The 22nd edition of the Vancouver Latin American Film Festival will take place from September 5 - 15, 2024, with submissions opening on Nov 16, 2023 and closing Feb 29, 2024. NOTE: Deadline extended to March 14, 2024!!!

VLAFF is a charitable organization with the mission to exhibit and promote Latin American cinema in Canada. We showcase the works of both emerging and established independent filmmakers and media artists in a range of formats from fiction to experimental to documentary to hybrid narrative. We are dedicated to making space and supporting the works of underrepresented filmmakers.

In September each year, we present our annual 11-day festival to highlight and celebrate the art of contemporary Latin American, Latin-Canadian, and Indigenous filmmaking.

In addition, in the winter months we host an online Work in Progress/Cine en construcción for films nearing the post-production stage by Indigenous and Afro-descendant filmmakers or filmmaking collectives from the Latin American region.

Please note: Submission fees are quoted in US dollars.

VLAFF Awards:

- Best Short Film Award (fiction, animation, and documentary shorts) - $750 (CAD)

- Youth Choice Award for Best New Director (first feature film, Ópera prima) selected by students from Canadian and Latin American film schools - $2500 (CAD)

- Critics' Prize: Selected in a live deliberation by three film critics from Latin America (no cash prize)

- Work in Progress Award for Black and Indigenous filmmakers ($1500 CAD, plus in-kind post-production awards)

Can I submit a documentary? Yes!! VLAFF welcomes fiction, non-fiction, hybrid, and experimental films, for both the annual festival and the Work in Progress forum.

Can I submit a rough cut to the festival? Yes, but we will need to see the final version by May 31. Also, as we are a smaller festival, you may want to try for a premiere at a larger festival and then submit to us the following year.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Thanks You so much for the mention

    September 2023
  • Alejandro Angel

    Un festival poderoso, con una curaduría y selecciones atractivas y sobre todo un espacio vital y necesario de conversación con las películas.

    Un apoyo en difusión y comunicaciones para cada película muy potente.

    Gracias por programar nuestra película "Todas Las Flores" :-D

    September 2023
  • VLAFF es un increíble festival para películas latinoamericanas en el hemisferio norte. Su equipo de programación cuidadosamente selecciona películas de todo género, pasando por ficción, no ficción, experimental y animación, y presta atención a la experiencia de lxs cineastas seleccionados.

    September 2023
  • Jesús Soria

    Good communication and some online networking events are the most valuable point for this festival (in my opinion)

    September 2022
  • Juan diego aguirre gómez

    Un gran festival que acogió nuestra película y un espacio para dar a conocer diferentes miradas del cine latinoamericano.

    September 2022