The VIFF's 23rd Annual Film and Television Forum announces four full days of seminars, workshops and master classes scheduled for presentation at the Vancouver International Film Centre and Vancity Theatre from September 24-27 inclusive. From the creators of groundbreaking dramatic and reality-based series, and from Oscar-winning cinematographers to international buyers and commissioning editors, the Forum hosts the very best of filmmakers from around the world.

Following on last year's successful thematic streams, each day of The Forum focuses on a particular industry sector:
• Documentary Day, Wednesday September 24th
• Film Day, Thursday September 25th
• TV Day, Friday September 26th
• New Filmmakers' Day, Saturday September 27th

According to Forum Creative Director Helen du Toit, "Our goal is to bring together the very best in the business for four days of thematic streamlined programming. Our world-class speakers provide Vancouver filmmakers with an abundance of opportunities for intelligence gathering, provocative discussion and unparalleled networking".

Everybody loves a winner! After their début film Half Nelson won numerous prizes, including three Gotham Awards, two Spirit Awards and an Oscar nomination for their lead actor, Ryan Gosling, Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, Writer/Director team, didn't rest on their laurels. They went straight into production on their second feature Sugar which garnered rave reviews a at this year's Sundance Festival and will premier at this year's VIFF. Join them in Success Stories x 2 on New Filmmakers' Day to celebrate their whirlwind year and hear first hand about their collaborative process.

On the business front, the current strength of Canadian prime time drama and comedy has lead to a surge in cross-border buying and collaboration. In Series That Have Legs, executives from Flashpoint, Blueprint Entertainment and TNT Originals discuss how to create engaging series that resonate with viewers beyond our borders. In Co-production Partners: Mexico, Ireland and Germany, David Collins of Ireland's Samson Films, Pablo Cruz of Mexico's Canana Films (recently named as one of Variety's 10 Producers to Watch) and Steffen Reuter of Schmidtz Katze Filmkollektiv share their expertise in selecting the right project for co-production, identifying the optimal strategic partner, navigating government bureaucracies and structuring the best deal for all parties.

The 23rd annual Film and Television Forum takes place in the Rogers Industry Centre at the Vancouver International Film Centre and Vancity Theatre, 1181 Seymour Street, September 24-26 with New Filmmakers' Day on September 27.