Coastal Communities Film Society

“We are a small Pacific Coast-based non-profit organization dedicated to empowering small communities by supporting their filmmakers and visual storytellers. Through funding and advocacy, we ensure the unique stories of these towns are seen, heard, and celebrated.”

The name of the society is Coastal Communities Film Society.

The purposes of the society are to:

1. Empower and support filmmakers and visual storytellers from small coastal and rural communities, including those on Vancouver Island and across Canada’s Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic coasts.
2. Promote, preserve, and share the cultural, environmental, and social narratives of these communities
  through film and multimedia storytelling.
3. Secure and provide grants, resources, and advocacy to enable creative projects from under-represented
  and Indigenous communities.
4. Facilitate and deliver community-based workshops, screenings, and collaborative visual and audio
  media projects.

Download the constitution and society documents here

PROJECTS

Bamfield’s 16mm Motion Picture Workshop

This past August, Bamfield came together for a hands-on, two-day community workshop exploring the magic of celluloid filmmaking. Participants aged 16+ learned how to load, light, and shoot real 16mm film using vintage motion picture cameras. Split into small groups, we collectively captured footage inspired by a shared theme—bringing creativity and collaboration to life through the lens. The workshop focused on process over perfection, offering a rare opportunity to experience the roots of cinema in a supportive, skill-sharing environment.

NEWS

PUBLISHED 2025-08-28

A Chance to Get Your Short Film Off the Ground

The First Flights Short Film Fund, run by the Goldfinch Group with support from Kodak and Periscope, is giving new and emerging filmmakers the chance to turn their ideas into finished films. They’re offering up to £7,000 (around $10,000 USD) in funding, plus some amazing extras like Kodak 16mm film stock with processing and a $10,000 post-production package. It’s open to filmmakers everywhere and is meant to help fresh voices get their stories out into the world.

Anyone with a strong short film idea can apply—whether you’re a first-time director or looking to use a short as a stepping stone to a feature. The fund is open to scripted and documentary projects in any genre, as long as the script is under 30 pages. For filmmakers in small or coastal communities, this is a great chance to access resources that aren’t usually so close to home. With past winners going on to festivals, BAFTAs, and even the Oscars, this is an opportunity that can really put your work on the map.

Link here.