This year’s Victoria Film Festival (VFF) is embracing the unconventional and have teamed up with local DIY film company Destroyed Cinema to do so.
Destroyed Cinema has been making waves in Victoria for a little over a year now by hosting underground and film screenings that have been paired with local bands and musical artists.
The endeavour started when Nick Workman interviewed JP Meldrum for a newsletter focussed on the Victoria music scene.
“We discovered that we both had a love for DIY and underground cinema and decided that we wanted to share that with an audience the same way that DIY or experimental musicians share their music with everyone,” Workman told Victoria Buzz.
“We figured, what better way to introduce people to DIY cinema than to pair it with live music in unconventional spaces in order to draw people in and dip their toes into underground cinema.”
Together, they have put on several successful pop ups throughout the past year which has led them to collaborating with this year’s VFF.
Related:
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“[VFF] wanted to bring more energy to the film festival, and that’s why they teamed up with us and gave us these spaces, allowing us to bring those kinds of energetic performances and add them to cinema,” Workman explained.
“We want to show that shows and movies can be much more than just sitting in a theatre.”
Destroyed Cinema is set to put on three pop-up screenings/shows in three different locations: Market Square, Little Fernwood and United Commons.
Destroyed Cinema screenings at VFF
Their first event will be on Wednesday, February 11th, where Destroyed will be showing the film Levers (2025) in Unit 41 of Market Square, at 560 Johnson Street.
Levers is the sophomore feature film directed by Rhanye Vermette. The thriller covers an astonishing experience that contemplates the reactions of a small-town community when an explosion causes a complete blackout.
Paired with this film will be local bands Pet Retina (noise-rock), Sharon (progressive-punk/post-hardcore) and Griefer (noise).
The second Destroyed screening will be on Friday, February 13th, where Iranian-Canadian director Ava Maria Safai’s Foreigner (2025) will be shown at Paul Phillips Hall (Little Fernwood), at 1923 Fernwood Road.
The film follows Yasi (Rose Dehgan), a Persian teen wanting to fit in with her new Canadian friends. She ends up dying her hair blonde and unleashes a monstrous force as a result in this coming-of-age/horror that blends themes of assimilation and cultural erasure.
The musical pairings for Foreigner include Savy (indie/pop-punk), Niloo (singer-songwriter/Persian pop).
Lastly, the third pop-up screening Destroyed Cinema will be hosting for this year’s VFF is Camp (2025), the sophomore feature film by Avalon Fast. This screening will take place at United Commons, at 923 Balmoral Road.
Camp is a psychedelic horror that follows Emily (Zola Grimmer) who looks for redemption by becoming a camp counsellor for troubled teens. Her plans go awry when she discovers the camp isn’t what she thought it was, but rather a religious institution with witchcraft afoot.
“I think, personally, that this is one of the best movies of 2025,” Meldrum told Victoria Buzz.
“Without bias, yes, I truly believe that. It’s quite a shocking narrative and unique movie. It would give it all away if you tell anybody about it—it’s a surprising movie.”
Paired with Camp will be one of Victoria’s newest, but best bands, Ghost Darling (post-punk/alt-rock) and Horseback Jesus (artrock/noise).
Tickets are live for all three screenings via the Destroyed Cinema website, or the VFF website.
Microcinema Market
In addition to the above three pop-up screenings, Destroyed Cinema will be hosting a ‘Microcinema Market’ in collaboration with the artisans of Colage Market.
At this Microcinema Market, Workman and Meldrum have curated a number of underground films to play ambiently and sporadically throughout the day to provide a backdrop for those looking to shop.
“There will be a bunch of different art vendors that will be coming to the basement of Market Square to sell their wares,” said Workman.
“At the same time, from 11 [a.m.] to 5 [p.m.], we’ll be playing experimental films one day, animated films one day and on the final day, there will be some video games—like a pop-up arcade—where people can play games.”
The Microcinema Market will be in Market Square from February 10th to 12th.
