A vibrant film festival takes centre stage at VIU's Malaspina Theatre from May 1-3. (VISFF)

By Ian Holmes

lights, camera, action!

20 years of flicks: Nanaimo-based short film festival celebrates milestone

May 1, 2025 | 2:18 PM

NANAIMO — An idea formed in the mid-2000s between a pair of Nanaimo film enthusiasts turned into much more than a one-hit wonder.

The 20th anniversary of the Vancouver Island Short Film Festival (VISFF) takes place Thursday, May 1 to Saturday, May 3 at VIU’s Malaspina Theatre, and also streaming online.

VISFF president Johnny Blakeborough and local filmmaker John Gardiner wanted to create a short film specific showcase, which they felt was an under-represented genre in the film festival circuit.

The first VISFF was staged at Nanaimo’s old Caprice Theatre on Nicol St., where Blakeborough said they had no expectations on how the public would receive the event.

“We knew we wanted to put on a big show and make it a big deal, even if a lot of people didn’t show up. So many people did show up. In fact, I remember I had to run up to a Cash Converters because we were selling so many tickets.”

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The annual festival includes awards presented following deliberation from a panel of judges. (VISFF)

Morphed from a once strictly enforced 15-minute or less format to 20 minutes-long, the VISFF has served as a fertile ground for hundreds of film producers and on-screen talent to broaden their audiences.

While filming styles and themes have evolved over the years, so has the technology.

Long gone are the days of mailed video submissions, Blakeborough reflected.

“People would literally mail us VHS tapes,” he chuckled. “Now it’s all done digitally, and we have our judges and selection committee watch our films from anywhere in the world before picking them.”

An extended three-day festival allows time to show award-winning films from each of the previous 19 years, while a youth showcase returns for a second consecutive year.

Serious and light-hearted topics are included in the approved submissions, as well as animated productions, Blakeborough noted.

“We’re showing nine new films on Friday night and another nine new films on Saturday night, and then we have the youth showcase for the Saturday matinee. We’re showing more films this year than I think we’ve ever shown before.”

Blakeborough believes the festival’s future is a bright one, noting the VISFF is consistently referenced as a “go-to” event for filmmakers to apply for.

“I think the next 20 years is going to be even more exciting. There is so much room for amazing stories and we can do so much to really showcase filmmakers’ work in this community.”

Longtime VISFF volunteer Rich Travale, who passed away in August of last year, will be honoured at the festival Thursday evening to recognize the contributions he made to the local film community.

More details on the VISFF, including ticket information, are available here.

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The late Rich Travale’s legacy in supporting the VISFF will be honoured with a Film Paragon Award on the evening of Thursday, May 1, at VIU’s Malaspina Theatre. In addition to an extensive history of volunteering with the VISFF, he also appeared in several festival films. (VISFF)