Vancouver International Film Festival

2026 RULES & TERMS FOR FILMS

ELIGIBILITY AND ENTRY
1) Submissions should have been completed after June 1, 2025 and premiered after October 15, 2025. Please note that films debuting in 2026 will be prioritized for this edition.
2) Submitted feature films must not have been broadcast, streamed, distributed on VOD/home video, or screened in-person either at another festival or theatrically in the Vancouver area. (The competitive Vanguard section is restricted to World, International, North American and Canadian premieres.) Priority will be given to short films that have not been screened online or in-person at another festival in the Vancouver area.
3) All non-English language submissions must have English subtitles.
4) All applicable licenses and waivers of copyrights, moral rights, trademarks and other such intellectual property rights have been secured by the filmmaker(s)
5) Submission fees are non-refundable.

PRESENTATION
Accepted feature films can be exhibited theatrically on DCP. The dates, times, and locations of screenings of selected films is at the discretion of the festival.

LIABILITY
In the case of loss or serious damage to a DCP, the obligation of the Festival is limited to compensating the producer or distributor only to the cost of making a new print or DCP.

CONSENT
Participation in the Vancouver International Film Festival implies understanding and acceptance of these regulations:
1) Vancouver International Film Festival is hereby granted the right to utilize an excerpt from any film submitted and accepted for exhibition at the Festival for promotional purposes.
2) The individual or corporation submitting the film hereby warrants that it is authorized to commit the film for screening and understands and accepts these requirements and regulations.
3) The submitter shall indemnify and hold harmless Vancouver International Film Festival from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages and expenses (including but not limited to attorney's fees and costs of the court) which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening and loss of or damage to the screening videos entered.