The 18th annual Halifax Independent Film Festival (HIFF) is taking place at the Bus Stop Theatre in Halifax. The 4-day festival, which began on May 29th and will run until June 1st, is dedicated to highlighting our region’s most innovative filmmakers and media artists. HIFF was created in 2007 as a way to consolidate the Atlantic Filmmakers Cooperative (AFCOOP)’s presentation resources into an event capable of garnering recognition regionally and nationally. It is run by the AFCOOP, a non-profit, community-based organization dedicated to supporting the production and presentation of film and moving image work by independent artists.

The schedule for the 2024 Halifax Independent Filmmakers Festival is as follows. All events take place at The Bus Stop Theatre.

Day 1 – Wednesday – May 29

18:30 – Open Field Grant: PERMIT GARDEN – directed by Jenny Yujia Shi – Short before feature

19:00 – Opening Night Feature: TAUTUKTAVUK (What We See) – directed by Carol Kunnuk & Lucy Tulugarjuk – 82 minutes

21:00 – Feature Presentation: DOGLEG – directed by Al Warren – 82 minutes

Day 2 -Thursday, May 30

19:00 – Lulu Keating Retrospective and Artist Talk – 85 minutes

21:00 – SHORTS PROGRAM: Atlantic Auteurs with Q&A after the screening – 91 minutes

22:30 – Party at Tusket Falls (across the street), located at 2220 Gottingen Street

Day 3 – Friday, May 31st

18:30 – Feature Presentation: THE SWEET EAST – directed by Sean Price Williams – 104 minutes

21:00 – Feature Presentation: FORAGERS – directed by Jumana Manna 65 minutes

23:00 – Feature Presentation: THE PEOPLE’S JOKER – directed by Vera Drew- 92 minutes

Day 4 – Saturday, June 1

11:00 – SHORTS PROGRAM: Canadian Shorts – 94 minutes

14:00 – Artist Panel: Animation with Lulu Keating & Joël Vaudreuil

16:00 – Feature Presentation: OPEN PIT (Cielo Abierto) – directed by Felipe Esparza Pérez – 65 minutes

18:00 – Feature Presentation: WHEN ADAM CHANGES – directed by Joël Vaudreuil – 96 minutes

20:00 – Closing Night Feature: DO NOT EXPECT MUCH FROM THE END OF THE WORLD – directed by Radu Jude – 163 minutes

Film fans can catch all 12 film programs with a festival pass for $45 or single films can be seen for $15 each. HIFF provides a unique venue for filmmakers and media artists to share their work in a forum dedicated to the celebration of independent cinema. Since its inception, HIFF has showcased the Atlantic region’s most innovative works alongside the films of acclaimed visiting artists. Learn more about HIFF here.