The Vancouver International Film Festival has concluded a stellar 25th Anniversary festival with glowing reviews and the following impressive numbers. For the past decade, the number of films and the size of the audience have ranked us among the top five festivals on the continent.

Attendance: 150,000
Films: 369 (214 features + 20 featurettes + 135 shorts)
Screenings: 579 (on 10 screens)
World Premieres: 11
International Premieres: 25
North American Premieres: 30
Canadian or English-Canadian Premieres: 62
Accredited Industry Guests: 370

VIFF is a not-for-profit cultural organization that also operates the new Vancouver International Film Centre, year-round film programming at the Vancity Theatre, and the annual Film & Television Forum, which just completed its 21st successful edition.

The 26th Vancouver International Film Festival will run September 27 to October 12, 2007.

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD FOR MOST POPULAR FILM

THE LIVES OF OTHERS (Das Leben der Anderen), dir. Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (Germany)

Runners-up:
THE CATS OF MIRIKITANI, dir. Linda Hattendorf (USA)
WHEN THE ROAD BENDS: TALES OF A GYPSY CARAVAN, dir. Jasmine Dellal (USA)
BUDDHA’S LOST CHILDREN, dir. Mark Verkerk (Netherlands)
THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND, dir. Kevin Macdonald (UK)
MRS. PALFREY AT THE CLAREMONT, dir. Dan Ireland (USA)

Following is a list of the 25 next most popular international films of the festival, in alphabetical order (please note that Canadian films have their own separate category). All these films were very well attended, substantially voted for, and averaged between 4 and 5 out of 5 (4 being “very good”; 5 being “excellent”) in public voting.

PARIS JE T’AIME (France, various directors); Lee Jun-Ik’s THE KING AND THE CLOWN (Wang ui Namja) (South Korea); Fredi Murer’s VITUS (Switzerland); Pedro Almodóvar’s VOLVER (Spain); Alberto Arverlo’s TO PLAY AND TO FIGHT (Tocar y luchar) (Venezuela); Bong Joon-Ho’s THE HOST (Goilmool) (South Korea); Francis Veber’s THE VALET (La Doublure) (France); Breno Silveira’s TWO SONS OF FRANCISCO (Dos Filhos de Francisco) (Brazil); Thierry Ragobert and Thierry Piantanida’s THE WHITE PLANET (La Planète Blanche) (France/Canada); Todd Field’s LITTLE CHILDREN (USA); Basil Gelpke, Ray McCormack and Reto Caduff’s A CRUDE AWAKENING: THE OIL CRASH (Switzerland); Ronit Avni and Julia Bacha’s ENCOUNTER POINT (USA/Israel); Sjur Paulsen’s LOOP (Norway); Saul Dibb’s THE LINE OF BEAUTY (UK); Chema Rodriguez’s THE RAILROAD ALL-STARS (Estrellas de la linea) (Spain); Phillip Noyce’s CATCH A FIRE (UK/South Africa/USA); Thomas Wartmann’s BETWEEN THE LINES: INDIA’S THIRD GENDER (Germany); John Cameron Mitchell’s SHORTBUS (USA); Aureaus Solitos’ THE BLOSSOMING OF MAXIMO OLIVEROS (The Philippines); Park Chul-Hee’s NO MERCY FOR THE RUDE (Yae ui Upneun Gutdeul) (South Korea); Nishikawa Mika’s SWAY (Yureru) (Japan); Dito Montiel’s A GUIDE TO RECOGNIZING YOUR SAINTS (USA); Neten Chokling’s MILAREPA (Bhutan); Jafar Panahi’s OFFSIDE (Iran); and Andrea Armold’s RED ROAD (UK).

FEDERAL EXPRESS AWARD FOR MOST POPULAR CANADIAN FEATURE FILM

MYSTIC BALL, dir. Greg Hamilton (Ontario)

Runners-up: AWAY FROM HER, dir. Sarah Polley (Ontario)
FIDO, dir. Andrew Currie (British Columbia)

Also among the most popular Canadian features, in order of voting: Robert Favreau’s UN DIMANCHE À KIGALI (Quebec); Daniel O’Connor’s RUN ROBOT RUN! (Ontario); Ross Weber’s MOUNT PLEASANT (British Columbia); Nick Bicanic and Jason Bourque’s SHADOW COMPANY (British Columbia); Paul Fox’s EVERYTHING’S GONE GREEN (British Columbia/Ontario); Reginald Harkema’s MONKEY WARFARE (Ontario); Mary Walsh’s YOUNG TRIFFIE’S BEEN MADE AWAY WITH (Newfoundland); Jennifer Baichwal’s MANUFACTURED LANDSCAPES (Ontario); Shel Piercy’s ALMOST HEAVEN (British Columbia); Larry Di Stefano’s LOVE AND OTHER DILEMMAS (British Columbia); Jesse James Miller and Pete McCormack’s UGANDA RISING (British Columbia); and Philippe Falardeau’s CONGORAMA (Quebec).


DRAGONS AND TIGERS AWARD for YOUNG CINEMA ($5,000)

TODO TODO TEROS, dir. John Torres (The Philippines)

Special Mentions:
FACELESS THINGS (Eolgul Eopnun Geotdul), dir. Kim Kyong-Mook (South Korea)
GEO-LOBOTOMY, dir. Kim Gok, Kim Sun (South Korea)

NATIONAL FILM BOARD OF CANADA AWARD for BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE ($2,500)

HAVE YOU HEARD FROM JOHANNESBURG?, dir. Connie Field (USA)

Special Jury Prize:
RADIANT CITY, dir. Gary Burns and Jim Brown (Alberta)

CITYTV WESTERN CANADIAN FEATURE FILM AWARD ($12,000)

EVERYTHING’S GONE GREEN, dir. Paul Fox (British Columbia/Ontario)

Special Mention:
UNNATURAL AND ACCIDENTAL, dir. Carl Bessai (British Columbia)

WOMEN IN FILM AND VIDEO VANCOUVER ARTISTIC MERIT AWARD

Carmen Moore for UNNATURAL AND ACCIDENTAL