Our Story

The Vancouver Women Film Festival (VWFF), formerly Phoenix Shorts, is an event dedicated to celebrating women’s voices, visions, and creativity in cinema.Set in one of North America’s most diverse and culturally vibrant cities, the festival celebrates bold, innovative, and inspiring works — showcasing films directed by women, as well as films by men that explore women’s stories from around the world. VWFF is committed to championing diverse visions and supporting the most promising emerging filmmakers. Each season, our jury conducts private screenings to select winners across all categories. Every submitted film has the chance to win in the seasonal competition. Seasonal winners are announced on our website and social media platforms. Among them, top-scoring projects are selected by our programming team to be featured in our live event—a curated celebration showcasing the best women-centered films of the year. This live screening provides a valuable platform to present your work to audiences and industry professionals in Vancouver, offering excellent opportunities to gain visibility and build momentum in your filmmaking career.