VIWFF 2021
The 16th Annual Festival took place virtually from March 4 – 14, 2021 and the program included an international, multi-genre selection of 32 films from 16 countries.
The 2021 festival showcased an international lineup of short- and feature-length films, from narrative and documentary to experimental and animation—celebrating the complexity and diversity of ways girls and women choose to challenge, overcome, and inspire—themselves, each other, their communities, and our world today.
The features slate included three Canadian films, with two from BC: Brother, I Cry from Indigenous director Jessie Anthony and award-winning The Curse of Willow Song from established horror genre director Karen Lam, as well as Passages from Quebec-based director Florence Pelletier; and two Vancouver premieres of international films—Holy Rights (India) from director Farha Khatun, and the Kyrgyzstan-filmed, award-winning drama Ala Kachuu—Take And Run (Switzerland) from director Maria Brendle.
VIWFF 2021 was proud to present a slate of select live-streamed events, including an International Women’s Day Panel on March 8, , featuring major players in diversity and inclusion efforts. The annual Screenplay Competition Panel and Awards Ceremony were both held virtually.
VIWFF 2021 Official Trailer
Awards
Three women from across Quebec embark on a multisport expedition, following the Koroc river in Nunavik. Travelling together against adversity, this journey soon becomes one of self-discovery for each participant.
A supernatural thriller set in Vancouver that highlights the stark socio-economic divides that allow those who need help the most, to become their own worst nightmares.
A young First Nations man, trapped in a world of addiction and cultural displacement, finds himself in trouble when his sister betrays him and a “friend” to the police.
An exploration of the systemic causes for why women are increasingly emerging both physically and emotionally traumatized from giving birth.
Safia, a devout Muslim, trains women as Qazis (Sharia court judges) to rebel against the instant “triple talaq” divorce practice that has allowed men an imbalance of power in classical Islamic law.
A young Kyrgyz woman is kidnapped and forced to marry, and her desire for freedom struggles against the clutches of tradition.
Program One: Your Worst Enemy
Myanmar, 2013. A 12-year-old Burmese child soldier, imprisoned for deserting battle, is forced to either kill her older brother, a fellow deserter—or die alongside him. Based on actual events.
A group of refugees flee in search of a better life. They pay a smuggler to take them across borders, in a refrigerated truck; however, the freezing temperature of the truck turns their hope for a better future, into a fierce struggle for survival.
Urged to complete the traditional Chinese death ritual as her mother’s only daughter, but without the legal documentation to prove her kinship to the woman who gave birth to her—a girl finds herself in an institutional conundrum.
La Danza Delle Streghe is an all-women dance piece that explores the question of woman’s objectification, bringing together women from diverse backgrounds to share in ritualistic movement, trance, and a reclamation of themselves.
In 1830s Newfoundland, an adulteress’ life hangs in the balance as a court weighs her guilt for the crime of murder.
This film depicts the journey of a young woman who struggles to lose weight, after seeing a large poster for weight-loss diet pills. After looking herself up and down in her window reflection, she sets off on a course to change her lifestyle.
Iben, an elderly teacher living alone in a small Norwegian community, tries to help a struggling student; but an accident puts her in a difficult position when the other villagers demand her dog be put down.
Program Two: Be Like Water
Two women are on a path towards having a child together, through the fertility treatment process. The film follows the couple’s experience of building a family, while grappling with differences of race, culture, class, and gender roles.
A homemaker with no business background launches an entrepreneurial venture, becoming a success story and inspiration for a young generation in India.
In Iseult Howlett’s directorial debut, three successful female athletes explore how being physically courageous, unapologetically competitive and deeply passionate in team sport can unlock a freedom to truly occupy one’s own skin.
Vanessa Richards is a community leader, activist, and a lover of music. She uses songs as a medicine, but now due to COVID it’s too dangerous to sing. In the wake of George Floyd’s death, she must answer the call and find a new way to bring music without doing harm.
Hot Flash is a journey into the funny, uncomfortable, and sometimes maddening world of an aging professional woman navigating a culture that puts great emphasis on physical appearance.
A woman journalist finds a baby girl in a war-torn city. The borders are closed to the girl, and she will be killed if she stays in the city. This film is about people who need peace—but are on the battlefield.
Born and raised as a squatter on Sombrio Beach, Leah Oke overcomes unthinkable tragedy to become one of Canada’s first female pro surfers.
Program Three: All About Love
Imed, a young father—finding himself alone for a few days with his five year old son due to his wife’s business trip—will have to confront his deepest fear.
A young boy learns to understand the depth of his mother’s love, despite the distance her dedication may create.
Diane realizes that the man she fantasizes about, shares his life with someone very peculiar.
Three women reflect on their willingness to sustain broken bones, concussions, and organ damage as professional mountain bikers, driven by the rush of control that comes with completely letting go.
A young French horn player explores both pros and cons of her relationship with an artist.
An homage to a loved one, and the tragedy of not being able to pay last respects.
Set in the not-too-distant future, FREYA will make you second-guess your relationship with technology, social media, and The State.
Program Four: Break The Sky
The girls of Stardale Women’s Group share their perspective on Canada’s history of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls; the intergenerational impact of colonialism; and what it’s like to be a young First Nations girl today.
A videopoem that celebrates the resilience of women in a culture full of body politics, seen through a young woman’s retelling of her abortion.
An empowering, spoken word exploration of the value and meaning of blackness.
Themes of identity, belonging, and creative expression weave through the visual and musical journey of Kim Villagante (a.k.a. Kimmortal) to find their place in Vancouver’s hip hop music scene.
Without a Whisper—Konnón:kwe is the untold story of how Indigenous women influenced the early suffragists in their fight for freedom and equality.
Events
IWD Advocacy Panel: #ChoosetoChallenge
VIWFF, in collaboration with WIFT Canada Coalition, hosted a conversation with major government film and television funding agencies and organizations as we challenge ourselves—and the systems that support our film and television industry in Canada—to become more inclusive and representative.
We invited the organizations to report on gender equity, with a focus on intersectionality within their work on gender equity. In particular we invited them to speak about their progress and plans toward equitable representation and opportunities for Indigenous women, Black women, Women of Colour, Women with Disabilities, LGBTQ2++ Women, and Gender Diverse people in their funding programs. The focus was in keeping with the 2021 International Women’s Day theme of #ChoosetoChallenge.
Moderated by Ana de Lara, former Vice President, Women in Film and Television Vancouver.
Panelists:
- Valerie Creighton, CEO, Canada Media Fund
- Christa Dickenson, Executive Director, Telefilm Canada
- Prem Gill, CEO, Creative BC
- Jill Golick, Women in View
- Joan Jenkinson, Executive Director, Black Screen Office
- Claude Joli-Coeur, Government Film Commissioner/ Chair, National Film Board of Canada
- Doreen Manuel, WIFTV Board of Directors / BOSA Centre for Film + Animation, Capilano University
- Barbara Williams, Executive Vice President, CBC
From Our Dark Side Keynote + Finalists
A keynote from Diana Williams, Founder, Kinetic Energy Entertainment, followed by a panel with the five Finalist creative teams of this year’s From Our Dark Side genre development incubator. Moderated by Lindsay Peters, From Our Dark Side program director. Panelists:- The Apartment: Becky Parsons (Producer)
- Dark Woods: Berkley Brady (Director/Writer/Producer)
- Mid Life: Alyson Richards (Director/Writer)
- Red Wings: Kate Kroll (Director)
- Transvengeance: Kaye Adelaide (Director/Writer)
Watch a recording of the From Our Dark Side Keynote + Finalists Panel
Program sponsors: Creative BC, Telefilm Canada Program partner: Frontières International Co-Production Market
Screenplay Competition Finalists
A conversation with the ten finalists of this year’s VIWFF Screenplay Competition. Moderated by Joan Macbeth, Screenplay Competition program coordinator.
Screenplay Competition Finalists:
- Isobel Bradbury & Isabella Vergun – Exes and Ohs – Feature (USA)
- Morgan Brayton – Flannery & Flannery – TV Pilot (Canada)
- Kaili Capito – Regression – Feature (USA)
- Charlotte Daniel – We Were Never Meant to Survive – Feature (UK)
- Helen Doremus – Romanza – Feature (USA)
- Tihemme Gagnon – PB&J – Feature (Canada)
- Arielle Haller-Silverstone – Family Politics – TV Pilot (USA)
- Lulu Keating – Klondike Kalahari – Feature (Canada)
- Nubia Rahim – Pedal Power – Feature (USA)
- Isabella Vergun – Sean Glick F*cks the World – Feature (USA)
Watch a recording of the Screenplay Competition Finalists Artist Talk
Competition Sponsor: The International Screenwriter’s Association
Table Reads: Tricksters and Writers
Workshopped actor table reads of scripts/script excerpts from WIFTV’s Tricksters and Writers film writing program for Indigenous women. Facilitated by Renae Morriseau.
March 12
Queen of East Van by Brenda Prince
One Who Knows by Shilo Nyce
The Words We Can’t Speak by Lindsay McIntyre (excerpt)
March 13
Sadie’s Move by Shaelyn Johnston
Actors (for all readings): Shauna Baker, Sam Bob, Joyce Delaronde, Asivak Koostachin, Shane Leydon, Oivia Lucas, Taninli Wright
Event Sponsor: Indigenous Digital Filmmaking Program, Capilano University
Program Sponsors: Matrix Production Services, CMPA- BC Producers Branch, Final Draft, TELUS Storyhive, Line 21, Creative BC, BC Arts Council
Workshop: Digital Marketing with Annelise Larson
“How to Build a Basic Digital Strategy for Your Film” with Annelise Larson, digital strategist, StorypreneursUnite.com.
Annelise Larson is a digital strategist and former filmmaker who works with media industry stakeholders to use the digital opportunity to find, grow, and engage audiences; and work toward sustainable business models. Her podcast STORY+AUDIENCE with screenwriter Jill Golick can be found on all major podcasting platforms, and she just launched a new online Digital Marketing for Media course in conjunction with the National Screen Institute. See a recent presentation and report from Annelise for Telefilm Canada.
Watch a recording of “How to Build a Basic Digital Strategy for Your Film” with Annelise Larson
Workshop Sponsor: Annelise Larson, Veria.ca / StorypreneursUnite.com
Awards
Feature Film Awards
Short Film Awards
Best Screenplay
Chen-Wen Lo (In This Land We’re Briefly Ghosts )
Honourable Mention: Valerie Tian (The Curse of Willow Song)
Best Performance
Rhona Rees (FREYA )
Screenplay Competition
