Chilliwack Independent Film Festival Marks 10 Years With 110 Films, Major Premieres and New Filmmaker Grants
Canadian film fans have a full reel of reasons to keep Chilliwack on the October calendar. The Chilliwack Independent Film Festival is returning for its 10th edition from October 21 to 25, 2026, with 110 films, filmmaker Q&As, industry programming and a slate that mixes international work with a strong Fraser Valley and Canadian focus.
The five-day festival includes 16 World Premieres and 14 Canadian Premieres, plus feature films, documentaries and shorts spread across Galaxy Cinemas Chilliwack, CoWork Chilliwack and The Grand Hall. For its anniversary year, CIFF is also putting more attention on what happens after a screening, with grants, pitch sessions and mentorship built around helping Canadian filmmakers move new feature projects forward.
The quick details
| Dates | Wednesday, October 21 to Sunday, October 25, 2026 |
| Program | 110 films, including 16 World Premieres and 14 Canadian Premieres |
| Venues | Galaxy Cinemas Chilliwack, CoWork Chilliwack and The Grand Hall |
| Opening night | Fraser Valley Films shorts program – October 21 at 6:30 p.m. |
| Awards | Closing ceremony at The Grand Hall, with more than 15 award categories |
| Passes | CIFF currently lists an all-access festival pass at $79.99; check current ticket options before booking |
A 110-film lineup with premieres throughout the week
CIFF’s anniversary program is broad enough to build very different festival days. Opening night is rooted close to home with Fraser Valley Films, a shorts showcase featuring six World Premieres. On Thursday, One More Song: A Tractorgrease Documentary gets its World Premiere, followed later in the evening by Wicker for its Fraser Valley Premiere.
Friday shifts between compact storytelling, BC-made work and special programming. The schedule includes 5 Minute Short Films, Double Exposure: BC Spotlight and the BC Premiere of Mihnea. Horror fans have a separate reason to watch the calendar: Creep 2 will screen at a secret location with an in-person Q&A featuring director Patrick Brice. Location details are set to be shared with ticket holders.
Saturday includes Next Wave: First Time Filmmakers, documentary and horror shorts, the Fraser Valley feature Send the Rain and a screening of Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie followed by an in-person Q&A with Jay McCarrol and Jared Raab. Sunday closes out the screening program with student and Canadian-made shorts, Fraser Valley feature presentations including Fatherland and In Alaska, the Canadian Premiere of The Ascent and a program of Academy Award-winning films.
The New Wave Collective adds real production support
One of the bigger additions this year sits behind the screen. CIFF will announce the first recipients of its New Wave Collective at the closing ceremony. The program is aimed at Canadian filmmakers making micro-budget feature films and combines cash, equipment support and access to working industry professionals.
Selected filmmakers are set to receive $10,000 in cash and $10,000 in in-kind camera equipment supplied by Keslow Camera and Sunbelt Rentals. Mentorship attached to the program includes Mark Duplass, Patrick Brice and Longlegs co-editor Graham Fortin, along with meetings involving Canadian distributors. The filmmakers retain ownership of the completed projects, and the finished films are intended to have a route back to CIFF’s 11th edition for exhibition.
Pitch Sessions gives first features another route forward
CIFF’s Pitch Sessions also returns with 10 finalists developing pitches for their first feature films. After working through a pitch-development cohort, the finalists will present their projects live during the festival. The winning project receives $2,500 in cash and becomes CIFF’s Telefilm Talent to Watch nominee, which gives the team the opportunity to apply for up to $250,000 in Telefilm funding. That funding is not automatic, but the nomination can put a first feature on a much larger financing path.
The festival is built around filmmaker access, not only screenings
The programming around the films is a major part of CIFF’s 10th year. Workshops, industry sessions, networking events and Q&As are scheduled alongside the screenings, giving filmmakers and audiences more chances to talk about process, financing, editing, distribution and the practical work of getting an independent project made.
The closing awards ceremony at The Grand Hall will recognize work across more than 15 categories, including Best of Fest, Best Feature Film, Best Documentary, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best of BC, Best Student Film and Best Fraser Valley Film. That local category mix fits CIFF’s larger identity: an international program with a clear commitment to filmmakers working in British Columbia and the Fraser Valley.
What ticket buyers should know
CIFF’s current website lists an all-access festival pass at $79.99 and links to individual tickets and the full schedule. The site also states that attendees must be members of the Chilliwack Film Society, with membership available for $2, and that CIFF attendance is restricted to guests 19 and older. Ticket availability and individual screening details can change, so it is worth checking the live schedule before making travel plans.
Ten years in, CIFF is widening the frame
The 2026 edition is doing more than marking a round-number anniversary. Its 110-film program gives audiences a dense five-day schedule, while the New Wave Collective and Pitch Sessions put money, mentorship and industry access behind filmmakers trying to make the next project. For Canadian indie film followers, that makes CIFF as much a look at what could be made next as a showcase for what is already finished.
The Chilliwack Independent Film Festival runs October 21 to 25, 2026. Film listings, passes and schedule updates are available through CIFF’s official channels.
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