Victoria Independent Film and Video Festival

Location: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Festival Dates: February 2-11, 2007
Deadline: September 1, 2006 (Early), October 1, 2006 (Regular)

You might expect most movie enthusiasts to head west in the winter months—toward the festival Mecca of Park City, Utah. But more and more movie lovers are venturing to British Columbia instead, for the Victoria Independent Film and Video Festival. “We like to keep it fresh every year with new events and places to see and be seen,” says Kathy Kay, director of VIFVF. “This year, guests and VIPs will have exclusive access to our new music lounge, which will feature international up-and-coming musicians.

While the festival has grown in the last 13 years, VIFVF has never lost that personal touch (dinner at Kay’s home for all the visiting moviemakers is one of the highlights of the event). The festival is also doing its part to help participating moviemakers on the distribution end: “On the industry level we’re expanding our pitch conference by bringing in more international buyers, so that one-on-one face time will double for attendees,” says Kay. “They don’t call us ‘the home of the boutique schmooze’ for nothing!”

For more information, visit: www.vifvf.com.