Vancouver: It started out as a cool place, literally, to showcase indie films. But heading into its seventh run, the Whistler Film Festival has evolved into more than just ‘see and ski.’ It’s earning a rep as the place to be, to meet and to deal.

‘What makes us stand out is that, one, we showcase great films, especially Canadian films that often don’t get the exposure they deserve. And, two, we create business opportunities for filmmakers. We couldn’t do one without the other,’ says festival founder Shauna Hardy Mishaw. ‘And the skiing is definitely a draw.’

The festival is ramping up its industry side this year, and among other draws will host a delegation from China’s largest studio. ‘We’re making a push to build on one of our core strengths, reaching out to industry, arranging one-on-one meetings, and expanding the creative side of industry at the forum,’ says Bill Evans, director of programming.

He sees the festival and its four-day Filmmaker Forum becoming a hub for the Canadian and U.S. industry, noting that Equinoxe Films picked up the Douglas Coupland-penned Everything’s Gone Green at last year’s WFF. A number of documentary projects also moved into development, he adds.

Equinoxe, Alliance Films and Seville Pictures are among the companies confirmed for this year, when the fest returns to the resort town, 90 minutes from Vancouver. The forum also features Doc Talk, two days of conferences and pitching; a two-day writers workshop; a master class on directing; and discussions on interactive filmmaking and new media production.

The delegation from Hengdian Studios in China is a coup for Evans. ‘A few others from China may come as well,’ taking meetings with pre-approved festival delegates, he says. ‘There’s great potential to involve Canada in a three-way partnership with U.S. financing, a venture-capital project.’

For Mishaw, the coup is the presence of Atom Egoyan, who will discuss his life and work in a special presentation with Brian Johnson, noted author and film critic for Maclean’s.

‘We’re really excited to have Atom Egoyan coming, especially since his mentor, Norman Jewison, made the phone call on the festival’s behalf,’ says Mishaw.

Egoyan will also preside over the $15,000 Borsos Award, which goes to the best new Canadian feature film at the festival. Egoyan, director Julia Kwan (Eve & the Fire Horse) and producer Kevin Tierney (Bon Cop, Bad Cop) will judge six Canadian hopefuls, all of which will make their B.C. premieres: Mark Wihak’s River, Richie Mehta’s Amal, Robert Cuffley’s Walk All Over Me, Helene Klodawsky’s Family Motel, Stéphane Lafleur’s Continental, a Film Without Guns, and Matthew Miller, Sascha Drews and Ezra Krybus’ Portage.

WFF will unspool 92 features and shorts in all, Nov. 29 to Dec. 2, and will hand out $42,000 in prizes and commissions. Special presentations include B.C. premieres of Denys Arcand’s Days of Darkness and Paolo Barzman’s Emotional Arithmetic.

Both Evans and Mishaw are quick to point out that while WFF is evolving, it’s not about growing bigger.

‘Here’s the reality. We’re only seven years old. We’re still the new kid on the block. But we’ve established a brand. It’s really important to understand what your brand is. We’re firm believers that bigger isn’t necessarily better. We’ve always wanted to be aligned as a boutique festival, where everyone has an intimate experience. We’re not going to be Toronto, we’re Whistler,’ says Mishaw.

www.whistlerfilmfestival.com