The Gender Equity in Media Festival (GEMFest) has officially opened submissions for its 2027 edition. Entering its 22nd year in 2027, the festival showcases an impressive line-up of short and feature-length films, including narrative, documentary, experimental, and animated works by established and emerging women and gender-diverse filmmakers from around the world.
Formerly known as the Vancouver International Women in Film Festival (VIWFF), GEMFest continues its commitment to highlighting diverse voices in screen-based media while providing opportunities for filmmakers to connect through screenings, discussions, networking, and professional development initiatives.
The 22nd festival will open in Spring 2027 and will focus on in-person screenings and events. Filmmakers whose work meets the festival’s eligibility requirements are invited to submit their films for consideration.
About GEMFest
The Gender Equity in Media Festival (GEMFest) is organized by the Gender Equity in Media Society (GEMS), a member-driven not-for-profit society based on the unceded, traditional, and ancestral territories of the Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh, and Musqueam Nations, also known as Vancouver, British Columbia.
The festival offers a platform for addressing gender inequity and promoting diversity in the screen-based media industry through a combination of film screenings, discussions, professional development, and networking opportunities.
Over the years, GEMFest has showcased films from around the world while supporting women and gender-diverse filmmakers through both festival programming and industry-focused initiatives.
Festival Overview
The 2027 edition marks the festival’s 22nd year and will feature a broad range of short and feature-length films.
The festival showcases:
- Narrative films
- Documentary films
- Experimental films
- Animated films
GEMFest also accepts music and dance films. Films may be submitted in any genre and at any length, provided they meet the festival’s eligibility requirements.
The 2027 festival will be focused on in-person screenings and events.
In addition to film screenings, the festival offers a range of ancillary programming, including:
- Moderated Q&A sessions
- Panel discussions
- Networking events
- Workshops
- Pitch sessions
- An Awards Ceremony & Gala
- An international Screenplay Competition
These programs are designed to bring filmmakers, audiences, and industry professionals together while supporting dialogue and professional development within the screen-based media sector.
Eligibility Requirements
GEMFest maintains specific eligibility criteria relating to the participation of women and gender-diverse filmmakers in key creative roles.
To be eligible, all submitted films must have a woman or gender-diverse director.
In addition, films must include at least two women or gender-diverse creatives serving in the following key creative roles:
- Writer
- Producer
- Cinematographer
- Editor
- Composer
- Lead Performer
- Production Designer
The same creative may fulfill more than one role.
Gender-diverse is defined by the festival as an umbrella term used to encompass transgender, non-binary, Two-Spirit, and gender non-conforming individuals.
Shared Roles
If any eligible roles are shared, such as between co-directors or other shared creative positions, those roles must be shared by women or gender-diverse creatives.
The producer role has a specific exception. In cases where there are multiple producers, at least 50% of the producers must be women or gender-diverse.
Credit Verification
Submitted films must accurately reflect eligible credits within the submission materials and within the film credits themselves.
Festival staff reserves the right to contact submitters if eligible credits are not accurately or completely shared in the submission details.
Should a submitted film fail to meet eligibility requirements or other festival rules and terms, GEMS retains the right to disqualify the film and is not obligated to contact the submitting party or refund the submission fee.
Film Eligibility Rules
GEMFest accepts:
- Documentary films
- Narrative films
- Animated films
- Experimental films
- Music and dance films
Films may be submitted regardless of genre or running time, provided they satisfy all festival eligibility requirements.
Additional eligibility rules include:
- Only films completed after March 2025 are eligible for submission.
- Submission fees are non-refundable.
- Films that have had a theatrical release in Vancouver before the festival may have their eligibility for screening affected.
- Films that have received other forms of distribution, including subscriber television or online platforms, remain eligible.
Filmmakers who are unsure whether their work meets eligibility requirements are encouraged by the festival to contact the organization for clarification.
Awards and Recognition
All officially selected feature-length and short films with women and gender-diverse filmmakers in key creative categories are eligible to compete for festival awards.
Award recipients are selected by an independent jury.
Feature Awards
Feature award categories include:
- Best Feature
- Best Documentary
- Best Direction
- Best Performance
- Best Cinematography
- Best Screenplay
- Best Editing
- Best Musical Score
- Impact Award
Short Film Awards
Short film award categories include:
- Best Short
- Best Direction
- Best Performance
- Best Cinematography
- Best Editing
- Impact Award
Past winners and additional information about awards can be found through the festival’s official website.
The festival also hosts an annual screenplay competition that accepts separate submissions.
Captioning Requirements
Accessibility through captioning is a requirement for all selected films.
GEMFest requires all selected films to have complete English captioning in the form of either:
- Open captions (preferred)
- Closed captions
Filmmakers whose submissions do not yet include captions are still welcome to apply. If selected, resources may be available to assist with the creation of caption files.
Understanding Captions
According to the festival guidelines, captions are an in-real-time transcript appearing on screen. Captions go beyond subtitles by transcribing both English and non-English dialogue, describing environmental sounds, and indicating sound effects and music.
Captions help d/Deaf audiences engage with films and also support viewers who may have difficulty understanding spoken English.
Open Captions
Open captions are integrated directly into the film and remain visible throughout the screening experience.
Because they do not require separate viewing devices, open captions are considered the most accessible form of captioning.
Closed Captions
Closed captions are supplied as a separate file, with SRT files preferred by the festival.
Unlike open captions, closed captions can be turned on or off. During in-person screenings, captioning devices may be provided by participating theatres where available.
Best Practices for Captioning
The festival recommends several captioning best practices:
- Song lyrics and sounds should appear within square brackets.
- Captions should generally be placed in the lower third of the screen.
- Fonts should be sans serif and large enough to remain readable.
- High colour contrast should be used to improve legibility.
Selection and Notification Process
Submissions are reviewed by evaluators appointed by the staff and Board of Directors of Gender Equity in Media Society Vancouver.
Key details of the selection process include:
- Filmmakers will be notified of decisions by the end of January 2027.
- Selected filmmakers must confirm or decline participation after notification.
- All festival communications are conducted electronically.
- Submitters should ensure that contact information provided through the submission process is accurate and current.
The festival also states that promotional materials from selected films become the property of GEMFest 2027 and may be used to promote the festival through film, television, radio, print, internet, and other media.
Diversity and Information Collection
GEMFest and its producing organization, Gender Equity in Media Society Vancouver, state their commitment to increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in festival programming.
Demographic questions included during the submission process are intended to help the organization better understand and serve its filmmaking community.
According to the festival guidelines, this information is not shared with third parties.
AI Disclaimer
Gender Equity in Media Society Vancouver recognizes the complexities surrounding artificial intelligence and its use within creative fields.
For its guidelines, the organization defines AI usage as the use of technology that enables computers and machines to simulate human learning, comprehension, problem-solving, decision-making, creativity, and autonomy.
GEMS states that it values and encourages unique, ethical, responsible, and human-led creative practices and work in both filmmaking and screenwriting.
The organization further states that AI-generated work may pose a risk of devaluing the vulnerability and authenticity of the human creative process.
GEMS reserves the right to disqualify work that is identifiably artificially generated and advises submitters to note any AI-generated aspects of a film within the submission form.
Submission Information
Selected filmmakers will be required to provide:
- A Digital Cinema Package (DCP) for screening
- Open or closed caption files for screening purposes
Submitters are solely responsible for creating and supplying these materials.
Filmmakers with questions not addressed in the festival guidelines may contact: submissions@gemsvancouver.org
Wrapping Up
Entering its 22nd year in 2027, the Gender Equity in Media Festival continues its mission of showcasing films by women and gender-diverse filmmakers from around the world while fostering discussion, networking, and professional development opportunities within the screen-based media industry.
With submissions now open, eligible filmmakers with projects completed after March 2025 can submit their work for consideration as part of the Spring 2027 festival.