is returning to the Rio Theatre's stage for a night of laughs on Friday, February 6 & 7.

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

Most comedians have a monologue; Ian has a dialogue. Attend a show immediately and see why his high school history teacher asked Ian's parents if there was something he should know about Ian.

"You know, the only thing that kills the demon... is love."

Before becoming one of contemporary cinema's most acclaimed and culturally relevant directors, Quentin Tarantino had a little luck penning some scripts and stories that would eventually be made into cult-classics, including 1994's NATURAL BORN KILLERS, directed by Oliver Stone. Offbeat, hyper-stylized, and gloriously violent, this (weirdly) romantic road trip movie remains fresh over 30 years (!) since its release, and it's getting the big-screen, late night treatment at the Rio Theatre on Saturday, February 7.

Easily one of cinema's greatest couples, Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis star as two young, attractive serial killers who become tabloid-TV darlings, thanks to a their cross-country killing spree and a sensationalistic press that charts their every movie, led by an uncanny Robert Downey Jr. Also starring Rodney Dangerfield, Tom Sizemore, Tommy Lee Jones.

"The movie is enlightening, not because it transmits new information, but in the way that movies enlighten, through a synergy of images and rhythms that makes us sense the world in a new way." (Newsweek)

"Seeing this movie once is not enough. The first time is for the visceral experience, the second time is for the meaning." (Roger Ebert)

Saturday, February 7
Doors 10:00 pm | Movie 10:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

All Tickets $12!

NATURAL BORN KILLERS (Oliver Stone, 1994 / 118 mins 18A) Oliver Mickey and Mallory know the difference between right and wrong… Director Oliver Stone took a story by Quentin Tarantino and crafted a deft commentary on fame and contemporary culture’s obsession with sensationalist media.

In the weeks unfolding after Liat Beinin Atzili is kidnapped on October 7, her Israel-American father resists efforts to use her captivity to justify escalating violence in Gaza, exposing political and emotional rifts within his family as they struggle to find a way to bring her home.

“Affecting… quietly but forcefully recognizes that the conflict cannot continue.” (The New York Times)

“Politically potent and emotionally gripping... Brandon Kramer does an impressive job revealing the personal and geopolitical aspects of a heartbreaking true story.” (The Hollywood Reporter)

Sunday, February 8
Doors 12:15 pm | Movie 12:45 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

HOLDING LIAT (Brandon Kramer | 2025 | 97 mins) After Liat Beinin Atzili is kidnapped on October 7th, her Israeli-American family faces their own conflicting perspectives to fight for her release and the future of the places they call home.

Because our screen is bigger.
Waaaaaaaay bigger.
That's why.

Enjoy the ultimate game day experience on Sunday, February 8 for Super Bowl LX, as the Seattle Seahawks take on the New England Patriots at our annual (not to mention FREE!) screening and watch party at the Rio Theatre. Featuring half time show performance from Puerto Rican reggaeton and Latin trap artist Bad Bunny, the first Latino and Spanish-speaking singer to perform as a solo act.

Trivia!
Prizes!!
Football!!!

Sunday, February 8
Super Bowl LX
Doors 3:00 pm | Kickoff 3:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Entry is FREE! Our viewing parties tend to get busy - ensure your seats and RSVP in advance for only $5!

“You keep dancing with the devil, one day he’s gonna follow you home.”

Following the massive success of both CREED and BLACK PANTHER franchises American director Ryan Coogler is again reuniting with one of the stars of those films, Michael B. Jordan, in an entirely new vision of fear: SINNERS. One of the most critically acclaimed and talked about movies of 2025, Golden Globe-winner SINNERS is currently nominated for a record-braking 16 Oscars.

Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers (Jordan, in a dual role) return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back. With Hailee Steinfeld, Jack O’Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, and Delroy Lindo.

"'Sinners' is a redemption movie, a revenge movie with elements of Blaxploitation, and certainly a red-blood-soaked horror movie; it’s also deeply romantic and has the rhythms and audaciousness of some of our boldest musicals." (Filmspotting)

"An awe-inspiring ode to what music means to communities and cultures." (Chicago Reader)

Sunday, February 8
Doors 8:15 pm | Movie 8:45 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

SINNERS (Ryan Coogler, 2025 / 137 mins / 14A) Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.

Brazil, 1977. Marcelo, a technology expert in his early 40s, is on the run. Hoping to reunite with his son, he travels to Recife during Carnival, but soon realizes that the city is not the safe haven he was expecting.

Winner of Best Director (Kleber Mendonça Filho) and Best Actor in Cannes, THE SECRET AGENT is currently nominated for three Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture Drama, Best Actor Drama, Best Foreign Language Film, and is Brazil's pick for Oscar submission.

"'The Secret Agent' suggests something more consequential with its gripping portrait of political resistance: that survival is a matter of both watching and watching over one another." (Washington Post)

"The period detail is a marvel, the era’s music a most excellent groove, and the cast a top-to-bottom wowzer of interesting faces and eclectic bodies." (Austin Chronicle)

"This smart, brutal, often funny thriller uses the travails of one ordinary man to capture a reactionary era in its daily realities and surreal absurdities, its public cruelty and private decency." (NPR)

"Fiery and relentlessly paced (its 158 minutes don’t contain a minute of bloat), the political thriller pivoting around themes of paranoia and resistance feels perfectly tuned to the moment." (Globe and Mail)

Monday, February 9
Doors 5:30 pm | Movie 6:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

THE SECRET AGENT "O Agente Secreto"  (Kleber Mendonça Filho, 2025 / 141 mins / 14A / Brazilian Portuguese w. EST) In 1977, a technology expert flees from a mysterious past and returns to his hometown of Recife in search of peace. He soon realizes that the city is far from being the refuge he seeks.

Mark Fischbach (aka YouTube creator and influencer Markiplier to his legions of fans) is unleashing his highly-anticipated debut feature horror film, IRON LUNG, into the cinematic sphere on January 30. In a post-apocalyptic future after "The Quiet Rapture" event, a convict explores a blood ocean on a desolate moon using a submarine called the "Iron Lung" to search for missing stars/planets.

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

IRON LUNG (Mark Fischback, 2026 / 125 mins / 18A) Survivors of the apocalypse launch an expedition to a barren moon with an ocean of blood.

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

Tuesday, February 10
Doors 5:30 pm | Show 6:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Adult Balcony (General Admission) $39 + s/c Early Bird $30 Until December 21!
Adult Main Floor (Assigned Seating) $48+ s/c Early Bird $40 Until December 21!
VIP Meet n' Greet (Rows 2-6, centre section) $65+ s/c
VVIP Meet n' Greet (Front Row, centre section) $75+ s/c
Group Ticket Pricing (Minimum 4) $43 (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 the winter season return of comedian Sammy Obeid - with all-new material! We just can't keep him off our stage!

Tuesday, February 10
Doors 8:30 pm | Show 9:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Adult Balcony (General Admission) $39 + s/c
Adult Main Floor (Assigned Seating) $48+ s/c
VIP Meet n' Greet (Rows 2-6, centre section) $65+ s/c
VVIP Meet n' Greet (Front Row, centre section) $75+ s/c
Group Ticket Pricing (Minimum 4) $43 (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

A performance night featuring the talents and artistry of Professional Showgirls!

Get yourself teased, tantalized and all worked up ahead of V-Day with a "hump-day" helping of flesh and sin from some of Canada's best and award winning professional showgirls on Wednesday, February 11 at Lovers and Haters: A Showgirl Cabaret!

Expect to see acts that celebrate both love and hate incorporating strip club culture like Flow, Pole Dancing, Aerials and Chains. With featured performances from award winning Flow and Aerial artist, Miss Nude Canada 2024, Miss Nude North America 2023 - Bree Vybes!

Wednesday, February 11
Doors 7:00 pm | 8:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

All tickets $25 + s/c
(Main floor assigned, Balcony GA)

Featuring performances by:

Bree Vybes @breevybes
Caroline @loup_pole
Demi Reign @demi.reign
Helena @hell.lena_bythelights
Josie Jett @josie_jett_dancer
Kitana @aerial.sushi
Lily Lux @lily.lux.xo
Misty Blue @itsmistyblue.x
Nina Nightblossom @nina.nightblossom
Oliv Oill @littlemissolivoill
Sienna Rogue @sienna.rogue
Skylar Blade @skylar.blade

Set in the year 2027, French comic book artists turned filmmaker Ugo Beinvenu's ARCO tells the story of a 10-year-old girl, Iris, who sees a mysterious boy wearing a rainbow jumpsuit falling from the sky. It's Arco. He comes from a distant, idyllic future where time travel is possible. Iris takes him in and will do whatever it takes to help him return home. The  star-studded English voice cast includes Will Ferrell, Natalie Portman, Andy Samberg and Mark Ruffalo The film blends Ghibli-esque wonder with serious themes about humanity's future and connection to nature, and is perfect for animation lovers of all ages.

"A sweet, immersive glimpse at two of our futures, and it’s clear-eyed about which aspects of those worlds we want to avoid, and which ones we have to pursue." (TheWrap)

"When filmmakers attempt to replicate Ghibli, they often come off leaden and overwritten—“Mononoke” made too many think that Hayao never had a sense of humor—so it’s nice to see a filmmaker who values whimsy as much as message." (RogerEbert.com)

Friday, February 13
Doors 2:50 pm | Movie 3:20 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

All tickets just $12!

ARCO (Ugo Bienvenu, 2025 / 90 mins / G) A boy from a peaceful future lands in 2075, teaming up with a local girl and her robot to find his way home, potentially saving the planet.

You're so cool.

Our Friday Late Night Movie series continues on Friday, February 13 with a screening one of the most oddball, quirky, hyper-violent yet surprisingly sweet romances we never get tired of re-visiting on the big screen, TRUE ROMANCE.

Before becoming one of contemporary cinema's most acclaimed and culturally relevant directors, Quentin Tarantino had a little luck penning some scripts that would eventually be made into cult-classics, including one that would be made by the late, great Tony Scott in 1993 - TRUE ROMANCE. Christian Slater stars as Clarence, a comic-book nerd and Elvis fanatic who meets and falls in love with a prostitute named Alabama (Patricia Arquette) at a Sonny Chiba triple feature on his birthday. When Clarence breaks the news of their impending nuptials to her pimp (Gary Oldman), their conversation goes... quite awry. Things quickly go from bad to worse when Clarence mistakenly grabs a suitcase of the pimp's cocaine, thinking it is Alabama's clothing. The two unlikely lovebirds quickly hit the road for California, hoping to sell the drugs and start anew. Unfortunately for them, the mob wants their suitcase back, and the star-crossed lovers find themselves on the lam. Scott's full-throttle, stylish direction is on full display in this hyper-violent, darkly funny, and strangely sweet romantic 90's audience favourite. Also starring Christopher Walken, James Gandolfini, Brad Pitt, and Michael Rapaport.

"This is not only an immensely entertaining violent action but genuinely romantic at times. Tarantino's dialogue is as sparkling as ever." (Empire Magazine)

"Violent to a fault, glam to the max." (TIME)

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

Late Night Date Night! Friday Late Night Movies are two-for-one entry!

TRUE ROMANCE (Tony Scott, 1993 / 120 mins / 18A)  In Detroit, a lonely pop culture geek marries a call girl, steals cocaine from her pimp, and tries to sell it in Hollywood. Meanwhile, the owners of the cocaine, the Mob, track them down in an attempt to reclaim it.

"Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine."

Can there be anything said about CASABLANCA that hasn't already been said? Sitting comfortably at the #1 spot on the American Film Institute's '100 Greatest Love Stories of All Time,' this enduring classic romance remains one of the most important films Hollywood ever produced (with one of the most instantly recognizable music scores!).

Released in 1942 against the unfolding backdrop of World War II, American expat Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart, at his most charismatic) must choose between his love for former flame Ilsa Lund (an exquisite Ingrid Bergman) and helping her Czech Resistance leader husband escape the Vichy-controlled French-Moroccan city of Casablanca so that he can continue his fight against the Nazi regime. Also starring Paul Henreid, Peter Lorre.

"Nobody lights a torch like Ingrid Bergman's Ilsa or carries one like Humphrey Bogart's Rick." (Chicago Tribune)

"CASABLANCA is the most sociable, the most companionable film ever made. Life as an endless party." (The New Yorker)

Saturday, February 14
Doors 11:50 am | Movie 12:20 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

CASABLANCA (Michael Curtiz, 1942 / 102 mins / PG) Set in Casablanca, Morocco, during the early days of World War II. An American expatriate meets a former lover, with unforeseen complications.

My name is Inigo Montoya.
You killed my father.
Prepare to die.

Join us at the Rio Theatre as we pay tribute to the late, great filmmaker and actor Rob Reiner by dimming the lights and firing up the projector for a screening of  The Princess Bride.

Based on Goldman's 1973 novel of the same name, Rob Reiner's THE PRINCESS BRIDE has taken on a life of its own as one of the most beloved (and infinitely quotable) fairy tales to ever hit the big screen, enchanting audiences of all ages since its release in 1987. THE PRINCESS BRIDE follows the story of a kindly grandfather (Peter Falk) who reads his oft-protesting grandson (Fred Savage) a fairytale about giants, wizards, swordplay, Rodents of Unusual Size, true love, and perfect breasts. (And yes...There's even some kissing.) Starring Mandy Patinkin, Robin Wright, Cary Elwes, André the Giant, Billy Crystal, Christopher Guest, Peter Cooke, Carol Kane, and more.

"As you watch this enchanting fantasy, feel free to be thrilled or to giggle, as you wish." (Time Magazine)

Saturday, February 14
Doors 2:30 pm | Movie 3:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

THE PRINCESS BRIDE (Rob Reiner, 1987 / 98 minutes / PG) Robin Wright and Cary Elwes star in this fairytale adventure about a beautiful princess and the gallant hero who rescues her from an evil villain.

It takes two to tango this Valentine's Day at the Rio Theatre!

The highly-anticipated Burlesque Duos returns to the Rio's stage on Saturday, February 14. This beloved (not to mention popular!) East Vancouver Valentine's Day tradition is the ultimate spectacle of partnership and creativity. Spice up your Valentine's Day with a night of never-before-seen pairings and innovative duets!

Saturday, February 14
Doors 8:00 pm | Show 9:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

EARLY BIRD only $30 + s/c. Offer expires January 12, midnight!

Balcony -General Admission $30 + s/c in advance | $35+ s/c at the door
Main Floor - Assigned $40 + s/c in advance | $45+ s/c at the door
VIP Tickets $50+ s/c
Menage 4-pack of tickets - Save $40(Available online only)

Perfect for singles and couples alike, the evening's marquee will include unforgettable performances from eight of Vancouver’s top teasers, including:

Scarlet Delirium & Manda StroyerApril O'Peel & Angora Phobia
Diva the Violet Femme & Homo Hardware
Cherry Ontop & Chelsea Hart

Hosted by:
Sparkle Plenty & Dee Twenty

Writer-director Céline Sciamma's mesmerizing PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE is an entrancing, erotic historical romance told through the painterly lens of "the female gaze." Set on a remote, isolated French island in the late 18th century, the story follows young painter Marianne, who is is commissioned to do the wedding portrait of Héloïse, a young woman who has just left the convent. Héloïse is a reluctant bride-to-be, and Marianne must paint her without her knowing. She observes her by day, to paint her secretly.

Revered by critics and fests around the world, PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE was nominated for the coveted Palme d'Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, and was awarded both Best Screenplay and the Queer Palm. The film is beloved by audiences and critics, having recently been voted the 30th greatest film of all time in the venerable Sight & Sound (British Film Institute) poll. With Noémie Merlant, Adèle Haenel, Valeria Golino.

"An intellectually erotic study of power and passion in which observed becomes observer, authored becomes author, returning time and again to a central question: “If you look at me, who do I look at?”" (The Guardian)

"There are theme-park rides; there is cinema; there are sacred love poems to take with you for the rest of your life. Thank you for giving us the last one, Céline Sciamma." (Empire Magazine)

"“Portrait of a Lady on Fire” obeys all the accepted conventions of gothic romance: In a drafty mansion on a windswept coast, a mismatched couple tries to ignore the pull of forbidden love." (Washington Post)

"Portrays not only the exuberance of falling in love and the all-consuming nature that is love, but also the beauty of women's solidarity and the attempt to fit in a world that rarely seems to be made for them. The strength of the filmmaking combined with amazing acting, photography, and music set the jury on fire." (Chicago International Film Festival)

Sunday, February 15
Doors 1:50 pm | Movie 2:20 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE "Portrait de la jeune fille en feu" (Céline Sciamma, 2019 / 120 mins / PG / French with English subtitles) On an isolated island in Brittany at the end of the eighteenth century, a female painter is obliged to paint a wedding portrait of a young woman. 

"My only love sprung from my only hate."

Join us at the Rio Theatre on Sunday, February 15, for a 30th Anniversary Galentine's Day-ish(?) screening of Baz Luhrmann's iconic, very contemporary and highly stylized take on William Shakespeare's classic romantic tragedythe Montagues and Capulets have moved their ongoing feud to the sweltering, yet very hip, suburb of Verona Beach, where Romeo and Juliet fall in love and secretly wed. Though the film is visually modern, the bard's dialogue remains. Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes lead a stellar ensemble cast that includes John Leguizamo, Harold Perrineau, Paul Rudd, Pete Postlethwaite, Paul Sorvino, Brian Dennehy, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Miriam Margolyes.

"Luhrmann's gleefully cinematic version of the play is so relentlessly inventive and innovative, it takes 20 minutes to get a grasp on how appropriate is his approach to the material." (Time Out)

Sunday, February 15
Doors 9:00 pm | Movie 9:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

ROMEO + JULIET (Baz Luhrmann, 1996 / 120 mins / PG) A hyper-kinetic take on the classic Shakespearean romantic tragedy for the screen, updating the setting to a post-modern city named Verona Beach. In this version, the Capulets and the Montagues are two rival gangs. Young Juliet Capulet is attending a costume ball thrown by her parents when she meets and falls in love with the son of her family's nemesis, Romeo Montague, when he crashes her family's masked ball.

Happy Lunar New Year! We are kicking off the Year of the Horse with one of the most iconic films in  newly restored "Golden Princess" films in the Hong Kong Cinema Classics series that were restored and remastered in 2025, John Woo's iconic HARD BOILED.

Legendary Hong Kong director Woo's kinetic extravaganza HARD BOILED thrilled critics and audiences around the world with its over-the-top, highly stylized action sequences and choreographed gunplay when it was released in 1992, and it is even more stunning over 30 years later thanks to the gorgeous restopration treatment it has received as part of GKIDS new series celebrating classic Hong Kong cinema. (Fun fact: Back in the day, the Rio Theatre was itself a Golden Princess venue - look up at our neon facade next time you come by!)

Mobsters are smuggling guns into Hong Kong. The police orchestrate a raid at a teahouse where an ace detective loses his partner. Meanwhile, the two main gun smugglers are having a war over territory, and a young new gun is enlisted to wipe out informants and overcome barriers to growth. The detective, acting from inside sources, gets closer to the ring leaders and eventually must work with the inside man directly. With Chow Yun-fat, Bowie Lam, Chiu-wai, Tony Leung, Teresa Mo, Philip Chan, Phillip Chung-Fung Kwok

"A supercharged thriller." (Time Out)

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

HARD BOILED 'Lat sau san taam' (John Woo, 1992 / 126 mins / 18A / In Cantonese with English subtitles) A cop who loses his partner in a shoot-out with gun smugglers goes on a mission to catch them. In order to get closer to the leaders of the ring he joins forces with an undercover cop who's working as a gangster hitman. They use all means of excessive force to find them.

"Assume the position."

Maggie Gyllenhaal and James Spader smoulder as an unlikely couple whose workplace relationship unexpectedly blossoms into something... Beyond the professional. SECRETARY is an all-time Rio Theatre audience fan-favourite, and one of our most requested romances - a perfect fit for our Friday Late Night Movie series in February.

Sexy, sweet, hilarious and shocking, SECRETARY was a bonafide indie hit when it was released in 2002 and has since achieved total cult-status thanks to the incendiary chemistry between Gyllenhaal (in her breakout performance) and Spader (who's never been better - this is peak Spader territory). Also starring Jeremy Davies, Lesley Anne Warren, and Stephen McHattie.

"A feel-good movie about sadomasochism, the seriocomic SECRETARY manages to be simultaneously subversive and sweet...In the wrong hands, the conceit could have turned ugly and offensive. But Spader and Gyllenhaal have a hushed, hilarious chemistry." (Newsweek)

"Remarkably, the film is less an S&M wallow than a love story between two consenting adults with complimentary sexual psychoses. Spader and Gyllenhaal are electric, bringing SECRETARY all the power and compassion it needs." (Rolling Stone)]

Friday, February 20
Doors 10:30 pm | Movie 11:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Late Night Date Night! Bring your best friend, pal, or maybe your boss and get 2-for-1 entry!

SECRETARY (Steven Shainberg, 2002 / 104 mins / 18A) Lee Holloway is a smart, quirky woman in her twenties who returns to her hometown in Florida after a brief stay in a mental hospital. In search of relief from herself and her oppressive childhood environment, she starts to date a nerdy friend from high school and takes a job as a secretary in a local law firm, soon developing an obsessive crush on her older boss, Mr. Grey. Through their increasingly bizarre relationship, Lee follows her deepest longings to the heights of masochism and, finally, to a place of self-affirmation.

Join us at the Rio Theatre Friday, February 20 as we roll out the (short) red carpet for the 2026 Oscar Nominated Short Film awards ceremonies. Showcasing the best short films from around the world, the 2026 Oscar-Nominated Shorts presents feature-length programs dedicated to each Academy Award Short Film category: Animated, Documentary and Live Action. With 5 featured shorts per category from all over the globe, you'll have a tough time choosing just one winner!

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PASS HOLDERS GAIN ACCESS TO ANY 3 SCREENINGS
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ANIMATED SHORTS
Saturday, February 21
Doors 12:15 pm | Screening 12:45 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Papillon (Butterfly) by Florence Miailhe
Forevergreen by Nathan Engelhardt & Jeremy Spears
La jeune fille qui pleurait des perles (The Girl Who Cried Pearls) by Chris Lavis & Maciek Szczerbowski
Retirement Plan by John Kelly
The Three Sisters by Timur Kognov

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DOCUMENTARY SHORTS
Sunday, February 22
Doors 10:30 am | Screening 11:00 am *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Thursday, February 26
Doors 5:30 pm | Screening 6:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

All the Empty Rooms by Joshua Seftel
Armed Only with a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud by Craig Renaud & Brent Renaud
Children No More: “Were and Are Gone” by Hilla Medalia
The Devil Is Busy by Geeta Gandbhir & Christalyn Hampton
Perfectly a Strangeness by Alison McAlpine

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LIVE ACTION SHORTS
Sunday, February 22
Doors 1:45 pm | Screening 2:15 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Wednesday, February 25
Doors 3:30 pm | Screening 4:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Butcher’s Stain by Meyer Levinson-Blount
A Friend of Dorothy by Lee Knight
Jane Austen’s Period Drama by Steve Pinder & Julia Aks
The Singers by Sam Davis
Two People Exchanging Saliva by Alexandre Singh & Natalie Musteata

Join us at the Rio Theatre Friday, February 20 as we roll out the (short) red carpet for the 2026 Oscar Nominated Short Film awards ceremonies. Showcasing the best short films from around the world, the 2026 Oscar-Nominated Shorts presents feature-length programs dedicated to each Academy Award Short Film category: Animated, Documentary and Live Action. With 5 featured shorts per category from all over the globe, you'll have a tough time choosing just one winner!

Saturday, February 21
Doors 12:15 pm | Screening 12:45 pm

Animated Shorts (Top 5 out of 113 qualifies short films):

Papillon (Butterfly) by Florence Miailhe
Forevergreen by Nathan Engelhardt & Jeremy Spears
La jeune fille qui pleurait des perles (The Girl Who Cried Pearls) by Chris Lavis & Maciek Szczerbowski
Retirement Plan by John Kelly
The Three Sisters by Timur Kognov

See all three screenings and ceremonies for one low price of $43
https://riotheatretickets.ca/events/40163-2026-oscar-nominated-short-films-all-access-pass

Poznati hrvatski privrednik na svoj rođendan saznaje da je pred bankrotom. U kancelariju mu ulazi porodica sa tortom i tamburašima, a u isto vreme zove ga ćerka koja studira u Londonu i uz čestitku mu saopšti da je trudna. Otac deteta je sin srpskog ministra spoljnih poslova. U stilu punokvrnog balkanskog anti-rom-coma, ispreplićući humor, toplinu i napetost, „Svadba“ prati priču o dve porodice čiji odnos stalno pleše između tople porodične priče i međunarodnog incidenta.

A well-known Croatian businessman learns on his birthday that he is facing bankruptcy. A family enters his office with a cake and tambourine players, and at the same time his daughter, who is studying in London, calls him and informs him that she is pregnant with a congratulatory message. The child's father is the son of the Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs. In the style of a full-fledged Balkan anti-rom-com, intertwining humor, warmth and tension, "The Wedding" follows the story of two families whose relationship constantly dances between a warm family story and an international incident.

Saturday, February 21
Doors: 2:30 pm | Film: 3:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

General Admission - $25.50 + s/c

Režija: Igor Šeregi

U glavnim ulogama: Rene Bitorajac, Dragan Bjelogrlić, Linda Begonja, Vesna Trivalić, Roko Sikavica, Anđelka Stević Žugić, Nika Grbelja, Marko Grabež, Dejan Aćimović, Srđan Žika Todorović, Denis Murić, Marko Miljković, Nevena Nerandžić, Snježana Sinovčić-Šiškov, Jelisaveta Seka Sablić.

Žanr: komedija
Trajanje: 97 min
Scenario: Igor Šeregi, Koscenaristi: Marko Backović, Marko Jocić
Direktor fotografije: Tomislav Sutlar
Producent: Ivan Kelava, Marko Jocić
Producentska kuća: Eclectica, Viktorija Film
Kompozitor: Dubravko Robić

Join us at the Rio Theatre Friday, February 20 as we roll out the (short) red carpet for the 2026 Oscar Nominated Short Film awards ceremonies. Showcasing the best short films from around the world, the 2026 Oscar-Nominated Shorts presents feature-length programs dedicated to each Academy Award Short Film category: Animated, Documentary and Live Action. With 5 featured shorts per category from all over the globe, you'll have a tough time choosing just one winner!

Sunday, February 22
Doors 10:30 am | Screening 11:00 am *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Documentary Shorts (Top 5 out of 173 qualified short films):

All the Empty Rooms by Joshua Seftel
Armed Only with a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud by Craig Renaud & Brent Renaud
Children No More: “Were and Are Gone” by Hilla Medalia
The Devil Is Busy by Geeta Gandbhir & Christalyn Hampton
Perfectly a Strangeness by Alison McAlpine

See all three screenings and ceremonies for one low price of $43 (solo screenings $16).
https://riotheatretickets.ca/events/40163-2026-oscar-nominated-short-films-all-access-pass

Join us at the Rio Theatre Friday, February 20 as we roll out the (short) red carpet for the 2026 Oscar Nominated Short Film awards ceremonies. Showcasing the best short films from around the world, the 2026 Oscar-Nominated Shorts presents feature-length programs dedicated to each Academy Award Short Film category: Animated, Documentary and Live Action. With 5 featured shorts per category from all over the globe, you'll have a tough time choosing just one winner!

Sunday, February 22
Doors 1:45 pm | Screening 2:15 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Live Action Shorts (Top 5 out of 207 qualified short films):

Butcher’s Stain by Meyer Levinson-Blount
A Friend of Dorothy by Lee Knight
Jane Austen’s Period Drama by Steve Pinder & Julia Aks
The Singers by Sam Davis
Two People Exchanging Saliva by Alexandre Singh & Natalie Musteata

See all three screenings and ceremonies for one low price of $43 (solo screenings $16).
https://riotheatretickets.ca/events/40163-2026-oscar-nominated-short-films-all-access-pass

Directed with pristine precision by Park Chan-wook, No Other Choice is a wickedly clever takedown of the corporate rat race that finds a perfect avatar in Lee Byung-Hun's skillfully hapless performance.

Man-soo (Lee) had it all: a loving wife, two talented children, two happy dogs. He even bought the beautiful forest-enclosed house where he grew up. Then, after 25 years of dedicated work for Solar Paper — where he was awarded Pulp Man of the Year in 2019 — Man-soo is suddenly given the axe.

"Brilliantly scripted by Park Chan-wook, Lee Kyoung-mi, Jahye Lee, and Toronto’s own Don McKellar, No Other Choice is a chilling satire on workplace politics and ruthless status-seeking." (TIFF)

Sunday, February 22
Doors 4:30 pm | Film 5:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

NO OTHER CHOICE (Park Chan-wook | 2025 | 135 mins) After being laid off and humiliated by a ruthless job market, a veteran paper mill manager descends into violence in a desperate bid to reclaim his dignity.

In one of the most lauded performances of 2025, Timothée Chalamet stars in writer-director Josh Safdie's (UNCUT GEMS, GOOD TIME) MARTY SUPREME as Marty Mauser, a charismatic yet deeply flawed reluctant who harbours a singular, dream no one respects - to become the world's greatest tennis table champion. In his obsessive pursuit of greatness, Marty goes to hell and back and falls into frantic hustles, an affair with a movie star, and countless schemes to fund his ambition. MARTY SUPREME ably showcases Safdie's trademark, hyper-kinetic and at times rapid fire style of story-telling. With Gwyneth Paltrow, Kevin O'Leary, Tyler the Creator, Odessa A'zion, Fran Drescher and Sandra Bernhard.

"The movies can be a wonderfully amoral medium, and I found myself liking Marty Mauser -- and not just liking him, but actually rooting for him to succeed. It takes more than a good actor to pull that off. It takes one of the greats." (NPR)

"Certain to be rated the greatest 2.5-hour ping-pong movie ever, Marty Supreme takes a tired formula only to pull it apart and reassemble it with wicked intent, like a psychotic toddler experimenting on his sister’s hapless doll." (Wall Street Journal)

Sunday, February 22
Doors 7:30 pm | Movie 8:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

MARTY SUPREME (Josh Safdie, 2025 / 149 mins / 14A) In the 1950s, young Marty Mauser pursues his dream of becoming a champion table-tennis player.

Set in the year 2027, French comic book artists turned filmmaker Ugo Beinvenu's ARCO tells the story of a 10-year-old girl, Iris, who sees a mysterious boy wearing a rainbow jumpsuit falling from the sky. It's Arco. He comes from a distant, idyllic future where time travel is possible. Iris takes him in and will do whatever it takes to help him return home. The  star-studded English voice cast includes Will Ferrell, Natalie Portman, Andy Samberg and Mark Ruffalo The film blends Ghibli-esque wonder with serious themes about humanity's future and connection to nature, and is perfect for animation lovers of all ages.

"A sweet, immersive glimpse at two of our futures, and it’s clear-eyed about which aspects of those worlds we want to avoid, and which ones we have to pursue." (TheWrap)

"When filmmakers attempt to replicate Ghibli, they often come off leaden and overwritten—“Mononoke” made too many think that Hayao never had a sense of humor—so it’s nice to see a filmmaker who values whimsy as much as message." (RogerEbert.com)

Monday, February 23
Doors 2:30 pm | Movie 3:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

All tickets just $10!

ARCO (Ugo Bienvenu, 2025 / 90 mins / G) A boy from a peaceful future lands in 2075, teaming up with a local girl and her robot to find his way home, potentially saving the planet.

Directed with pristine precision by Park Chan-wook, No Other Choice is a wickedly clever takedown of the corporate rat race that finds a perfect avatar in Lee Byung-Hun's skillfully hapless performance.

Man-soo (Lee) had it all: a loving wife, two talented children, two happy dogs. He even bought the beautiful forest-enclosed house where he grew up. Then, after 25 years of dedicated work for Solar Paper — where he was awarded Pulp Man of the Year in 2019 — Man-soo is suddenly given the axe.

"Brilliantly scripted by Park Chan-wook, Lee Kyoung-mi, Jahye Lee, and Toronto’s own Don McKellar, No Other Choice is a chilling satire on workplace politics and ruthless status-seeking." (TIFF)

Monday, February 23
Doors 5:50 pm | Film 6:20 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

NO OTHER CHOICE (Park Chan-wook | 2025 | 135 mins) After being laid off and humiliated by a ruthless job market, a veteran paper mill manager descends into violence in a desperate bid to reclaim his dignity.

In one of the most lauded performances of 2025, Timothée Chalamet stars in writer-director Josh Safdie's (UNCUT GEMS, GOOD TIME) MARTY SUPREME as Marty Mauser, a charismatic yet deeply flawed reluctant who harbours a singular, dream no one respects - to become the world's greatest tennis table champion. In his obsessive pursuit of greatness, Marty goes to hell and back and falls into frantic hustles, an affair with a movie star, and countless schemes to fund his ambition. MARTY SUPREME ably showcases Safdie's trademark, hyper-kinetic and at times rapid fire style of story-telling. With Gwyneth Paltrow, Kevin O'Leary, Tyler the Creator, Odessa A'zion, Fran Drescher and Sandra Bernhard.

"The movies can be a wonderfully amoral medium, and I found myself liking Marty Mauser -- and not just liking him, but actually rooting for him to succeed. It takes more than a good actor to pull that off. It takes one of the greats." (NPR)

"Certain to be rated the greatest 2.5-hour ping-pong movie ever, Marty Supreme takes a tired formula only to pull it apart and reassemble it with wicked intent, like a psychotic toddler experimenting on his sister’s hapless doll." (Wall Street Journal)

Monday, February 23
Doors 9:00 pm | Movie 9:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

MARTY SUPREME (Josh Safdie, 2025 / 149 mins / 14A) In the 1950s, young Marty Mauser pursues his dream of becoming a champion table-tennis player.

Join Reel Causes for A Night of Obsidian in honour of Black History Month.

A Night of Obsidian is an evening to come together as a community to watch a powerfully relevant film and then engage in deep, rich conversation with freedom fighters who document social movements through film, writing, and lived experience. This is not just a screening. It is a shared space to breathe, reflect, and be nourished by stories that remind us who we are and what we are capable of together.

Our Curator, Natasha Tony, is hosting. As a cultural producer, community builder, and host of the Narrative Shift podcast, her work centers identity, belonging, and healing—and this night lives at that intersection.

We are joined by an extraordinary panel of guests whose lives embody the impact of documenting truth.

Lillian E. Benson, ACE, is a legendary film and television editor whose work includes Eyes On the Prize II, Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise, and Get In The Way – The Journey of John Lewis. Her storytelling has shaped how generations understand civil rights, legacy, and resistance.

Elmer Dixon is a lifelong activist whose journey spans from marching with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to co-founding the Seattle Chapter of the Black Panther Party. His work organizing Police Alert Patrols, Free Breakfast Programs, medical clinics, and food programs reflects a living legacy of community care and liberation in action.

Tuesday, February 24
Doors 6:30 pm | Event 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Tickets $10 + s/c | $15 + s/c at the door

Optional Membership: $25
(Please note: Ticket is required for entry.)

SHOOT THE PEOPLE (93 mins | PG) is a documentary capturing photographer and activist Misan Harriman’s journey documenting global protest movements that drive social change. Renowned for his wide-ranging work — including powerful breakthrough images from the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests and capturing the Palestinian liberation movement on film — Harriman also made history as the first Black man to photograph a British Vogue cover.

The film follows Harriman as he highlights the resilience of grassroots activists fighting for equality, civil rights, and social justice, the film showcases the intersectionality of these movements and their collective power. With historical context, interviews with activists, and explorations of digital activism, the documentary reveals how Harriman's lens brings the world's activism to light, inspiring viewers to recognize their own power in shaping a more just society.

Additional information available on Reel Causes’ website: https://reelcauses.org/a-night-of-obsidian-2026/

Join us at the Rio Theatre Friday, February 20 as we roll out the (short) red carpet for the 2026 Oscar Nominated Short Film awards ceremonies. Showcasing the best short films from around the world, the 2026 Oscar-Nominated Shorts presents feature-length programs dedicated to each Academy Award Short Film category: Animated, Documentary and Live Action. With 5 featured shorts per category from all over the globe, you'll have a tough time choosing just one winner!

Wednesday, February 25
Doors 3:30 pm | Screening 4:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Animated Shorts (Top 5 out of 113 qualifies short films):

Papillon (Butterfly) by Florence Miailhe
Forevergreen by Nathan Engelhardt & Jeremy Spears
La jeune fille qui pleurait des perles (The Girl Who Cried Pearls) by Chris Lavis & Maciek Szczerbowski
Retirement Plan by John Kelly
The Three Sisters by Timur Kognov

See all three screenings and ceremonies for one low price of $43
https://riotheatretickets.ca/events/40163-2026-oscar-nominated-short-films-all-access-pass

Pavel "Pasha" (33) is a teacher and event organizer at a small primary school in a Russian town with a population of 10,000. In ordinary times, he is a beloved mentor, prankster, and nonconformist, known for hanging up democracy posters and offering a safe haven in his office for students who feel out of place.

However, after the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, Pasha took on the role of an international whistleblower, exposing the devastating effects of Russia's aggressive militarization within its own schools. Haunted by his painful years as a student at the same school, Pasha remains a lighthearted and mischievous presence on campus. Yet his mission as a teacher is challenged when a new patriotic education policy is introduced during the early weeks of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Pasha is shocked to learn that his responsibilities now include facilitating daily state-sanctioned propaganda events. To cope with his guilt and feelings of powerlessness, he decides to document how the war is transforming his school. Under the guise of his actual role as the school's videographer, he records hundreds of hours of footage inside classrooms and on school grounds.

What emerges is the story of an institution abruptly transformed: propaganda, repressive new laws, militarized children's organizations, and the eventual recruitment of graduating students to fight in Ukraine. Pasha reaches his emotional breaking point as he films farewell parties for cherished students being sent to the frontlines in Ukraine. As the body bags return, Pasha and the rest of the school community grapple with the twin traumas of violence and repression. When Pasha learns his own life may be in danger, he is forced to plan a daring escape from Russia.

MR. NOBODY AGAINST PUTIN is Denmark's official submission for 'Best International Feature Film' category of the 98th Academy Awards in 2026, and is currently nominated for an Oscar in the Best Documentary Feature category.

"A touching, intimate chronicle." (The Hollywood Reporter)

"His principled resistance by filming, joking and refusing to teach lies makes for a riveting, courageous portrait of dissent in a place where truth can land you in jail -- or a cemetery." (Toronto Star)

Wednesday, February 25
Doors 6:15 pm | Movie 6:45 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

MR. NOBODY AGAINST PUTIN (David Borenstein & Pavel Talankin, 2025  / 90 mins / NR / Russian w.EST) A Russian teacher secretly documents his small town school's transformation into a war recruitment center during the Ukraine invasion, revealing the ethical dilemmas educators face amid propaganda and militarization.

Emily is the root cause of two devastating tragedies very early in her life. She feels the weight of these accidents like a curse has been placed upon her. Her dad suggests she go to a Camp for troubled youth to ease her guilt; she can be a counsellor there. When Emily arrives, she is taken in by the other counselors, they accept her as she is and wrap her in a veil of peace & forgiveness. Emily stands at the forefront of a new kind of life, but there’s a voice out there in the woods she can’t quite seem to ignore. The voice is whispering, she’s telling Emily to go home.

Director Avalon Fast will be live at the Rio to intro the film and for a post-screening Q&A!

Wednesday, February 25
Doors 8:30 pm | Film 9:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

CAMP (Avalon Fast | 2026 | 111 mins) Haunted by a traumatic past, Emily finds solace as a camp counselor while navigating grief, witchcraft and the power of female friendship.

Join us at the Rio Theatre Friday, February 20 as we roll out the (short) red carpet for the 2026 Oscar Nominated Short Film awards ceremonies. Showcasing the best short films from around the world, the 2026 Oscar-Nominated Shorts presents feature-length programs dedicated to each Academy Award Short Film category: Animated, Documentary and Live Action. With 5 featured shorts per category from all over the globe, you'll have a tough time choosing just one winner!

Thursday, February 26
Doors 5:30 pm | Screening 6:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Documentary Shorts (Top 5 out of 173 qualified short films):

All the Empty Rooms by Joshua Seftel
Armed Only with a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud by Craig Renaud & Brent Renaud
Children No More: “Were and Are Gone” by Hilla Medalia
The Devil Is Busy by Geeta Gandbhir & Christalyn Hampton
Perfectly a Strangeness by Alison McAlpine

See all three screenings and ceremonies for one low price of $43 (solo screenings $16).
https://riotheatretickets.ca/events/40163-2026-oscar-nominated-short-films-all-access-pass

Dearly beloved
We are gathered here today
To get through this thing called "life"

Electric word, life
It means forever and that's a mighty long time
But I'm here to tell you
There's something else
The afterworld...

The Rio Theatre's patented Friday Late Night Movie series continues on February 27 with a screening of The Purple One's cinematic and musical triumph, PURPLE RAIN. Gorgeously remastered and restored for its 40th Anniversary in 2024, this is the singular, indelible rock musical for which Prince took home both Oscar and Grammy gold.

We're turning the volume up for this one, children. (Get ready to go crazy with the beautiful ones in the Rio Theatre audience - 80's-inspired attire is very welcome, and oh-so-very encouraged. You best be wearing purple, people!)

Based loosely on his own life story, Prince's film debut in PURPLE RAIN cast him as "The Kid," the talented but troubled musician in Minneapolis struggling to make it big with his band, The Revolution. The film was a box office hit, and possessed a fantastic soundtrack (including Oscar-winner 'When Doves Cry') that forever altered the course of his career. Many fans and critics consider the music of PURPLE RAIN signature work, spawning numerous hit singles that would dominate airwaves for years to come.

"'Purple Rain' became a generational manifesto, while providing the largest megaphone yet for one of the greatest geniuses in pop music." (NPR)

Friday, February 27
Doors 10:30 pm | Movie 11:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

PURPLE RAIN (Albert Magnoli, 1984 / 111 mins / 18A) | A talented young musician in Minneapolis, tormented by an abusive, bold father and a mother who is never satisfied, must contend with a rival singer, a darling romance, and his own dissatisfied bandmates - while his own star (and baby, he is one) begins to rise.

Present by www.bookafilm.com 

It’s a story about the fastest street racer of Mt Akina.  Takumi, a delivery boy; Ryousuke, an engineer of speed; and Kyouichi, a professional racer: the three of them become duelists of drifts.

For five years, 18-year-old Takumi has been delivering tofu in his father’s obsolescent Toyota AE86 every morning. Not only has he become a good racer, but he has also unwittingly perfected the art of drifting.

He was never an aficionado of hill racing until he is asked by his father to drive his AE86 in a David and Goliath race against Night Kids’ EVO. A glorious but unexpected victory awakens the competitive genes in his blood, while his overnight fame inevitably leads to hellraising races one after another, each one more perilous and exciting than the previous one.

Starring Asia’s hottest heartthrobs, Jay Chou and Edison Chen, Initial D (2005) is adapted from one of the most popular eponymous manga and anime series in Japan. This is the first live-action feature based on the series to ever grace the silver screen in the world.

Saturday, February 28
Doors: 12:00 pm | Film: 12:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Tickets $17 + s/c

THE ART OF DRIFTING: The D of the title stands for drifting, a racing technique of braking the rear tires loose in a controlled manner right before an uncontrolled skid. Drifting is the fastest way through a corner. A car is considered to be drifting when all of its wheels are slipping, but the front wheels are still pointed in the direction of the corner, or at least straight.

TOYOTA AE86 LEVIN/TRUENO: Although out of the market 16 years ago, Toyota AE86 has become ever so popular in the used car market in Japan these days, thanks to the immense success of the manga and anime series Initial D. So many young buyers are lining up to buy used AE86 that Toyota is said to consider reviving this classic model.

INITIAL D (Andrew Lau Wai-Leung & Alan Mak Siu-Fai | 2005 | 1h 47mins | NR | Cantonese w. English Subtitles) After winning his first competition, Takumi focuses his attention on drift racing, a sport he has unknowingly perfected while delivering tofu in his father's Toyota AE86.

Raise your library voice! Celebrate Freedom to Read by joining your local libraries for a screening of the 2025 documentary The Librarians.

The screening will be accompanied by a short discussion with local librarians and academics on book bans and challenges here in Canada, including libraries’ roles in protecting freedom to read and how we can all defend our right to intellectual freedom.

THE LIBRARIANS offers a rattling look at coordinated efforts to ban books. More importantly, it introduces viewers to the everyday and increasingly vital heroes pushing back: the librarians who sound the alarm to both legislative and grassroots attempts to pull books from school and public libraries.

In Texas, the Krause List targets 850 books focused on race and LGBTQIA+ stories – triggering sweeping book bans across the U.S. at an unprecedented rate. As tensions escalate, librarians connect the dots from heated school and library board meetings nationwide to lay bare the underpinnings of White Christian Nationalism fueling the censorship efforts. Despite facing harassment, threats, and laws aimed at criminalizing their work – the librarians’ rallying cry for freedom to read is a chilling cautionary tale.

"This movie reminds us there is just one way to separate truth from propaganda: learning." (RogerEbert.com)

"From its superb opening-credits sequence paying tribute to card catalogs of yore to its sharp selection of vintage clips and intimate reportage, “The Librarians” is as well-crafted as it is profoundly alarming." (New York Times)

Details on guests panelists and Q&A coming soon!

Saturday, February 28
Doors 3:00 pm | Movie 3:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

THE LIBRARIANS (Kim A. Snyder, 2025 / 92 mins / PG) Librarians unite to combat book banning, defending intellectual freedom on democracy's frontlines amid unprecedented censorship in Texas, Florida, and beyond.

Freedom to Read Week is an annual Canadian event that encourages us to think about and reaffirm our commitment to intellectual freedom, including the ability to find, access, and read banned and challenged books.

This event is presented in partnership with Rio Theatre, Simon Fraser University Library, and North Vancouver District Public Library, with event sponsorship from Vancouver Public Library.

Local Vancouver comedian and content creator Dangerbean and the filmmakers at GRIN are coming to VANCOUVER for a screening of 2 new short films - and some bonus never-before-seen content! From stories about a VR headset that lets you unalive your boss, to a portal that takes you to the place where lost socks go, Dangerbean and his team will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions - all in the comfort of your seat at the lovely Rio Theatre.

Immediately after the second screening there will be a Q&A with Dangerbean and the director. 

Following the screening, join us for an afterparty for anyone who wants to "go up on a Tuesday" (2014 reference) to meet and greet the team. LOCATION TBD.

Tuesday, March 3
Doors 6:00 pm | Screening 6:45 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Main Floor Assigned - $17 + s/c
General Admission Balcony - $17 + s/c

Our first film of the night was made possible thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign, so to all of you that donated: thank you and we can't wait for you to see what your generosity has allowed us to accomplish. Our second film was created with support from Shibuya over the last year and is available now on their streaming platform. Thank you to everyone who helped bring these projects to life. We can’t wait for you to join us and experience them on the big screen.

When it’s after midnight in New York City, you don’t have to look for love, laughter and trouble. They’ll all find you!
Join us at the Rio Theatre as we dim the lights and fire up the projector in tribute to the late, great Catherine O’Hara with a 40th Anniversary Friday Late Night Movie screening of what may be Martin Scorsese‘s most under-appreciated (and certainly overlooked) surreal, Kafka-esque black comedy cult classic, AFTER HOURS. Fresh off her legendary stint as a player on SCTV, O’Hara delivers one of the most strangely memorable and “quirky” moments (a unique charm that would become something of a signature for the late actress) as Gail, an ice cream vendor.

What if that date you thought would never end didn’t? When an uptown New Yorker innocently meets a downtown girl, he’s uncontrollably drawn into a vortex of wild, malevolent and paranoid adventures After Hours. Paul Hackett’s terrible night happens in the SoHo area of downtown Manhattan when he goes to keep a date with Marcy. Nothing in his humdrum life as a word processor has prepared him for his surreal encounters with Marcy; her far-out artist roommate Kiki; cocktail waitress Julie; ice cream vendor Gail; June, who lives in the basement of a nightclub; and Mark who is ripe for his first gay experience. Now, Paul longs only for the safety of his upper-East Side apartment … but will he ever make it home? With Griffin Dunne, Rosanna Arquette, Linda Fiorentino, Teri Garr, Verna Bloom, Robert Plunket, John Heard, Cheech Marin, Tommy Chong, Bronson Pinchot, and Dick Miller.

“Martin Scorsese’s ‘After Hours’ mines urban anxiety to unsettling yet often hilarious effect.” (Slant Magazine)

“It’s not that they don’t make comedies like After Hours anymore. The fact is there’s never been a comedy quite like this one.” (People Magazine)

Friday, March 6
Doors 11:00 pm | Movie 11:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

LATE NIGHT DATE NIGHT! Bring a friend, date, or fellow movie-loving pal and get two-for-one entry!

AFTER HOURS (Martin Scorsese, 1985 / 97 mins / 14A) In a Manhattan cafe, word processor Paul Hackett meets and talks literature with Marcy. Later that night, Paul takes a cab to Marcy’s downtown apartment. His $20 bill flying out the window during the ride portends the unexpected night he has. He cannot pay for the ride and finds himself in a series of awkward, surreal and life-threatening situations with a colorful cast of characters. He spends the rest of the night trying to return uptown.

Presented by Pacific Canada Heritage Centre - Museum of Migration Society 

Directed by Robbie Hart, "Shining Light: A Vietnamese-Canadian Legacy" is an extraordinary documentary that chronicles the powerful mother-daughter story of Chieu-Anh Vu and her mother, Mui. The film follows their harrowing escape from war-torn Vietnam, Chieu-Anh’s birth aboard a sinking cargo ship, and their heroic rescue at sea before eventually finding a new life in Canada. Through personal narratives and historical context provided by diplomats and journalists, the documentary explores themes of courage, migration, and the resilience of the refugee experience.

In addition to the award-winning film, this event includes introductory speakers, a panel discussion, and an opportunity for questions from the audience.

At 12:30pm, Andy Pham, Lac Viet Host, will open this event.  Gary Smith, story consultant for the film and former Canadian Ambassador, will outline the historical context and the role of Canada’s diplomats in South-East Asia during and after the wars in Vietnam.

After the film screening, Kathryn Gretsinger, journalist and Associate Professor at UBC’s Grad School of Journalism, will moderate a panel discussion with Chieu-Anh Vu-Lieberman (e-entrepreneur and “the Baby Born at Sea”), Jessica Nguyen (CEO and co-Owner, Bak’d Cookies ), Chris Friesen (COO, Immigrant Services Society of BC), and Margaret Tebbutt (former Canadian Foreign Service Immigration Officer). Kathryn Gretsinger will then moderate a Q&A with audience members, panelists and speakers.

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

SHINING LIGHT (Robbie Hart, 2025 / 30 min / PG) An extraordinary mother–daughter documentary story, their escape from war-torn Vietnam, a birth on a sinking ship, a heroic rescue at sea, and a new life in Canada.

Presented by Rendez-Vous French Film Festival

Hair of the Bear, which premiered at the Windsor International Film Festival, sees Malia Baker (Babysitter's Club, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Descendants 4) play Tori, an anxious 16-year-old girl who, after self-harming and refusing to go to school, finds herself in a remote wintry cabin with her grandfather, Ben, played by Roy Dupuis (Le Femme Nikita, and, Shake Hands With The Devil).

The coming-of-age film, shot northeast of Winnipeg, Manitoba, in a frozen, wintry setting, marks the narrative feature debut of Alexandre Trudeau, brother of former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and fellow writer and director James McLellan.

Suffering from debilitating anxiety and refusing to go to school, 16 year old Tori is driven to stay with her grandfather in a remote frozen wilderness but unexpectedly finds herself caught up in a deadly game of cat and mouse.

Sunday, March 8
Doors 6:00 pm | Film 6:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

HAIR OF THE BEAR (Alexandre Trudeau & James McLellan | 2025 | 92mins | 14A) Refusing to go to school, anxious 16-year-old Tori is driven by her mother to her grandfather's rustic cabin in Eastern Manitoba on the remote American-Canadian border. As Tori struggles to adapt to the woodsman ways of her French Canadian grandfather, she ultimately must embrace the outdoors if she is to survive the deadly game of cat and mouse she is thrust into.

Get prepared to laugh your arse off! On Saturday March 14th, Clare Voyeur presents the 6th installment of WHAT’S THE CRAIC? - A Night of Irish Devilry.

This variety show is the precursor celebration to Paddy’s Day, packed with acts full of hilarity, sexiness and the spirit and lore of the Emerald Isle! With a rotating cast, the show features comedy, live music, burlesque, games and more! Ask your mammies to say a prayer for you, this show is about to get wild! Say another rosary, count your lucky shamrocks and wear your best greens in honor of the big man himself, St. Patrick!

Saturday, March 14
Doors 8:15 pm | Show 9:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Early bird tickets just $30 + s/c, available till midnight February 1!

General Admission $40 + s/c | $45+ s/c (At the door)
VIP $55+ s/c (Assigned seats in Rows A-E, centre section, and a themed goodie bag)

The Rio Theatre's annual Oscar party returns, featuring the live televised broadcast of the 98th Annual Academy Awards on Sunday, March 15. Conan O'Brien returns for his second time to host the annual event.

Get ready for the best buttery popcorn Vancouver has to offer, in-house trivia, our own Oscar contest, as well as prizes for Best Dressed, Best Acceptance Speech, and more! Come in your very finest attire (or maybe just recycle that bridesmaid's dress in the back of your closet...) for a chance to prance our red carpet and win a prize for your efforts. You bettah work!

As always, this is one seriously hot ticket... It sells out in advance every year! We strongly recommend making plans and buying tickets early in order to ensure entry, and avoid disappointment. All guests are encouraged to come early to ensure time to locate seats, get drinks and snacks at concession, and not miss any of the show's shenanigans!

Sunday, March 15
Doors & Red Carpet Coverage Begins at 3:00 pm
Ceremony 4:00 pm SHARP

Balcony Tickets (General Admission) $20 | $25 at the door
Main Floor (Assigned Seating) $20 | $25 at the door

Join us at the Rio Theatre on Friday, March 20 for the second annual H Cupcake Productions Foundation's THE COSPLAY SWIMSUIT CONTEST, a charity variety show mixing comedy and sex appeal - for a good cause!

H Cupcake Productions was founded with the goals of bringing laughter and smiles to adults, while supporting the needs of children. While the world hasn't been the kindest place these past few years, the organization's mission is event-driven, with the goal of bringing as much joy as possible to as many people as possible. The group has been the main event for adult entertainment at Anime Revolution since 2012, with an average current attendance of 3,400 people.

We have a fabulous lineup of performers to excite and entertain you! Many of your favorites from our annual show at Anime Revolution will be joining us: Cookie._.Rush, JMRohCreations, Vancity_Ranger, Gothish.Rain, Milkiway.Cosplay, BadSheepCosplay, Brystak, Kamistry, Gavin, Sharkiekitty, Angora.Phobia and Im.JuneMonsoon.

Friday, March 20
Doors 7:00 pm | Show 8:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Adult Entry $20+ s/c | $25 + s/c at the door
VIP (Rows A-C) $40+ s/c

This Cosplay Swimsuit Contest will benefit BC Children's Hospital, with proceeds going towards purchasing a soft stuffed animal for a child in need at BC Children's. (When else are you going to get to see Burlesque, Singing, Dancing, Feats of Athletics and get to feel good about funding a charity!)

Come view our past events at our website at: www.hcupcakeproductions.org

Community Trail Running presents:
The Trail Running Film Festival

After a great debut in 2023, and an even better follow-up in 2024-2025, the Trail Running Film Festival is back on tour in 2026 and coming to Vancouver once again! Expect another amazing evening of films, performance, inspiration, and community.

Our amazing sponsors will ensure you have an awesome evening. Big thanks to 5 Peaks, Odlum Brown, Sinister Sports, Coast Mountain Trail Running, RunGo and more!

Come and help us celebrate our incredible sport as we explore individual and collective potential. The festival will also have a 50/50 in support of BC AdventureSmart and include prizes and giveaways to add to our celebration!

We’re excited to bring you stories from around the world by filmmakers sharing their work of adventure, inclusivity, wilderness, art, and diversity across the trail and ultra community. Trail running is awesome and so is this film festival!

Thursday, April 2
Doors 6:00 pm | Event 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Tickets (Early Bird $30+ s/c until January 1) | $40 + s/c
Squad Pass Group Pricing (Group of Four $140+ s/c - Available online only)

Rogue Folk Club presents
Dervish

Music from the West of Ireland with passionate vocals and dazzling instrumentals.

Dervish have been bringing Irish traditional music to the world for more than 30 years, and received the prestigious BBC Radio 2 Lifetime Achievement Award. Described by the BBC as “an icon of Irish music”, the band have played festivals from Rock in Rio to Glastonbury, toured with the Irish President and struck up tunes on the Great Wall of China.

Dervish’s lineup features some of Ireland’s finest traditional musicians. Fronted by one of the country’s best-known singers, Cathy Jordan, joined by some of Ireland’s finest trad musicians - Shane Mitchell (accordion), Liam Kelly (flute/whistle), Brian McDonagh (mandola/mandolin), Michael Holmes (bouzouki) and Tom Morro (fiddle).

Exceptional musicianship, breath-taking vocals, vibrant sets of tunes and instantly compelling songs all come together to make Dervish as complete a band as are to be found anywhere in the tradition.

Sunday, April 26
Doors 6:30 pm | Show 7:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Early Bird Tickets $42+ s/c (Until January 1 )
Tickets $47+ s/c | $52+ s/c at the door

Tickets on sale November 28 10:00 am

Frank Zappa’s music – reimagined!

Zappostrophe’…dares to take on Zappa’s weird and wonderful world - recreating his tunes with jaw-dropping musicianship, and a wink to his irreverent humour (CHEK TV, Victoria, 2024)

Zappostrophe' is a Vancouver-based 8-piece band, playing favourites and lesser-known works from Frank Zappa's eclectic recordings.

Our shows include a variety of FZ’s music – from favourites like Don't Eat the Yellow Snow and Montana to complex compositions like Inca Roads, with some high energy instrumentals to keep things interesting. Expect virtuoso playing, tight vocals and humour!

Plus...

LUNATICS ON THE GRASS - TRIBUTE TO PINK FLOYD pays homage to the legendary Progressive Rock band Pink Floyd.

Get ready to immerse yourself in Pink Floyd’s mesmerizing music, and Lunatics on The Grass's visuals and mind-blowing original animations !

The band will perform The Dark Side Of The Moon in its entirety, as well as other iconic Pink Floyd classics.

The band will transport you to another dimension where the spirit of Pink Floyd lives on.

Don't miss out on this epic experience !

Saturday, May 16
Doors 8:00 pm | Show 9:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Early bird tickets just $45, available till midnight March 1!

Main Floor Assigned - $50
Seniors - $45
VIP Reserved (First 5 rows) - $55

Zappostrophe’ is:

Blair Fisher  - vocals / trumpet / flute / keys
Blair Lewis – guitar / synths / vocals / rubber chicken
LJ Mounteney – vocals / kazoo
Nick Apivor – percussion / vocals
Guenter Schulz – guitar
Cole Tinney– keyboards
Brent Gubbels – bass
Jason Overy - drums

Lunatics on the Grass is:

Larry Bloom - keyboards
Joady Bell - keyboards
Carol Mason - vocals
Mike Krawchuk - vocals and sax
Lisa Dunn - vocals
Victor Yong - lead guitar
Kyle Legionhq Haynes- rhythm guitar and lap steel guitar
Kerry Paulicelli- drums
Kevin Krick - bass

This Rio Theatre gift certificate is good for entry to any single regular screening and includes two medium drinks, and one large popcorn. If you prefer a physical card, this gift certificate is also available for purchase from our conession stand during open business hours.

This Rio Theatre gift certificate is good for entry to any single regular screening and includes one medium popcorn, one medium fountain beverage, and one small candy. If you prefer a physical card, this gift certificate is also available for purchase from our conession stand during open business hours.