The 15th annual Vancouver International Film Festival wrapped with a record attendance of 130,000, up from 120,000 last year, and box office revenues climbed to $680,000. The festival culminated in an awards gala where Bruce McDonald’s Hard Core Logo was honored with the Citytv Award for best Canadian film and its writer, Noel S. Baker, received the Rogers Award for best Canadian screenplay.

Telefilm Canada’s award for best new Western Canadian film director went to Lynne Stopkewich for the b.c.-produced Kissed .

Catherine Quinn’s Standing Still garnered the Highbury Award for best Western Canadian short film. The National Film Board Award for best documentary feature was won by Michael Benson’s Predictions of Fire, a u.s./Slovenia coproduction. The nfb prize for best animated film went to La Salla by Manitoba filmmaker Richard Condie.

Deepa Mehta’s Fire was honored with the Federal Express Award for most popular Canadian film, of a record 61 Canadian films presented this year.