Both in terms of admissions and number of films screened (142,425 and 360 respectively in 2008) VIFF is among the five largest film festivals in North America. We screen films from over 70 countries on 10 screens. The international line-up includes, in addition to many undiscovered gems, the pick of the world's top film fests.
Three main programming platforms make our festival unique: we screen the largest selection of East Asian films outside of that region, we are one of the biggest showcases of Canadian film in the world and we have a large and important nonfiction program (over one third of films last year were docs).
Attracting a large, attentive and enthusiastic audience of film lovers, the festival remains accessible, friendly and culturally diverse. As the critics say, VIFF is very much a festival "designed for the benefit of people who love films and people who make them."
2009 stats (at press time)
o 33 features (20 dramatic features, 13 non-fiction features), five mid-lengths, 50 shorts; selected
from 641 submissions
o Empire Granville 7 Cinemas
o Pacific Cinémathèque
o Ridge Theatre
o Vancity Theatre at the Vancouver International Film Centre
Gala Films
Opening Gala, October 1: A SHINE OF RAINBOWS - Vic Sarin, Dir (Canada/Ireland)
Canadian Images Gala, October 2: EXCITED - Bruce Sweeney, Dir (Canada)
Dragons & Tigers Awards Gala, October 8: TOAD'S OIL - Yakusho Koji, Dir (Japan)
Anniversary Gala, October 10: AN EDUCATION - Lone Scherfig, Dir (UK)
Closing Gala, October 16: QUEEN TO PLAY - October 16 Caroline Bottaro, Dir (France)
Programming Strands
28.09.2009 | Vancouver International Film Festival's blog
Cat. : Ambiance Bruce Sweeney Canada East Asia Canadian Images Cinema of Our Time Spotlight East Asia Film Gala Films Granville Ireland North America Queen Vancouver Vancouver International Film Centre Vancouver International Film Festival Vancouver International Film Festival Vic Sarin Vietnamese culture Vietnamese diaspora Vietnamese International Film Festival