Vancouver film festivals anchor a BC film calendar that runs all year, from the Victoria Film Festival in February to the Whistler Film Festival in December. The Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) is the largest of them, and it shares the stage with DOXA, the Vancouver Short Film Festival and a strong regional circuit in Chilliwack, Victoria and Nanaimo.
This guide covers what each festival screens, when it runs and where to go, so you can plan a full year of BC film.
BC Film Festivals at a Glance
The major film festivals in British Columbia, in calendar order:
- Victoria Film Festival — Victoria, every February (next: February 5–14, 2027)
- Vancouver Island Short Film Festival — Nanaimo, every April
- DOXA Documentary Film Festival — Vancouver, late April to May
- Vancouver Short Film Festival — Vancouver, late May (next: May 28–30, 2027)
- Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) — Vancouver, early October
- Chilliwack Independent Film Festival — Chilliwack, every fall
- Whistler Film Festival — Whistler, early December (next: December 2–6, 2026)
Table of Contents
- Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF)
- Whistler Film Festival
- DOXA Documentary Film Festival
- Chilliwack Independent Film Festival
- Vancouver Short Film Festival
- Victoria Film Festival
- More Film Festivals Across BC
- BC Film Festival Calendar
- Plan Your Year of BC Film
- Frequently Asked Questions About BC Film Festivals
Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF)
The Vancouver International Film Festival is BC’s largest film festival and one of the largest in North America. Its 45th edition ran October 1–11, 2026, presenting 162 features alongside shorts, talks and live performances on 13 screens in ten Vancouver venues.
VIFF balances two roles. It brings the year’s most celebrated international cinema to Vancouver, including Canadian premieres of films that debuted at Cannes, Venice, Berlin and Locarno, such as Tony Gilroy’s Behemoth! in 2026. It also gives BC and Canadian filmmakers a major platform, including world premieres from BC filmmakers in 2026.
VIFF Programming Sections
- Galas & Special Presentations: the year’s most anticipated features, screened in VIFF’s marquee venues.
- Showcase: new work from renowned directors and major award winners.
- Panorama: narrative films from around the world.
- Vanguard: VIFF’s only competitive international feature section. In 2026, eight films by rising filmmakers competed for a $5,000 prize presented by the Lochmaddy Foundation.
- Spectrum: innovative nonfiction and documentary filmmaking.
- Altered States: genre, cult and midnight-movie programming.
- VIFF Short Forum: the best of Canadian short-form storytelling.
BC and Indigenous Filmmakers at VIFF
Stories from close to home are a long-standing VIFF priority. BC and Canadian titles run throughout the program, and Indigenous filmmakers’ work appears across its sections: in 2025, Tasha Hubbard’s Meadowlarks won the Panorama audience award. VIFF presents its festival on the traditional and unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.
The VIFF Centre and Year-Round Programming
VIFF runs year-round from the VIFF Centre at 1181 Seymour Street in downtown Vancouver, home to the VIFF Cinema (formerly the Vancity Theatre) and the Lochmaddy Studio Theatre. The Yaletown–Roundhouse Canada Line station is a five-minute walk away.
In March 2026, VIFF launched the Institute for the Moving Image, a year-round hub for artist development and industry innovation. Its 2026 industry programs included a Co-Production Forum, Works-in-Progress sessions and VIFF Slate.
Whistler Film Festival
The Whistler Film Festival (WFF) runs December 2–6, 2026: five days of premieres, panels, talent programs and special guests in the Coast Mountains. Each year, about 90 works, roughly 30 features and 60 shorts, are selected from Canada and around the world.
- The Borsos Competition: named for Canadian filmmaker Phillip Borsos, WFF’s signature competition for Best Canadian Feature awards a $15,000 cash prize and $20,000 in post-production services, presented by the Directors Guild of Canada, BC. Borsos films also compete for best director, screenplay, performance, cinematography and editing.
- The Content Summit: WFF’s industry program connects filmmakers with distributors, broadcasters and streaming executives through panels, masterclasses and pitch sessions.
DOXA Documentary Film Festival
DOXA is Western Canada’s largest documentary film festival, presented by the Documentary Media Society, a Vancouver non-profit. Its 25th edition ran April 30 to May 10, 2026, with 40 features and 29 short or mid-length films from 41 countries, 27 of them Canadian.
DOXA pairs investigative documentary with experimental and performance-based work. Its 2026 opening gala was a live cinematic performance at SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts, and its Rated Y for Youth program curates films that build media literacy for young audiences.
Chilliwack Independent Film Festival
The Chilliwack Independent Film Festival (CIFF) marks its 10th year in 2026 as the Fraser Valley’s showcase for independent film. It screens features, shorts, documentaries and animation from local and international filmmakers, with industry panels, workshops and nightly mixers, and closes with an awards night that includes Best Fraser Valley Film.
After its original home, the Cottonwood 4 Cinema, closed in 2025, CIFF moved to Galaxy Cinemas in Chilliwack and expanded to five days. Plan a visit with Tourism Chilliwack.
Vancouver Short Film Festival
The Vancouver Short Film Festival (VSFF) is dedicated to Canadian short film, documentary and animation, with a focus on elevating BC talent and connecting it to the national film industry. Its 16th edition runs May 28–30, 2027, in theatres at SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts (149 West Hastings Street) and online.
Victoria Film Festival
Running since 1995, the Victoria Film Festival (VFF) is Vancouver Island’s largest and longest-running film festival. For ten days every February, it fills downtown Victoria with Canadian and international features, documentaries and shorts, plus workshops and an opening gala. The 2027 festival runs February 5–14.
More Film Festivals Across BC
The Vancouver Island Short Film Festival in Nanaimo held its 21st edition April 17–18, 2026, at Malaspina Theatre on the Vancouver Island University campus, with programs of Canadian and international shorts, a youth showcase and the Goldie Awards. Stay tuned for the dates of the 22nd edition.
For more events across the province, browse Art BC’s festival listings, or explore live performance venues across BC.
BC Film Festival Calendar
| Festival | Location | When | Next edition | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victoria Film Festival | Victoria | February | Feb 5–14, 2027 | Vancouver Island’s largest and longest-running film festival |
| Vancouver Island Short Film Festival | Nanaimo | April | Spring 2027 (dates TBA) | Shorts, youth showcase, Goldie Awards |
| DOXA Documentary Film Festival | Vancouver | Late April–May | Spring 2027 (dates TBA) | Western Canada’s largest documentary festival |
| Vancouver Short Film Festival | Vancouver | Late May | May 28–30, 2027 | Canadian and BC short film, documentary and animation |
| Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) | Vancouver | Early October | Fall 2027 (dates TBA) | International premieres, BC and Canadian cinema, VIFF Live |
| Chilliwack Independent Film Festival | Chilliwack | October | Oct 21-25, 2026 | Fraser Valley independent film and filmmaker mixers |
| Whistler Film Festival | Whistler | Early December | Dec 2–6, 2026 | Borsos Competition and the Content Summit |
Plan Your Year of BC Film
BC’s film festivals capture the province’s range, from international premieres in a downtown Vancouver cinema to Canadian indies screened between ski runs in Whistler and grassroots premieres in Chilliwack. Pick a festival, buy a ticket and support the BC filmmakers who make this calendar possible.
Frequently Asked Questions About BC Film Festivals
Does Vancouver have a film festival?
Yes. Vancouver hosts several film festivals, led by the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) every October. The city also hosts the DOXA Documentary Film Festival in late April and May and the Vancouver Short Film Festival in late May.
When is the Vancouver International Film Festival?
VIFF runs every fall. The 45th edition ran October 1–11, 2026, at the VIFF Centre and venues across downtown Vancouver. Dates for 2027 will be announced at viff.org.
What are the biggest film festivals in BC?
The biggest film festivals in BC are the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF), the Whistler Film Festival, the Victoria Film Festival and the DOXA Documentary Film Festival.
When is the Whistler Film Festival?
The Whistler Film Festival runs December 2–6, 2026. It features about 90 films and the Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature.
Where is the VIFF Centre?
The VIFF Centre is at 1181 Seymour Street in downtown Vancouver, a five-minute walk from Yaletown–Roundhouse Canada Line station. It screens films year-round in the VIFF Cinema and the Lochmaddy Studio Theatre.
What are the big three film festivals?
The big three international film festivals are Cannes, Venice and Berlin. VIFF regularly presents Canadian premieres of films that debuted at all three.
