Whistler Cinema Guide
Whistler has a strong connection with the movie industry. Whistler and the Sea-to-Sky area are the backdrops to some of your favourite movies. The locals get involved too. They enjoy local film competitions and love to attend Village 8 Cinema and Whistler Film Festival.
Village 8 Whistler Cinema
Village 8 Whistler Cinema is one of Whistler’s favourite locals hang-outs. It’s a brilliant place to catch up on the latest Hollywood blockbuster or the newest indie classic. Village 8 Whistler Cinema can be found on Skier’s Approach near ‘The Welcome Figure’ sculpture.
Adult tickets cost $13 and drop down to $8 on Tuesdays. The early showings start around 3:30 pm, while the later showings kick off around 9:30 pm. The intimate six-screen cinema is a great place to relax after a day spent exploring Whistler.
Whistler in Hollywood
With its stunning natural beauty, Whistler and the Sea-to-Sky not only attracts tourists from all over the world but also filmmakers. The iconic mountains and landscapes of the Sea-to-Sky make for stunning sets for movies and TV shows alike.
The Revenant
Possibly the most well-known movie to have been filmed in the area in recent years. The Revenant is a western that is based on the life of Hugh Glass, a frontiersman who guides a group through an unorganized territory. Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, and Domhnall Gleeson lead the cast. DiCaprio won his first Oscar for ‘Best Actor’ for his role in the movie. While director Alejandro G. Iñárritu won ‘Best Director’ for the second time.
The Twilight Saga
Ask anybody who has been a teenager in the past 10 years and they’ll tell you all about The Twilight Saga. The saga is a fantasy-romance series of five movies based in a world occupied by humans, vampires, and wolverines.
The movies are based on books of the same name and have grossed over $3,250,000,000 worldwide. Robert Pattinson plays the male lead, while Kirsten Stewart plays the female lead. The movie takes advantage of the old-growth forests and foggy weather of the Sea-to-Sky to create an eerie atmosphere.
Star Trek Beyond
Whistler cinema fans were delighted to learn that Star Trek Beyond was going to be filmed in the Sea-to-Sky. Star Trek Beyond is the third movie in the franchise reboot. The story follows Captain Kirk and other members of the USS Enterprise as they crash land on a mysterious planet. Chris Pine reprises his role as Captain Kirk, while Zachary Quinto once again takes on the role of Commander Spock. The movie was critically well received, however it did disappoint in the box office.
Whistler Film Festival
Whistler Film Festival has been a highlight on the Whistler cinema calendar since 2001. The festival supports Canadian films as much as possible and even hosted the premiere for the Candian films ‘Carol’ and ‘Rehersal’. Whistler Film Festival shows over 80 movies each year and has over 13,000 attendees. The festival takes place in early December each year with tickets going on sale in early June.
A screening at Whistler Film Festival. Photo Credit: Justa Jeskova
There are a number of awards given out each year, these include; ‘Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature Film’, ‘Best Director of a Borsos Competition Film’, and ‘Best World Documentary’.
Whistler Film Festival is also home to Whistler Summit. This industry summit allows filmmakers to meet, network, debate, and ultimately create more great cinema.
WSSF – 72 Hour Showdown. Photo Credit: Mike Crane
WSSF Film Festival
Whistler Ski and Snowboard Festival puts a large emphasis on creating short films. There are two competitions that run during the festival - The 72 Hour Showdown and Intersection.
Intersection
In this competition, Whistler cinema fans are treated to a series of 5-7 minute long videos. Snow sports crews are offered a chance to create a short film in 7 days, with the majority of it being shot in Whistler.
You cast your vote for your favorite movie and help crown ‘The People’s Choice’ winner. The movies must contain some park riding as well as some in-bounds terrain at Whistler, so you’ll be able to see the mountain through the eyes of the pros.
H.E.N.K. from Nasby Brother Videos
72-Hour Showdown
For a more unique take on cinematography, you have to check out the 72-Hour Showdown. The premise for this competition is simple. You have 72 hours to shoot, edit and create a film. The film must also be entirely shot within 100km of Whistler. The result is a wide array of movies, from comedy to drama to documentary. Similar to Intersection, the attendees crown the winner of this award.