The VIFF Centre (formerly the Vancouver International Film Centre and the Vancity Theatre) is a movie theatre in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, which houses the 175-seat Vancity Theatre and the 41-seat Studio Theatre, as well as the offices for the Vancouver International Film Festival.[1] Located at 1181 Seymour Street in downtown Vancouver, the theatre can accommodate seminars, live performances, film, video, and multimedia presentations.
| |
 The interior of the VIFF Centre in 2021 | |
 | |
| Address | 1181 Seymour Street Vancouver, British Columbia V6B 3M7 |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 49°16′37″N 123°07′30″W / 49.2770°N 123.1249°W |
| Owner | Vancouver International Film Festival |
| Type | Movie theatre |
| Capacity | 175 |
| Screens | 1 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | September 2005 |
| Architect | Hewitt and Kwasnicky Architects |
| Website | |
| viff | |
The building, designed by Hewitt and Kwasnicky Architects, opened in September 2005, just in time for the 2005 Vancouver International Film Festival.[2] In December of that year, the Vancity Theatre formally launched year-round repertory cinema programming.[3] The theatre is sponsored by and named for the Vancity credit union, although prior to the complex's launch, the theatre was stuck in a dispute that might have threatened the sponsorship, or even forced VIFF to refund Vancity's entire donation to the project, because it was deemed to be in conflict with the city's official naming rights policy at the time.[4]
Renovations between 2019 and 2020, which were completed in time for the 2020 Vancouver International Film Festival, added a 41-seat theatre, the Studio Theatre, for smaller audience presentations, a new media lab to present new media and virtual reality projects, an education suite and a video wall in the complex's atrium.[1]
The annual Game Design Expo, hosted by Vancouver Film School's Game Design program, takes place in the Vancity Theatre.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Takeuchi, Craig (September 21, 2020). "After $2.8 million renovation, Vancouver International Film Centre to open on September 24 for VIFF". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
- ^ Gill, Alexandra (September 29, 2005). "VIFF launches new era". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
- ^ Kevin Griffin, "New theatre promises to satisfy cinephiles". Vancouver Sun, December 29, 2005.
- ^ Marke Andrews, "Theatre stuck in name game with council". Vancouver Sun, August 18, 2005.