FILMS | Canadian Images

See all Canadian Images films.

The Vancouver International Film Festival boasts the largest concentration of Canadian film of any festival in the country. And attracts quite possibly the biggest audience for Canadian film anywhere in the world. VIFF audiences love homegrown films and pack the houses for Canadian screenings. The line-up accounts for one quarter of the films and audience at the festival.

We're proud to say that our supporters share our enthusiasm and enable us to present a number of important prizes for Canadian filmmakers:

• The inaugural $20,000 Canwest Award for Best Canadian Feature Film, which is believed to be the biggest cash prize in Western Canada for Canadian filmmakers. A jury chooses the winning director from 19 films. Click to view jury bios.
• The $2,000 Most Promising Director of a Canadian Short Film Award, which is also chosen by the Canadian Images jury. Last year's winner was Drew McCreadie of Vancouver for The Valet.
• The National Film Board of Canada presents $2,500 in technical services to the winner of the NFB Most Popular Canadian Documentary Award. The audience selects the winner. Last year's award went to Velcrow Ripper for Fierce Light: When Spirit Meets Action.

And special kudos to Telefilm Canada who, in addition to offering generous support to the festival, helped fund Canadian films in competition. Telefilm Canada's Western Regional Office celebrates a 25-year partnership with Western Canadian talent this year.

Canadian film by the numbers

VIFF has programmed 89 Canadian films for 2009: 33 features (20 dramatic features, 13 nonfiction features), five mid-lengths, 50 shorts; selected from 641 submissions. Included in the line-up is the Opening Gala film A Shine of Rainbows, directed by BC's Vic Sarin, and the Special Presentation film The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, a Vancouver-based production directed by Terry Gilliam. The Canadian Images programming strand is home to 83 of the domestic films. The remaining six are shown in other programming strands including Galas, Special Presentations, Follow the Money and The Way of Nature.