(This story is sponsored by the European Union Film Festival.)

November’s cold and blustery weather provides us with the perfect excuse to stay home and binge-watch movies from the couch. Instead of mindlessly scrolling through Netflix, take advantage of this year’s virtual European Union Film Festival (EUFF)—it’s like visiting Europe, without the jet lag.

By attending the online EUFF, which runs from November 12 to 28, you can fully immerse yourself in European culture by watching several fascinating films. The 2021 festival provides cinephiles across Canada with access to works from some of Europe’s top talent, as well as a number of North American film premieres. 

The Cinematheque in Vancouver, The Canadian Film Institute, and the European Union Film Festival in Toronto have joined forces with the Delegation of the European Union (EU), the Embassies, and Consulates of EU Member States to present the second online-only edition of the EUFF in Canada.

“The Cinematheque is incredibly proud to join with our national partners in copresenting this online, Canadawide version of the EUFF for a second year,” says Jim Sinclair, executive and artistic director of The Cinematheque. “We’ve had the pleasure of hosting the EUFF on Canada’s West Coast since 1998 and it’s long been one of our most popular events. It’s cherished by film lovers for its celebration of the richness and diversity of contemporary cinema in the European Union.”

This year’s festival kicks off with the highly anticipated screening of Inventory and Vancouverites can enjoy a special in-theatre opening night screening at The Cinematheque on November 12 at 7 p.m. This comedy-thriller by Slovenian director Darko Sinko tells the story of a middle-age man whose life gets turned upside down when someone tries to shoot him. This leads the protagonist to create an inventory of everyone in his life, hoping that he can find out who might feel wronged by him.

Hungarian rom-com Cream is also featured in the festival lineup. This charming film follows Dora, a wounded but resilient woman who opens a pastry shop after being dumped by the love of her life.

Gump: The Dog That Taught People How to Live, from the Czech Republic, will leave virtual audiences feeling all sorts of emotions. The film is based on the bestselling book about the mistreatment of dogs and shares the perspective of Gump, a rescue dog separated from his owner.

Films available during the 2021 installment of the EUFF range from dramedy and documentary all the way to fantasy. Because of the lineup’s diversity, there’s at least one film that will appeal to everyone. Each film will be live online for 48 hours and some will be preceded or followed by exclusive filmmaker interviews and introductions.

“When the pandemic forced us to adopt a virtual model in 2020, it was a delight to discover audience enthusiasm undiminished and viewership expanded,” says Sinclair. “We look forward to another great festival and are grateful for the Canadian-based representatives of the EU and its Member States for their ongoing support and collaboration.”

All flicks featured in this year’s EUFF will be available in their original language with the option of subtitles in English. Click here for the full film schedule.

To purchase your tickets to the online festival, visit www.euffonline.ca/passes/.