The Comox Valley International Film Festival is back and better than ever.

Taking place May 11-14 at the Sid Williams Theatre, this year鈥檚 festival promises to be a must-attend event for lovers of independent film.

As a non-profit organization, the Comox Valley International Film Festival is dedicated to discovering and supporting independent film and media artists from around the world. The festival introduces audiences to their work in four categories: International Feature film, International Short film, Canadian Short film, and Vancouver Island Short film. As well as three script competition categories: International Feature Length, International Short and BC Short.

In addition to screening some of the best independent and international films, CVIFF also offers filmmaking workshops on topics ranging from screenwriting to exploring the invisible art of emotion and the power of music in film. These sessions, taught by professionals, provide an opportunity for filmmakers to enhance their skills, giving them the tools they need to bring their powerful stories to life.

But the Comox Valley International Film Festival is more than just a showcase for great films and a hub for filmmakers. It鈥檚 also a community-building event, connecting filmmakers and the public in not-to-be-missed networking events such as Morning Coffee Talks, (free and open to the public), live script readings of the winning scripts from CVIFF鈥檚 script competition, (Friday night), and a Filmmaker鈥檚 Panel discussing the art of filmmaking on night three.

鈥淲e believe that great stories can impact the world,鈥� says festival executive director, Stephanie Rossel. 鈥淏y celebrating independent films and bringing people together to share their passion for storytelling, we hope to inspire a new generation of filmmakers to create works that connect us all.鈥�

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