Whistler Film Festival

08/25/2026

More than a few WFF alum can be credited with the new wave of genre films making a gory splash on screens across the country…

Meet the Canadian horror directors slashing their way to new heights

“Horror has been a huge component of the Canadian filmmaking landscape since the beginning, even before Cronenberg, but it’s always been sort of running parallel to the mainstream industry,” says Vancouver-based horror director Karen Lam.

“Horror isn’t one element,” she says. “It’s not ‘Obsessive love stories are the new thing, oh, liminal horror! That’s what we’re doing!’ You see Hollywood moguls chasing every Reddit thread and YouTube channel, and that’s not what creativity is. We want it to feel organic, especially coming up against a system that is trying to force feed us AI and the star system. Horror should feel a little DIY, like anything could happen.”

Read more: beacons.ai/cbcarts

08/24/2026

Today, the CMPA issued the following statement from its President and CEO, Reynolds Mastin, in response to the government's latest announcement on trade:

"Last night, the federal government stood up for Canada by refusing to agree to an inequitable trade deal. We look forward to working with the government to ensure that, whatever happens next, the Online Streaming Act, a key pillar of Canadian cultural and digital sovereignty, is defended. Canadians must remain in control of their own stories, with global platforms that generate billions of dollars from our market playing by Canadian rules and contributing meaningfully to a strong production ecosystem.”

08/24/2026

Interested in joining the Whistler Film Festival Doc Lab and have questions about the Doc Lab or application process? View our Q&A session (recorded August 19, 2026) with mentors Lynn Booth (Lab Facilitator) and Selwyn Jacob.

https://youtu.be/c-VgE_QxhsQ?si=yCes0BL445a7Lx6T

Doc Lab is an intensive multi-day immersion mentorship Lab for BC-based Canadian documentary filmmakers with projects in development.

Designed to provide an inclusive environment for project development and career acceleration, the Lab includes dynamic workshops, attendance at the Whistler Film Festival + Content Summit and a mentorship experience for documentary filmmakers that nurtures collaboration between creators, funders and audiences through networking opportunities, one-on-one meetings, and professional development sessions.

Have questions about the Doc Lab or application process?This Q&A s...

08/21/2026

📅 Deadline Approaching! August 24, 2026

Market Ready is GEMS new market access program that provides a producer, director, or writer the opportunity to take a feature film or series concept to market.

The selected participant will receive tailored mentorship for their project, up to CAD $1,000 towards travel and accommodation, a pass to the 2026 Whistler Film Festival + Content Summit, and a festival pass to GEMFest 2027.

The goal is to provide the recipient with experience in preparing their project pitch for presentation to potential collaborators, funders, and partners. We accept both documentary and narrative submissions, in long-form (feature or series).

This program is intended for IBPOC women and gender-diverse members of GEMS Vancouver based in British Columbia, Alberta, or the Yukon.

https://gemsvancouver.org/market-ready/

*Please note this program replaces GEMS annual WFF Market Preparation Mentorship Program.

08/21/2026

Sea To Sky Gondola The Adventure Group Whistler

08/20/2026

We are deeeee-lighted to have been nominated in such good company for the Whistler Chamber of Commerce Excellence Awards in the category of The Champion of Arts & Culture! 💙💚 💙 💚 💙 💚

08/11/2026

📣 CALLING BC-BASED DOC FILMMAKERS

Applications are OPEN for the WFF26 Doc Lab!

An intensive multi-day mentorship experience for BC-based Canadian documentary filmmakers with projects in development — combining online workshops with in-person immersion at the Whistler Film Festival + Content Summit.

What you get: �🎟️ Industry Pass to WFF26 �🤝 Unparalleled access to key decision-makers & industry experts �✨ Customized mentorship + specific feedback on your project �🌳 Deep dive into financing, sales, distribution & release �📈 A community of WFF alumni to grow with

Applications open: August 11, 2026
Deadline: September 14, 2026 (11:59pm PT)
Q&A session: August 19, 2026 @ 11 am PT on Zoom

Open to BC-based Canadian documentary filmmakers (citizens or permanent residents) with docs of any stage or length (10+ min).

Indigenous, Black, People of Colour, 2SLGBTQ+, women over 45, and filmmakers with disabilities are especially encouraged to apply.

Proudly sponsored by and Creative BC 💙

👉 Apply now — link in bio!�
BCFilm FilmFunding CallForApplications KnowledgeNetwork CanadianFilmmakers IndieDoc

08/10/2026

PHASE 1 WRAP: 2026 WFF Producers Lab 🎬

Four days, six producers, one incredible launch into the next chapter of their careers! Phase 1 of the Whistler Film Festival Producers Lab has officially wrapped at Capilano University Squamish campus.

🙌 Huge thanks to Joshua Mao of Sunbelt Rentals Film & TV, who presented each of our six producer participants with a $10K package of one-on-one support and equipment credit — a massive boost as they move their projects forward.

We were also honoured to have producer and WFF board member John Ritchie, David McLeish of Front Row Insurance, and our new executive director Josh Epstein present to the group, sharing invaluable industry insight to kick off this journey.

Big big thanks to our esteemed facilitator/mentor John Galway (ON) and mentor Camille Beaudoin (BC).

Onward to three months of one-on-one mentorship as our producers develop their scripts and pitch packages ahead of , December 2–6! 🍿

Proudly sponsored by Telefilm Canada Creative BC and Sunbelt Rentals.

📸 Kirsten Andrews

TalentDevelopment

08/10/2026

That’s a wrap on Phase 1 of the 2026 WFF Screenwriters Lab! 🎬✍️

Four days of intensive script development, mentorship, and pitch-building just wrapped at Capilano University Squamish campus. This year’s cohort of six emerging Canadian writers — spanning stories from Korean-inspired horror to cross-cultural romance and Somali-Canadian narratives — worked closely with facilitator Ruth Atkinson, lab lead Dennis Foon, and mentor Mayumi Yoshida to sharpen their scripts and pitches.

Next stop: online mentorship through the fall, then WFF in December.

Swipe through for a look inside the lab — generously sponsored by Telefilm Canada and Creative BC.

📸 Kirsten Andrews