Celebrating its 32nd year, the Victoria Film Festival (VFF) 2026 returns from February 6–15, showcasing creative voices and diverse stories from Vancouver Island, Canada, and around the world.
The festival features an exciting lineup of events, including the Opening Gala and SpringBoard, where filmmakers and industry professionals come together to connect and collaborate. Audiences will also enjoy a selection of the finest Canadian and international films.
Here’s a look at the B.C. films featured at this year’s festival:
CAMP (dir. Avalon Fast)
The story follows Emily who looks for redemption by becoming a camp counsellor for troubled teens – except this isn’t the camp she thought it was but rather a religious institution and there is witchcraft afoot.
EVEREST DARK (dir. Jereme Watt)
A legendary Nepalese guide undertakes a perilous final ascent of Everest to retrieve a fallen climber, revealing the human cost, commercialization, and profound spiritual burden behind the world’s most coveted summit.
BLUE HERON (dir. Sophy Romvari)
The re-creation of an idyllic childhood summer on Vancouver Island bends cinema conventions as it reveals a growing crisis for a Hungarian-Canadian family in this VIFF award-winning debut from director Sophy Romvari.
MIDLIFE (dir. Cory Thibert)
A drummer’s world is thrown off-beat when his girlfriend wants to leave their small town just as he’s struggling to care for his parents. A coming-of-age film that follows Lawrence as he navigates every (not so) simple decision… one scream at a time.
HOLY DAYS (dir. Nat Boltt)
Three rebellious nuns and a determined young Māori boy go on a wildly funny, heart-tugging road trip across New Zealand in search of miracles, justice, and a way home. When a fierce snowstorm derails their plans, this unlikely crew must summon faith, grit, and each other to survive a journey that delivers exactly what they need—just not in the way they expect.
VERMILION (dir. Lyndie Greenwood)
United by their love of van life and the outdoors, Darcy and Alex traverse 1,600 kilometres in a vintage 70s’ Volkswagen camper, discovering each other through unguarded conversations, quiet moments, and the wild beauty that surrounds them.
EMERGENCE: WOMEN IN THE STORM (dir. Nova Ami and Velcrow Ripper)
Following recent natural disasters in British Columbia and the Northwest Territories, female frontline responders, and community leaders demonstrate new ways to live and support one another in a rapidly changing climate.
MENOPAUSE: COMING IN HOT (dir. Kate Green)
When a strong-willed documentary filmmaker is told she cannot receive help for her symptoms, she goes on a mission to learn more about menopause and its misconceptions.
THE ART OF ADVENTURE (dir. Alison Reid)
Wildlife artist Robert Bateman and ecologist Bristol Foster recount the globe-trotting story that strengthened a decades-long friendship and changed their lives forever.
FOREIGNER (dir. Ava Maria Safai)
Yasi, a Persian teen wanting to fit in with her new Canadian friends dyes her hair blonde and unleashes a monstrous force. The directorial debut of musician, actor, and choreographer Ava Maria Safai that melds coming-of-age, horror, and themes of assimilation and cultural erasure.
THE TRACK (dir. Ryan Sidhoo)
Guided by an ambitious veteran coach, three teenagers in post-war Bosnia chase improbable Olympic dreams on a decaying luge track from the 1984 Winter Games.
LUCID (dir. Deanna Milligan and Ramsey Fendall)
Mia is stuck in a creative art hole. After discovering an elixir that promises to cure it all, she’s pulled into a psychedelic whirlwind of surreal demons, dreams, and delusions as she struggles to define what it truly means to become an artist.
STARWALKER (dir. Corey Payette)
Starwalker blends drag spectacle, Indigenous storytelling, and soaring emotion in a film that celebrates chosen family and the liberating magic of performance.
THE PAINTED LIFE OF E.J. HUGHES (dir. Jenn Strom)
The enduring works of renowned British Columbia painter E.J. Hughes are spotlighted in a journey through his legacy and life.
Check out the full programming on their website.
Cover image: BLUE HERON (dir. Sophy Romvari).
