To mark the 20-week countdown to its 20th edition, the Whistler Film Festival (WFF) has unveiled plans to celebrate its 20th anniversary virtually over 20 days from December 1-20, 2020.
WFF 2020 will be presented as an online experience featuring film premieres, filmmaker and talent talks, and industry initiatives all scheduled for streaming convenience. The lineup will include up to 30 new feature films and five short film programs.
WFF is also exploring ways to combine the virtual aspects of its programs with plans for an adapted five-day physical edition from December 2-6 in Whistler to premiere its slate of films to a regional audience. All physical premieres would be socially-distanced screenings contingent on the province’s reopening framework to ensure that festival venues and workplace practices exceed public health guidelines.
With more than double the number of film submissions since the 2019 festival, WFF’s virtual edition will expand the reach and audience for both the emerging and more established talents selected for this year’s Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature and Documentary competition in particular. Whistler’s reputation as a champion of new voices in Canadian filmmaking can now be appreciated by enthusiastic audiences who would otherwise be unable to join them.
Beyond the video-on-demand experience, WFF will celebrate as many films as possible through engaging, interactive conversations with the filmmakers and a slate of awards. WFF will also welcome 20 celebrated filmmakers and actors, to help celebrate the 20th anniversary. New for this year, WFF will present a Sea to Sky Short Showcase to celebrate the region. The annual Awards Celebration online on December 6 to recognize the films and filmmakers in the seven juried competitive sections with awards, cash prizes, and commissions. Canadian and International filmmakers are invited to submit films of all lengths and genres by August 15.
WFF will begin announcing 2020 programming in September, including confirmation of a physical edition, if possible, with passes and tickets available for purchase at that time.