About Us
The current Kelowna World Community Film Festival Organizing Committee has been running this festival since 2007.
Festival Programming
We are a Travelling incarnation of the World Community Film Festival, based in Courtenay, BC. The Festival has been running there for years (decades!), as an element of the World Development Society. The Courtenay Festival organizing committee gleans a selection of well-made documentary films which tell memorable stories about social justice and the environment. This group of films then travels to other communities across BC and Canada (learn more about the Travelling World Community Film Festival). Our Kelowna organizing committee builds upon that slate of documentaries, adding a small selection of films of local (and global!) interest. Contact us if you've produced a documentary you'd like us to screen, or if you've seen a one you think we should add to our program.
Festival Organizing History
The original manifestation of the Kelowna festival came about as a Directed Studies group project for several Sociology students at Okanagan University College in 2003. It was organized via a student club called the Community Development club, hosted through the Student Union. The first year's group set up the festival with a social justice bazaar and with fundraising for the food bank. It was a great success, supported by many faculty who directed their students to attend and do film reviews etc, and it continued at UBCO until 2006. In 2007 it came about that the festival had no contacts left at the University (by that time UBCO). Carol Kergan, one of the original organizers, undertook to find colleagues who wished to continue presenting this festival to our community. It turned out wonderfully. The Department of Communications at Okanagan College came on board as a supporter and host. A few hard working and dedicated folks met for many hours to figure out details and more, and came up with the current (but always evolving) Festival structure. The current format works with many supporters to bring these films to the people. We are today grateful for the legacy left by that original Festival group!
Festival Programming
We are a Travelling incarnation of the World Community Film Festival, based in Courtenay, BC. The Festival has been running there for years (decades!), as an element of the World Development Society. The Courtenay Festival organizing committee gleans a selection of well-made documentary films which tell memorable stories about social justice and the environment. This group of films then travels to other communities across BC and Canada (learn more about the Travelling World Community Film Festival). Our Kelowna organizing committee builds upon that slate of documentaries, adding a small selection of films of local (and global!) interest. Contact us if you've produced a documentary you'd like us to screen, or if you've seen a one you think we should add to our program.
Festival Organizing History
The original manifestation of the Kelowna festival came about as a Directed Studies group project for several Sociology students at Okanagan University College in 2003. It was organized via a student club called the Community Development club, hosted through the Student Union. The first year's group set up the festival with a social justice bazaar and with fundraising for the food bank. It was a great success, supported by many faculty who directed their students to attend and do film reviews etc, and it continued at UBCO until 2006. In 2007 it came about that the festival had no contacts left at the University (by that time UBCO). Carol Kergan, one of the original organizers, undertook to find colleagues who wished to continue presenting this festival to our community. It turned out wonderfully. The Department of Communications at Okanagan College came on board as a supporter and host. A few hard working and dedicated folks met for many hours to figure out details and more, and came up with the current (but always evolving) Festival structure. The current format works with many supporters to bring these films to the people. We are today grateful for the legacy left by that original Festival group!
Media Coverage of Kelowna WCFFs
Organizers Jason Bednar & Marlo Edwards, interviewed by Ryan Donn in 2012
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