The 23rd edition of the Vancouver Latin American Film Festival will take place from September 4 - 14, 2025.

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 - $2000 (CAD)

- Critics' Prize for New Directors: Selected in a live deliberation by three film critics from Latin America.

- Best Latin-Canadian Short Film: (fiction, animation, and documentary shorts) $500 (CAD)

- 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
  • Ashley Salman

    Thank you for welcoming my work and for supporting emerging Latinx filmmakers!

    October 2024
  • Laura González

    Nos encantó poder ser parte de este festival, aunque no hayamos podido asistir. ¡Muchas Gracias!

    October 2024
  • Felipe Esparza Perez

    Un espacio importante para el cine latinoamericano en Canada, con una buena programación y bastante acogedor.

    September 2024
  • Daniel Eduvijes Carrera

    Brilliant event, brilliant vibes, brilliant artists, brilliant staff, brilliant screenings, brilliant connections. Mil Gracias, VLAFF!

    September 2024
  • One of the top Latin American film festivals in North America, period. Fantastic communicators, organizers, connectors, and party-throwers. Send them your films. Thanks VLAFF team for welcoming our short Lupe Q and the Galactic Corn Cake.

    September 2024