The 23rd edition of the Whistler Film Festival (WFF23) returns, in-person and online.
You can attend the fest in Whistler from November 29 to December 3, or online from December 4 to 17. WFF23 will present 35 feature and 62 short films, from major award contenders to breakthrough independent films from Canada and around the globe.
The festival offers a full-to-bursting schedule in Whistler with après events, talent programs, Q&As, a Content Summit with both in-person and virtual events, and more.
Film Highlights:
ADAPTATION follows a group of para-athletes as they converge in BC for the Summer Race Series, the world’s first downhill event to include an adaptive mountain bike (aMTB) category. The feature-length doc is a collection of stories about humanity and our ability to overcome adversity. Whether for the thrill of competition, or a need to push through the pain of daily life to simply get lost in a moment, the film celebrates the gift of life through all its complexities.
A WHOLE LIFE, based on the bestselling novel by Robert Seethaler, directed by Hans Steinbichler and adapted for screen by Oscar-nominated screenwriter Ulrich Limmer. The film is set in the Austrian and Bavarian Alps and tells the story of Andreas Egger, spanning eight decades of the last century filled with poverty and war. Propelled by the commercialization of the mountains, the film upholds the power of unwavering determination and illuminates from page to screen the bliss of a simple life in the mountains.
In Robert Morin’s WILD FEAST (Festin Boreal) a wounded moose dies deep in the forest and becomes a communal feast. As the seasons go by, mammals, birds and insects invite themselves to the banquet—multiplying ensuing games, rituals and conflicts. In exploring and occasionally foiling nature’s wildlife codes, the story becomes a simple yet poignant reflection on death, on its natural place in this world and, by extension, on its deeper meaning and purpose.
Swiss adventure documentary DIVING IN A DROP makes its North American premiere at WWF. Filmmaker and mountain guide Sebastian Devrient teams up with one of the world’s leading cave diving experts, Frédéric Swierczynski, as they head for the Atacama Desert in Argentina on a unique scuba-diving expedition, alone and without back-up, to explore the highest volcanic crater lake in the world on Ojos del Salado in the Andes.
Canadian filmmaker, photographer, author and public speaker Dianne Whelan makes a groundbreaking appearance at WFF with the world premiere of her documentary 500 DAYS IN THE WILD. After a six-year journey, Whelan became the first person to travel 24,000 km over land and water on the Trans Canada Trail—the longest trail in the world. The film weaves adventure and personal reflections with footage of wildlife and landscapes to document a unique ecological pilgrimage and journey toward reconciliation. There is also a cohort of 53% female directors showing at WFF this year—an all-time high for the festival.
Check ML’s feature about Dianne Whelan’s journey here:
Full film lineup and everything else you need to know about WFF is here.
Related content from ML:
Check the ML Podcast!
