Forget Cannes. Whistler is where it’s at now that the third annual Whistler Film Festival has raised the curtain for film submissions.
Filmmakers have until October 24 to submit their work and secure a place on the big screen alongside the top selections from this year’s international festival circuit.
Festival director, Shauna Hardy, said this year’s festival was good news for local filmmakers.
"We’ve allocated more screen time to show an extra nine films this year and we have a content clause that deems at least 50 per cent of our films must be Canadian. We also have a brand new category designed especially for action sports," she said.
If last year’s WFF line-up was any indication, this is one opportunity budding filmmakers do not want to miss. Picture your production on the big screen alongside box office darlings like Flower and Garnet, Rub and Tug, Bowling for Columbine and Dogtown and Z-Boys.
Some of the top producers and directors in the business were on hand last year, giving local filmmakers a rare opportunity to meet the players, the investors, and the decision-makers as well as gain some intelligent audience feedback.
All about experiencing the adventure of film, Festival highlights include four days of film screenings with top selections from the 2003 international film festival circuit, filmmaking workshops, filmmaker appearances and special events.
Promising to be the "hippest new festival on next year's circuit", the December 4 to 7 screening expects yet another star-studded lineup, although Hardy is keeping quiet on the names.
"We are really becoming a destination film festival thanks to the resort around us. We are garnering more attention from the major players every year," she said. "We are also working directly with the Toronto Film Festival’s selection committee this year and will get many of their films, so the calibre is high".
The WFF selection committee will be looking for originality and good quality content, scriptwriting and camera work. More details can be found at www.whistlerfilmfestival.com
