Remember Democratic frontrunner Gary Hart, hounded out of his bid for the presidency in 1988 for being a “womanizer”?

If not, VIFF is here to remind you. Jason Reitman’s film The Front Runner closes the Vancouver International Festival this year on October 12, with sexy monogamist Hugh Jackman playing the man assumed at the time to be the next JFK.

Opening the festival 16 days earlier on September 27, The Hummingbird Project stars Jesse Eisenberg, Alexander Skarsgård, and Salma Hayek as high frequency stock traders. The film was directed by Quebec’s Kim Nguyen—who brought us VIFF favourite Rebelle, aka War Witch, in 2012.

And in between, on October 6, Anthem of a Teenage Prophet turns up in this year's BC Spotlight Gala. Cameron Monaghan (Shameless) stars in the adaptation of Joanne Proulx’s novel.

Also revealed during VIFF’s annual media conference today (September 5):

Michael Schur will visit for a Creator Talk at the Rio Theatre on September 30, where we’ll hear about what it’s like to invent and executive produce The Good Place, Parks and Recreation, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. That is, when he isn’t playing Dwight Shrute’s cousin Mose on The Office.

Another VIFF hero, Jean Marc Vallée, arrives for a Tribute Award at the Playhouse on October 2. Vallée’s films Black List and C.R.A.Z.Y. were both screened at VIFF, while his big budget adaptation of Wild opened the festival in 2014.

VIFF will screen the premiere episode of his latest work, the highly acclaimed TV series Sharp Objects, followed by a conversation with the man himself.

More info here.