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The Vancouver Short Film Festival is accepting Canadian and British Columbia short films for its 16th edition, taking place from 28–30 May 2027 at SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts.
The Vancouver Short Film Festival has opened its 2027 call for entries, inviting filmmakers from across Canada to submit short-form work for its 16th annual edition.
Scheduled for 28–30 May 2027 in Vancouver, the festival focuses specifically on Canadian short filmmaking, with separate submission categories for British Columbia-based productions and films involving Canadian creatives elsewhere in the country.
VSFF accepts narrative shorts, documentaries, animation, experimental films, music videos, web-series episodes and genre work, including horror and other After Dark titles. Submitted films must run 30 minutes or less, including credits, and must have been completed in 2022 or later.
The festival plans in-person theatrical screenings at SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts in Downtown Vancouver, with the possibility of additional online screenings available across Canada.
Who Can Submit?
Unlike many international short-film festivals, VSFF’s eligibility is specifically tied to Canadian filmmaking.
Films entered in a British Columbia category must have at least one cast or crew member who is a resident of BC.
For the wider Canada categories, a project must have at least one Canadian-resident key cast or key creative crew member. Eligible creative roles include director, screenwriter, producer, lead performer or main documentary subject, cinematographer, production designer, sound designer, composer, editor and key animation personnel.
Student and After Dark categories are available alongside the festival’s regular short-film categories.
Submission Deadlines and Fees
The festival’s current submission schedule lists an early-bird deadline of 30 September 2026, a regular deadline of 30 October 2026, and a final deadline of 2 April 2027.
For British Columbia filmmakers, early-bird entry fees currently start at $15 for student shorts and $20 for regular and After Dark shorts.
Canadian filmmakers outside the BC categories currently pay $20 for student submissions and $30 for regular or After Dark submissions during the early-bird period.
Fees rise at subsequent deadlines.
Awards Across Short-Film Craft
Selected films can compete across a substantial range of awards, including Best Short Film, Best Canadian Short Film, Best BC Short Film, Best Student Film, Best Documentary Film, Best Animated Film and Best After Dark Film.
The festival also recognises individual filmmaking disciplines including directing, screenwriting, cinematography, production design, editing, sound design, visual effects, performance and stunts.
VSFF says its 2025 edition distributed more than $75,000 in prizes, alongside workshops, networking events and other professional opportunities for participating filmmakers.
Selected filmmakers for the 2027 edition will also be invited to participate in workshops, panels and networking activities around the festival.
A Dedicated Platform for Canadian Shorts
VSFF’s concentration on short-form work makes it particularly relevant for emerging filmmakers who may otherwise be competing for limited short-film slots inside larger feature-led festivals.
The festival says its broader objective is to connect British Columbia filmmakers with Canada’s wider screen industry while providing opportunities for emerging and established professionals to meet.
Canadian filmmakers interested in submitting have considerable time before the final April deadline, although those ready with completed films can take advantage of the lower early-bird fees available until 30 September 2026.
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