Local filmmakers invited to take part in the 48 Hour Film Project Okanagan

Another 48 Hour Film Project Okanagan competition is going this fall, and local directors, actors, visual effect artists and others are invited to participate.

The 48 Hour Film Project is a global competition held in over 100 cities worldwide which sees participants write, direct, and edit short films all within a 48 hour period.

This will be the second year that Okanagan hosts a local competition, and its the only one taking place in all of Western Canada.

“This competition is a fantastic opportunity for filmmakers at all levels—from professionals to amateurs and enthusiasts,” Harrison Coe, co-producer of the 48 Hour Film Project Okanagan, said.

“We’re thrilled to host this dynamic celebration of filmmaking in conjunction with the Sundog Festival of Arts & Culture and BC Culture Days.”

The event will kick off at 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 6 at the Silverstar Brewing Company in Vernon, where teams will gather to randomly select their film genre and required elements to incorporate in their pieces.

From there, they will have 48 hours to write, shoot, direct and edit their films.

“Teams can come from anywhere in B.C., but they must have a representative at the kickoff event in Vernon to draw their genre,” Heath Fletcher, the other co-producer of the 48 Hour Film Project Okanagan, explained.

“Each film must incorporate a specific prop, character, and line of dialogue which will all be provided at the kickoff. It’s an intense but incredibly rewarding 48-hour creative sprint.”

The films produced through the competition will be judged by a panel of industry professionals.

They will be screened in mid-October and awards will be handed out to the filmmakers at a Best Of Awards night at that time as well. The date and location of the event will be released at a later time.

The winning film will advance to Filmapalooza, the 48 Hour Film Project’s Internation Film Festival, which will be held in Seattle, Washington, in 2025. The top films at that event will have a chance to then be shown at the Cannes Film Festival’s Short Film Corner.

“It’s incredibly exciting to think someone could journey from the Okanagan to Seattle to Cannes,” Coe said.

“The community support has been amazing. We’re grateful to have The Film Factory in Kelowna back as a sponsor and are offering equipment rental discounts and prizes to our participants.”

Registration for the 48 Hour Film Project Okanagan is open online.