The Georgia Straight proudly sponsors the 2011 Whistler Film Festival

For those who think that Whistler is only for winter sports enthusiasts, think again. The 11th annual Whistler Film Festival kicks off on Wednesday (November 30) and runs until Sunday (December 4).

This year’s festival opener is Canadian director Jason Reitman’s feature Young Adult, which stars Charlize Theron as an unstable writer Mavis who returns to her home in small-town Minnesota in hopes of rekindling an old flame—who’s now married with kids.

Other feature-film highlights of the festival include David Cronenberg’s A Dangerous Method, which stars Viggo Mortensen as Sigmund Freud, Michael Fassbender as Carl Jung, and Keira Knightley as a troubled patient; French-Canadian hit Café De Flore, which stars Vanessa Paradis and was directed by The Young Victoria’s Jean-Marc Vallée; Mexican drama Machete Language; director Sarah Polley’s Take This Waltz, which stars Michelle Williams and Seth Rogan; and Chinese action movie The Sorcerer and the White Snake.

A handful of documentary films include The Vanishing Spring Light, which follows an old woman during her final days in China; Being Elmo: A Puppeter’s Journey, which takes a look at the person behind Sesame Street’s furry red friend; and environmental film Kivalina V. Exxon, which documents the world’s largest polluters and its effects on a small Alaskan village. Three short-film programs showcasing the 31 films entered in Whistler’s Shortwork Competition will appeal to audiences looking for variety.

Tickets to movie screenings start at $10 and can be purchased online, by phone at 1-877-838-3456, or at the festival box office (4010 Whistler Way).