Vancouver International Film Festival announces 2020 audience faves and plans for year-round streaming
More than 10,000 B.C. homes tuned in, while panels and talks had international reach
The Inconvenient Indian (left) and Viggo Mortensen’s directorial debut Falling (right) were two of the most screened films at VIFF in its online edition this year.
VIFF 2020 streamed into more than 10,000 B.C. households, according to its wrap-up report released after closing last night at midnight.
The 14-day festival had to pivot quickly online due to the pandemic, building and launching VIFF Connect—a platform that streamed 102 feature films and that proved a success. Festival subscription passes and Gold-level subscriptions sold out over the course of the festival.
The event intends to use the platform for year-round programming, as well as future festivals. “We will be announcing details about year-round access to the platform soon, delivering the best films and filmmakers to the entire province, all from the comfort and safety of our homes,” said interim executive director Kyle Fostner in the release today. “It will be just as affordable, engaging and easy to use as it was during the festival, bringing some much needed curatorial acumen to our video-on-demand options.”
VIFF announced that its most-streamed films from the 2020 lineup included Another Round, Falling, My Donkey, My Lover, & I, Monkey Beach, Summer of 85, The New Corporation: The Unfortunately Necessary Sequel, Beans, Inconvenient Indian, My Salinger Year, and The Hidden Life of Trees).
Jessie Anthony won the award for BC Emerging Filmmaker for Brother, I Cry.
In other positive news, VIFF was able to increase its international reach with its festival talks and panels, which were available globally. VIFF said 2,028 viewers from around the world accessed VIFF Talks and Totally Indie Day, with another 1,000-plus attending VIFF Amp virtually.
VIFF handed out numerous awards over the course of the fest. They included Banchi Hanuse’s Nuxalk Radio for the Sea to Sky Award; Karen Lam’s The Curse of Willow Song for Best BC Film; Jessie Anthony’s Brother, I Cry for BC Emerging Filmmaker; Tracey Deer’s Beans for Best Canadian Film; Madeleine Sims-Fewer and Dusty Mancinelli’s Violation for Best Emerging Canadian Directors; and Kim O'Bomsawin’s Call Me Human for Best Canadian Documentary.
Audiences, voting through VIFF Connect, chose the following as their own favourites: Beans by Tracey Deer, Inconvenient Indian by Michelle Latimer, My Wonderful Wanda by Bettina Oberli, and The Reason I Jump by Jerry Rothwell.
VIFF has also released its schedule of year-round films that will come to the Vancity Theatre and its newly renovated VIFF Centre. Physically distanced two-seat bubbles are available for the in-cinema program.
All of the films, except The Trial of the Chicago 7, will be made available on VIFF Connect soon: Desert One, Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President, Major Arcana, Martin Eden, Moroni for President, Meeting the Beatles in India, My Prince Edward, Oliver Sacks: His Own Life, Super Frenchie, and The Trial of the Chicago 7.
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