The Vancouver International Film Festival has only a few days left, which means you still have a chance to catch the just-announced winners of its juried Canadian film awards. 

“Given the exceptional talent we have at the festival this year, our juries had the considerable task of selecting winners for the Canadian film awards. We thank them for the careful consideration that they gave each film,” says VIFF executive director Kyle Fostner in a statement. “We are excited to celebrate the winning films, while recognizing the masterful storytelling demonstrated by every official selection this year.”

Here are all the winners, plus the jury explaining themselves:

Best Canadian Film

Winner: Fitting In, directed by Molly McGlynn 

“The Best Canadian Film award goes to a film whose strength lies in the specificity and authentic voice of the director, balancing the trials of growing up different with the necessary sense of humour to cope.”

Honourable mention: Gamodi, directed by Felix Kalmeson

Emerging Canadian Director

Winner: Anna Fahr, director of Valley of Exile 

“Stemming from her work as a documentarian and delicately shot within a refugee camp in Lebanon, Fahr’s remarkable film captivates with profound compassion, unwavering strength and tenacious perseverance.”

Honourable mention: Pier-Philippe Chevigny, director of Richelieu 

Best Canadian Documentary 

Winner: Someone Lives here, directed by Zachary Russell 

“Director Zach Russell subtly sidesteps the pitfalls of extractive filmmaking by focusing on two truly unforgettable characters: the formerly unhoused Khaleel, who’s in almost every scene in the film until he suddenly, stunningly isn’t; and the currently unhoused Taka, who asserts her autonomy by refusing to appear on screen at all, instead narrating her own story, as well as the film’s.”

Honourable mention: Asog, directed by Seán Devlin 

Best BC Film 

Winner: WaaPaKe, directed by Jules Arita Koostachin

“WaaPaKe is at once moving, earnest, cathartic, and self-reflexive. What begins as a poignant reflection on the devastation of the residential school system turns into a deeply personal portrayal of ‘intergenerational trauma and intergenerational healing.’”

Honourable mention: Asog, directed by Seán Devlin 

Best Canadian Short

Winner: Katshinau, directed by Julien G. Marcotte and Jani Bellefleur-Kaltush 

“The craft and restraint of the storytelling stand out. It offers an authentic, powerful message and is anchored by a harrowing lead performance. The cinematography was compelling. There was so much richness in each frame; every shot was a portrait, a painting.”

Honourable mention: Our Grandmother the Inlet, directed by Jaime Leigh Gianopoulos and Kayah George

Vanguard Award

Winner: Animal, directed by Sofia Exarchou

“Anchored by an extraordinary performance from Dimitra Vlagopoulou, Animal won over our jury with its hyper-immersive and intimate portrayal of a ragtag troupe of seasonal entertainers, whose livelihoods depend, night after night, on keeping the mood euphoric and the party going at a vacation resort in Greece.”

Honourable mention: Octopus Skin, directed by Ana Cristina Barragán

Audience Awards

Galas and Special Presentations

Winner: Monster, directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda

Showcase

Winner: The Monk and the Gun, directed by Pawo Choyning Dorji

Panorama

Winner: Irena’s Vow, directed by Louise Archambault

Vanguard

Winner: Let Me Go, directed by Maxime Rappaz

Northern Lights

Winner: Aitamaako'tamisskapi Natosi: Before the Sun, directed by Banchi Hanuse

Insights

Winner: Physician, Heal Thyself, directed by Asher Penn

Spectrum

Winner: Asog, directed by Seán Devlin

Portraits

Winner: Call Me Dancer, directed by Leslie Shampaine and Pip Gilmour

Altered States 

Winner: Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person, directed by Ariane Louis-Seize