The Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) is back in-cinema for its 45th edition from October 1 to 11, 2026.
As one of North America’s biggest and most dynamic film festivals, you should be prepared for a 2026 program that offers a unique blend of narrative, documentary, and short films.
Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF)
This year’s programming includes over 160 features, as well as an expanded VIFF Live program which runs the duration of the festival, and a number of special events. The films will be screening across a range of Vancouver venues.
On the event, Kyle Fostner, Executive Director, said,
This year marks the beginning of a new chapter for the Vancouver International Film Festival. With our Institute for the Moving Image launched, our largest program of Live performances ever offered, and an exciting slate of the best contemporary cinema, VIFF is quickly becoming the archetype of the modern film festival. This year’s film program holds a balance between the established cinematic greats and a new generation of powerful voices emerging from around the world. With the Institute nurturing filmmakers and Live performances enhancing the cinematic experience, VIFF has taken on an exciting new shape. It’s an ecosystem of creativity, curiosity, and humanist art that is gaining VIFF a reputation internationally as a place for talent discovery and innovation.
Special Events
Additionally, there will be some special events happening. Check out the VIFF 2026 Opening Gala (October 1), and Man in Motion: Celebrating Rick Hansen (October 3). For special talks, be sure to visit Matthew Hannam’s Art of the Cut (October 3) and The Making of Obsession with Producer Haley Johnson (October 4).
And this year’s VIFF Live is exploring reworlding, where “visions and sounds of a world in which many worlds fit, of worlds that have already been, that are yet to come, and those that can perhaps be glimpsed and experienced only briefly.”
Expect live performances from a range of amazing artists, including those from genres like avant electronica and Indigenous psychedelia.
For more information on VIFF’s 2026 programming, tickets, and the film lineup, visit their website.
EVENT DETAILS:
📅 Dates: October 1 – 11, 2026
📍 Location: Various locations across Vancouver
🎟️ Tickets & More Info: https://viff.org
