The VSFF is committed to the celebrations of the vibrant community of short films, video and animation artists on the Canadian West Coast. Active since 2005 they receive over 250 submissions a year and award prizes to film makers annually. Last year they had their 10^th annual festival and screening of 52 shorts in 6 screenings and they saw the highest sales in tickets last year as well.

The 11^th annual Vancouver Short Film Festival will be launching online via Eventive Virtual from January 22 – 24. The event will be screening 61 films this year, 7 programmes of BC talent for 3 days. After going through the films here are 4 that stuck out to me.

Alive

Hayashi Studio

Hayashi Studio follows the diverse lives that came to a small town on Vancouver Island in the 1900’s and Senjiro Hayashi, the Japanese photographer who took their photos. Hayashi used his lens to document every race, class and gender. During internment many of his photos disappear, some hidden in family attics, others used to make a greenhouse. Almost a century later the photos were found and exhibited, showcasing a piece of Pacific Northwest History rarely seen, that of the diverse and racialized.

A-YI

Over 300 letters were sent to the residents of Vancouver Specials. 10 people responded. Do they share anything but the frames of their homes?

These are just 4 out of the 61 films, so any one can find something they like.