There will be an even bigger focus on local filmmakers during a Chilliwack movie festival this fall.
The eighth annual Chilliwack Independent Film Festival (CIFF) returns Nov. 22 to 24 and with it are two new categories: one highlighting young Chilliwack filmmakers and the other Fraser Valley filmmakers.
The 'Chilliwack Films: Next Wave' category will highlight six Chilliwack filmmakers aged 25 and younger, while the 'Fraser Valley Films' screening will showcase seven films by other filmmakers throughout the valley.
This year, a total of 105 films will be screened over the course of three days.
"We are Canadian Screen Awards qualifying (Canada's version of the Oscars) so anyone screening at CIFF is eligible to be nominated for a CSA, which is super cool," said festival founder and director Taras Groves.
There will be a special screening of Longlegs, a horror film starring Nicholas Cage. The film was co-edited by Graham Fortin who grew up in Chilliwack. Fortin will be doing a panel on editing for feature films, plus the director of Longlegs, Osgood Perkins, is coming out to do a Q&A and a separate fireside talk.
The festival will also include the B.C. premiere of a Ukrainian war documentary called Porcelain War.
Plus, there will be "a ton of mixers, screenings and guests such as top people from Toronto International Film Festival, Moviemaker magazine, etc. attending," Groves added.
All of films will be screened at Cottonwood 4 Cinemas, with the exception of the six films in 'Chilliwack Films: Next Wave' which will be shown at The Grand Hall in District 1881. The industry talks and panels will be at Co-Work Chilliwack.
For a full schedule, and to buy tickets, go to ciff.ca.