The 45th Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF), one of North America’s largest and most dynamic film festivals, returns this fall. As one of North America’s most prolific production hubs, Vancouver is uniquely positioned to support VIFF’s 2026 program featuring a balance of narrative, documentary, and short films with a highlight on homegrown BC features; live cinematic performances; and artist development programs.
With an anticipated 110,000 VIFF attendees celebrating the year’s best cinema, including more than 160 features, an expanded VIFF Live program, running through the duration of the festival, new initiatives through the recently established Institute for the Moving Image, and a number of special events.
“This year marks the beginning of a new chapter for the Vancouver International Film Festival,” says Kyle Fostner, Executive Director. “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.”
Thursday, October 1st, VIFF 2026 officially opens with Jesse Eisenberg’s The Debut (presented by National Bank), which sees meek Mona (Julianne Moore) landing a part in a local musical and falling under the sway of Jerry (Paul Giamatti), the exacting “biggest name in New Jersey community theatre.” Eisenberg’s utterly outlandish yet emotionally honest comedy sends up the self-importance of the theatre world, while genuinely celebrating the self-actualization that can only occur under the spotlight’s glow.
Saturday, October 10th, the festival’s Closing Gala presentation is Martin McDonagh’s Wild Horse Nine. Shortly before the 1973 Chilean coup, CIA agents Chris (John Malkovich) and Lee (Sam Rockwell) are dispatched from Santiago to Easter island by their bureau chief, MJ (Steve Buscemi). Amongst the Island’s iconic statues, and as the longtime partners wrestle with their dark pasts and present conspiracies, Chris’s newfound bond with a pair of rebellious students (Mariana di Girolamo and Ailín Salas) threatens to send everyone’s trip to this remote paradise sideways.
Whether one samples their own cross section from the program or takes in VIFF’s curated series, over the 11 day festival audiences will surely find something on-screen or on-stage to laugh, love and contemplate. Some highlights to check out include;
· BC Features Series: A spotlight on locally produced or co-produced British Columbia feature films.
· Canadian Premieres: VIFF 2026 features a large selection of Canadian premieres.
· Focus on New German Cinema: Extreme Tension: Presented in collaboration with German Films, this year’s country spotlight showcases six features from rising German talents.
· Insights: Documentaries from international non-fiction filmmakers capturing the world around us.
· Northern Lights: Celebrating Canadian and Indigenous storytellers who are already making waves on the film festival circuit.
· Portraits: VIFF’s featured documentaries on the Arts from ground-breaking artists, featuring great performances by or about cultural icons.
· Vanguard: Introducing a new crop of gifted international talents emerging to Canadian audiences.
This is just small sample of the many, many options presented by VIFF 2026, visit viff.org/festival/viff-2026 for the full program guide, synopsis, bios and more.
The 45th edition Vancouver International Film Festival runs October 1 to 11, 2026 at cinemas and venues across Vancouver, for ticket packs, passes and single-film or VIFF Live tickets visit viff.org