Event Info
The 16th annual VISFF is happening July 23 & 24 2021!
Tickets for the 16th annual Vancouver Island Short Film Festival (VISFF) are on now on sale and the trailer has been unveiled, showcasing clips from all 14 Official Selections. Tickets are by donation and will grant viewers access to the films for three days following the live screenings. It will be free to tune into the livestream, but donations to support the continued success of the festival are greatly appreciated!
VISFF will be livestreaming two virtual lineups of short films on the evenings of Friday, July 23 and Saturday, July 24 at 7:00pm PDT. The screenings will feature an emcee and Q&A sessions with the filmmakers at intermission and end of the show. The Saturday evening event will conclude with an awards ceremony honouring the best short films, selected by the VISFF Judging Committee.
The selected 14 films are a diverse mix of animations, dramas, documentaries, and comedies from six countries, including Canada, The United States, Iran, Japan and China, including five by Vancouver Island-based directors.
Program 1: (Live screening Friday, July 23 at 7:00pm PDT via visff.com)
1. ALL-IN MADONNA Arnold Lim, Victoria, BC (Drama, 12:40)
2. SON OF THE WIND Evan Tsui, China (Magical-Realist Fantasy, 9:56)
3. IF I WERE PRESIDENT Andrea Arteaga Cote & Andrei Ramos Puerto, Mexico (Documentary, 8:05)
(Intermission & Filmmaker Q&A with films 1, 2 and 3)
4. FREEBIRD Michael Joseph McDonald & Joe Bluhm, Montreal, QC (Animation, 5:32)
5. EXCLUDED BY DESIGN Simon Madore & Gabriel Tougas, Toronto, ON (Documentary, 3:55)
6. RENT DO Gavin Michael Booth, Verdun, QC (Comedy, 14:51)
7. THE BLUE BED Alireza Kazemipour, Iran (Drama, 14:10)
(Filmmaker Q&A with films 4, 5, 6 & 7)
Program 2: (Live screening Saturday, July 24 at 7:00pm PDT via visff.com)
1. COOL AFFECTIONS Josh Terry-Brand, Victoria, BC (Comedy, 8:20)
2. BEFORE THE BEAUTY IS GONE Mackai Sharp, Comox, BC (Documentary, 13:58)
3. BABA Jay Kamal, Burnaby, BC (Drama, 14:30)
(Intermission & Filmmaker Q&A with films 1, 2 and 3)
4. UNSHELTERED Brian C O’Malley, United States (Animation, 6:21)
5. BARRIER Sohee Hong, Mill Bay, BC (Drama, 7:32)
6. OHRWURM (EARWIG) Connor Gaston & Vaughn Gaston, Victoria, BC (Drama/Surreal, 13:40)
7. GYORO GOES TO THE THEATRE Shoichi “David” Haruyama, Japan (Animation, 3:31)
(Filmmaker Q&A with films 4, 5, 6 & 7, followed by Awards Ceremony)
PLEASE NOTE: Films are not rated and some contain sexual content and violence. They may not be suitable for younger or all audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.