Enter your Film

Submissions are now open for the 20th annual Vancouver Island Short Film Festival!

The 20th annual VISFF will screen at the at VIU’s Malaspina Theatre on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of Snuneymuxw First Nation in Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada, on May 1st – 3rd, 2025, featuring 20 original short films celebrating the art and craft of short-form storytelling curated into two unique programs, a program of the best films shown over the last 20 years and our youth program. Each show will include Q&A sessions with featured filmmakers and the Goldie Awards Ceremony on Saturday evening. Audiences will be able to experience the full festival in person and online.

Why Submit your film to the 20th annual Vancouver Island Short Film Festival?

We value your art and expertise. 

We believe artists like you should be paid for your art. All films screened at the main programs of VISFF receive artist fees, and filmmakers who attend our Q&A sessions receive payment for their participation. 

Our audience and community. 

Since our first sold-out screening in 2006, we have been blown away by the wonder, curiosity, enthusiasm, and great Q&A questions of our community of film enthusiasts. The VISFF isn’t just a film screening; it’s an evening for cultural exchange and dialogue between filmmakers, industry professionals, and audiences. 

The Goldie Awards. 

We end the festival each year with our Goldie Awards Ceremony, honouring the best films in several categories, including Best Performance, Best Film and the People’s Choice Award! The Goldie Awards were designed by renowned multimedia artist Brendan Tang and named in honour of Shirley Goldberg, a respected Nanaimo film enthusiast, teacher, journalist, and arts promoter. On top of the unique award statue, winners take home a cash prize. Just another way we try to put money in the pockets of artists. 

Our online program. 

Just because you can’t make it to the festival in person, doesn’t mean you should miss out on the fun! Our professional technicians and experienced livestream producers work hard to ensure that those who can’t attend in person have a chance to watch the show live and participate in the event. We also offer filmmakers who can’t attend the live Q&A sessions the opportunity to partake in pre-recorded Q&A segments and, through our streaming platform, we run a live chat during the event so filmmakers and audiences can connect in real-time as they watch. 

Learn more and submit your film through FilmFreeway  www.filmfreeway.com/visff. 

Questions? Email our submissions coordinator at submissions@visff.com.