Photo: Castanet

Organizers of this year's Kamloops Film Festival are calling it one of the most successful to date.

The Kamloops Film Society said the festival saw 4,678 attendees — an increase of 23.5 per cent over 2024's numbers.

The festival screened 27 feature films and 17 short films while holding 15 interactive events including six filmmakers, nine industry presenters and eight speakers.

“We are thrilled by the incredible turnout and the overwhelming support from our community, sponsors, and film enthusiasts,” said KFS executive director Colette Abbott.

“This year’s festival was a true celebration of cinematic excellence, showcasing some of the top films from around the globe while also highlighting the incredible talent within our local film community.”

The festival was organized by a 12-person festival committee and 58 volunteers who dedicated over 1,000 hours of volunteer time.

The KFF raffle and 50/50 raised over $8,000 for the film society.

Professional and amateur filmmakers in the Thompson-Nicola were awarded 12 cash prizes totalling over $3,600 during the Kamloops Independent Short Shorts festival.

“As we look forward to our 30th anniversary next year, we are excited to continue fostering a space where filmmakers and audiences can connect through film,” Abbott said.

This year marked the 29th edition of the Kamloops Film Festival.

Next year’s festival will run from March 5 to March 14.