The 25th annual Vancouver International Film Festival will be held September 28 - October 13, 2006. The festival began in 1982.

Scope

More than 150,000 people are expected to attend 550 screenings of over 300 films from more than 50 countries. For 2005, the VIFF lineup included 272 feature and mid-length films and 106 shorts. Attendance at each of the last three VIFF's has exceeded 150,000.

Purpose

The festival’s purpose is to encourage the understanding of other nations through the art of cinema, to foster the art of cinema, to facilitate the meeting in British Columbia of cinema professionals from around the world, and to stimulate the motion picture industry in British Columbia and Canada.

Venues

For last year's event, films were screened at the following venues:

• The Vancity Theatre at the Vancouver International Film Centre
• Empire Granville 7 Cinemas (7 screens)
• The VISA Screening Room at the Empire Granville 7 Cinemas, Screen 7
• Ridge Theatre
• Pacific Cinémathèque


Information

• Starbucks Hotline—604-683-FILM (3456), will open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, September 7 to October 13. This number is for information only; for ticket purchase, see below.
• VISA Charge-by-phone line - call for tickets, noon to 7pm daily from September 9 until October 12 at 604-685-8297.
• On-line guide, up-to-the-minute news, ticket purchase and more at www.viff.org.