Vancouver Web Series Festival
Festival Logo
CountryCanada
First awarded2014
Websitehttp://www.vancouverwebfest.com

The Vancouver Web Series Festival, also known as the Vancouver Web Fest, is a web series festival based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is known as the first ever Canadian festival dedicated solely to entertainment and programming created exclusively for the Internet.[1]

In 2017, IndieWire called the festival "one of the leading destinations for quality web content".[2] Raindance dubbed it one of the "must attend" web series events for creators and fans of online content.[3] The Province described the festival as "the future of broadcast."[4]

Background

The festival was founded in 2013 by Canadian film and television producer, writer and entrepreneur Suzette Laqua, and had its inaugural event May 2 through May 4, 2014.[5][6] The 2nd annual event was held March 6 through March 8, 2015, at Performance Works on Vancouver’s Granville Island and was covered by various media and press outlets including Playback.[7][8] The 3rd annual event was held March 18 through 20, 2016, at the same location.[9] The 4th annual festival took place March 17 through 19, 2017.[10]

The fifth annual festival took place at a new location, the Vancouver Convention Centre, from April 19 to 21, 2018.[11] In 2019, the festival went on hiatus due to Laqua's diagnosis with hippocampal sclerosis; Laqua told Playback that she had to step back and take time to focus on her health.[12] A 2020 festival was planned,[13] but has not yet taken place.[14]

Reception

The festival attracts filmmakers and industry executives from around the world and is one of the main events of its kind dedicated to web series. In 2017, IndieWire called the festival "one of the leading destinations for quality web content".[2] Raindance dubbed it one of the "must attend" web series events for creators and fans of online content.[3] The Province described the festival as "the future of broadcast."[4]

Awards

The festival presents screenings of their official selections and hosts an awards ceremony at the end of each festival; award-winners receive silver trophies and certain categories include financial or in kind prizes. Main awards include Best Canadian Series, Best of B.C., Best Foreign Series, and other craft or genre-specific categories such as Best Director, Actor, Actress, and Screenplay.

Current categories

Past winners

5th: 2018

[15][16]

4th: 2017

3rd: 2016

[17]

2nd: 2015

1st: 2014

[18]

See also

References

  1. ^ Ng See Quan, Danielle (July 29, 2013). "Canadian web fests launching in 2014". Retrieved 2016-01-14.
  2. ^ a b Dry, Jude (12 December 2016). "Vancouver Web Fest Announces Official Selections For Third Year". www.indiewire.com. Retrieved 2017-08-18.
  3. ^ a b "12 Must Attend Events for Web Series Creators - Raindance". Raindance. 9 February 2015. Retrieved 2015-12-21.
  4. ^ a b "Vancouver Web Fest is the future of broadcast". www.theprovince.com. Retrieved 2016-01-14.
  5. ^ "First-ever Vancouver Web Fest coming in May". Vancity Buzz. Retrieved 2016-01-14.
  6. ^ "Vancouver Web Fest Details Are Here". Snobby Robot. Retrieved 2016-01-14.
  7. ^ Cummins, Julianna (January 14, 2016). "Parked, My Lupine Life among Vancouver Web Fest nominees". Retrieved 2016-01-14.
  8. ^ "Vancouver Web Fest 2014 Winners". The Press Pass. Retrieved 2016-01-14.
  9. ^ "Vancouver Web Fest". www.vancouverwebfest.com. Retrieved 2016-01-14.
  10. ^ Dry, Jude (12 December 2016). "Vancouver Web Fest Announces Official Selections For Third Year". www.indiewire.com. Retrieved 2017-02-16.
  11. ^ "Vancouver Web Fest 2018 highlights digital storytellers". Global News. Retrieved 2018-04-24.
  12. ^ Malyk, Lauren (December 11, 2018). "Vancouver Web Fest on hiatus for 2019". Retrieved 2021-02-04.
  13. ^ "Vancouver Web Fest to go on hiatus in 2019". The Georgia Straight. 2018-12-11. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
  14. ^ "Vancouver Web Fest". Vancouver Web Fest. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
  15. ^ "12 Canadian Series Win Big at Vancouver Web Fest". 604 Now. 2018-04-29. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  16. ^ "2018 Winners List". Vancouver Web Fest. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  17. ^ Cummins, Julianna (March 23, 2016). "Riftworld, Sudden Master win at Vancouver Web Fest". Retrieved 2016-04-07.
  18. ^ "Vancouver Web Fest award winners include Libres, The True Heroines, Sin Vida Propia". Georgia Straight Vancouver's News & Entertainment Weekly. 5 May 2014. Retrieved 2016-04-04.
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