Capilano University and Whistler Film Festival Society Announce Partnership, Set Scene For B.C. Talent
SQUAMISH B.C. March 3, 2025—Capilano University (CapU) and the Whistler Film Festival Society (WFFS) announced a new partnership that aims to elevate and grow capacity to develop domestic talent for B.C.’s film industry. The new partnership will provide a strong educational foundation to expand training and skills for B.C.’s $2-billion film industry and contribute to enriching the vibrant communities within the Sea-to-Sky corridor.
The two organizations signed a memorandum of understanding on Feb. 27, 2025, that will ultimately increase opportunities and provide educational pathways for students and industry professionals alike. CapU’s flagship Faculty Fine & Applied Arts is dedicated to inspiring and training a new generation of artists working in creative industries. In addition to the partnership, CapU will be unveiling a new certificate in outdoor filmmaking starting Fall 2025, designed for students to experience small-scale filmmaking while navigating diverse natural surroundings. The WFFS talent programs have an incredible reputation for providing the essential business and creative skills that are required to advance projects and skills. Programs take advantage of the networking opportunities available through its annual Whistler Film Festival and Content Summit held every December.
The new partnership will bring several of WFFS’s talent programs to CapU’s newest campus in Squamish. This move extends the versatility and reach of CapU’s Faculty of Fine & Applied Arts into the Sea-to-Sky corridor. The Faculty of Fine & Applied Arts is highly regarded for its offerings in motion picture arts, animation, VFX and UX, as well as internationally recognized instructors who are award-winning professionals in film, television, 2D and 3D animation. Simultaneously it increases WFFS’s capacity to focus on developing and delivering world-class training programs that not only provide exceptional experience, but the connections, creativity, and in-demand skills the market needs today. The partnership also celebrates and further develops practical work-integrated learning experiences for film and media students through the annual Whistler Film Festival and Content Summit, preparing students for work behind the camera, editing and more.
“Capilano University is powered by imagination, and we are thrilled to be partnering with a powerhouse like the Whistler Film Festival Society to fuel creativity and innovation in our community,” says Brian Storey, associate vice-president, CapU Squamish. “With B.C.’s global reputation, there is great potential to elevate the film and screen sector in the Sea-to-Sky corridor and enhance the overall economic strength of B.C.’s film industry.”
CapU and WFFS want to uplift and drive fresh ideas and innovation from domestic talent and create more space for independent Canadian storytelling:
“This partnership with Capilano University is a bold step toward establishing a world-class hub for professional development and continued learning in the screen industry in British Columbia,” said Whistler Film Festival Society’s executive director Angela Heck. “We’re excited by the opportunities to take full advantage of CapU’s undeniably gorgeous Squamish campus to develop and deliver advanced training programs where filmmakers, content creators and industry professionals can access the top-tier training, visionary mentorship and career-defining industry opportunities that are a hallmark of WFFS’s successful and highly lauded talent programs.
CapU alumni and WFFS board member John Ritchie said the programs to be offered will provide unparalleled opportunity and will open doors, giving participants direct access to the industry through practical experience at the festival, and an incredible opportunity to nurture mid-career talent and ensure the continued growth of B.C.’s vibrant film and television sector.
The formal partnership accelerates CapU and WFFS’s commitment to create more educational opportunities for the industry. CapU and WFFS have a rich history of working together for greater benefits. Many of CapU’s students and alumni have been involved with WFF, had their films screened at, or volunteered for, WFF over the years. CapU is a current sponsor for WFF’s annual BC Student ShortWork Award.
About Capilano University
Capilano University offers students a remarkable space to thrive with industry-leading instructors, small classes and more than 100 programs across five distinctive faculties. Serving British Columbia’s Sea-to-Sky region with locations in North Vancouver, Squamish and the Sunshine Coast, CapU is a unique space where students are encouraged to make their mark, in and out of the classroom. Capilano University is named after Sa7plek (Chief Joe Capilano), an important leader of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) Nation of the Coast Salish Peoples. We respectfully acknowledge that our campuses and are located on the territories of the LíỈwat, xʷməθkʷəỷəm (Musqueam), shíshálh (Sechelt), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səỈílwətaʔ/selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.
About Whistler Film Festival Society
The Whistler Film Festival Society is situated on the shared unceded territory of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) Nation and Lil̓wat7úl (Lil’wat) Nation. The Whistler Film Festival Society is a charitable organization (#856677844 RR 001) dedicated to furthering the art and business of film by providing programs that focus on the discovery, development and promotion of new talent culminating in the Whistler Film Festival and Content Summit each December. In all its programs, WFFS strives for gender parity, inclusivity and diversity.
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