WIFT Vancouver (WIFTV) has announced the lineup for the 2023 Vancouver International Women in Film Festival (VIWFF). The five-day celebration will take place from March 7th-11th, 2023 at the VIFF Centre in Vancouver, and will feature in-person screenings, receptions, filmmaker panels, and more. VIWFF will include 37 films from 14 countries, made up of 19 Canadian films — with 9 from local BC filmmakers. VIWFF 2023 is also proud to present an International Women’s Day Advocacy Panel on March 8th, featuring major players in diversity and inclusion efforts.
“VIWFF is back with an incredible program showcasing and supporting a wide range of voices from around the world. After two challenging and uncertain years, we’re thrilled to be offering a complete in-person film festival featuring 5 full days of screenings and Q&As, complemented by an extraordinary lineup of talks and events with some of the industry’s leading talents,” says Patrycja Mila Kamska, VIWFF’s Events and Programs Manager.
This year’s festival features filmmakers from around the globe including the opening night dramatic feature Broken Angel from award-winning writer/director Jules Koostachin, who also has the short film MisTik in the festival. The program includes the Western Canadian premiere of Some Women; a documentary about self-love, by filmmaker Quen Wong who is Singapore’s first trans woman to direct a documentary feature. There are four Canadian premieres, and films Everybody Wants to Be Loved, Among Us Women, Las Abogadas: Attorneys on the Front Lines of the Migrant Crisis, and Expedition Reclamation. There will also be an exceptional shorts program and this year’s closing night film is Stellar from director Darlene Naponse starring Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers (Night Raiders, The Body Remembers When The World Broke Open).
“With so much disheartening news about gender-based violence and discrimination circulating in the media, many people are turning to screen-based media to feel a sense of hope for the future,” says WIFTV Executive Director Eli Morris. “With this in mind, it feels especially empowering and important to be hosting a festival dedicated to celebrating gender equity right now. There is truly no shortage of talent in our community. We’re proud to showcase an incredible lineup of films, panels, and events for VIWFF’s 18th year. We hope to see you there!”
This year’s VIWFF features the World Premieres of feature films Everybody Wants To Be Loved and Expedition Reclamation and the short film Young People, Old People & Nothing in Between. There will be multiple Canadian Premieres at the festival including feature films Las Abogadas, Among Us Women and short films: Stay, Headspace, Three, My Eyes Are Up Here, Tell You About: the Birds and the Bees, Saggitarius Rising, The Midwife (image), The Sky is Very Pretty and For Heidi. BC Premieres include the feature film Some Women and short films Glass Doll, Fifty-Four Days, and Send the Rain.
The Vancouver International Women in Film Festival (VIWFF) is presented with support from the Government of Canada, the Canada Council for the Arts, Telefilm, Creative BC, BC Arts Council, the City of Vancouver, and the CMPA – BC Producers Branch.
The in-person component will be followed by a virtual festival from March 12th-25th, 2023. Visit the VIWFF website HERE for more information on the festival and lineup.
Images provided by Nicola Pender, Courtesy of the VIWFF
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