Both in terms of admissions and number of films screened (140,000 and 386 respectively in 2012) VIFF is among the five largest film festivals in North America. We screen films from 80 countries on 10 screens. The international line-up includes the pick of the world's top film fests and many undiscovered gems. VIFF 2011 included 20 World premieres, 30 International premieres, 49 North American premieres and 40 Canadian premieres.

Three main programming platforms make our festival unique: we screen the largest selection of East Asian films outside of that region, we are one of the biggest showcases of Canadian film in the world and we have a large and important nonfiction program.

Attracting a large, attentive and enthusiastic audience of film lovers, the festival remains accessible, friendly and culturally diverse. As the critics say, VIFF is very much a festival "designed for the benefit of people who love films and people who make them." less