The 45th Vancouver International Film Festival runs from Thursday 1 to Sunday 11 October 2026: 162 features, 91 shorts and two episodic series from 76 countries, screening at nine venues from the VIFF Centre on Seymour Street to the Rio on East Broadway. Single tickets and packs are on sale on viff.org; the Festival and Platinum passes are sold out.
Where to stay in Vancouver
In Vancouver the price depends on the neighbourhood far more than on the star rating. Compare live hotel and rental rates side by side before you lock your dates.
Opening and closing films
- Opening gala: The Debut, Jesse Eisenberg’s comedy about community theatre, with Julianne Moore and Paul Giamatti. Thursday 1 October, 5:45 pm, Vancouver Playhouse. VIFF lists the gala as a private, by-invitation event; if public seats are released, they appear on the film’s viff.org page.
- Closing film: Wild Horse Nine, Martin McDonagh’s black comedy about CIA agents at the 1973 Chilean coup, with John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell.
- Two Canadian stories to book early: Man in Motion: The Rick Hansen Story (Adrian Buitenhuis), with never-shown 35mm footage of Hansen’s 1987 Vancouver homecoming, and Run Terry Run (Sean Menard), a portrait of Terry Fox from family archives.
VIFF 2026 ticket prices
| Ticket | Single film | 6-pack | 10-pack |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | $22 | $126 | $200 |
| Senior (65+) | $20 | $116 | $185 |
| Student / youth | $19 | $110 | $176 |
| VIFF+ member | $19 | $113 | $180 |
| VIFF+ Premium, Patron, U25 | $17 | $101 | $160 |
| Accessible | $17 | — | — |
Prices include VIFF’s $3 service charge; GST is extra. A 10-pack brings an adult film down to $20. Standby tickets at the door are $22 with no discounts. Booked the wrong screening? VIFF exchanges a ticket to another screening free of charge.
Where to buy: viff.org, the VIFF Centre box office (12–6 pm, seven days a week) or by phone on (604) 683-3456 (weekdays, noon–5 pm). Passholders pick up passes at the VIFF Centre until 7 October, 10 am–6 pm. We do not resell tickets.
Sold-out screenings, standby and age rules
- Sold out is not always final. Seats held for passholders are released 20 minutes before showtime (Platinum: 5 minutes), and the standby line is let in as seats are confirmed. Standby costs $22. For a popular title, join the line at least 30 minutes before the start and keep a second screening in mind.
- 18+ for unclassified films. Many festival films have not been classified by Consumer Protection BC, and by law only adults can watch them. Each film’s viff.org page shows its rating.
- Three 19+ venues: the 5th Avenue Cinemas, the Rio and the Park Theatre. Classified films at the Rio and the Park still admit under-18s. Bring photo ID.
- No separate membership. The viewing membership the law requires for unclassified films now comes with the ticket.
The nine venues and how to reach them
| Venue | Nearest SkyTrain |
|---|---|
| VIFF Centre (hub, box office)1181 Seymour St | Yaletown–Roundhouse, Canada Line |
| The Cinematheque1131 Howe St | Yaletown–Roundhouse, Canada Line |
| Vancouver Playhouse600 Hamilton St | Stadium–Chinatown, Expo Line |
| International Village88 W Pender St | Stadium–Chinatown, Expo Line |
| SFU Woodward’s149 W Hastings St | Waterfront or Stadium–Chinatown |
| Alliance Française6161 Cambie St | Oakridge–41st Avenue, Canada Line |
| The Park Theatre (19+)3440 Cambie St | King Edward, Canada Line |
| The Rio (19+)1660 E Broadway | Commercial–Broadway, Expo and Millennium lines |
| The 5th Avenue Cinemas (19+)2110 Burrard St | None close: bus on Burrard |
The five downtown screens (VIFF Centre, Cinematheque, Playhouse, International Village, SFU Woodward’s) are all within about 25 minutes of each other on foot. Allow 30–40 minutes door to door from downtown to the Rio, the Park or Alliance Française. After 6:30 pm on weekdays and all day on weekends every SkyTrain trip is charged as one zone: $2.85 on Compass stored value, $3.50 with a tap of a bank card or phone. More in transit fares for visitors. Do not drive to Seymour Street before an evening show: the parkades fill and the festival crowd is on foot.
Where to stay for a festival week
To walk to most screenings, stay in Downtown South, Yaletown or near Granville Street: the VIFF Centre, the Cinematheque and the Playhouse are all within about 15 minutes on foot. The Rio is the one venue where a Commercial Drive base makes more sense. Where to stay in Vancouver compares the neighbourhoods.
After VIFF: the rest of October
- Thanksgiving Monday, 12 October, is the day after closing; expect holiday hours at shops and attractions.
- Fright Nights at Playland runs 7–31 October and overlaps the festival’s second week. Prices by night.
- Halloween falls on Saturday 31 October: pumpkin patches, events and the fireworks rules in Halloween 2026. Month overview: October in Vancouver.
Dates, prices, venues and house rules checked on viff.org on 28 September 2026 (festival page, ticket information, FAQ and the opening-gala page). Programme size and closing film as reported by Exclaim! on 26 August 2026. Screening times change: check the film’s page on viff.org before you cross town.
Questions travellers ask most
When is VIFF 2026?
The 45th Vancouver International Film Festival runs Thursday 1 to Sunday 11 October 2026 at nine venues across Vancouver. The VIFF Centre at 1181 Seymour Street is the hub and box office.
How much are VIFF 2026 tickets?
A single film is $22 for adults, $20 for seniors 65+, $19 for students, youth and VIFF+ members and $17 for accessible tickets, including a $3 service charge; GST is extra. A 6-pack is $126 and a 10-pack $200. Standby tickets are $22 with no discounts.
Are VIFF 2026 tickets still on sale?
Yes. Single tickets went on sale on 26 August (VIFF+ members) and 27 August (public) and are sold on viff.org, at the VIFF Centre box office from 12 to 6 pm daily and by phone on (604) 683-3456 on weekdays. The Festival and Platinum passes are sold out.
What is the VIFF 2026 opening film?
The Debut, directed by Jesse Eisenberg and starring Julianne Moore and Paul Giamatti, on Thursday 1 October at 5:45 pm at the Vancouver Playhouse. VIFF lists the gala as a private, by-invitation event. The festival closes with Martin McDonagh's Wild Horse Nine.
Can I get into a sold-out VIFF screening?
Often, yes. Seats held for passholders are released 20 minutes before showtime, and the standby line is let in as seats are confirmed. Standby tickets are $22. Arrive early for popular titles.
Do you have to be 19 for VIFF?
Only at three venues: the 5th Avenue Cinemas, the Rio and the Park Theatre are 19+, although classified films at the Rio and the Park admit under-18s. Films not classified by Consumer Protection BC are 18+ by law at every venue.
Where is the VIFF Centre?
1181 Seymour Street, downtown Vancouver. Yaletown-Roundhouse on the Canada Line is the nearest SkyTrain; several bus routes stop on Seymour and Granville.
