Every February, Victoria quietly transforms into a city in conversation with cinema. For ten days, theatres become gathering places, filmmakers mingle with audiences, and films that might never reach mainstream screens are given the space to breathe.
The Victoria Film Festival has spent more than three decades carving out that space, one that values curiosity over hype and community over red carpets.
Founded in 1995, VFF has grown into one of Canada’s most distinctive independent film festivals, showcasing Canadian and international features, documentaries, shorts, animation, and experimental work.
As the festival enters its 32nd edition in February 2026, it continues to do what it has always done best: champion emerging voices, embrace unconventional storytelling, and remind audiences that cinema is not just something to watch, but something to experience together.
A Brief History of the Victoria Film Festival
The Victoria Film Festival began in 1995 with a simple but ambitious goal: to expose audiences to films that challenge, surprise, and expand the way stories are told on screen.
At a time when independent cinema had fewer outlets outside major urban centres, VFF positioned itself as a platform for filmmakers working outside the commercial mainstream, and for audiences eager to engage with those voices.
Over the years, the festival has steadily evolved without losing its identity. What started as a modest regional event has grown into a nationally recognized festival with an international reach, while still maintaining its roots in community-driven programming.
VFF’s growth has been defined less by scale and spectacle than by consistency, an ongoing commitment to bold programming, emerging filmmakers, and films that sit at the intersection of art, culture, and social reflection.
Now in its 32nd year, the Victoria Film Festival stands as a reminder that longevity in the festival world isn’t built on trends, but on trust, between programmers and audiences, filmmakers and viewers, and a city that continues to show up for cinema year after year.
What Defines the Victoria Film Festival
At its core, the Victoria Film Festival is defined by range and intention. Its programming spans Canadian and international feature films, documentaries, shorts, animation, and experimental works, creating a lineup that resists easy categorization.
Rather than chasing premieres or prestige, VFF curates films that reflect distinct perspectives, stories driven by voice, craft, and curiosity.
The festival has long embraced work that sits slightly outside the centre frame: debut features, unconventional narratives, formally adventurous films, and documentaries unafraid to ask difficult questions. Cultural, artistic, and philosophical themes run through the program, inviting audiences to engage with cinema as a space for dialogue rather than passive consumption.
Just as important is VFF’s openness to cult films and audience favourites, titles that thrive in a shared theatrical environment. This balance between discovery and communal viewing has become one of the festival’s hallmarks, reinforcing the idea that cinema is most alive when experienced together.
Community at the Core
What truly sets the Victoria Film Festival apart is the way it weaves cinema into the life of the city. VFF is not confined to screening rooms; it extends into conversations, shared meals, workshops, and informal gatherings that turn the festival into a communal experience rather than a series of isolated events.
Industry panels and workshops, most notably through the SpringBoard program, offer emerging and established filmmakers opportunities to connect, learn, and exchange ideas. These sessions are designed to be accessible and practical, reflecting the festival’s commitment to nurturing talent at all stages of the creative process.
Beyond the industry-facing events, VFF leans into the social side of film culture. Beer-and-film pairings, cocktail receptions, installations, and themed gatherings create spaces where audiences and filmmakers can interact without barriers.
It’s this blend of programming and participation that fosters what the festival itself describes as a “cinematic obsession,” one rooted in curiosity, openness, and a genuine love of movies.
Victoria Film Festival 2026: What We Know So Far
The 2026 Victoria Film Festival marks the event’s 32nd edition and continues its tradition as a mid-winter celebration of independent cinema. Running from February 6 to 15, 2026, the festival unfolds over ten days across multiple venues in Victoria, bringing together Canadian and international films in a concentrated, city-wide program.
While the full lineup, screening schedule, and guest list have yet to be announced, the structure of the festival remains familiar. An opening gala will set the tone, followed by days filled with screenings, filmmaker appearances, industry programming, and special events designed to encourage conversation both inside and outside the theatre.
VFF has hinted at new venues and expanded programming alongside its core mandate, promising a mix of returning favourites and fresh additions. As with previous editions, the emphasis is expected to remain on strong curation rather than scale, films selected for their voice, relevance, and ability to resonate with engaged audiences.
Awards and Recognition
Awards at the Victoria Film Festival are designed to spotlight both excellence and emerging talent, reinforcing the festival’s long-standing commitment to discovery. The 2026 edition features a range of juried and audience-voted honours that reflect the diversity of its programming.
Top recognitions include Best Feature Film and Best Canadian Feature, alongside awards dedicated to documentary and short-form filmmaking. VFF also continues to support first-time filmmakers through the Best Canadian First Feature award, offering meaningful recognition at a pivotal stage in a director’s career.
Short filmmakers are acknowledged with a dedicated prize, while the Audience Favourite Feature highlights the titles that resonate most strongly with festival-goers.
One of the festival’s most distinctive honours is the Cultural Currents Award, which celebrates films that promote intercultural understanding and offer insight into different lived experiences. With both juried and audience-driven awards, VFF balances critical evaluation with community response, ensuring that recognition reflects not only craft, but connection.
Retromania: Cameron’s Deep Dive
Ahead of the main festival, the Victoria Film Festival is setting the stage with Retromania: Cameron’s Deep Dive, a January 2026 screening series at The Vic Theatre. Designed as a thematic prelude to VFF, the program turns its attention to filmmaker James Cameron, exploring his long-standing fascination with the underwater world.
The series draws connections between Cameron’s cinematic work and his real-life deep-sea exploration, offering audiences a chance to revisit familiar films through a new lens. More than a retrospective, Cameron’s Deep Dive functions as an invitation, encouraging viewers to engage with cinema as both spectacle and personal obsession.
As a lead-in to the February festival, Retromania reinforces one of VFF’s defining traits: its willingness to create context around films, not just screen them. By the time the main program arrives, audiences are already immersed in the festival’s rhythm, curious, engaged, and primed for discovery.
Venues and Festival Atmosphere
The Victoria Film Festival unfolds across multiple venues throughout the city, transforming familiar spaces into temporary hubs of cinematic activity. The Vic Theatre serves as a central gathering point, but the festival’s reach extends beyond a single screen, encouraging audiences to move through Victoria as part of the experience.
This multi-venue approach gives VFF a distinctly local rhythm. Screenings are paired with special events that blur the line between filmgoing and social gathering, beer-and-film pairings, cocktail receptions, and themed nights that invite audiences to linger, talk, and connect.
Even outside the theatre, installations and related events contribute to an atmosphere that feels immersive rather than transactional.
The result is a festival that feels embedded in the city rather than dropped into it. VFF doesn’t overwhelm Victoria; it animates it, turning winter evenings into shared moments and reinforcing the idea that cinema thrives when it becomes part of everyday urban life.
Tickets, Passes, and What’s Next
Tickets and passes for the 2026 Victoria Film Festival went on sale on January 9, 2026, through the festival’s official website. As in previous years, a range of options was available, from single-screening tickets to multi-day passes, allowing audiences to shape their own festival experience.
As of early January, the full film lineup, screening schedule, and guest list had not yet been announced. That sense of anticipation was familiar to returning attendees, part of the festival’s rhythm rather than a drawback. VFF promised a slate of strong films, new venues, and special events, with further details expected in the weeks leading up to opening night.
For those planning to attend, keeping an eye on program announcements remains essential. With limited-capacity screenings and high demand for popular titles, early planning can make the difference between a casual visit and a fully immersive festival experience.
Wrapping Up
More than three decades on, the Victoria Film Festival remains a testament to the enduring power of independent cinema. It is a space where emerging filmmakers find their voice, where audiences encounter stories they might never see elsewhere, and where community and conversation are as central as the films themselves.
VFF’s longevity is rooted in its balance: a commitment to daring, unconventional programming paired with a warm, inclusive atmosphere that invites everyone to participate.
Whether discovering a Canadian first feature, debating a provocative documentary, or simply enjoying a themed screening with friends, attendees become part of a festival that values curiosity, engagement, and cinematic obsession.
As the city prepares to host the 32nd edition in February 2026, one thing is clear: the Victoria Film Festival is not just an annual event; it is a cultural touchstone, a gathering place for cinephiles, and a reminder that great storytelling thrives when it is shared.