Presented in partnership with VIFF.
Books will be sold at the event by Book Warehouse/Black Bond Books, and the talk will be followed by a book signing!
One-of-a-kind filmmaker Barry Sonnenfeld tells stories only he can tell. In this hilarious and enlightening new memoir, he provides an inside glimpse into how Hollywood really works (or doesn’t), from his blockbuster career with iconic actors, studio execs, and producers.
Best Possible Place, Worst Possible Time delivers a cavalcade of delightful stories spanning Sonnenfeld’s four-decade Hollywood career, from mega-franchises like The Addams Family and Men in Black; the critical favourites, Get Shorty and Pushing Daisies; to the icons, Will Smith, John Travolta, and Michael Jackson; and even the projects that got away: Forrest Gump, Ali, and anything starring Jim Carrey.
From battling with studio executives and producers to bad-script-solving on set to coaxing actors into talking faster, Sonnenfeld provides an entertaining master class in how to make commercial art in the face of constant human foible. Don’t miss hearing the icon in conversation with author, film critic, and year-round VIFF programmer Tom Charity at Books & Ideas, a presentation of the Vancouver Writers Fest.
We do our best to make our events low-barrier, accessible experiences for our community. A limited number of accessibly priced tickets are available for purchase. To discuss other ways we can make these events more accessible to you, please reach out to us at boxoffice@writersfest.bc.ca or 604-681-6330.
About Books & Ideas
Launched in January 2025, Books & Ideas is a new event series from the Vancouver Writers Fest on Granville Island, home of the Writers Fest’s celebrated annual literary festival. With an intimate theatre venue and a pop-up bar for socializing, attendees are invited to connect more deeply with other members of the local literary community—and meet the esteemed authors who grace the stage—in a modern space for exchanging ideas.
Participants and Speakers
Barry Sonnenfeld
BARRY SONNENFELD is a filmmaker and writer who broke into the film industry as the cinematographer on the Coen Brothers’ first three films: Blood Simple, Raising Arizona, and Miller’s Crossing. He also was the director of photography on Throw Mamma from the Train, Big, When Harry Met Sally, and Misery. Sonnenfeld made his directorial debut with The Addams Family in 1991, and has gone on to direct a number of films including Addams Family Values, Get Shorty, and the first three Men in Blacks. His television credits include Pushing Daisies, for which he won an Emmy, Netflix’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, and most recently Apple TV+’s Schmigadoon! He is the author of Barry Sonnenfeld, Call Your Mother. He lives in Canada and New Jersey.
Tom Charity
TOM CHARITY has been the year-round programmer at the VIFF Centre since 2009. As a film critic, he has written for many international publications, including Time Out London, CNN, Sunday Times, Cinema Scope, the Vancouver Sun and Sight & Sound. He is the author of several books about film, including John Cassavetes: LifeWorks.