The Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) is an annual film festival held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, for two weeks in late September and early October.
The festival is operated by the Greater Vancouver International Film Festival Society, a provincially-registered non-profit and federally-registered charitable organization, which also runs the year-round programming of the Vancity Theatre and Lochmaddy Studio Theatre at the VIFF Centre.[1]
Both in terms of admissions and number of films screened (133,000 and 324 respectively in 2016),[2] VIFF is among the five largest film festivals in North America. The festival screens films annually from approximately 73 countries on 10 screens.
The festival has three main programming platforms: East Asian film,[3] Canadian film, and nonfiction films. Besides films from around the world, VIFF also includes talks, workshops, performances, and other special events related to cinema.
The festival was first launched in 1958;[4] however, facing financial and organizational difficulties in the late 1960s,[5] it was discontinued after the 1969 festival. The Greater Vancouver International Film Festival Society was incorporated in the early 1980s and relaunched the festival in its current form in 1982 by Leonard Schein.[6]
In 2019, Member of Parliament Hedy Fry, chairwoman of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, announced that the Government of Canada would provide over $1.4 million in funding for that year's festival, as well as for cultural infrastructure upgrades to its main theatre.[7]
Opened in 2005, the VIFF Centre is the home the Vancouver International Film Festival offices, as well as the Vancity Theatre and Studio Theatre.
The relaunched festival was staged entirely at the city's independent Ridge Theatre, although the festival has since expanded into a multi-venue event headquartered at the VIFF Centreindowntown Vancouver.
The VIFF Centre hosts VIFF's year-round programming, workshops, special events and collaborates with local organizations for special events.[8]
Sea to Sky Award — a $20,000 cash prize awarded to one female key creative on a BC-produced feature or short.
Best BC Film Award — $10,000 from Creative BC and $15,000 in post-production services credit supplied by Company 3.
BC Emerging Filmmaker Award — a $5,000 award from UBCP/ACTRA, with an additional $10,000 equipment credit supplied by William F. White International Inc.
Emerging Canadian Director — $3,000 award presented by the DGC.
Best Canadian Documentary — $15,000 prize presented by the Rogers Group of Funds.
Best BC Short Film — $5,000 award presented by TELUS Storyhive.
Best Canadian Short Film — $15,000 in colour grading and/or VFX services credit supplied by Side Street Post and $2,000 award presented by VIFF.
Most Promising Director of a Canadian Short Film
International Awards
VIFF Impact Award — CA$5,000 presented by the Lochmaddy Foundation to an international documentary playing in the 'Impact' competition.[9]
Rob Stewart Eco Warrior Award — $5,000 prize presented by RBC and Cineplex to a documentary playing in the Impact competition that recognizes an outstanding contribution by an activist-storyteller.[9]
