Kyle Fostner takes the Vancouver International Film Festival helm as executive director
He got his start at the fest as venue manager in 2014, and recently oversaw VIFF Centre’s $2.8-million renovation
Kyle Fostner. Photo by Rick Collins
HAVING GUIDED THE Vancouver International Film Festival through an unprecedented year as interim executive director, Kyle Fostner is now taking on the position permanently.
Today, after an international search, the VIFF board of directors announced its new leader, who got his start here as venue manager for the organization in 2014. He oversaw guest services in 2015 and became VIFF’s first-ever director of operations in 2016, cofounding and developing VIFF Live in 2017 (a program that featured Kronos Quartet live-scoring Guy Madden’s Green Fog and Kid Koala’s Satellite, a Turntable Orchestra.)
More recently, Fostner led the $2.8-million renovation of the VIFF Centre, which was unveiled last fall but awaits a full opening as COVID restrictions are eased.
That redevelopment project, pulled into completion on schedule during a pandemic, features a new 41-seat studio theatre off the main lobby that will be able to host events and screenings once the world fully opens up again.
“We are youthfully excited about what we can do in this space,” Fostner told Stir at the time. “Now we have the ability to have two different films at once. We can screen a niche film and not have to worry about selling out the big theatre. And community groups can’t always afford the bigger screen.”
Previous to Fostner arriving on the West Coast to work at VIFF, he had served as general manager of Montreal’s Casa Del Popolo and Sala Rossa from 2006 to 2014, guiding the longstanding music venues to record success. From 2012 to 2017, he also owned and operated LFTTCKT, a web-based platform that offered promoters, venues, and musicians an inexpensive and simple box office service.
VIFF Centre’s renovation, unveiled last fall.
“In a year fraught with uncertainty, Kyle astutely guided VIFF through the pandemic, spearheaded the pivot to a hugely successful digital film festival, and crafted a robust strategic plan that represents the ambitious and exciting future of VIFF,” Lucille Pacey, VIFF board chair, said in today’s announcement. “We’re confident Kyle’s wealth of experience and passion will further shape and deliver the organization to new heights.”
For its 2020 event last autumn, VIFF pivoted quickly to an online platform called VIFF Connect that went on to stream films all pandemic year. VIFF will celebrate its 40th anniversary for the next festival, slated for September 30 to October 10.
At its AGM yesterday, three new people joined the VIFF board: Am Johal, director of SFU's Vancity Office of Community Engagement and codirector of SFU's Community Engaged Research Initiative; Doreen Manuel (of the Secwepemc/Ktunaxa nation), filmmaker, writer, teacher, and director of the Bosa Centre at Capilano University; and Johnna Sparrow, a member of the Musqueam First Nation and a producer at Salish Sparrow Productions.
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