Vancouver International Women In Film Festival 2021
byThe 16th Annual Vancouver International Women in Film Festival (“VIWFF”) will screen 32 films from 16 countries, including 14 Canadian films—with 10 from local BC filmmakers, and 8 Vancouver digital premieres.
Produced by Women in Film and Television Vancouver (“WIFTV’) and themed “Resilience. Challenge. Change.”, this year’s virtual VIWFF showcases an international lineup of short- and feature-length films, from narrative and documentary to experimental and animation.
Vancouver International Women In Film Festival 2021
- When: March 4 -14, 2021
- Where: All film programs are on demand on festival partner platform, VIFF Connect, through the festival dates March 4-14, 2021 inclusive.
- Tickets: Individual $5-$10; Festival Passes $27-$40. Purchase via VIFF online here.
VIWFF 2021 is proud to showcase a majority of women filmmakers and creatives, including the stories and voices of Canadian and international Black, Indigenous and Women of Colour, non-binary, and trans women, in an official selection of 6 feature films and 26 shorts. Each film program includes a Virtual Artist Talk with the filmmakers.
The features slate includes three Canadian films, with two from BC: Brother, I Cry from Indigenous director Jessie Anthony and award-winning The Curse of Willow Song from established horror genre director Karen Lam, as well as Passages from Quebec-based director Florence Pelletier; and two Vancouver premieres of international films—Holy Rights (India) from director Farha Khatun, and the Kyrgyzstan-filmed, award-winning drama Ala Kachuu—Take And Run (Switzerland) from director Maria Brendle.
The shorts programs include films from 8 local BC filmmakers including Camille Hollett-French, Josephine Anderson, Andy Hodgson, Tara-Lee Novak, Inder Nirwan, Maud Pugliese, Sepideh Yadegar, and Hannah Smith. Six shorts will have their Vancouver premiere at VIWFF 2021, including The Bath (Tunisia/France); The Death of Winter (Canada); Doll (Iran); Ivo (Norway); and Synthetic Love (France).
Special Events
VIWFF 2021 is also proud to present a slate of select live streamed events, for free:
March 8, 2021: International Women’s Day Panel #ChoosetoChallenge
With government and industry organizations, this year with representatives from the Black Screen Office, Canada Media Fund, CBC, Creative BC, Hire BIPOC, the National Film Board, Telefilm Canada
March 9, 2021: From Our Dark Side Keynote + Finalists
A keynote from Diana Williams, Founder, Kinetic Energy Entertainment, followed by a panel with the five Finalist creative teams of this year’s From Our Dark Side genre development incubator. Moderated by Lindsay Peters, From Our Dark Side program director.
March 10, 2021: Screenplay Competition Finalists
A conversation with the ten finalists of this year’s VIWFF Screenplay Competition. Moderated by Joan Macbeth, Screenplay Competition program coordinator.
March 12-13, 2021: Tricksters and Writers
Actor table reads of scripts/script excerpts from WIFTV’s Tricksters and Writers film writing program for Indigenous women. Facilitated by Renae Morriseau.
March 13, 2021: Digital Marketing with Annelise Larson
A digital marketing for media workshop, “How to build a basic digital strategy for your film,” with Annelise Larson, digital strategist
March 7 & 14, 2021: Best of the Fest
Awards announcements for Official Selection Features and Shorts, and the International Screenplay Competition. Hosted by Sabrina Furminger, YVR Screen Scene.
Now in its 16th year, VIWFF continues to provide a platform for challenging gender imbalance and the lack of equity and diversity in the screen-based media industry.
