The feature debut from Bad Bunny collaborator STILLZ, Executive Producer Harmony Korine, and featuring the first original score by Arca, BARRIO TRISTE is a generational portrait of Colombia’s forgotten youth, both personal and specific in its perspective, yet unclassifiable in its formal audacity. Accentuated by Arca’s intense, shape-shifting sonic palette, STILLZ boldly navigates the liminal spaces between despair and transcendence in “one of the year’s great debuts” (The Film Stage).

In an impoverished neighborhood of 1980s Medellín, a group of disaffected teens steals a TV reporter’s camera to document their lives. Piercing the derelict landscape’s oppressive atmosphere with disarming reflections on dreams and death, their understanding of reality and hope begins to erode as reports of mysterious lights falling from the sky coincide with temporal and spatial distortions.

"This is a film that understands that the truest picture of society comes from the eyes of those it neglects, courtesy of the outcasts who plunder airtime from the State itself. " (Roger Ebert.com)

Thursday, August 13
Doors 8:45 pm | Movie 9:15 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

BARRIO TRISTE (Matías Vásquez, 2026 / 84 mins / NR / Spanish w. EST) In an impoverished neighborhood of 1980s Medellín, a group of disaffected teens steals a TV reporter's camera to document their lives.

After years of slapdash sequels and waning fandom, the Camp Miasma slasher franchise is handed over to an enthusiastic young director (Hannah Einbinder, 'Hacks') for resurrection. But when she visits the original movie's star (Gillian Anderson, 'The X-Files'), a now-reclusive actress shrouded in mystery, the two women fall into a blood-soaked world of desire, fear, and delirium. With Jasmine Savoy Brown, Patrick Fischler, Amanda Fix, Sarah Sherman, Dylan Baker, Kevin McDonald, Eva Victor.

"As sexy as movies come, all the way through its final climax." (ELLE Magazine)

"This one’s designed to make us shriek, smirk and think in equal measure." (Toronto Star)

"Jane Schoenbrun’s meta, queer and horny answer to misogynistic genre fare like Friday the 13th, which Teenage Sex and Death reclaims as sexually empowering." (CBC Radio)

"'Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma' is a meta horror-comedy and a whip-smart entertainment industry satire. Still, on a deeper level, in a hole at the bottom of its lake, is a hard-won sexual awakening." (Time Out)

Friday, August 14
Doors 5:30 pm | Movie 6:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA (Jane Schoenbrun, 2025 / 115 mins / 14A) A director making a slasher sequel becomes obsessed with casting the original film's 'final girl,' leading both women into psychological and sexual chaos.

After years of slapdash sequels and waning fandom, the Camp Miasma slasher franchise is handed over to an enthusiastic young director (Hannah Einbinder, 'Hacks') for resurrection. But when she visits the original movie's star (Gillian Anderson, 'The X-Files'), a now-reclusive actress shrouded in mystery, the two women fall into a blood-soaked world of desire, fear, and delirium. With Jasmine Savoy Brown, Patrick Fischler, Amanda Fix, Sarah Sherman, Dylan Baker, Kevin McDonald, Eva Victor.

"As sexy as movies come, all the way through its final climax." (ELLE Magazine)

"This one’s designed to make us shriek, smirk and think in equal measure." (Toronto Star)

"Jane Schoenbrun’s meta, queer and horny answer to misogynistic genre fare like Friday the 13th, which Teenage Sex and Death reclaims as sexually empowering." (CBC Radio)

"'Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma' is a meta horror-comedy and a whip-smart entertainment industry satire. Still, on a deeper level, in a hole at the bottom of its lake, is a hard-won sexual awakening." (Time Out)

Friday, August 14
Doors 8:15 pm | Movie 8:45 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA (Jane Schoenbrun, 2025 / 115 mins / 14A) A director making a slasher sequel becomes obsessed with casting the original film's 'final girl,' leading both women into psychological and sexual chaos.

After years of slapdash sequels and waning fandom, the Camp Miasma slasher franchise is handed over to an enthusiastic young director (Hannah Einbinder, 'Hacks') for resurrection. But when she visits the original movie's star (Gillian Anderson, 'The X-Files'), a now-reclusive actress shrouded in mystery, the two women fall into a blood-soaked world of desire, fear, and delirium. With Jasmine Savoy Brown, Patrick Fischler, Amanda Fix, Sarah Sherman, Dylan Baker, Kevin McDonald, Eva Victor.

"As sexy as movies come, all the way through its final climax." (ELLE Magazine)

"This one’s designed to make us shriek, smirk and think in equal measure." (Toronto Star)

"Jane Schoenbrun’s meta, queer and horny answer to misogynistic genre fare like Friday the 13th, which Teenage Sex and Death reclaims as sexually empowering." (CBC Radio)

"'Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma' is a meta horror-comedy and a whip-smart entertainment industry satire. Still, on a deeper level, in a hole at the bottom of its lake, is a hard-won sexual awakening." (Time Out)

Friday, August 14
Doors 11:00 pm | Movie 11:20 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA (Jane Schoenbrun, 2025 / 115 mins / 14A) A director making a slasher sequel becomes obsessed with casting the original film's 'final girl,' leading both women into psychological and sexual chaos.

As we get ready to re-visit the new 40th Anniversary restoration of Michael Mann's MANHUNTER, we thought the time was right to take another look his star-studded (and regularly requested) crime drama, HEAT.

Master criminal Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) is trying to control the rogue actions of one of his men, while also planning one last big heist before retiring. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Hanna (Al Pacino) attempts to track down McCauley as he deals with the chaos in his own life, including the infidelity of his wife (Diane Venora) and the mental health of his stepdaughter (Natalie Portman). McCauley and Hanna discover a mutual respect, even as they try to thwart each other's plans. Also starring Val Kilmer, Ashley Judd, Mykelti Williams, Jon Voight, Tom Sizemore, Amy Brenneman, and Dennis Haysbert.

"Just when it seemed that the only hope for crime movies lay in the postmodernist artifice of films like Pulp Fiction, Mann reinvests the genre with brooding, modernist conviction. This one sticks to your gut." (Newsweek)

"Though Al Pacino and Robert De Niro share but a handful of screen minutes together, HEAT is an engrossing crime drama that draws compelling performances from its stars -- and confirms Michael Mann's mastery of the genre." (Rotten Tomatoes)

Saturday, August 15
Doors 1:00 pm | Movie 1:30 pm *Please arrive on time. Start time subject to change.

HEAT (Michael Mann, 1995 / 170 mins / 18A) Obsessive master thief Neil McCauley leads a top-notch crew on various daring heists throughout Los Angeles while determined detective, Vincent Hanna, pursues him without rest. Each man recognizes and respects the ability and the dedication of the other even though they are aware their cat-and-mouse game may end in violence.

After years of slapdash sequels and waning fandom, the Camp Miasma slasher franchise is handed over to an enthusiastic young director (Hannah Einbinder, 'Hacks') for resurrection. But when she visits the original movie's star (Gillian Anderson, 'The X-Files'), a now-reclusive actress shrouded in mystery, the two women fall into a blood-soaked world of desire, fear, and delirium. With Jasmine Savoy Brown, Patrick Fischler, Amanda Fix, Sarah Sherman, Dylan Baker, Kevin McDonald, Eva Victor.

"As sexy as movies come, all the way through its final climax." (ELLE Magazine)

"This one’s designed to make us shriek, smirk and think in equal measure." (Toronto Star)

"Jane Schoenbrun’s meta, queer and horny answer to misogynistic genre fare like Friday the 13th, which Teenage Sex and Death reclaims as sexually empowering." (CBC Radio)

"'Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma' is a meta horror-comedy and a whip-smart entertainment industry satire. Still, on a deeper level, in a hole at the bottom of its lake, is a hard-won sexual awakening." (Time Out)

Saturday, August 15
Doors 4:30 pm | Movie 5:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA (Jane Schoenbrun, 2025 / 115 mins / 14A) A director making a slasher sequel becomes obsessed with casting the original film's 'final girl,' leading both women into psychological and sexual chaos.

After years of slapdash sequels and waning fandom, the Camp Miasma slasher franchise is handed over to an enthusiastic young director (Hannah Einbinder, 'Hacks') for resurrection. But when she visits the original movie's star (Gillian Anderson, 'The X-Files'), a now-reclusive actress shrouded in mystery, the two women fall into a blood-soaked world of desire, fear, and delirium. With Jasmine Savoy Brown, Patrick Fischler, Amanda Fix, Sarah Sherman, Dylan Baker, Kevin McDonald, Eva Victor.

"As sexy as movies come, all the way through its final climax." (ELLE Magazine)

"This one’s designed to make us shriek, smirk and think in equal measure." (Toronto Star)

"Jane Schoenbrun’s meta, queer and horny answer to misogynistic genre fare like Friday the 13th, which Teenage Sex and Death reclaims as sexually empowering." (CBC Radio)

"'Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma' is a meta horror-comedy and a whip-smart entertainment industry satire. Still, on a deeper level, in a hole at the bottom of its lake, is a hard-won sexual awakening." (Time Out)

Saturday, August 15
Doors 7:15 pm | Movie 7:45 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA (Jane Schoenbrun, 2025 / 115 mins / 14A) A director making a slasher sequel becomes obsessed with casting the original film's 'final girl,' leading both women into psychological and sexual chaos.

After years of slapdash sequels and waning fandom, the Camp Miasma slasher franchise is handed over to an enthusiastic young director (Hannah Einbinder, 'Hacks') for resurrection. But when she visits the original movie's star (Gillian Anderson, 'The X-Files'), a now-reclusive actress shrouded in mystery, the two women fall into a blood-soaked world of desire, fear, and delirium. With Jasmine Savoy Brown, Patrick Fischler, Amanda Fix, Sarah Sherman, Dylan Baker, Kevin McDonald, Eva Victor.

"As sexy as movies come, all the way through its final climax." (ELLE Magazine)

"This one’s designed to make us shriek, smirk and think in equal measure." (Toronto Star)

"Jane Schoenbrun’s meta, queer and horny answer to misogynistic genre fare like Friday the 13th, which Teenage Sex and Death reclaims as sexually empowering." (CBC Radio)

"'Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma' is a meta horror-comedy and a whip-smart entertainment industry satire. Still, on a deeper level, in a hole at the bottom of its lake, is a hard-won sexual awakening." (Time Out)

Saturday, August 15
Doors 10:00 pm | Movie 10:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA (Jane Schoenbrun, 2025 / 115 mins / 14A) A director making a slasher sequel becomes obsessed with casting the original film's 'final girl,' leading both women into psychological and sexual chaos.

Echoing the Canadian comedy classic "SCTV" and picking from hundreds of hours of original, low-budget TV ads to tell the sinister tale of two restaurants battling it out in the fictional town of Westridge County. Ads for insurance, used car rivals, a local religious scholar, and a recording artist converge to tell the story of an expanding sinkhole, a cult, and an ever-growing restaurant that becomes unsettlingly sentient.

Director Simon Glassman will be joining us for in-person intro and Q&A.

"I think this might just be a masterpiece." (Cinepunx)

"A sloppy joe satire force-fed to us in colorful and hilarious thirty second bursts that make the medicine go down, down, down, until we’re all happily gagging on it. That’s the Buffet Ihttps://riotheatretickets.ca/events/44096-buffet-infinity-director-in-attendance-for-q-anfinity guarantee." (Pajiba)

"Walking a tightrope between middle school sleepover chaos and grad school formalism, this is a mordantly dark gift that keeps on giving." (Nashville Scene)

Sunday, August 16
Doors 12:45 pm | Movie 1:15 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

BUFFET INFINITY (Simon Glassman, 2026 / 90 mins / NR) In a series of cheap, locally produced television commercials, a story unfolds that begins as a simple business rivalry between small business owners and the looming threat of Buffet Infinity. As Buffet Infinity endlessly expands and grows, swallowing everything in its path, a sinister conspiracy unfolds at the margins, and unfathomable powers begin to worm their way into the vulnerable community of Westridge County, Alberta.

Michael Mann's third feature, the 1986 thriller MANHUNTER, is a gripping adaptation of the first entry of Thomas Harris' four novels featuring the iconic psychiatrist-slash-murderer, Dr. Hannibal Lecter.

The story follows retired criminal profiler Will Graham (William Petersen) as he reluctantly returns to the FBI to help track down a serial killer of families known as the "Tooth Fairy." In order to find the suspect, he is forced to consult an expert—the imprisoned Dr. Lector (Brian Cox in a subtly chilling performance), who is the reason Graham took an early retirement. Soon, Graham and the FBI are entangled in a deadly cat-and-mouse game between the Tooth Fairy, Lecter and an interfering journalist.

MANHUNTER benefits from the filmmaker's typically striking visuals as well as a top-notch supporting cast, including Tom Noonan as the hunted killer, and three-time Oscar nominee Joan Allen as his blind love interest.

This new 4K Final Cut, overseen by Mann, enhances the film’s depth, visual clarity and sound, offering audiences the ultimate immersive version. Released in 1986, MANHUNTER was on a frontier in both its subject matter and film form, initiating an impressive list of subsequent films and series. This 4K version of the film is both a restoration, and a final edit. This 4K scan of the original 35mm negative—with a few shots from an interpositive—was conformed and digitally restored at L’Immagine Ritrovata in Bologna, strictly following the new reference edit done by Michael Mann, and was was supervised by Becca Mann and the Studiocanal team, Jean-Pierre Boiget and Delphine Roussel.

"In case you didn’t know there was a Hannibal Lecter before Tony Hopkins, Michael Mann brings his 1986 crime thriller back to theaters with a revelatory, pre-"Succcession" Brian Cox. Fasten your seatbelts." (The Travers Take)

"This slick thriller has been overshadowed by The Silence of the Lambs, but it is a compelling piece of film-making." (The Times UK)

"'Manhunter' ushered in the age of empathy for the devil." (Slate)

Sunday, August 16
Doors 3:30 pm | Movie 4:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

MANHUNTER (Michael Mann, 1986 / 120 mins / 14A) Former FBI profiler Will Graham returns to service to pursue a deranged serial killer dubbed "the Tooth Fairy" by the media.

After years of slapdash sequels and waning fandom, the Camp Miasma slasher franchise is handed over to an enthusiastic young director (Hannah Einbinder, 'Hacks') for resurrection. But when she visits the original movie's star (Gillian Anderson, 'The X-Files'), a now-reclusive actress shrouded in mystery, the two women fall into a blood-soaked world of desire, fear, and delirium. With Jasmine Savoy Brown, Patrick Fischler, Amanda Fix, Sarah Sherman, Dylan Baker, Kevin McDonald, Eva Victor.

"As sexy as movies come, all the way through its final climax." (ELLE Magazine)

"This one’s designed to make us shriek, smirk and think in equal measure." (Toronto Star)

"Jane Schoenbrun’s meta, queer and horny answer to misogynistic genre fare like Friday the 13th, which Teenage Sex and Death reclaims as sexually empowering." (CBC Radio)

"'Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma' is a meta horror-comedy and a whip-smart entertainment industry satire. Still, on a deeper level, in a hole at the bottom of its lake, is a hard-won sexual awakening." (Time Out)

Sunday, August 16
Doors 6:15 pm | Movie 6:45 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA (Jane Schoenbrun, 2025 / 115 mins / 14A) A director making a slasher sequel becomes obsessed with casting the original film's 'final girl,' leading both women into psychological and sexual chaos.

After years of slapdash sequels and waning fandom, the Camp Miasma slasher franchise is handed over to an enthusiastic young director (Hannah Einbinder, 'Hacks') for resurrection. But when she visits the original movie's star (Gillian Anderson, 'The X-Files'), a now-reclusive actress shrouded in mystery, the two women fall into a blood-soaked world of desire, fear, and delirium. With Jasmine Savoy Brown, Patrick Fischler, Amanda Fix, Sarah Sherman, Dylan Baker, Kevin McDonald, Eva Victor.

"As sexy as movies come, all the way through its final climax." (ELLE Magazine)

"This one’s designed to make us shriek, smirk and think in equal measure." (Toronto Star)

"Jane Schoenbrun’s meta, queer and horny answer to misogynistic genre fare like Friday the 13th, which Teenage Sex and Death reclaims as sexually empowering." (CBC Radio)

"'Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma' is a meta horror-comedy and a whip-smart entertainment industry satire. Still, on a deeper level, in a hole at the bottom of its lake, is a hard-won sexual awakening." (Time Out)

Sunday, August 16
Doors 9:00 pm | Movie 9:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA (Jane Schoenbrun, 2025 / 115 mins / 14A) A director making a slasher sequel becomes obsessed with casting the original film's 'final girl,' leading both women into psychological and sexual chaos.

After years of slapdash sequels and waning fandom, the Camp Miasma slasher franchise is handed over to an enthusiastic young director (Hannah Einbinder, 'Hacks') for resurrection. But when she visits the original movie's star (Gillian Anderson, 'The X-Files'), a now-reclusive actress shrouded in mystery, the two women fall into a blood-soaked world of desire, fear, and delirium. With Jasmine Savoy Brown, Patrick Fischler, Amanda Fix, Sarah Sherman, Dylan Baker, Kevin McDonald, Eva Victor.

"As sexy as movies come, all the way through its final climax." (ELLE Magazine)

"This one’s designed to make us shriek, smirk and think in equal measure." (Toronto Star)

"Jane Schoenbrun’s meta, queer and horny answer to misogynistic genre fare like Friday the 13th, which Teenage Sex and Death reclaims as sexually empowering." (CBC Radio)

"'Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma' is a meta horror-comedy and a whip-smart entertainment industry satire. Still, on a deeper level, in a hole at the bottom of its lake, is a hard-won sexual awakening." (Time Out)

Monday, August 17
Doors 6:00 pm | Movie 6:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA (Jane Schoenbrun, 2025 / 115 mins / 14A) A director making a slasher sequel becomes obsessed with casting the original film's 'final girl,' leading both women into psychological and sexual chaos.

Michael Mann's third feature, the 1986 thriller MANHUNTER, is a gripping adaptation of the first entry of Thomas Harris' four novels featuring the iconic psychiatrist-slash-murderer, Dr. Hannibal Lecter.

The story follows retired criminal profiler Will Graham (William Petersen) as he reluctantly returns to the FBI to help track down a serial killer of families known as the "Tooth Fairy." In order to find the suspect, he is forced to consult an expert—the imprisoned Dr. Lector (Brian Cox in a subtly chilling performance), who is the reason Graham took an early retirement. Soon, Graham and the FBI are entangled in a deadly cat-and-mouse game between the Tooth Fairy, Lecter and an interfering journalist.

MANHUNTER benefits from the filmmaker's typically striking visuals as well as a top-notch supporting cast, including Tom Noonan as the hunted killer, and three-time Oscar nominee Joan Allen as his blind love interest.

This new 4K Final Cut, overseen by Mann, enhances the film’s depth, visual clarity and sound, offering audiences the ultimate immersive version. Released in 1986, MANHUNTER was on a frontier in both its subject matter and film form, initiating an impressive list of subsequent films and series. This 4K version of the film is both a restoration, and a final edit. This 4K scan of the original 35mm negative—with a few shots from an interpositive—was conformed and digitally restored at L’Immagine Ritrovata in Bologna, strictly following the new reference edit done by Michael Mann, and was was supervised by Becca Mann and the Studiocanal team, Jean-Pierre Boiget and Delphine Roussel.

"In case you didn’t know there was a Hannibal Lecter before Tony Hopkins, Michael Mann brings his 1986 crime thriller back to theaters with a revelatory, pre-"Succcession" Brian Cox. Fasten your seatbelts." (The Travers Take)

"This slick thriller has been overshadowed by The Silence of the Lambs, but it is a compelling piece of film-making." (The Times UK)

"'Manhunter' ushered in the age of empathy for the devil." (Slate)

Monday, August 17
Doors 8:45 pm | Movie 9:15 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

MANHUNTER (Michael Mann, 1986 / 120 mins / 14A) Former FBI profiler Will Graham returns to service to pursue a deranged serial killer dubbed "the Tooth Fairy" by the media.

After years of slapdash sequels and waning fandom, the Camp Miasma slasher franchise is handed over to an enthusiastic young director (Hannah Einbinder, 'Hacks') for resurrection. But when she visits the original movie's star (Gillian Anderson, 'The X-Files'), a now-reclusive actress shrouded in mystery, the two women fall into a blood-soaked world of desire, fear, and delirium. With Jasmine Savoy Brown, Patrick Fischler, Amanda Fix, Sarah Sherman, Dylan Baker, Kevin McDonald, Eva Victor.

"As sexy as movies come, all the way through its final climax." (ELLE Magazine)

"This one’s designed to make us shriek, smirk and think in equal measure." (Toronto Star)

"Jane Schoenbrun’s meta, queer and horny answer to misogynistic genre fare like Friday the 13th, which Teenage Sex and Death reclaims as sexually empowering." (CBC Radio)

"'Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma' is a meta horror-comedy and a whip-smart entertainment industry satire. Still, on a deeper level, in a hole at the bottom of its lake, is a hard-won sexual awakening." (Time Out)

Tuesday, August 18
Doors 6:15 pm | Movie 6:45 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA (Jane Schoenbrun, 2025 / 115 mins / 14A) A director making a slasher sequel becomes obsessed with casting the original film's 'final girl,' leading both women into psychological and sexual chaos.

Shocking, lurid and completely unapologetic in its brutality, director Tobe Hooper’s THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE completely changed cinema following its debut in 1974. The film follows five youths on a weekend getaway in the Texas countryside on August 18, 1973, as they fall prey to a butcher in a mask made of human skin and his cannibalistic family.  Violent, confrontational, and shockingly realistic, THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE terrified audiences in a way never thought possible when it was unleashed on the politically and socially tumultuous America of the 1970s. Facing a storm of controversy, censorship, and outcry throughout its troubled release, this masterpiece of horror has stood the test of time to become a landmark motion picture and cultural milestone – most recently being named to the US National Film Registry by the Library of Congress -  while also establishing many of the tenets of what would become the gore/slasher/splatter genre.

Just as Alfred Hitchcock‘s PSYCHO was based on the life of deeply disturbed farmer Ed Gein, so is this little story of depravity and dementia. When a sister and her brother take a group of friends to visit the farmhouse of their deceased grandfather, they discover that just next door lives a whole family of repugnant psycho killers. Most noteworthy is “Leatherface” (Gunnar Hansen), the chainsaw-wielding fellow who has something of a penchant for human flesh. Though the film did not enjoy immediate success at the box office, it has since gathered a hefty cult following, and is considered by many to be groundbreaking work in the genre of horror.

More than just a mere slasher or exploitation film, THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE works almost entirely because of the absolute commitment from its principle cast; there are very few instances of a character in a film (horror or otherwise) whose silent, wordless presence is capable of delivering the tremendous balance of sheer terror and pathos that Gunnar Hansen convey as Leatherface, whose performance as the chainsaw-wielding cannibal who terrorizes a young woman (another of the film’s phenomenal performances from scream queen Marilyn Burns) and her friends is as tense and frightening today as it was in 1974.

“Thanks to a smart script and documentary-style camerawork,THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE achieves start-to-finish suspense, making it a classic in low-budget exploitation cinema.” (Rotten Tomatoes)

Tuesday, August 18
Doors 9:00 pm | Movie 9:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.
Tickets HERE

THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (Tobe Hooper, 1974 / 83 mins / 18A) When Sally (Marilyn Burns) hears that her grandfather’s grave may have been vandalized, she and her paraplegic brother, Franklin (Paul A. Partain), set out with their friends to investigate. After a detour to their family’s old farmhouse, they discover a group of crazed, murderous outcasts living next door. As the group is attacked one by one by the chainsaw-wielding Leatherface (Gunnar Hansen), who wears a mask of human skin, the survivors must do everything they can to escape.

Unlock the Vault Graduate Film Festival 2026
The 21st Edition | Presented by the Langara Film Arts Program

For its 21st edition, Unlock the Vault returns to the Rio Theatre for an evening celebrating the newest voices emerging from Langara College's Film Arts Program.

This year's writing, directing, and acting students joined forces to create eleven original short films, each approximately nine minutes long. Developed and produced through an intensive collaborative process, the program showcases a wide range of genres, perspectives, and cinematic styles.

The 2026 lineup moves from intimate drama and dark comedy to supernatural horror, psychological suspense, and high-stakes revenge. Across the program, the films explore grief, faith, addiction, obsession, friendship, mortality, and the unexpected ways people search for connection.

Join the filmmakers, cast, crew, faculty, friends, family, and Vancouver film community for a one-night-only presentation of the complete graduating-film program on the big screen.

The evening's festivities will include a short intermission.

Wednesday, August 19
Doors 5:00 pm | Event 5:45 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Tickets and entry is FREE and available to the public on August 12.

2026 FILM LINE-UP
Films are listed in alphabetical order. Running order is subject to change.

4 OF A KIND
Directed by Ian Butcher | Written by Adam Beal | Produced by Yanni Tsung
Starring Jordan Nelson, Liam Nguyen-Markus, Lilou Maillot, Ren Danis Kavvrin, and Evan Hsu.
‘A vengeful widower tracks the man responsible for his wife's death to an underground poker game, where the stakes are more than the money on the table.’

BITING THE HAND
Directed by Tony Huang | Written by Sabrina Desbois | Produced by Liam Nguyen-Markus
Starring Yanni Tsung, Martina Angelie Ogali, Liam Nguyen-Markus, Dylan Arruda, SiQi Hao, and Evan Hsu.
‘A young woman obsesses over being blocked on social media rather than working on herself.’

BLUE BRUISER
Directed by Mozi Mayaleh | Written by Azlan Chaudhry | Produced by Evan Hsu
Starring Christian Asimakos, Lilou Maillot, Lee Jung-mi, and SiQi Hao.
‘An insecure young artist mistakes a stranger’s admiration for romantic interest after debuting his, “The Blue Bruiser,” at a local gallery, only to discover that the person who truly understands and supports him has been beside him all along.’

BURN OUT BRIGHT
Directed by Edemilson C. Morais | Written by Carter Persowich | Produced by Ren Danis Kavvrin
Starring Jordan Nelson, SiQi Hao, Dylan Arruda, Christian Asimakos, Lee Jung-mi, and Evan Hsu.
‘On the biggest night of his career, a stand-up comedian battles anxiety, alcoholism, and the fear of failure backstage - while a life-changing opportunity waits just beyond the curtain.’

GOD IS DOG
Directed by Adrian Chao | Written by Nicolas Leininger | Produced by Martina Angelie Ogali
Starring Jordan Nelson, Yanni Tsung, Evan Hsu, SiQi Hao, Ren Danis Kavvrin, and Lilou Maillot.
‘After a miscarriage shakes their faith, a couple searching for meaning and healing finds an unexpected sense of grace and companionship when they adopt a local dog.’

ISLE OF THE DEAD
Directed by Ariana Jurado | Written by Danilo Baffini | Produced by SiQi Hao
Starring Dylan Arruda, Lee Jung-mi, Yanni Tsung, Martina Angelie Ogali, and SiQi Hao.
‘In a world cursed with a solar apocalypse, an isolated survivor shelters two refugees in his remote cabin. As fear, dwindling supplies, and a mysterious figure lurking outside erode his sanity, he must decide whether to connect with the strangers or to keep himself safe.’

MURDERED MEMORIES
Directed by Angela Nevy | Written by Kaniel Jacob-Cross | Produced by Dylan Arruda
Starring Liam Nguyen-Markus, Christian Asimakos, Lee Jung-mi, Lilou Maillot, Ren Danis Kavvrin, and Yanni Tsung.
‘After summoning an entity, a group of friends must recover their missing memories and determine who among them must be sacrificed before time runs out.’

NAUTICAL DISASTER
Directed by Alex Baptista | Written by Susan MacRae | Produced by Lilou Maillot
Starring Christian Asimakos, SiQi Hao, Martina Angelie Ogali, Lee Jung-mi, and Liam Nguyen-Markus.
‘A man dying of HIV/AIDS, abandoned by his family, rediscovers human connection, friendship, and comfort through the home-care aide who enters his life.’

SEMI-PLATONIC LIFE PARTNERS
Directed by Janin Palahicky | Written by Adonis Adam | Produced by Christian Asimakos
Starring Evan Hsu, Martina Angelie Ogali, and Lilou Maillot.
‘A promising date is repeatedly interrupted by the mischievous ghost of a young man's dead ex-girlfriend, forcing him to juggle romance, grief, and a past that refuses to leave him alone.’

THE FLICKERING
Directed by Logan St. Germain | Written by Natalie Brobbel | Produced by Lee Jung-mi
Starring Evan Hsu, Lilou Maillot, Jordan Nelson, Dylan Arruda, and Francis Santillan
‘Four friends drive down an abandoned road toward a college party, but a supernatural figure appears in their path - and one by one, they begin to vanish.’

TOUR AVEC PRETZEL
Directed by Preston Schwartz | Written by Indiana Patterson | Produced by Jordan Nelson
Starring Liam Nguyen-Markus and Ren Danis Kavvrin.
‘Tour Avec Pretzel follows Todd as he goes on a surreal art tour where he is forced to confront and overcome his childhood trauma.’

After years of slapdash sequels and waning fandom, the Camp Miasma slasher franchise is handed over to an enthusiastic young director (Hannah Einbinder, 'Hacks') for resurrection. But when she visits the original movie's star (Gillian Anderson, 'The X-Files'), a now-reclusive actress shrouded in mystery, the two women fall into a blood-soaked world of desire, fear, and delirium. With Jasmine Savoy Brown, Patrick Fischler, Amanda Fix, Sarah Sherman, Dylan Baker, Kevin McDonald, Eva Victor.

"As sexy as movies come, all the way through its final climax." (ELLE Magazine)

"This one’s designed to make us shriek, smirk and think in equal measure." (Toronto Star)

"Jane Schoenbrun’s meta, queer and horny answer to misogynistic genre fare like Friday the 13th, which Teenage Sex and Death reclaims as sexually empowering." (CBC Radio)

"'Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma' is a meta horror-comedy and a whip-smart entertainment industry satire. Still, on a deeper level, in a hole at the bottom of its lake, is a hard-won sexual awakening." (Time Out)

Wednesday, August 19
Doors 9:00 pm | Movie 9:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA (Jane Schoenbrun, 2025 / 115 mins / 14A) A director making a slasher sequel becomes obsessed with casting the original film's 'final girl,' leading both women into psychological and sexual chaos.

After years of slapdash sequels and waning fandom, the Camp Miasma slasher franchise is handed over to an enthusiastic young director (Hannah Einbinder, 'Hacks') for resurrection. But when she visits the original movie's star (Gillian Anderson, 'The X-Files'), a now-reclusive actress shrouded in mystery, the two women fall into a blood-soaked world of desire, fear, and delirium. With Jasmine Savoy Brown, Patrick Fischler, Amanda Fix, Sarah Sherman, Dylan Baker, Kevin McDonald, Eva Victor.

"As sexy as movies come, all the way through its final climax." (ELLE Magazine)

"This one’s designed to make us shriek, smirk and think in equal measure." (Toronto Star)

"Jane Schoenbrun’s meta, queer and horny answer to misogynistic genre fare like Friday the 13th, which Teenage Sex and Death reclaims as sexually empowering." (CBC Radio)

"'Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma' is a meta horror-comedy and a whip-smart entertainment industry satire. Still, on a deeper level, in a hole at the bottom of its lake, is a hard-won sexual awakening." (Time Out)

Thursday, August 20
Doors 6:00 pm | Movie 6:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA (Jane Schoenbrun, 2025 / 115 mins / 14A) A director making a slasher sequel becomes obsessed with casting the original film's 'final girl,' leading both women into psychological and sexual chaos.

Michael Mann's third feature, the 1986 thriller MANHUNTER, is a gripping adaptation of the first entry of Thomas Harris' four novels featuring the iconic psychiatrist-slash-murderer, Dr. Hannibal Lecter.

The story follows retired criminal profiler Will Graham (William Petersen) as he reluctantly returns to the FBI to help track down a serial killer of families known as the "Tooth Fairy." In order to find the suspect, he is forced to consult an expert—the imprisoned Dr. Lector (Brian Cox in a subtly chilling performance), who is the reason Graham took an early retirement. Soon, Graham and the FBI are entangled in a deadly cat-and-mouse game between the Tooth Fairy, Lecter and an interfering journalist.

MANHUNTER benefits from the filmmaker's typically striking visuals as well as a top-notch supporting cast, including Tom Noonan as the hunted killer, and three-time Oscar nominee Joan Allen as his blind love interest.

This new 4K Final Cut, overseen by Mann, enhances the film’s depth, visual clarity and sound, offering audiences the ultimate immersive version. Released in 1986, MANHUNTER was on a frontier in both its subject matter and film form, initiating an impressive list of subsequent films and series. This 4K version of the film is both a restoration, and a final edit. This 4K scan of the original 35mm negative—with a few shots from an interpositive—was conformed and digitally restored at L’Immagine Ritrovata in Bologna, strictly following the new reference edit done by Michael Mann, and was was supervised by Becca Mann and the Studiocanal team, Jean-Pierre Boiget and Delphine Roussel.

"In case you didn’t know there was a Hannibal Lecter before Tony Hopkins, Michael Mann brings his 1986 crime thriller back to theaters with a revelatory, pre-"Succcession" Brian Cox. Fasten your seatbelts." (The Travers Take)

"This slick thriller has been overshadowed by The Silence of the Lambs, but it is a compelling piece of film-making." (The Times UK)

"'Manhunter' ushered in the age of empathy for the devil." (Slate)

Thursday, August 20
Doors 8:45 pm | Movie 9:15 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.
Tickets HERE

MANHUNTER (Michael Mann, 1986 / 120 mins / 14A) Former FBI profiler Will Graham returns to service to pursue a deranged serial killer dubbed "the Tooth Fairy" by the media.

After years of slapdash sequels and waning fandom, the Camp Miasma slasher franchise is handed over to an enthusiastic young director (Hannah Einbinder, 'Hacks') for resurrection. But when she visits the original movie's star (Gillian Anderson, 'The X-Files'), a now-reclusive actress shrouded in mystery, the two women fall into a blood-soaked world of desire, fear, and delirium. With Jasmine Savoy Brown, Patrick Fischler, Amanda Fix, Sarah Sherman, Dylan Baker, Kevin McDonald, Eva Victor.

"As sexy as movies come, all the way through its final climax." (ELLE Magazine)

"This one’s designed to make us shriek, smirk and think in equal measure." (Toronto Star)

"Jane Schoenbrun’s meta, queer and horny answer to misogynistic genre fare like Friday the 13th, which Teenage Sex and Death reclaims as sexually empowering." (CBC Radio)

"'Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma' is a meta horror-comedy and a whip-smart entertainment industry satire. Still, on a deeper level, in a hole at the bottom of its lake, is a hard-won sexual awakening." (Time Out)

Friday, August 21
Doors 3:15 pm | Movie 3:45 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA (Jane Schoenbrun, 2025 / 115 mins / 14A) A director making a slasher sequel becomes obsessed with casting the original film's 'final girl,' leading both women into psychological and sexual chaos.

The setting is Camp Firewood, the year 1981. It's the last day before everyone goes back to the real world, but there's still a summer's worth of unfinished business to resolve. At the center of the action is camp director Beth, who struggles to keep order while she falls in love with the local astrophysics professor. He is busy trying to save the camp from a deadly piece of NASA's Skylab which is hurtling toward earth. All that, plus: a dangerous waterfall rescue, love triangles, misfits, cool kids, and talking vegetable cans. The questions will all be resolved, of course, at the big talent show at the end of the day. With Janeane Garofalo, David Hyde Pierce, Michael Showalter, Paul Rudd, Christopher Meloni, Molly Shannon, Ken Marino, Michael Ian Black, Amy Poehler, Bradley Cooper, and Elizabeth Banks.

"This shamefully under-promoted, gloriously silly romp made me laugh harder than any other movie this summer...this blissfully unimportant movie starts in a deceptively low key, gradually unveiling its total lunacy." (Newsweek)

"'Wet Hot American Summer' is gleefully, wonderfully stupid in the absolute best way." (Polygon)

"The funniest cinematic camp experience since Pugsley and Wednesday freaked everyone out with their rendition of the first Thanksgiving in 'Addams Family Values'." (Planet S Magazine)

Friday, August 21
Doors 6:00 pm | Movie 6:25 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER (David Wain, 2001 / 14 A / 97 mins) Set on the last day of camp, in the hot summer of 1981, this cult-classic comedy follows a group of counselors who are each trying to complete their unfinished business before the day ends. The entire summer of pent-up sexual frustrations, unresolved post-traumatic stress, pending separations and of course, the talent show, all weigh heavily on the minds and groins of counselors and campers alike.

After years of slapdash sequels and waning fandom, the Camp Miasma slasher franchise is handed over to an enthusiastic young director (Hannah Einbinder, 'Hacks') for resurrection. But when she visits the original movie's star (Gillian Anderson, 'The X-Files'), a now-reclusive actress shrouded in mystery, the two women fall into a blood-soaked world of desire, fear, and delirium. With Jasmine Savoy Brown, Patrick Fischler, Amanda Fix, Sarah Sherman, Dylan Baker, Kevin McDonald, Eva Victor.

"As sexy as movies come, all the way through its final climax." (ELLE Magazine)

"This one’s designed to make us shriek, smirk and think in equal measure." (Toronto Star)

"Jane Schoenbrun’s meta, queer and horny answer to misogynistic genre fare like Friday the 13th, which Teenage Sex and Death reclaims as sexually empowering." (CBC Radio)

"'Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma' is a meta horror-comedy and a whip-smart entertainment industry satire. Still, on a deeper level, in a hole at the bottom of its lake, is a hard-won sexual awakening." (Time Out)

Friday, August 21
Doors 8:15 pm | Movie 8:45 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA (Jane Schoenbrun, 2025 / 115 mins / 14A) A director making a slasher sequel becomes obsessed with casting the original film's 'final girl,' leading both women into psychological and sexual chaos.

John Carpenter's ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK, the epic 1981 action film featuring his 80's-era "muse" Kurt Russell as the iconic eye-patch-wearing hero Snake Plissken (which was  restored in 2018) is headed to the Rio Theatre's screen as a Friday Late Night Movie on August 21.

Set in a dystopic 1997 in which a major war between the United States and the Soviet Union is concluding, the entire island of Manhattan has been converted into a giant maximum security prison. When Air Force One is hijacked and crashes into the island, the president (Donald Pleasence) is taken hostage by a group of inmates where Snake Plissken, a former Special Forces soldier turned criminal, is recruited to retrieve him in exchange for his own freedom. Also starring Lee Van Cleef, Ernest Borgnine, Isaac Hayes, Harry Dean Stanton, and Adrienne Barbeau.

"The movie proudly wears its affection for crusty Sergio Leone archetypes and countdown-clock suspense sequences; Carpenter was Tarantino long before Tarantino was." (Time Out New York)

"Carpenter’s vision, presented in a beautiful 4K remaster, still impresses with its sense of time, place and attitude." (WeAreCult.Rocks)

Friday, August 21
Doors 11:00 pm | Movie 11:20 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK (John Carpenter, 1981 / 99 mins / PG) In 1997, the island of Manhattan has been walled off and turned into a giant maximum security prison within which the country's worst criminals are left to form their own anarchic society. However, when the President of the United States crash lands on the island, the authorities turn to a former soldier and current convict, Snake Plissken, to rescue him.

Oscilloscope Laboratories presents CATVIDEOFEST 2026, a compilation of the latest and best cat videos culled from countless hours of unique submissions and sourced animations, music videos, and classic internet powerhouses. Each year, across the country, local theaters partner with nearby cat-focused charities, animal welfare associations and shelters alike — a portion of ticket proceeds from every show goes directly to local cats in need.

This screening is a fundraiser in support of VOKRA, a volunteer-driven organization that rescues, rehabilitates, and rehomes more than 1,400 cats and kittens each year across the Lower Mainland. Proceeds from the event will support VOKRA’s core operations as the organization enters kitten season, its busiest and most resource-intensive time of year.

Saturday, August 22
Doors 1:30 pm | Movie 2:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

General Admission - $25 + s/c | $30 + s/c at the door
Youth Under 15 - $15 + s/c | $20 +s/c at the door

The setting is Camp Firewood, the year 1981. It's the last day before everyone goes back to the real world, but there's still a summer's worth of unfinished business to resolve. At the center of the action is camp director Beth, who struggles to keep order while she falls in love with the local astrophysics professor. He is busy trying to save the camp from a deadly piece of NASA's Skylab which is hurtling toward earth. All that, plus: a dangerous waterfall rescue, love triangles, misfits, cool kids, and talking vegetable cans. The questions will all be resolved, of course, at the big talent show at the end of the day. With Janeane Garofalo, David Hyde Pierce, Michael Showalter, Paul Rudd, Christopher Meloni, Molly Shannon, Ken Marino, Michael Ian Black, Amy Poehler, Bradley Cooper, and Elizabeth Banks.

"This shamefully under-promoted, gloriously silly romp made me laugh harder than any other movie this summer...this blissfully unimportant movie starts in a deceptively low key, gradually unveiling its total lunacy." (Newsweek)

"'Wet Hot American Summer' is gleefully, wonderfully stupid in the absolute best way." (Polygon)

"The funniest cinematic camp experience since Pugsley and Wednesday freaked everyone out with their rendition of the first Thanksgiving in 'Addams Family Values'." (Planet S Magazine)

Saturday, August 22
Doors 4:15 pm | Movie 4:45 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER (David Wain, 2001 / 14 A / 97 mins) Set on the last day of camp, in the hot summer of 1981, this cult-classic comedy follows a group of counselors who are each trying to complete their unfinished business before the day ends. The entire summer of pent-up sexual frustrations, unresolved post-traumatic stress, pending separations and of course, the talent show, all weigh heavily on the minds and groins of counselors and campers alike.

After years of slapdash sequels and waning fandom, the Camp Miasma slasher franchise is handed over to an enthusiastic young director (Hannah Einbinder, 'Hacks') for resurrection. But when she visits the original movie's star (Gillian Anderson, 'The X-Files'), a now-reclusive actress shrouded in mystery, the two women fall into a blood-soaked world of desire, fear, and delirium. With Jasmine Savoy Brown, Patrick Fischler, Amanda Fix, Sarah Sherman, Dylan Baker, Kevin McDonald, Eva Victor.

"As sexy as movies come, all the way through its final climax." (ELLE Magazine)

"This one’s designed to make us shriek, smirk and think in equal measure." (Toronto Star)

"Jane Schoenbrun’s meta, queer and horny answer to misogynistic genre fare like Friday the 13th, which Teenage Sex and Death reclaims as sexually empowering." (CBC Radio)

"'Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma' is a meta horror-comedy and a whip-smart entertainment industry satire. Still, on a deeper level, in a hole at the bottom of its lake, is a hard-won sexual awakening." (Time Out)

Saturday, August 22
Doors 6:45 pm | Movie 7:15 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA (Jane Schoenbrun, 2025 / 115 mins / 14A) A director making a slasher sequel becomes obsessed with casting the original film's 'final girl,' leading both women into psychological and sexual chaos.

IT ENDS premiered at SXSW 2026, and is the debut feature from Alex Ullom (who wrote, directed, and edited the film). It follows a friend group of graduates who go on a late night drive, but accidentally turn onto a never-ending, two-lane hellscape surrounded by -untold horrors and cosmic forces beyond their understanding. Ostensibly a very contemporary, Gen-Z take on Jean-Paul Sartre's influential 1944 existentialist play "No Exit." With Phinehas Yoon, Akira Jackson, Noah Toth and Mitchell Cole.

"Anchored by four genuinely engaging performances and a concept that understands the benefit of not over-explaining itself." (Roger Ebert.com)

"Writer/Director Alexander Ullom nestles an existential crisis within his genre-bending road trip thriller in his feature debut. What begins as an intense horror movie settles into a meditative rhythm for an inventive slice-of-life metaphor." (Bloody Disgusting)

Saturday, August 22
Doors 9:30 pm | Movie 10:00 pm *Start time subject to change, Please arrive on time.

IT ENDS (Alexander Ullom, 2026 / 89 mins / 14A) Out for a late-night drive, friends turn onto a never-ending, two-lane hellscape surrounded by untold horrors and cosmic forces beyond their understanding. Crammed inside a jeep with miles stretching infinitely ahead, they face a choice: embrace their new existence or fight to escape it.

IT ENDS premiered at SXSW 2026, and is the debut feature from Alex Ullom (who wrote, directed, and edited the film). It follows a friend group of graduates who go on a late night drive, but accidentally turn onto a never-ending, two-lane hellscape surrounded by -untold horrors and cosmic forces beyond their understanding. Ostensibly a very contemporary, Gen-Z take on Jean-Paul Sartre's influential 1944 existentialist play "No Exit." With Phinehas Yoon, Akira Jackson, Noah Toth and Mitchell Cole.

"Anchored by four genuinely engaging performances and a concept that understands the benefit of not over-explaining itself." (Roger Ebert.com)

"Writer/Director Alexander Ullom nestles an existential crisis within his genre-bending road trip thriller in his feature debut. What begins as an intense horror movie settles into a meditative rhythm for an inventive slice-of-life metaphor." (Bloody Disgusting)

Sunday, August 23
Doors 8:15 pm | Movie 8:45 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

IT ENDS (Alexander Ullom, 2026 / 89 mins / 14A) Out for a late-night drive, friends turn onto a never-ending, two-lane hellscape surrounded by untold horrors and cosmic forces beyond their understanding. Crammed inside a jeep with miles stretching infinitely ahead, they face a choice: embrace their new existence or fight to escape it.

"Oh, hai Shark!"

Join us at the Rio Theatre on Tuesday, August 25 with host Greg Sestero - star of the pop-culture phenomenon THE ROOM, and author of the best-selling memoir, THE DISASTER ARTIST - for a double billing of Tommy Wiseau's aforementioned debut feature followed by his sophomore follow-up, BIG SHARK.  Who better to explain Wiseau's latest opus (and the enigma himself!) than Greg Sestero? It's a night of movies, insight, conversation and laughs. (And... merch! There will be sweet, sweet merch.)

Auteur Tommy Wiseau (whose 2003 benchmark THE ROOM ranks among the greatest cult-movie films of all time) finally returns to the cinematic landscape with another tasty morsel made especially for his legion of hungry movie-loving fans: BIG SHARK.

For the uninitiated: A marvel of modern cinema, Tommy Wiseau's THE ROOM is so powerful that it will, literally, "tear you apart." (Or, maybe just your brain. And occasionally your eyeballs.) In the pantheon of you-gotta-see-it-to-believe-it, best-worst movies, it's quite possible that nothing tops THE ROOM. It's the CITIZEN KANE of bad movies! And truly, truly, the best (trust!) way to experience this "masterpiece" is in the dark, on the big screen, and with a packed audience of confused (and enthused) lovers of director Wiseau's bizarre cinematic oddity that has morphed into a pop-culture phenomenon. Having Sestero (who parlayed his portrayal of "Mark" in THE ROOM into an acclaimed best-seller that was ultimately adapted into the 2017 feature, THE DISASTER ARTIST) on-hand to answer audience questions and provide unique insight makes for a very, very memorable night.

Greg will be available before the films, during intermission, and afterwards to sign delicious merch and take photos!

Tuesday, August 25
Greg Sestero Presents: BIG SHARK & THE ROOM
Doors 6:00 pm | Movie 6:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.
Tickets $30 plus s/c | $35 at the door

Guests attending the double feature will receive a wristband upon entry.

THE ROOM
Movie 9:30 pm *Screening as part of a double feature. Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

THE ROOM (Tommy Wiseau / 2003 / 99 mins / 14A) Johnny is a successful banker with great respect for and dedication to the people in his life, especially his future wife Lisa. The happy-go-lucky guy sees his world being torn apart when his friends begin to betray him one-by-one.

BIG SHARK (Tommy Wiseau, 2023 / 104 mins / NR) EXCLUSIVE FILM! Three firefighters: Georgie, Patrick, and Tim must save New Orleans from a gigantic shark, can New Orleans survive?

"Oh, hai Mark!"

Join us at the Rio Theatre on Thursday, August 25 with host Greg Sestero - star of the pop-culture phenomenon THE ROOM and author of the best-selling memoir, THE DISASTER ARTIST - for a double billing of Tommy Wiseau's debut feature followed by his sophomore effort, BIG SHARK. Who better to explain Wiseau's latest opus (and the enigma himself!) than Greg Sestero? It's a night of movies, insight, conversation and laughs. (And... merch! There will be sweet, sweet merch.)

Auteur Tommy Wiseau (whose 2003 pop-culture phenomenon THE ROOM ranks among the greatest cult-movie films of all time) finally returns to the cinematic landscape with another tasty morsel made especially for his legion of hungry movie-loving fans: BIG SHARK.

For the uninitiated: A marvel of modern cinema, Tommy Wiseau's THE ROOM is so powerful that it will, literally, "tear you apart." (Or, maybe just your brain. And occasionally your eyeballs.) In the pantheon of you-gotta-see-it-to-believe-it, best-worst movies, it's quite possible that nothing tops THE ROOM. It's the CITIZEN KANE of bad movies! And truly, truly, the best (trust!) way to experience this "masterpiece" is in the dark, on the big screen, and with a packed audience of confused (and enthused) lovers of director Wiseau's bizarre cinematic oddity that has morphed into a pop-culture phenomenon. Having Sestero (who parlayed his portrayal of "Mark" in THE ROOM into an acclaimed best-seller that was ultimately adapted into the 2017 feature, THE DISASTER ARTIST) on-hand to answer audience questions and provide unique insight makes for a very, very memorable night.

Tuesday, August 25
THE ROOM
9:30 pm *As this is a double feature, the start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

THE ROOM (Tommy Wiseau / 2003 / 99 mins / 14A) Johnny is a successful banker with great respect for and dedication to the people in his life, especially his future wife Lisa. The happy-go-lucky guy sees his world being torn apart when his friends begin to betray him one-by-one.

Now in its 15th year,  the smash hit epic comedy THE CRITICAL HIT SHOW returns to the Rio Theatre's stage on Wednesday, August 26 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.

Wednesday, August 26
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

On Wednesday, August 26, Vancouver Horror Show returns to the Rio Theatre with one of the biggest hits of VHS 2025: Woody Bess’ wildly inventive, wickedly funny horror-comedy PORTAL TO HELL with filmmakers including writer-director Bess, actor Trey Holland, and Lucas Ford in tow.

When a down-on-his-luck debt collector discovers a literal gateway to Hell inside his neighbourhood laundromat, he is offered a demonic bargain: deliver three deserving souls or watch his closest friend be dragged into the abyss. What follows is a gloriously strange collision of supernatural horror, razor-sharp comedy and unexpected heart, featuring unforgettable performances from Trey Holland, legendary character actor Keith David, and a spectacularly unhinged Richard Kind.

Following its Canadian premiere at VHS 2025, PORTAL TO HELL took home four Golden Tape Awards—including Best Film, Best Director, Best Lead Performance and Best Supporting Performance. Now, VHS is bringing it back to the big screen for one hell of a night at the Rio Theatre.

Did you miss it at the VHS 2025? This is your chance at redemption!

Wednesday, August 26
Doors 9:00 pm | Movie 9:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

PORTAL TO HELL (Woody Bess, 2025 / 93 mins / NR) A routine debt collector's life is turned upside down when a portal to hell opens in his local laundromat followed by a demon who offers him a deal - three souls to save his neighbour from being dragged to hell.

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.

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)

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.

After years of slapdash sequels and waning fandom, the Camp Miasma slasher franchise is handed over to an enthusiastic young director (Hannah Einbinder, 'Hacks') for resurrection. But when she visits the original movie's star (Gillian Anderson, 'The X-Files'), a now-reclusive actress shrouded in mystery, the two women fall into a blood-soaked world of desire, fear, and delirium. With Jasmine Savoy Brown, Patrick Fischler, Amanda Fix, Sarah Sherman, Dylan Baker, Kevin McDonald, Eva Victor.

"As sexy as movies come, all the way through its final climax." (ELLE Magazine)

"This one’s designed to make us shriek, smirk and think in equal measure." (Toronto Star)

"Jane Schoenbrun’s meta, queer and horny answer to misogynistic genre fare like Friday the 13th, which Teenage Sex and Death reclaims as sexually empowering." (CBC Radio)

"'Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma' is a meta horror-comedy and a whip-smart entertainment industry satire. Still, on a deeper level, in a hole at the bottom of its lake, is a hard-won sexual awakening." (Time Out)

Thursday, August 27
Doors 9:00 pm | Movie 9:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA (Jane Schoenbrun, 2025 / 115 mins / 14A) A director making a slasher sequel becomes obsessed with casting the original film's 'final girl,' leading both women into psychological and sexual chaos.

After years of slapdash sequels and waning fandom, the Camp Miasma slasher franchise is handed over to an enthusiastic young director (Hannah Einbinder, 'Hacks') for resurrection. But when she visits the original movie's star (Gillian Anderson, 'The X-Files'), a now-reclusive actress shrouded in mystery, the two women fall into a blood-soaked world of desire, fear, and delirium. With Jasmine Savoy Brown, Patrick Fischler, Amanda Fix, Sarah Sherman, Dylan Baker, Kevin McDonald, Eva Victor.

"As sexy as movies come, all the way through its final climax." (ELLE Magazine)

"This one’s designed to make us shriek, smirk and think in equal measure." (Toronto Star)

"Jane Schoenbrun’s meta, queer and horny answer to misogynistic genre fare like Friday the 13th, which Teenage Sex and Death reclaims as sexually empowering." (CBC Radio)

"'Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma' is a meta horror-comedy and a whip-smart entertainment industry satire. Still, on a deeper level, in a hole at the bottom of its lake, is a hard-won sexual awakening." (Time Out)

Friday, August 28
Doors 5:30 pm | Movie 6:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA (Jane Schoenbrun, 2025 / 115 mins / 14A) A director making a slasher sequel becomes obsessed with casting the original film's 'final girl,' leading both women into psychological and sexual chaos.

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 XIV!

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, September 5
Doors 10:00 am | Event 10:30 am *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Adults $23
Kids Pricing (13 and under) $15

A copious cavalcade of top notch talent and captivating cabaret await at The Rio Theatre Burlesque & Variety Show on Saturday, September 5!

Local luminary April O’Peel has curated a show full of wonder sure to dazzle and delight our fun loving audience! The theme is NO THEME! That’s right! These talented performers will each be performing one act of their choosing! What act will they decide to bring to The Rio Theatre Burlesque & Variety Show!? Find out on Saturday, July September 5 as these stars align for one night only!

Saturday, September 5
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 $40+ s/c (includes interactive prop and goody bag)
Squad Pass (Group of Four Tickets – online only) $100+ s/c

Featuring:

April O’Peel 
Astra Atomica
Belle Jumelle
Carl Leathers
Heavy Duty Dance Collective
Island Gyal Atelier
Katelynn Constrictor
Kiki Albright
Madame Merlot
Miss Chaquita Banana
Misty Moss
Ruby Moon
What Surname
Wildflower Burlesque Collective

Hosted by Gia Sangria

Dr. Brady Smith  brings his own brand of humor to the table, with a mix of brutally honest life stories, outrageous tales from the dental trenches, and a knack for turning the mundane into the absurd, Brady delivers a comedy experience that's raw, relatable, and absolutely hilarious. He combines his love of dentistry, philanthropy, and irreverent humor into a one-of-a-kind style that leaves audiences in stitches. Prepare to laugh until your face hurts.

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

Tickets $35+ s/c 
VIP (Rows A-E, Centre Section) $45 + s/c

Connect on TikTok @DrBradySmith

Connect on Instagram @DrBradySmith

Laughing My Gas Off Podcast

What happens when great actors collide with what some consider the worst script ever written? Tommy Wiseau’s original THE ROOM (2003) infamously burned through $6 million and months of shooting with no-name actors. This reimagining flips the myth on its head. Filmed in under 12 hours, on virtually no budget, with Bob Odenkirk ("Better Call Saul"), Bella Heathcote ("The Neon Demon"), Kate Siegel ("Hush)", Greg Sestero (the original "The Room"), executive producer Mike Flanagan ("The Haunting of Hill House"), and directed by newcomer Brando Crawford.

With no rehearsal and only teleprompters to guide them, the cast embraced the chaos with Shakespearean gravity, transforming cinematic disaster into unpredictable spectacle… All for charity.

Followed by a live Q&A with filmmaker director/producer Brando Crawford and TBD some special guests!

This is a benefit event for amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research (501c3), and Blue Collaborative (501c3)

Monday, September 7
Doors 6:00 pm | Film 6:45 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

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.

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

Early Bird Tickets $20+ s/c (Until August 19)
Tickets $25+ s/c

Live Comedy with VHS tapes!
BRAND NEW VOLUME 11 SHOW FOR 2026!

Joe Pickett (The Onion) and Nick Prueher (Late Show With David Letterman) have over 14,000 VHS tapes in their cluttered office in Brooklyn and will take viewers on a guided tour of their latest/greatest finds in this brand new Volume 11 show for 2026. Highlights include a psychotic dollar store salesman, a video catalog of frightening porcelain dolls, two wonderfully homemade Bigfoot videos and a new age “miracle” treatment from the 80s called “Psychic Surgery.” (90 mins - contains nudity, language, clowns).

“I think I speak for fans everywhere when I express gratitude for their continued hunt for hilariously bad videos. I hope the search never ends.” (Steven Hyden, Uproxx)

"Skull-crushingly funny." (AV Club)

Thursday, September 9
Doors 7:00 pm | Show 7:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Assigned Tickets $36 (includes all taxes and fees)

About the Found Footage Festival

Debuting in 2004 in New York City, the Found Footage Festival has since sold out hundreds of shows across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K., including appearances at the Just For Laughs Festival, Edinburgh Fringe, and Bonnaroo.

The show has been featured on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and NPR, and has been praised by critics in The Guardian and The New York Times.

Fans can also catch Pickett and Prueher in their weekly YouTube series VCR Party Live! and the hit Tribeca documentary Chop & Steele, now available on Blu-ray and VOD.

For more information on Found Footage, head to www.foundfootagefest.com

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.

In 2026, The Invincible Czars celebrate 100 years of FW Murnau's silent masterpiece FAUST by performing their tastefully modern soundtrack live with the movie at theatres across the US and Canada - including a stop at the Rio Theatre on Saturday, September 12.

Their brand new electrifying score marries new and old elements of classical music, bossa nova and even a touch of heavy metal to bring the movie to life for contemporary audiences and incorporates a mix of instruments like flute, violin and electric guitar.

The Czars' return engagement at the Rio Theatre will function as an FW Murnau "silent sinema" double feature, as guests will be able to take in both FAUST and their revamped version of the 1922 silent classic NOSFERATU - for one sweet price!

Saturday, September 12
Doors 6:15 pm | Show 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Adult Entry $35+ s/c
Youth (Under 15) $22+ s/c
VIP (Gold Circle - Rows A-D, Centre Section) $40+ s/c

About FAUST

An elderly alchemist named Faust (Gösta Ekman) makes a pact with the demon Mephisto (Emil Jannings) to gain the power to protect his village from plague. Faust soon succumbs to temptation and asks Mephisto to restore his youth and help him acquire all the hedonistic pleasures that earth can offer. Eventually, his love affair with a young woman named Gretchen (Camilla Horn) leads to tragic and devastating consequences for them both.

FAUST has quite a history. It is the quintessential “deal with the devil” tale based on a centuries-old European legend. The legend inspired Johann Wofgang Goethe’s 1808 play which is considered Germany’s greatest literary work.  The play inspired the famous opera by Charles Guonod which director FW Murnau used as a map for his 1926 film.  Virtually every “sell your soul” type story from the film Crossroads to songs like “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” owes a debt to FAUST whether the creators know it or not. (In fact, "Faust" is the opera in Gaston Leroux’s "Phantom of the Opera.")

Murnau had already made a name for himself and set the standard for early horror films with NOSFERATU (1922) and in 1926 he was on top of his game and found himself with a big budget for FAUST with a lot of autonomy from the studio UFI. The result is silent-era German Expressionist eye candy full of amazing sets, innovative special effects and Murnau’s signature camera work.  It was his last German-made film before he moved to Hollywood later that year.

For modern audiences, it’s the cast that really makes the movie entertaining.  The virtually-unknown Camilla Horn is hard not to love in the role of Gretchen.  (Horn had replaced the legendary Lillian Gish in the role when Gish ultimately turned it down due to the subject matter in the film.)  The charismatic (if complicated) Emil Jannings was like the Jim Carrey of his day bringing all emotions with equal gusto and power. He is hilarious, hateable, terrifying and unforgettable especially when paired with Yvette Guilbert as Aunt Marthe

About the Soundtrack

The Invincible Czars’ score for FAUST is mostly original material inspired by film score composers like Bernard Herrman and John Williams peppered with cinematic metal a la Fantomas and even a little Marcos Valle-esque bossa nova.  The band keeps their tradition of incorporating music from Russian classical composers, revisiting their renditions of Mussorgsy’s Pictures at an Exhibition and A Night on Bald Mountain in particular for this soundtrack.  Five players perform the score live on violin, electric guitar, clarinet, bass clarinet, flute, glockenspiel, keyboard and drums.

About the Band

Josh Robins - Guitar
Wes Haynes - Keyboards
Phil Davidson - Violin, glockenspiel
Stefan del Bosque - Drums
Kevin Sakai - Clarinet, Flute, Bass Clarinet

The Invincible Czars have made a name for themselves among horror and classic film lovers in the US and Canada with their original, tastefully modern live soundtracks for silent films which they started creating for the original Alamo Drafthouse in their hometown of Austin, TX in 2007, though they began making their wacky brand of cinematic rock in 2003.  They are great at using music and sound to transform century-old movies into immersive and engaging experiences that allow audiences to approach, appreciate, and enjoy the depth and innovation of classic silent film. Czars shows are a lot of fun with opportunities for audience participation and costumery.

In 2026, The Invincible Czars celebrate 100 years of FW Murnau's silent masterpiece FAUST by performing their tastefully modern soundtrack live with the movie at theatres across the US and Canada - including a stop at the Rio Theatre on Saturday, September 12.

Their brand new electrifying score marries new and old elements of classical music, bossa nova and even a touch of heavy metal to bring the movie to life for contemporary audiences and incorporates a mix of instruments like flute, violin and electric guitar.

The Czars' return engagement at the Rio Theatre will function as an FW Murnau "silent sinema" double feature, as guests will be able to take in both FAUST and their revamped version of the 1922 silent classic NOSFERATU - for one sweet price!

Saturday, September 12
FAUST
Doors 6:15 pm | Show 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

NOSFERATU
9:15 pm *Approximate Start Time

Single Film (VIP Admission - GA) $39*
Single Film (Main Floor - GA) $34*
Single Film (Kids 13 and under - GA) $21*

About FAUST

An elderly alchemist named Faust (Gösta Ekman) makes a pact with the demon Mephisto (Emil Jannings) to gain the power to protect his village from plague. Faust soon succumbs to temptation and asks Mephisto to restore his youth and help him acquire all the hedonistic pleasures that earth can offer. Eventually, his love affair with a young woman named Gretchen (Camilla Horn) leads to tragic and devastating consequences for them both.

FAUST has quite a history. It is the quintessential “deal with the devil” tale based on a centuries-old European legend. The legend inspired Johann Wofgang Goethe’s 1808 play which is considered Germany’s greatest literary work.  The play inspired the famous opera by Charles Guonod which director FW Murnau used as a map for his 1926 film.  Virtually every “sell your soul” type story from the film Crossroads to songs like “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” owes a debt to FAUST whether the creators know it or not. (In fact, "Faust" is the opera in Gaston Leroux’s "Phantom of the Opera.")

Murnau had already made a name for himself and set the standard for early horror films with NOSFERATU (1922) and in 1926 he was on top of his game and found himself with a big budget for FAUST with a lot of autonomy from the studio UFI. The result is silent-era German Expressionist eye candy full of amazing sets, innovative special effects and Murnau’s signature camera work.  It was his last German-made film before he moved to Hollywood later that year.

For modern audiences, it’s the cast that really makes the movie entertaining.  The virtually-unknown Camilla Horn is hard not to love in the role of Gretchen.  (Horn had replaced the legendary Lillian Gish in the role when Gish ultimately turned it down due to the subject matter in the film.)  The charismatic (if complicated) Emil Jannings was like the Jim Carrey of his day bringing all emotions with equal gusto and power. He is hilarious, hateable, terrifying and unforgettable especially when paired with Yvette Guilbert as Aunt Marthe

About the Soundtrack

The Invincible Czars’ score for FAUST is mostly original material inspired by film score composers like Bernard Herrman and John Williams peppered with cinematic metal a la Fantomas and even a little Marcos Valle-esque bossa nova.  The band keeps their tradition of incorporating music from Russian classical composers, revisiting their renditions of Mussorgsy’s Pictures at an Exhibition and A Night on Bald Mountain in particular for this soundtrack.  Five players perform the score live on violin, electric guitar, clarinet, bass clarinet, flute, glockenspiel, keyboard and drums.

About the Band

Josh Robins - Guitar
Wes Haynes - Keyboards
Phil Davidson - Violin, glockenspiel
Stefan del Bosque - Drums
Kevin Sakai - Clarinet, Flute, Bass Clarinet

The Invincible Czars have made a name for themselves among horror and classic film lovers in the US and Canada with their original, tastefully modern live soundtracks for silent films which they started creating for the original Alamo Drafthouse in their hometown of Austin, TX in 2007, though they began making their wacky brand of cinematic rock in 2003.  They are great at using music and sound to transform century-old movies into immersive and engaging experiences that allow audiences to approach, appreciate, and enjoy the depth and innovation of classic silent film. Czars shows are a lot of fun with opportunities for audience participation and costumery.

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.

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

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

POV36 Film Festival – The 36th Persistence of Vision (POV) Film Festival

Join us as we celebrate the next generation of filmmakers at the 36th Annual Persistence of Vision (POV)
Film Festival, proudly presented by students of the UBC Film Production Program.

Over two nights at Vancouver’s iconic Rio Theatre, POV36 will showcase bold new perspectives and
emerging voices through two curated screenings, culminating in our Award Ceremony.

Iris Programme A — Competition
The Iris Programme is a showcase of short films created by third- and fourth-year students in the UBC Film Production Program. Each film offers a distinct perspective, inviting audiences into the worlds, experiences, and imaginations of the filmmakers behind them.

Listed alphabetically by film title:
Animal Farm — (directed by Emmi Tsiapalis)
Birdie — (directed by Tamara Khoury)
Charcoal Darling — (directed by Ruth Tesfahun)
From the Sea — (directed by Anton Hing)
Jhoom — (directed by Khazina Qureshi)
Karaoke Club — (directed by Jayzee Calingasan)
Muddy Waters — (directed by Eridanus Redenbach)
Sick Days — (directed by Andrew Lee)
Snap Out of It — (directed by Sebastian Isaac-Gooden)

Tuesday, September 15
Doors 6:30 pm | Event 7:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Early Bird tickets available till August 31 - Just $18 per night! (limited quantity available)
Single Night Tickets - $22
2-Night Festival Pass - $30 (limited quantity available)

POV36 Film Festival – The 36th Persistence of Vision (POV) Film Festival

Join us as we celebrate the next generation of filmmakers at the 36th Annual Persistence of Vision (POV)
Film Festival, proudly presented by students of the UBC Film Production Program.

Over two nights at Vancouver’s iconic Rio Theatre, POV36 will showcase bold new perspectives and
emerging voices through two curated screenings, culminating in our Award Ceremony.

Tuesday, September 15
Doors 6:30 pm | Event 7:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Iris Programme A — Competition
The Iris Programme is a showcase of short films created by third- and fourth-year students in the UBC Film Production Program. Each film offers a distinct perspective, inviting audiences into the worlds, experiences, and imaginations of the filmmakers behind them.

Listed alphabetically by film title:
Animal Farm — (directed by Emmi Tsiapalis)
Birdie — (directed by Tamara Khoury)
Charcoal Darling — (directed by Ruth Tesfahun)
From the Sea — (directed by Anton Hing)
Jhoom — (directed by Khazina Qureshi)
Karaoke Club — (directed by Jayzee Calingasan)
Muddy Waters — (directed by Eridanus Redenbach)
Sick Days — (directed by Andrew Lee)
Snap Out of It — (directed by Sebastian Isaac-Gooden)

Wednesday, September 16
Doors 6:30 pm | Event 7:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Iris Programme B + Awards Night — Competition
Screening 2 continues the Iris Programme with another selection of short films from third- and fourth-year students in the UBC Film Production Program, followed by the POV36 Awards Ceremony, where we will celebrate the filmmakers and recognize outstanding achievements across the festival.

Listed alphabetically by film title:
Blue Horse — (directed by Helen Shen)
Dead Air — (directed by Julien Bisnaire Wakeham)
Egg on My Beard — (directed by Gabriel Porath)
Group Therapy — (directed by Tasha Mackenzie)
Head to Heaven — (directed by Sreekullkorn)
Madonna — (directed by Lauren Berg)
Pierrot — (directed by Julianne Pascua)

We look forward to welcoming you to the 36th Annual Persistence of Vision Film Festival and celebrating the creativity, collaboration, and persistence behind this year’s films.

POV36 Film Festival – The 36th Persistence of Vision (POV) Film Festival

Join us as we celebrate the next generation of filmmakers at the 36th Annual Persistence of Vision (POV)
Film Festival, proudly presented by students of the UBC Film Production Program.

Over two nights at Vancouver’s iconic Rio Theatre, POV36 will showcase bold new perspectives and
emerging voices through two curated screenings, culminating in our Award Ceremony.

Iris Programme B + Awards Night — Competition
Screening 2 continues the Iris Programme with another selection of short films from third- and fourth-year students in the UBC Film Production Program, followed by the POV36 Awards Ceremony, where we will celebrate the filmmakers and recognize outstanding achievements across the festival.

Listed alphabetically by film title:
Blue Horse — (directed by Helen Shen)
Dead Air — (directed by Julien Bisnaire Wakeham)
Egg on My Beard — (directed by Gabriel Porath)
Group Therapy — (directed by Tasha Mackenzie)
Head to Heaven — (directed by Sreekullkorn)
Madonna — (directed by Lauren Berg)
Pierrot — (directed by Julianne Pascua)

Wednesday, September 16
Doors 6:30 pm | Event 7:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Early Bird tickets available till August 31 - Just $18 per night! (limited quantity available)
General Admission - $22
2-Night Festival Pass - $30 (limited quantity available)

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

WITCH PERFECT is an all live-singing, comedy parody based on the cult-classic and audience favorite Disney film "Hocus Pocus!"

It features Emmy-winning stars from RuPaul's Drag Race, including Tina Burner (All-Stars 10 and S13's ) as Winifred, Scarlet Envy (Season 11, All-Stars S6, and UK vs the World S2), and Alexis Michelle (Season 9 and All Stars S8) as Mary.

The show features hits from such pop icons as Lady Gaga, Madonna and Cher, as well as Disney classics The Little Mermaid and The Lion King. WITCH PERFECT also flies into Broadway standards from Gypsy and Wicked as well as the sister’s own take on the infamous show-stopper, "I Put a Spell on You."

Make sure to BOOOOOOOOOOOOKKKKKKKKKK your tickets today.

Friday, September 18
Doors 7:00 pm | Event 8:00 pm

VIP Seating with Meet and Greet
$135.45 + s/c (Rows A, B, C and D)

Orchestra
$103.95 + s/c (Rows E - J)

Main Floor
$82.95 + s/c (Rows K through O)

Balcony
$61.95 + s/c

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

The Babes! Babes! Babes! show is a jam-packed, laugh out loud, adults only cabaret! The show combines burlesque, drag, comedy, extravagant costumes, showstopping group numbers and naughty humour in a raucous spectacle that will leave you wanting more! Featuring an award winning cast of cabaret artists, each at the top of their field, the BABES show is the perfect way to spice up your night!

In addition to all the sultry teases, the naughty jokes, and the sparkly thongs, the Babes celebrate sexuality, LGBTQ identities, and body confidence with inspiring performances and heartfelt moments.

The West Coast tour features Shirley Gnome (Juno nominated Canadian Siren of Comedy), Selena Vyle (the host of Canada’s longest running Drag Brunch at Glad Day bookshop) and James & The Giant Pasty (2x Most Comedic winner at the Burlesque Hall of Fame).

Also featuring local guest star: La Dame Derrière

Perfect for a date night, a celebration, or a girls night out! So grab a ticket, grab a beverage and indulge in this special adults only evening of cabaret entertainment!

Sunday, September 20
Doors 7:15 pm | Show 8:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Early Bird (Until September 1) $26.25 + s/c
Adult Entry $31.50 + s/c
VIP (First two rows, centre section + Exclusive SWAG) $36.75 + fees

The Babes are touring to 5 cities in British Columbia this fall. For full details and schedule check out babesburlesque.com.

Praise for the Babes, Babes, Babes Burlesque • Drag • Comedy Tour from audience members:

“Sextacular! Made me laugh, made me wet, and made me alive with joy through their incredible art." (Luna M. - Toronto, ON)

Connect on Instagram:
@babesbabesbabestour
@shirleygnome
@jamesgiantpasty
@selenavyle
@ladamederriere

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

DreamBoard Production House and the Rio Theatre are joining forces to present the Vancouver Short Film Showcase: Volume Two!  

Make some plans and join us on Sunday, September 27 for an incredible lineup of filmmakers with a mix of established and emerging directors exhibiting their work. Spend the afternoon watching films from Alex Caulfield, Ed Douglas, Tom Affolter, Jay Kamal and many more. We will cover a mix of genres, so grab your seat and enjoy incredible shorts from local filmmakers!

Sunday, September 27
Doors 11:30 am | Event 12:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

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

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!

Monday, September 28
Doors 5:30 pm | Show 6:30 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

WestBeth Entertainment Presents
Schalk Bezuidenhout: Hey Hey Divorcè

Fresh from a sell-out world tour, a hit Netflix stand-up special, hosting Amazon Prime series "The World’s Strangest Jobs," and an arena run supporting Trevor Noah, South African comedian Schalk Bezuidenhout brings his acclaimed new show Hey Hey Divorcé to Canada this fall.

Tuesday, September 29
Doors 6:30 pm | Show 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Adult Assigned Tickets: $42+ s/c

Following a successful run across the UK, Ireland and Europe earlier this year, Hey Hey Divorcé arrives in Canada after earning rave reviews from audiences and critics alike. The show marks Schalk's first stand-up hour in the wake of a marriage breakdown and sees him at his most personal, honest, and unfiltered, while remaining just as side-splittingly funny.

‘Rapid-fire gags and manic energy. Highly recommended.’ ★★★★ - The Age.

★★★★★ Ed Fringe Review  ★★★★ Mervyn Stutter  ★★★★ Broadway Baby

‘Fast-rising talent’ The Guardian

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)