A new Vancouver film festival next month only has a runtime of 90 minutes.
But organizers believe that'll be enough to ignite a passion among current and future storytellers, and possibly earn many laughs along the way.
The Firecracker Film Fest will showcase nine comedic short films on March 7 at the VIFF Centre (1181 Seymour St).
It'll be the middle stanza of the five-day GEMFest that celebrates women and gender-diverse filmmakers in western Canada, hosted by Gender Equity in Media Society March 5 to 9.
The inaugural event is run by Firecracker Department, founded by Canadian actor Naomi Snieckus — of Mr. D, Disney's Zombies, Canadian Strain, The Casting Room and Saw 3D — and has influenced an international creative community to empower female and non-binary artists.
"We’re beyond excited to initiate this showcase in Vancouver and shine a spotlight on the incredible work being created by our Firecracker community," said Snieckus in a release.
"It’s also a chance to connect with your other Firecrackers, find future collaborations, and inspire the next wave of storytellers."
Firecracker's statement said the organization hopes its festival can amplify the voices of women and non-binary creatives "in a time when diverse storytelling is facing increasing pushback."
Among the line-up of short films include two Vancouver-based productions:
- A Day in the (After) Life of Diane Staples by Katrina Reynolds
- Bloody Rhonda by Alyssa Kostello
"You’ll also see films by Firecrackers who helped build the community, from Halifax, Los Angeles, and Toronto, bound to the West Coast by their connection to our Writing Department," noted Liesl Lafferty, head of the Firecracker Writing Department.
For more information and tickets, you can visit the GEMFest website.
Firecracker Film Fest at GEMFest
When: March 7, 2025 at 10 a.m.
Where: Lochmaddy Studio Theatre, VIFF Centre - 1181 Seymour St
Cost: $18 regular admission, $15 accessible and $14.40 for GEMS Members
