Using Canadian indie horror features like Hunting Matthew Nichols and Influencer as case studies, this industry panel will examine how independent genre films move from production and festival launch into meaningful audience-facing distribution. The discussion will explore producer-led release strategies, sales and distributor relationships, publicity, theatrical positioning, audience targeting, and the practical realities of getting an independent film onto screens in Canada and beyond.

Designed for emerging and independent filmmakers, the panel will focus on what producers can do early - from packaging and positioning to marketing materials and release strategy - to give their films the strongest possible life beyond the festival circuit.

Less “how Hollywood works” and more what filmmakers can realistically do with the movie they have, this session is designed for producers, directors and emerging creators trying to understand how genre films move from finished project to marketplace.

Presented by Creative BC and CMPA

Go inside the casting process for a rare, practical look at how performances are evaluated - and how the right adjustment can completely transform a self-tape.

Using real prepared self-tapes, casting agents Monika Dalman, Errin Lally, and Annalese Tilling will break down what they notice, what works, what gets in the way and how they approach giving redirects. Audiences will then see actors respond to those notes in revised performances, creating a before-and-after look at the casting process you rarely get to see from the outside.

For actors, it’s an opportunity to better understand what’s happening on the other side of the camera. For directors and producers, it’s a deeper look at communicating with performers, recognizing potential and finding the right person for the role.

Presented by Creative BC with Support from UBCP/ACTRA

This conversation brings Indigenous storytellers, cultural knowledge and lived experience into a discussion about storytelling, protocol, community and the powerful place that fear, the supernatural and the unknown can hold within Indigenous traditions.

Alongside stories and teachings, the session will explore questions that are increasingly important for filmmakers: How do you approach stories that are not yours? What does meaningful consultation actually look like? Where does collaboration begin? And how can filmmakers build relationships rooted in respect rather than extraction?

A valuable session for anyone working in film and television, but also an opportunity to listen, learn and experience storytelling through perspectives rarely centred in mainstream genre conversations.

The VHS Table Read Series brings the top three selected scripts from the BC Screenwriter Development Program off the page and into the room, performed live by professional actors in front of an audience of filmmakers, writers and industry guests.

Through each reading, the writers will get the rare chance to hear how their dialogue, pacing, character work and scares actually play when spoken aloud, followed by notes and feedback from a panel of industry professionals.

For screenwriters, it’s an invaluable development exercise. For directors, producers and actors, it’s a fascinating look at how a screenplay changes once performers begin interpreting it - and where a strong script can become even stronger.

Presented by Creative BC and WGC