The Vancouver International Digital Festival, four days of digital media events focusing on animation, gaming, web 2.0, mobile and interactive content, begins Sept. 22, in essence kicking off the city’s major film festival.

Like many established film and television events worldwide, VIFF is forming closer ties with the digital industry, this year partnering with VIDFEST on several events.

‘It was a natural partnership because of the convergence between the two industries,’ says VIDFEST creative director Kirstin Richter, adding that the festival’s new relationship with VIFF, ‘speaks to how much of an impact the film and digital media industries are having on Vancouver.’

According to Richter, discussions about how the two festivals could work more closely started last year.

As a result, VIDFEST runs for four days just ahead of VIFF, and moved venues to the Vancouver International Film Centre. The two fests have also done some co-programming this year.

VIDFEST will present a session on digital delivery at VIFF’s Film and Television Forum, Sept. 26. And VIFF will present a session at VIDFEST’s Creative Exchange Conference Sept. 24.

Sessions will offer a behind-the-scenes look at Sanctuary, a big-budget, web-based series shot entirely in HD in Vancouver. All eight episodes will play for the first time on the big screen, and speakers will include creator and executive producer Damian Kindler.

The growing interdependence of the film and digital media industries will also be the focus of a talk by producer John Walker, director of production for Pixar Animation Studios. Walker will deliver the keynote address at the International Partnering Forum, Sept. 25. The forum is one of VIDFEST’s key industry events, featuring networking sessions and one-on-one meetings with international new media players.

Another prominent theme at this year’s VIDFEST is how science fiction has impacted the digital industry. Mark Verheiden, executive producer and writer of Battlestar Galactica, and comic book creator and online Matrix game designer Paul Chadwick will deliver the closing address on this subject.

Other speakers include award-winning Web designer Joshua Davis, who leads an intensive half-day workshop on using Macromedia Flash MX and Action Script. Meanwhile, graphic novelist and filmmaker Jim Munroe presents the Canadian premiere of his homegrown low-fi sci-fi flick Infest Wisely.

VIDFEST is presented by New Media B.C., with support from Telefilm Canada, British Columbia Film and Canadian Heritage.