VIFF 2021: What to expect?
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The skyline of Vancouver.
The Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) is a film festival held every year in September and October in Vancouver, Canada. It is one of the largest film festivals in North America and is considered one of the most important showcases of East Asian film in particular.
VIFF was first held in 1958 but struggled for funding during the ‘60s and was canceled following the 1969 event. It relaunched in 1982 and has gone from strength-to-strength ever since, with over 100,000 people attending every year, with nearly 400 films screened
The festival’s programming focuses on Canadian, East Asian film, and non-fiction film. It is the largest Asian film festival outside of Asia and screens one of the largest selections of Canadian films anywhere in the world. The festival also provides a platform for talks, workshops, performances, and other special events related to cinema.
As with almost every major event around the world, the last 18 months has made life difficult for VIFF. Despite enormous challenges, the 2020 edition went ahead as an online event, and plans are in place for the 2021 event to take place as well!
So if you are planning a cruise from Vancouver BC this fall and fancy adding a little culture to your trip, what can you expect from VIFF 2021?
When is VIFF 2021?
The Vancouver International Film Festival will take place from 1-11 October 2021.
What will the festival look like?
While 2020 was completely online, all the signs at the moment are pointing towards VIFF 2021 being able to go ahead as a mix of online and in-person screenings. VIFF is taking great care to ensure that all events will be COVID-19-secure and so plans are subject to change. But at the moment the Festival intends to showcase an amazing program of films and events from around the world both streamed via their platform and screened at the newly renovated VIFF Centre.
What sort of films will be screened?
As always, the three main programming themes will be Canadian film, East Asian film, and non-fiction film. The 2021 edition will be divided into a number of sub-themes, including Canadian Images, Dragons & Tigers: The Cinemas of East Asia, Nonfiction Features: Arts & Letters, Cinema of Our Time, Spotlight on France, and Environmental Film. The programme is expected to include around 230 films (features and shorts) from over 75 different countries.
Thinking of heading to the Vancouver International Film Festival 2021? Here’s a rundown of what to expect at this annual celebration of worldwide cinema.