In 2026, VIFF launches the Institute for the Moving Image, a year-round artist development initiative extending beyond the festival to support emerging equity-deserving filmmakers across British Columbia and Canada.
Rooted in equity, access, and representation, the Institute provides continuous mentorship, professional training, and business education designed to build sustainable creative careers and strengthen artistic authorship. Based on a new model of training, it focuses not just on how to make films, but on how to sustain a creative practice and realize a vision, addressing the need for a deeper ecosystem that supports filmmakers as authors rather than service providers.
For us, creating space for these voices is not optional; it is essential. It is how we restore shared humanity, ignite global dialogue, and forge a more inclusive, vibrant future for cinema.
Ana Belén Asfura, Director of the Institute for the Moving Image, VIFF
Through cohort programs, mentorship, industry connections, and a collaborative learning environment, the Institute fosters bold creative risk and inclusive growth, building a vibrant and future-facing filmmaking community.
Funded by
Supported by
Community Broadcast Partner
What We Offer
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Year-round cohort programs for filmmakers and screen creatives at key stages of their practice
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Mentorship and artistic guidance with local and international artists
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Creative development support that centres authorship, experimentation, and long-term practice
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Industry connections and market pathways linking local talent with national and international networks
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A collaborative learning environment built on trust, care, and meaningful creative risk
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Equity-centred support for Indigenous, Black, racialized, 2SLGBTQIA+, disabled, and underrepresented creators
Vision
VIFF’s Institute for the Moving Image envisions a film ecosystem where independent artists are supported not only to make films, but to sustain lifelong creative practices based in purpose, equity, and artistic freedom.
Our vision is to become a leading Canadian institute for screen-based artistic development — one that:
- Positions filmmakers as authors and content creators
- Champions underrepresented voices and reshapes access to opportunity
- Cultivates cross-disciplinary collaboration and global exchange
- Strengthens British Columbia and Western Canada as centres for innovative, socially engaged cinema
By investing in artists over time and building meaningful pathways between creation and realization, the Institute aims to contribute to a more inclusive, resilient, and artist-driven future for film in Canada and beyond.
Mission
The Institute’s mission is to empower filmmakers and screen creatives to develop ambitious, authentic work and sustainable creative practices through year-round artistic training, mentorship, and community building.
We exist to:
- Support equity-deserving creators in navigating systemic barriers to artistic development and career progression
- Foster creative authorship, experimentation, and critical engagement across film disciplines
- Bridge local talent with national and international industry networks
- Create an inclusive, safe, and collaborative environment where artists can take meaningful creative risks
The Institute for the Moving Image believes that artistic development requires time, trust, and continuity — and that strong, diverse voices are essential to a vibrant screen culture.