Festival Co-Director (Programming)
/Organization:
Vancouver Short Film Festival
Deadline:
Sep. 14, 2026
Organization Description:
Since our inception in 2005, the Vancouver Short Film Festival has been committed to celebrating Canada’s vibrant community of short filmmakers, documentarians, and animation artists. Our goal is to foster that community by elevating local talent, connecting filmmakers to audiences, and building ties between emerging and established filmmakers nationwide.
Each year the volunteer-run festival programs 40-50 short films and awards over $40,000 in cash and prizes to Canada’s best shorts. The 16th Vancouver Short Film Festival will be held in Spring/Early Summer 2027, in-person in Vancouver.
Organization Website:
Volunteer Opportunity Description:
VSFF is looking for a passionate and skilled individual to join the Vancouver Short Film Festival as the Festival Co-Director (Programming). In this role, the Festival Co-Director (Programming) will lead a team to curate and select the films to be screened at the festival. They will also oversee the submissions process and help curate industry programming with other Co-Directors.
Key duration is from summer 2026 - August 2027. The anticipated time required varies depending on the phase of festival production but can range from anywhere from 5-25 hours/week.
Benefits include an honorarium of $500 and a reference letter from the VSFF Chair on request.
Details available on festival website.
Responsibilities:
- As the programming lead, overseeing the Vancouver Short Film Festival and any related activities with other Co-Directors
- Collaborating with the other Co-Directors to develop the overall strategy and delivery plan for the film festival and any related activities, with particular focus on programming direction of the festival
- Managing the film submission and selection process and the communication with filmmakers throughout this process
- Overseeing the curation of the festival program by leading the Programming Committee and the Pre-screeners, as well as reviewing and approving film selections from the committee
- Working with Co-Directors to liaise with industry stakeholders and develop industry partnerships and programming beyond film screenings, such as industry panels, keynote speaker events, roundtables, or special screenings/exhibitions with partnering organizations, if applicable
- Collaborating with Co-Directors to support festival staff members in setting departmental goals & strategies, recruiting team members, and supporting the team members to ensure they have a fulfilling experience
- Participating in relevant board committee meetings and acting as a liaison between the VSFF Board and staff
- Compiling any reports to the Board on programming
- Conducting interviews with media and at festival events to promote the festival programs and act as public facing representative of the festival as needed
Qualifications:
- Minimum 3 years of experience in film programming/review, film and media creation or critique, film festival production, or equivalent combination of education and experience
- Demonstrated knowledge and experience in film festival programming or film and tv industry
- Demonstrated passion and dedication for Vancouver, BC and Canadian independent film production and exhibition
- Desire to innovate and be a leader in the Canadian film & media landscape, staying in tune with trends and community needs
- Strong team leadership and collaboration skills and experience managing facilitating a team with diverse opinions
- Strong organizational and prioritization skills
- Strong communication skills, written and verbal
- A self-starter with a willingness to learn and adapt
- Willingness to travel to and attend film/arts festivals and events within the lower mainland area
How to Apply:
To apply, please email a cover letter and resume to board@vsff.com by Sept 7th, 2026. (Late applicants will be considered on a rolling basis.) Our plan is to hold interviews between Sept 10th - 17th. We thank all applicants for their interest. Only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. References will be requested for those selected for interviews.
