The count down to the 2017 Vancouver International Film Festival is officially underway and we are busy preparing to make it the best season yet. Here’s a list of everything you, our valued VIFF guest, need to know to be prepared too.
Find Out What is Showing
VIFF offers over 300 movies in seven different theatres throughout our two-week festival and while we wish you could attend them all, you’ll probably need to narrow down which screenings you’d like to see the most. Our full list of films, their show times and screening locations are now available in the VIFF 2017 program guide (available at these locations) or on our website at Viff.org.
We’ve created a handy little filter system to help you navigate the amazing roster of films. You can narrow down the film for you by searching by date, stream, content type, genre, series, theme, or venue! Check out our ever so informative video below for extra help!
Where to Buy Tickets/Memberships
Once you’ve decided which films you would like to see you can purchase your tickets online at viff.org or in person starting September 14th at the VIFF Box Office at 1181 Seymour Street from noon to 7pm Monday to Saturday, and 2pm to 7pm on Sundays. While some tickets may still be available for purchase at the actual event, we suggest buying them ahead of time because we don’t want you to miss out!
Only those 18 years or older (19 at the Rio and Vancity theatres) are able to attend, so leave any little ones at home and make it a night out! To purchase a ticket, you will need to have a VIFF membership which only costs $2 a year and legally allows you to attend films that have not been classified by Consumer Protection BC. You can sign up for a VIFF membership on our website ahead of time or at the box office with the help of our staff.
While purchasing a membership, you should consider upgrading to one of our VIFF+ premium memberships. These give you access to year-round events and will immerse you in a community of fellow film lovers who understand and appreciate the power and joy of exceptional storytelling. Bronze, silver, or gold memberships are available with benefits increasing at each level and include discounted tickets, free popcorn, special free screenings, and an invitation to VIFF+ Card-holder Day for early bird festival discounts.
If you purchase your membership and/or tickets online you will have the choice to print them at home or save them to your phone to be pulled up and scanned at the event.
VIFF in 8 Simple Steps:
- Dive in at viff.org or go old-school with a VIFF glossy guide
- Use our handy-dandy filter system to figure out which films you just have to see
- Once you decide what to see, get your tickets online or in person
- Seeing a ton of films this festival? Buy a Ticket Pack or Festival Pass to save money!
- Make sure to purchase your $2 VIFF membership, you need it to attend any festival film
- Upgrade to a premium bronze, silver, or gold membership for extra perks and value
- Join the right line at the venue: Festival Passholders, Ticket Holders, or Standby.
- Need help? Call our info line or look for a volunteer in a yellow VIFF shirt at the event
At the Screening
When you arrive at your VIFF event there will be three different lines- one for festival pass holders, another for ticket holders who have purchased their ticket in advanced and have it in hand or on their smartphone, and finally the standby line for last minute tickets if the show was previously sold out. No matter which line, we suggest you arrive early to ensure you get through and seated with plenty of time to grab a bag of delicious buttery popcorn.
For More Information
If you have any unanswered questions you can call our friendly festival information line at 604-683-3456 or look for a volunteer in a bright yellow shirt when you are at the venue, they’d be glad to help. You can also contact us at [email protected], follow us on Twitter (@VIFFest), Facebook, and Instagram (@VIFFest) or comment below for quick answers!
Don’t forget to post all about your VIFF experience on social media and tag us to keep the fun going!
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