The Vancouver Queer Film Festival is the largest queer arts event in Western Canada. Each August, we showcase films and stories which uplift 2SLGBTQIA+ voices from throughout BC, across Canada, and around the world.

The VQFF serves to illuminate, celebrate, and advance queer lives through film, education, and dialogue, which we accomplished through 11 days of outstanding cinema, live performances, community-building events, and parties, all in the backdrop of beautiful mountain and ocean views.

We seek work in all genres that confronts stereotypes, pushes boundaries, strives for change, arouses and tantalizes, and above all, highlights the tremendous diversity of queer, trans, and Two Spirit people, artists, and communities.

Awards & Prizes

All films selected for the Festival are eligible for the following awards:

- People’s Choice Award for Best Feature
- People’s Choice Award for Best Short

BC artists with a short film in the Festival are eligible for:

- Gerry Brunet Memorial Award for Best BC short, supported by Directors Guild of Canada-BC.

Rules & Terms

1. Submit online via FilmFreeway.

2. You will receive an automatic reply confirming receipt of your submission

3.. We are grateful for the opportunity to consider all work submitted. If yours is accepted, we will send an acceptance letter by mid-June. From there, we will require the exhibition format of your film by mid-July.

4. Shipment of exhibition materials to the Festival must be paid by the applicant. Return shipment of exhibition materials will be paid by the Festival. Any additional fees associated with shipping must be paid by the recipient. VQFF accepts no responsibility for loss or damage of entries during shipment to or from the Festival.

5. Filmmakers wishing to submit rough cuts for consideration must clearly note that the film is a rough cut, and must supply the completed film before acceptance can be finalized.

6. If selected for the Festival, VQFF will remit electronic payment via the Plooto payment platform (to select countries) or via cheque in the agreed amount preceding the Festival.

7. Films that are available to purchase or for public viewing online are not eligible. This includes DVD/Blu-ray/VHS formats.
23 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Wapah Ezeigwe

    Beautiful festival! Extremely great communication! The selected films are very well promoted. I felt so proud screening at this prestigious festival!

    November 2022
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  • Chadlee James Skrikker

    Unfortunately couldn't attend but the staff was very helpful with the submission process and it was amazing to be represented at such a well-regarded fest! :)

    September 2022
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  • Alex Sangha

    It was a wonderful experience to have Vinay Giridhar's award-winning debut feature documentary, Emergence: Out of the Shadows, screen in person and live with a local audience in Vancouver. The VQFF is a very well-organized and prestigious event. Thank you for supporting our film.

    August 2022
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  • Jo Güstin

    The technical support is very reactive and helpful, the movie selection is excellent, so good that I totally forgot to watch the playlist where my own film (Don't Text Your Ex) was shown! (TnT) The panels were great, I wish I had been invited, but I loved watching them too. Personal icing on the cake: the beautiful welcome by the same Indigenous person before the start of every program, and the vast choice of Black African creations in this year's selection! <3

    August 2022
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  • Bekantan Pictures

    Thank you for Vancouver Queer Film Festival audiences to choose our film. Awesome festival and hopefully we could meet the audiences online.

    June 2022
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