The 16th Annual Vancouver International Women’s Film Festival from Women in Film and Television Vancouver returns online through #VIFFConnect from March 4 – 14. This year’s virtual festival showcases 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.
Here are the 10 feature-length and short films from B.C. directors, writers, and producers:
On Falling (dir. Josephine Anderson)
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.
FREYA (dir. Camille Hollett-French)
Set in the not-too-distant future, FREYA will make you second-guess your relationship with technology, social media, and The State.
El Color Negro (dir. Andy Hodgson)
An empowering, spoken word exploration of the value and meaning of blackness.
The Art of Dieting (dir. Hannah Smith)
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.
Brother, I Cry (dir, Jessie Anthony)
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.
Hum and Do No Harm (dir. Inder Nirwan)
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.
Sombrio Surf (dir. Tara-Lee Novak)
Born and raised as a squatter on Sombrio Beach, Leah Oke overcomes unthinkable tragedy to become one of Canada’s first female pro surfers.
From… (dir. Sepideh Yadegar)
Themes of identity, belonging, and creative expression weave through the visual and musical journey of Kim Villagante (a.k.a. Kimmortal) to find her place in Vancouver’s hip hop music scene.
The Curse of Willow Song (dir. Karen Lam)
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.
La Danza delle Streghe (dir. Maud Pugliese)
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.
#VIWFF2021 runs from March 4 – 14 Purchase tickets on #VIFFConnect
Robin Shaw 
