Now in its 19th year, the Gender Equity in Media Festival, formerly Vancouver International Women in Film Festival, showcases an impressive line-up of short and feature-length films (narrative, documentary, experimental and animation) by established and emerging women and gender diverse filmmakers from around the world.
GEMFest is organized by Gender Equity in Media Society (GEMS), a member-driven not-for-profit society based on the unceded, traditional, and ancestral territories of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations, also known as Vancouver, BC.
GEMFest provides a platform for challenging gender inequity and the lack of diversity in the screen-based media industry through a combination of film screenings, discussions, and professional development and networking opportunities.
The festival opens on March 8 (International Women’s Day) and will screen films with women and gender diverse filmmakers in at least three of the following eight key creative roles: Writer, Producer, Director, Cinematographer, Editor, Composer, Lead Performer and Production Designer.
The 2024 festival will be a hybrid of in-person screenings and events as well as a virtual festival portion.
Films completed after March 2022 are eligible.
In addition to showcasing films from around the world, the festival offers a dynamic range of ancillary programming, including:
• Moderated Q&A sessions
• Panel discussions
• Artist talks
• Networking events
• Workshops
• Pitch sessions
• An Awards Ceremony & Gala
• An international screenplay competition
We look forward to reviewing your submission to our festival!
If you have questions that are not addressed here please contact us at: submissions@womeninfilm.ca
All official selection feature and short-length films with women and gender diverse filmmakers in key creative categories are eligible to compete for awards, with each awardee receiving a small cash award.
Award categories are as follows:
Feature Awards
• Best Feature
• Best Documentary
• Best Direction
• Best Performance
• Best Cinematography
• Best Screenplay
• Best Editing
• Best Musical Score
• Impact Award
Shorts Awards
• Best Short
• Best Direction
• Best Performance
• Best Cinematography
• Best Editing
• Impact Award
The awards are selected by an independent jury.
To see past winners and award categories visit: https://gemsvancouver.org/gemfest
The festival also hosts an annual screenplay competition.
To submit to the Vancouver International Women in Film Festival Screenplay Competition visit: https://filmfreeway.com/GEMFestScreenplayCompetition