What started as a half-filled theatre and four short films has grown into a sold-out night celebrating some of Vancouver Island’s most creative local voices. The Lightspeed Film Exhibition returns to The Vic Theatre on Friday, Jan. 23, with doors opening at 6 p.m. and screenings beginning at 6:30, showcasing 13 locally made short films from filmmakers across Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. The Lightspeed Film Exhibition will feature 13 films in 2026. (Photo courtesy of Lightspeed Film Exhibition) [https://mondaymag.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2026/01/41380624_web1_260115-VNE-LightspeedFilmFestival-Sign_1.jpg] The exhibition, now in its second year, was co-founded by Neal Cropper and Leonard Farr after a casual conversation among local filmmakers revealed just how difficult it was to find opportunities for Island-made work to be shown on a big screen. “There were four or five filmmakers in a room talking about how hard it was to get local distribution,” Cropper said. “I said, ‘Well, there’s enough of you here to start a film festival,’ and they told us you can’t just start one, so Leonard and I went and started one.” The inaugural event in 2025 featured just four films and sold roughly half the theatre. This year, with Victoria Clements joining the organizing team, Lightspeed received about 25 submissions and selected 13 films, each capped at roughly 20 minutes to allow as many filmmakers as possible to participate. Clements, who runs the Victoria Film Industry Network with thousands of local members, said the exhibition fills a clear gap in the local film scene. “They take the gamut, from art films to comedies to documentaries,” she said. “It’s really about supporting local filmmakers at its foundation, and that’s why it’s been so well accepted.” Organizers said one of the biggest lessons from the first year was the importance of putting filmmakers front and centre, not just screening their work but actively promoting the people behind it and creating space for connection. That focus appears to have resonated. This year’s event sold out more than a week before opening night, something Farr said was both exciting and still a little surprising. “I think it proves there’s a demand, both for things to be made here and for people to come out and watch them,” he said. The lineup offers a wide range of styles and tones, from heartfelt stories about kindness and community to absurd sci-fi comedy, with most filmmakers expected to attend in person, with a post-screening Q&A planned at the conclusion of the night. For the organizers, the goal extends beyond a single night. “This is about building bridges,” Cropper said. “Real people, making real content, meeting in real space. That’s how local film culture grows.” The screenings are expected to run until roughly 9:45 p.m. at The Vic Theatre.
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