MOTION PICTURE ACT OF B.C.

Under the motion picture act of B.C all screenings in a theatre are required to be approved by Consumer Protection of B.C.

Exemption for film societies 

Section 4 

 (1) The director may, in the public interest, exempt from section 2 a non-profit cultural organization, membership of which is by annual subscription and is limited to persons who are 18 years of age or over, if the director considers that the organization has as its objects the encouragement and appreciation of motion pictures as a medium of art, information or education, subject to any conditions contained in the exemption.

 (2) If an organization that has been exempted under subsection (1) exhibits a motion picture, it must not permit any person who is not a member of that organization to be present at the place where the motion picture is being exhibited.

Vancouver Foreign Film Society (Vanforfilm) is therefore required to charge a membership fee for any screening it hosts and screens in a theatre other than the Vancouver International Film Centre. A member must be 18 years of age or over to attend a screening unless a specific classification is obtained for a particular screening.

Because we co-present screenings with the Vancouver International Film Centre (VIFF) at VancityTheatre these screenings do not require a Vanforfilm membership as VIFF is a registered non-profit with its own membership.

Note: A VIFF screening will normally require that an attendee be 19 years of age or over as VIFF Vancity Theatre is a licensed facility  Therefore any person attending a screening at the Vancouver International Film Centre must obtain a VIFF membership and show it upon entry to the theatre.

Any films we sponsor in a film festival will require an attendee to purchase a membership in that festival’s society to attend the screening

 Vanforfilm Membership link

 VIFF Membership link