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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Ingenious and amusing." (Guardian)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Can you dig it?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Curated by David Bertrand

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

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

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

Following its world premiere at this years SXSW Festival, the highly anticipated new NOFX documentary 40 YEARS' OF FUCKIN' UP, which chronicles the chaotic four-decade history of the iconic punk band, is headed to the Rio Theatre.

Produced by NOFX frontman Fat Mike, the film features archival footage, candid interviews, and explores how the band became a successful independent act despite a history of self-destruction and controversy. The documentary covers the band’s 40-year journey from "drug-addled teenage punks" to influential rock icons. Like a real-life SPINAL TAP, the film features intimate, often shocking footage, including backstage chaos, drug use, and personal stories.

Limited edition and exclusive merch will be available for purchase!

Saturday, June 20
Doors 1:30 pm | Movie 2:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Tickets $30 + s/c

NOFX: 40 YEARS OF FUCKIN' UP (James Buddy Day, 2026 / 90 mins / NR) A documentary portrait of iconic punk rock legends NOFX.

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

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

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

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

Featuring

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

Hosted by:
Diva The Violet Femme

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

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

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

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

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

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

DAY 1 — Sugar N Venom + Glitter N Spice

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

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

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

DAY 2 — Put on Shuffle + Touch Grass

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

DAY 4 — Dark Matter + Nightmare Fuel

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hosted by Miss Kiss

In Director's, Boots Riley film, I LOVE BOOSTERS, a group of shoplifters take aim at a cutthroat fashion maven by stealing her clothes and reselling them at a lower price, what they call "fashion-forward philanthropy." With Keke Palmer, LaKeith Stanfeld, Demi Moore, Don Cheadle, Adam Devine, 

"It’s a lot, but that’s Boots’ style. The 'Adult Swim' energy is strong here and the satire is sharp in the way that shattered glass flying every which way from a shotgun blast is." (Rolling Stone Magazine)

"'I Love Boosters' paints another winning amusement park ride in the bright colors of its filmmaker’s politics." (AV Club)

Friday, June 26
Doors 5:00 pm | Film 5:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

I LOVE BOOSTERS (Boots Riley, 2026 / 18A / 105 mins) A group of shoplifters take aim at a cutthroat fashion maven by stealing her clothes and reselling them at a lower price, what they call "fashion-forward philanthropy."

“We’re about to make film history, right here… on videotape. “

Writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson made an impression with his 1996 feature debut, HARD EIGHT, but it was his sophomore effort in 1997, BOOGIE NIGHTS that really cemented his career and place in Hollywood. Set in California’s San Fernando Valley in 1977, the story centres on teenage busboy and high school dropout Eddie Adams (a memorable Mark Wahlberg), who gets discovered by idealistic porn director Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds), who aspires to elevate his craft to an art form. Horner is drawn to the attractive young man, and recognizes his potential, before transforming him into adult-film sensation Dirk Diggler. Brought into a supportive circle of industry friends, including fellow actors Amber Waves (Julianne Moore), Rollergirl (Heather Graham) and Reed Rothchild (John C. Reilly), Dirk fulfills all his ambitions, but a toxic combination of drugs and egotism threatens to take him back down. Featuring Phillip Seymour Hoffman, William H. Macy, Don Cheadle, Luis Guzmán, Nicole Ari Parker.

“Paul Thomas Anderson’s porn epic is still gaudy, seedy fun… The writer-director’s second movie lacks some of the craft shown in his later work, but remains a stylish and energetic descent into the cocaine-fulled world of the 70s adult film industry.” (Guardian)

“The Quentin Tarantino comparison is ultimately less about technique than a shared joyful electricity of the filmmaking, the sense of an artist clearly high on the sheer act of making a movie.” (VICE)

Friday, June 26
Doors 7:45 pm | Movie 8:15 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time

BOOGIE NIGHTS (Paul Thomas Anderson, 1977 / 155 mins / 18A) Set in 1977 (back when sex was safe), pleasure was a business and business was booming for idealistic porn producer Jack Horner, whose aspirations include elevating his craft to an art form. Horner discovers Eddie Adams, a hot young (not to mention well-endowed) talent working as a busboy in a nightclub, and welcomes him into the extended family of movie-makers, misfits and hangers-on that are always around. Adams’ rise from nobody to a celebrity adult entertainer is meteoric, and soon the whole world seems to know his porn alter ego, “Dirk Diggler”. Now, when disco and drugs are in vogue, fashion is in flux and the party never seems to stop, Adams’ dreams of turning sex into stardom are about to collide with cold, hard reality.

Four Harlem friends -- Bishop (Tupac Shakur), Q (Omar Epps), Steel (Jermaine Hopkins) and Raheem (Khalil Kain) -- dabble in petty crime, but they decide to go big by knocking off a convenience store. Bishop, the magnetic leader of the group, has the gun. But Q has different aspirations. He wants to be a DJ and happens to have a gig the night of the robbery. Unfortunately for him, Bishop isn't willing to take no for answer in a game where everything's for keeps. With Samuel L. Jackson, Queen Latifah.

"'Juice' adapts the DJ-struggling-to- make-it scenario to put across a message of inner-city hopelessness...the most interesting elements are the all too brief glimpses of family life and the boys' own relationships." (Sight & Sound)

"Mr. Dickerson, whose cinematography has been the reason Spike Lee's films look so good, has a terrific eye and some juice of his own." (New York Times)

Friday, June 26
Doors 11:00 pm | Movie 11:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

JUICE (Ernest Dickerson, 1992 / 14A / 96 mins) Four inner-city teenagers get caught up in the pursuit of power and happiness, which they refer to as "the juice".

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

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

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

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

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

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

General Admission - $10 (includes taxes and fees)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Assigned Admission - $20 (includes taxes and fees)

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

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

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

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

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

CJ The X
Philosophy Lecture: Optimized Grass Touching

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Alright, alright, alright!"

Why go cruising the strip or climbing the moon tower when you could spend it at your favourite indie movie theatre instead?

Join us at the Rio Theatre for a slice of cult-classic nostalgia that celebrates the best day of high school you never had: Richard Linklater’s DAZED AND CONFUSED.

As fresh today as it was when it was released in 1993, Linklater's infinitely quotable coming-of-age tale features a truly excellent ensemble cast, an authentically groovy 70s feel, and a pretty killer soundtrack, man. DAZED AND CONFUSED might be Linklater's best-loved work, and really showcases his signature rambling, naturalistic style and an approach to storytelling that was so memorable in his breakthrough 1991 indie hit, SLACKER. DAZED AND CONFUSED manages to take a peek into the cliques and characters of high school in a smart, heartfelt, and often very funny way, revealing an endearing and occasionally profound picture of, "the best years of your life."  Starring Jason London, Wiley Wiggins, Matthew McConaughey, Parker Posey, Joey Lauren Adams, Rory Cochrane, Adam Goldberg, Anthony Rapp, Marissa Ribisi, Milla Jovovovovich, and Ben Affleck.

"Bet it makes you wanna dance." (TIME Magazine)

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

DAZED AND CONFUSED (Richard Linklater, 1993 / 102 mins, 14A) | The adventures of a group of Texas teens on their last day of school in 1976, centering on student Randall Floyd, who moves easily among stoners, jocks and geeks. Floyd is a star athlete, but he also likes smoking weed, which presents a conundrum when his football coach demands he sign a "no drugs" pledge.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

《但愿人长久》

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

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

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

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

Assigned Admission - $18 (includes taxes and fees)

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

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

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

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

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

On X-mas eve, six fledgling Hollywood hopefuls get a mysterious knock at their door and an envelope of $$$ at their feet. It contains the "opportunity of a lifetime" to go burglarize a mutually despised producer that once screwed them over. Who organized this holiday heist? Who will go through with this preposterous plan? Will these desperate idiots pull it off? Starring Sophia Ali, Cedric the Entertainer, Reno Wilson, Jamie Lee, Adhir Kalyan, and Gregg Henry.

Filmmakers including director Jeffrey Scott Collins, actress/producer Jordan Claire Robbins ("The Umbrella Academy," "Dead Man's Wire") and actor Dylan Playfair ("Letterkenny") will be joining us for post-show talkback and Q&A.

Sunday, June 28
Doors 6:30 pm | Movie 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

ABOVE THE LINE (Jeffrey Scott Collins, 2026 / NR / 90 mins) Six struggling Hollywood hopefuls team up to steal Academy Awards from the crooked producer who crushed their dreams. But in a town built on make-believe, pulling off the perfect heist might just be the role of their lives.

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

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

Grand Jury Prize, Sundance, Un Certain Regard Award, Cannes

“If you want to know what the Warhol scene was all about, this is even better than the documentaries.” (The Chicago Reader)

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

Monday, June 29
Doors 6:15 pm | Movie 6:45 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tuesday 2-for-1 Tickets!

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

Let’s do the Time Warp… Again!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Academy Award winning animator and Vancouver resident David Fine introduces some of his favourite National Film Board animated short films, many of them Academy Award winners or nominees, and all of them unique and personal visions. David will explain why he loves these singular films and how they influenced his own career.

The program includes two films he made with his partner, Alison Snowden (Oscar-winner Bob’s Birthday and Oscar-nominee Animal Behaviour) as well as eight other classics, including his all-time faves The Big Snit and The Street. You may have seen some of these films before but seeing them with an audience on the big screen at the Rio makes them worth seeing again. Not to mention the door prizes!

Featured Animations:

--  Hot Stuff – directed by Zlatko Grgić (1971, 09:09)
--  Every Child – directed by Eugene Fedorenko (1979, 06:13)
--  The Street – directed by Caroline Leaf (1976, 10:12)
--  Why Me? – directed by Janet Perlman and Derek Lamb (1978, 09:22)
--  Special Delivery – directed by John Weldon and Eunice Macaulay (1978, 07:07)
--  The Big Snit – directed by Richard Condie (1985, 09:55)
--  Bob’s Birthday – directed by Alison Snowden and David Fine (1994, 12:18)
--  Blackfly – directed by Christopher Hinton (1991, 05:13)
--  Wild Life – directed by Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby (2011, 13:30)
--  Animal Behaviour – directed by Alison Snowden and David Fine (2018, 14:24)

Total film running time = 94 mins

Canada Day - Wednesday, July 1
Doors 3:00 pm | Event 3:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

General Admission - $16 (includes taxes and fees)
Concession - $14 (includes taxes and fees)
Youth - $10 (Includes taxes and fees)

---

About Mr. Fine:

David Fine has worked in animation, live action film and documentary, but is most well known for his work alongside his partner (and wife!) Alison Snowden. They are Oscar winning filmmakers based in Vancouver.  David was the co-creator of the hit TV series, Bob and Margaret, which was based on the Oscar winning short film, Bob’s Birthday, which he created with Alison. They also co-created the Nickelodeon and Teletoon TV series, Ricky Sprocket and co-developed the series Shaun the Sheep. They have made numerous short films, including three with the National Film Board of Canada. Their work has won awards and accolades all over the world, including four Oscar nominations and one win for Bob’s Birthday.

Almost 20 years into their fruitless quest to book their band a gig at a hallowed Toronto venue, co-creators Matt (writer-director Matt Johnson) and Jay (writer-composer Jay McCarrol) decide it’s time to pull out all the stops. Displaced in the past, these serial bumblers inadvertently wreak havoc on the timeline, dramatically (and hilariously) rewriting their futures.

Overflowing with pop culture references, wild gags, and inspired set pieces, NIRVANNA THE BAND THE SHOW THE MOVIE is gloriously ridiculous, endlessly clever, and riotously entertaining. This one is for all the deranged dreamers out there.

"The shrewd visual trickery and sleight-of-hand editing that collapse the distance between the original series’ zero-budget aesthetic and this more comfortably subsidized version can’t actually erase the passage of time. If anything, they deepen it. Content collapsed." (The Ringer)

"No. You don't have to know a single thing about the band to see, and possibly enjoy, the movie. It's just the soundtrack. Butter?" (Lucas, Concession)

Wednesday, July 1
Doors 6:30 pm | Movie 7:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Canada Day Pricing!
All Tickets $12 (includes taxes and fees)

NIRVANNA THE BAND THE SHOW THE MOVIE (Jay McCarrol & Matt Johnson, 2025 / 98 mins / 14A) When their plan to book a show at the Rivoli goes horribly wrong, Matt and Jay accidentally travel back to the year 2008.

"We are Sex Bob-Omb and we are here to make you think about death and get sad and stuff."

Produced, directed, and co-written by Edgar Wright (SHAUN OF THE DEAD, HOT FUZZ, THE WORLD'S END) and based on the cult graphic novel series 'Scott Pilgrim' by Bryan Lee O'Malley, SCOTT PILGRIM vs. THE WORLD is a rare beast indeed - a successfully adapted film embraced by both fans of the original text and movie-lovers alike.

Michael Cera shines as the sweetly aloof Torontonian Scott Pilgrim, a floundering bass guitarist forced to battle his girlfriend Ramona's seven evil exes who all want him dead. With Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin, Alison Pill, Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza, Jason Schwartzman.

"The speedy, funny, happy-sad spirit of “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” is infectious." (New York Times)

Tuesday, July 1
Doors 9:00 pm | Movie 9:30 pm *Start time subject to change.

CANADA DAY Pricing! All tickets $12

SCOTT PILGRIM vs. THE WORLD (Edgar Wright, 2010 / 112 mins / PG) | As bass guitarist for a garage-rock band, Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) has never had trouble getting a girlfriend; usually, the problem is getting rid of them. But when Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) skates into his heart, he finds she has the most troublesome baggage of all: an army of ex-boyfriends who will stop at nothing to eliminate him from her list of suitors.

Based on Britons' Jamie Hewlett and Alan Martin's wildly subversive comic-strip, Lori Petty stars in director Rachel Talalay's futuristic feminist sci-fi vult action-fantasy about a tank-riding anti-heroine, TANK GIRL.

In the year 2033 - when drought and pollution have turned the Earth into a desert wasteland - the planet's water supply is controlled by a despotic company that is opposed by a few courageous rebels who regularly risk their lives to poach the precious fluid. With resources scarce, Kesslee (Malcolm McDowell) -- head of the powerful and evil Water & Power Corporation, the de facto government -- has taken control of the water supply. Unwilling to cower under Kesslee's tyrannical rule, a pair of outlaws known as Tank Girl (Petty) and Jet Girl (Naomi Watts) rise up, joining the mysterious rebel Rippers to destroy the corrupt system. Also starring Ice-T and Iggy Pop.

“I loved this movie. I thought it was quite irreverent. A lot of movies try to be irreverent, but really aren’t. This was! It was original and fresh and the dialogue was funny.” (L.A. Weekly)

"With climate change going unchecked and drinking water shortages abounding, 'Tank Girl' predicted a totally possible post-apocalypse scenario." (Black Girl Nerds)

Director Rachel Talalay will be joining us in-person for intro and post-show Q&A!

Thursday, July 2
Doors 6:00 pm | Movie 6:30 pm *Start times subject to change. Please arrive on time.

TANK GIRL (Rachel Talalay, 1995 / 104 mins / PG) A girl is among the few survivors of a dystopian Earth. Riding a war tank, she fights against the tyranny of a mega-corporation that dominates the remaining potable water supply of the planet.

In Director's, Boots Riley film, I LOVE BOOSTERS, a group of shoplifters take aim at a cutthroat fashion maven by stealing her clothes and reselling them at a lower price, what they call "fashion-forward philanthropy." With Keke Palmer, LaKeith Stanfeld, Demi Moore, Don Cheadle, Adam Devine, 

"It’s a lot, but that’s Boots’ style. The 'Adult Swim' energy is strong here and the satire is sharp in the way that shattered glass flying every which way from a shotgun blast is." (Rolling Stone Magazine)

"'I Love Boosters' paints another winning amusement park ride in the bright colors of its filmmaker’s politics." (AV Club)

Thursday, July 2
Doors 9:00 pm | Film 9:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

I LOVE BOOSTERS (Boots Riley, 2026 / 18A / 105 mins) A group of shoplifters take aim at a cutthroat fashion maven by stealing her clothes and reselling them at a lower price, what they call "fashion-forward philanthropy."

"It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage."

Join us at the Rio Theatre on Friday, July 3for one of our forever-favourite movie marathon nights! (We're talking about Indiana Jones, kid...)

All Indy... All. Night. Long. Steven Spielberg’s monumentally awesome action adventure trilogy* - RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK + THE TEMPLE OF DOOM + THE LAST CRUSADE = A classic night of back-to back action adventure on the big screen (and with our even bigger sound). Think Harrison Ford, snakes, whips, numerous Nazis, boulders, numerous Nazis getting punched, melty faces, beating hearts, and so much more…

Dr. Indiana Jones, a renowned archeologist and expert in the occult, is hired by the U.S. Government to find the ark of the covenant, which is believed to still hold the Ten Commandments. Unfortunately, Hitler's agents are also after the ark. Indy and his ex-flame Marion escape from various close scrapes in a quest that takes them from Nepal to Cairo. Also starring Karen Allen, John Rhys-Davies, Alfred Molina, Denholm Elliott.

*Like many of you, we'd prefer to imagine a world in which the 2008 entry THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL never happened.

Friday, July 3
RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK
Doors 5:45 pm | Movie 6:15 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

THE TEMPLE OF DOOM
Movie 8:30 pm *Approximate Start time.

THE LAST CRUSADE
Movie 10:45 pm *Approximate Start time.

Make it a triple feature for one sweet price, just $30 for the INDIANA JONES Trilogy Marathon!

**Due to the nature of "marathon" film screenings, these start times are approximate. We will endeavor to start each film on time, as per the schedule. Please arrive on time to get a great seat!

**And yes.... Costumes are very welcome (and encouraged!). But whatever you do, DO NOT BRING SNAKES.

RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (Steven Spielberg, 1981 / DCP, 115 mins / PG) Professional archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) is hired by the US government to find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis get their hands on it.

INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM (Steven Spielberg, 1984 / DCP, 118 mins / PG) After arriving in India, Indiana Jones is asked by a desperate village to find a mystical stone. He agrees, and stumbles upon a secret cult plotting a terrible plan in the catacombs of an ancient palace.

INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE (Steven Spielberg, 1989 / DCP, 127 mins / PG)  When Dr. Henry Jones Sr. suddenly goes missing while pursuing the Holy Grail, eminent archaeologist Indiana Jones must team up with Marcus Brody, Sallah, and Elsa Schneider to follow in his father's footsteps and stop the Nazis from recovering the power of eternal life.

"It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage."

Join us at the Rio Theatre on Friday, July 3 for one of our forever-favourite movie marathon nights! (We're talking about Indiana Jones, kid...)

All Indy... All. Night. Long. Steven Spielberg’s monumentally awesome action adventure trilogy* - RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK + THE TEMPLE OF DOOM + THE LAST CRUSADE = A classic night of back-to back action adventure on the big screen (and with our even bigger sound). Think Harrison Ford, snakes, whips, numerous Nazis, boulders, numerous Nazis getting punched, melty faces, beating hearts, and so much more…

Dr. Indiana Jones, a renowned archeologist and expert in the occult, is hired by the U.S. Government to find the ark of the covenant, which is believed to still hold the Ten Commandments. Unfortunately, Hitler's agents are also after the ark. Indy and his ex-flame Marion escape from various close scrapes in a quest that takes them from Nepal to Cairo. Also starring Karen Allen, John Rhys-Davies, Alfred Molina, Denholm Elliott.

*Like many of you, we'd prefer to imagine a world in which the 2008 entry THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL never happened.

Friday, July 3
RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK
Doors 5:45 pm | Movie 6:15 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

THE TEMPLE OF DOOM
Movie 8:30 pm *Approximate Start time.

THE LAST CRUSADE
Movie 10:45 pm *Approximate Start time.

Make it a triple feature for one sweet price, just $30 for the INDIANA JONES Trilogy Marathon!

**Due to the nature of "marathon" film screenings, these start times are approximate. We will endeavor to start each film on time, as per the schedule. Please arrive on time to get a great seat!

**And yes.... Costumes are very welcome (and encouraged!). But whatever you do, DO NOT BRING SNAKES.

RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (Steven Spielberg, 1981 / DCP, 115 mins / PG) Professional archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) is hired by the US government to find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis get their hands on it.

INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM (Steven Spielberg, 1984 / DCP, 118 mins / PG) After arriving in India, Indiana Jones is asked by a desperate village to find a mystical stone. He agrees, and stumbles upon a secret cult plotting a terrible plan in the catacombs of an ancient palace.

INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE (Steven Spielberg, 1989 / DCP, 127 mins / PG)  When Dr. Henry Jones Sr. suddenly goes missing while pursuing the Holy Grail, eminent archaeologist Indiana Jones must team up with Marcus Brody, Sallah, and Elsa Schneider to follow in his father's footsteps and stop the Nazis from recovering the power of eternal life.

"It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage."

Join us at the Rio Theatre on Friday, July 3for one of our forever-favourite movie marathon nights! (We're talking about Indiana Jones, kid...)

All Indy... All. Night. Long. Steven Spielberg’s monumentally awesome action adventure trilogy* - RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK + THE TEMPLE OF DOOM + THE LAST CRUSADE = A classic night of back-to back action adventure on the big screen (and with our even bigger sound). Think Harrison Ford, snakes, whips, numerous Nazis, boulders, numerous Nazis getting punched, melty faces, beating hearts, and so much more…

Dr. Indiana Jones, a renowned archeologist and expert in the occult, is hired by the U.S. Government to find the ark of the covenant, which is believed to still hold the Ten Commandments. Unfortunately, Hitler's agents are also after the ark. Indy and his ex-flame Marion escape from various close scrapes in a quest that takes them from Nepal to Cairo. Also starring Karen Allen, John Rhys-Davies, Alfred Molina, Denholm Elliott.

*Like many of you, we'd prefer to imagine a world in which the 2008 entry THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL never happened.

Friday, July 3
RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK
Doors 5:45 pm | Movie 6:15 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

THE TEMPLE OF DOOM
Movie 8:30 pm *Approximate Start time.

THE LAST CRUSADE
Movie 10:45 pm *Approximate Start time.

Make it a triple feature for one sweet price, just $30 for the INDIANA JONES Trilogy Marathon!

**Due to the nature of "marathon" film screenings, these start times are approximate. We will endeavor to start each film on time, as per the schedule. Please arrive on time to get a great seat!

**And yes.... Costumes are very welcome (and encouraged!). But whatever you do, DO NOT BRING SNAKES.

RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (Steven Spielberg, 1981 / DCP, 115 mins / PG) Professional archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) is hired by the US government to find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis get their hands on it.

INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM (Steven Spielberg, 1984 / DCP, 118 mins / PG) After arriving in India, Indiana Jones is asked by a desperate village to find a mystical stone. He agrees, and stumbles upon a secret cult plotting a terrible plan in the catacombs of an ancient palace.

INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE (Steven Spielberg, 1989 / DCP, 127 mins / PG)  When Dr. Henry Jones Sr. suddenly goes missing while pursuing the Holy Grail, eminent archaeologist Indiana Jones must team up with Marcus Brody, Sallah, and Elsa Schneider to follow in his father's footsteps and stop the Nazis from recovering the power of eternal life.

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

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

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

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

About Jeff Dye

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

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

"We're gonna need a bigger screen."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Released in 1999, THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT was an unlikely box-office hit that ultimately ended up a total cinematic game-changer, captivating critics and audiences around the world while ushering in the entirely modern, "found footage" horror genre in its wake.

Comprised of a mix of "found footage" Hi-8 video with black-and-white 16 mm film in what audiences perceived to be a documentary, THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT tells the tale of three film students (Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, Michael C. Williams) who, in 1994, have traveled to a small town to collect footage about the mythical Blair Witch, a legendary local murderer. Over the course of several days, the students interview townspeople and gather clues to support the tale's veracity. But the project takes a frightening turn when the students lose their way in the woods and begin hearing horrific noises. A year later... Their footage is found.

"You can dismiss 'The Blair Witch Project' as a trick. Or you can give in to the treat and savor that rarest of accomplishments in a field notorious for tedium and repetition -- an original horror movie." (Philadelphia Enquirer)

"The scariest movie I've ever seen. Not the goriest, the grossest, the weirdest, the eeriest, the sickest, the creepiest or the slimiest... Just flat out the scariest." (Washington Post)

"A cunningly conceived and crafted exercise in suggestibility and terror." (The New Yorker)

"I have seen the new face of movie horror and its name is The Blair Witch Project, a groundbreaker in fright that reinvents scary for the new millennium." (Rolling Stone Magazine)

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

Late Night Date Night! Friday Late Night Movies are two-for-one entry, so bring a pal, date, or some other person you're looking to scare the sh*t out of, and be a hero!

THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT (Eduardo Sánchez & Daniel Myrick, 1999 / 14 A / 84 mins) In 1994, three film students vanish after traveling into a Maryland forest to film a documentary on the local Blair Witch legend, leaving only their footage behind.

Yee Haw!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Catch the semi-finals and final FIFA match at the Rio Theatre. With our big sound... And even bigger screen!

Tuesday, July 14 Semi-Final Match
Teams TBD
Doors 11:30 am | Game 12:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive early for best seats.
RSVP Your Seats & Ensure Entry

Catch the semi-finals and final FIFA match at the Rio Theatre. With our big sound... And even bigger screen!

Wednesday, July 15 Semi-Final Match
Teams TBD
Doors 11:30 am | Game 12:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive early for best seats.
RSVP Your Seats & Ensure Entry

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

All his life, an ordinary young man (Stephen Chow) has been treated like dirt. Still, he's never given up believing that all the world's problems could be solved with a little kung fu. So he's teaming up with a band of misfits - six friends who were kung fu masters in their youth - to form a soccer team that only he believes has a chance to win a $1 million grand prize. Together, they're going to apply their hidden talents to a whole new game -- and soccer will never be the same.

"A blitzkrieg of hilarious kung fu craziness." (Lessons of Darkness)

"Catnip to those familiar with the conventions of Hong Kong martial arts movies." (Toronto Star)

"A very funny movie." (Globe and Mail)

"As always, [Stephen] Chow shows himself an acute parodist of other genres while adding his own cherry on the top." (Variety)

Friday, July 17
Doors 10:30 pm | Movie 11:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Late Night Date Night! Bring a friend or date and get two-for-one entry.

SHAOLIN SOCCER "Siu Lam juk kau" (Stephen Chow, 2001 / PG / Mandarin & Chinese w. EST) A young Shaolin follower reunites with his discouraged brothers to form a soccer team using their martial art skills to their advantage.

Catch the semi-finals and final FIFA match at the Rio Theatre. With our big sound... And even bigger screen!

Saturday, July 18 Bronze Final Match
Teams TBD
Doors 1:30 | Game 2:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive early for best seats.
RSVP Your Seats & Ensure Entry

Catch the semi-finals and final FIFA match at the Rio Theatre. With our big sound... And even bigger screen!

Sunday, July 19 Final Match
Teams TBD
Doors 11:30 am | Game 12:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive early for best seats.
RSVP Your Seats & Ensure Entry

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

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

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

Post show meet and greet add-ons available!

Produced by ThisMyShow Presents

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

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

Tickets on sale now!

JOHN CAMERON MITCHELL

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Post show meet and greet add-ons available!

Produced by ThisMyShow Presents

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

JOHN CAMERON MITCHELL

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

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

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

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

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

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

Opening Film, Hot Docs Film Festival 2026

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

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

Wednesday, July 22 With Special Guest Veda Hille
Doors 6:30 pm | Screening & Q&A 7:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

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

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

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

Opening Film, Hot Docs Film Festival 2026

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

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

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

General Admission - $20 (includes taxes and fees)

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

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

Think you know circus? Think again.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Behind the Curtain: Production Partners in Crime

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

But wait, there's more!

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

Featuring:

Layna Emerald

Shoop Dumplin

Celeste

Leviticus

And MORE!

Behind the award winning costumes and make-up:

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

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

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

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

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

Presented by StageAdda

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

On sale May 28

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Theme and lineup TBA.

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

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

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.

Early Bird Pricing $25+ s/c Until July 6
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

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.

Early Bird Tickets $28+ s/c Until July 5
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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tickets on sale April 24 @ 9:00 am

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

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

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

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

Connect with Katie Boyle @KatieBoylecomic