45th Vancouver International Film Festival

Who should cross for this

Film travelers, Asian and Canadian cinema audiences, filmmakers, students, critics, producers, distributors, and screen-industry delegates.

VIFF has a documented history as a North American gateway for East Asian cinema, while current industry programs support international co-production, distribution, and creative exchange.

Suggested trip length: 5 nights for a focused program or through October 11 for the full festival

Let the venue map shape the stay

Yaletown and Downtown South remain the practical base. The VIFF Centre is at 1181 Seymour Street, and Yaletown-Roundhouse offers a direct Canada Line connection from YVR. Downtown hotels keep Playhouse, Pearl, and International Village within reach. Mount Pleasant and Commercial Drive only win if the Rio or Park holds your must-sees.

TransLink buses and rapid transit are accessible. At VIFF Centre, wheelchair spaces can be reserved by phone, and hearing-assistance headsets are available. Partner-venue captioning and facilities differ by screening—check the film page, not a venue assumption.

Buy what is left, then use standby carefully

Adult singles are $22; seniors $20; student/youth $19; accessible $17. If a screening sells out, returned or unused seats may release through standby at showtime—one ticket per person, no guarantee. Lochmaddy Studio Theatre does not offer standby. Late seating is discretionary, so leave generous travel time between venues.

Ticket purchases include a basic viewing membership in the festival society because some films are unclassified under provincial rules. Six-packs were still listed at verification; 10-packs were sold out.

Follow Vancouver's Pacific film lineage

VIFF's earlier Cinema of the Pacific Rim and Dragons and Tigers programs helped North American audiences encounter filmmakers including Bong Joon-ho, Jia Zhangke, Ann Hui and Hirokazu Kore-eda. The modern festival also foregrounds Canadian and Indigenous work and runs industry pathways for co-production and distribution.

Use the live schedule for remaining changes; printed guides may miss late additions. With only a few nights left after October 7, protect the titles you still care about before you optimize the hotel.

Official information