The Vancouver Film Critics Circle One to Watch Award is a Canadian film award, presented as part of the Vancouver Film Critics Circle's annual awards program to honour breakthrough work by emerging filmmakers and performers in the Canadian film industry.
First presented in 2014 as Best First Canadian Film and awarded exclusively to first-time directors, the award was renamed to "One to Watch" in 2017, with its focus expanded at that time to permit the award to honour breakout performances and non-debut works.
The winner of the award receives a $500 prize from Telefilm Canada.
Winners and nominees 2010s Year Honoree Film 2014 Andrew Huculiak Violent "Tu dors Nicole and Mommy top Canadian winners at Vancouver Film Critics Circle Awards". The Georgia Straight, January 6, 2015. Kyle Thomas The Valley Below "2015 Nominees Announced". Vancouver Film Critics Circle, December 22, 2014. Ana Valine Sitting on the Edge of Marlene 2015 Andrew Cividino Sleeping Giant "Vancouver Film Critics Honour ‘Haida Gwaii’" . Point of View, January 7, 2016. Lindsay MacKay Wet Bum "2016 Nominees Announced". Vancouver Film Critics Circle, December 14, 2015. Kurt Walker Hit 2 Pass 2016 Ashley McKenzie Werewolf "Hello Destroyer wins big with VFCC". Playback, January 11, 2017. Sofia Bohdanowicz Never Eat Alone "2017 Nominees Announced". Vancouver Film Critics Circle, December 16, 2016. Kevan Funk Hello Destroyer 2017 Cody Bown Gregoire "Never Steady, Never Still takes the big prizes at the Vancouver Film Critics Circle awards". The Georgia Straight, January 9, 2018. Winston DeGiobbi Mass for Shut-Ins "2018 Nominees Announced". Vancouver Film Critics Circle, December 15, 2017. Seth A. Smith The Crescent 2018 Katherine Jerkovic Roads in February (Les routes en février) "Vancouver Film Critics Circle names Edge of the Knife top Canadian feature film". Toronto Star, January 8, 2019. Drew Lint M/M Josh Cabrita, "2019 Nominees Announced". Vancouver Film Critics Circle, December 14, 2018. Jasmin Mozaffari Firecrackers Akash Sherman Clara 2019 Matthew Rankin The Twentieth Century "Vancouver film critics award 'The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open'" . Tri-City News, January 7, 2020. Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open Adrian Mack, "Marriage Story dominates Vancouver Film Critics Circle noms". The Georgia Straight, December 13, 2019. Heather Young Murmur
2020s Year Honoree Film 2020 Titus Heckel Chained "VFCC Vote for Violation" . Northern Stars, March 10, 2021. Kiawenti:io Tarbell Beans Jessie Anthony Brother, I Cry Jorge Ignacio Castillo, "POSSESSOR AND CHAINED DOMINATE THE VFCC NOMINATIONS FOR BEST IN CANADIAN FILM". Vancouver Film Critics Circle, February 3, 2021. 2021 Trevor Mack Portraits from a Fire Dana Gee, "The Power of the Dog named year's best feature by Vancouver Film Critics Circle". Vancouver Sun, March 8, 2022. Pavle Čemerikić The White Fortress (Tabija) Dana Gee, "The Power of the Dog, Night Raiders lead Vancouver Film Critics Circle Awards nominations". Vancouver Sun, February 20, 2022. Elizabeth Lazebnik Be Still 2022 Anthony Shim Riceboy Sleeps "Vancouver Film Critics Like I Like Movies" . Northern Stars, February 14, 2023. Grace Glowicki Until Branches Bend Dohyun Noel Hwang Riceboy Sleeps Sophie Jarvis Until Branches Bend 2023 Ariane Louis-Seize Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person (Vampire humaniste cherche suicidaire consentant) Meredith Hama-Brown Seagrass Taimur Sikander Mirza, "BlackBerry, Seagrass lead VFCC’s Canadian nominees". Playback, January 23, 2024. Jenny Lee-Gilmore Overtime Ally Pankiw I Used to Be Funny 2024 Keira Jang Can I Get a Witness? Jamie Casemore, "Can I Get a Witness? leads winners for 2025 VFCC Awards". Playback, February 19, 2025. Megan Park My Old Ass Nicholas Sokic, "Ann Marie Fleming’s Can I Get A Witness? leads VFCC noms". Playback, January 23, 2025. Jerome Yoo Mongrels 2025 Sophy Romvari Blue Heron Andrew Tracy, "‘Nirvanna the Band’ tops Canadian winners at VFCC Awards". Playback, February 24, 2026. Nicole Bazuin Modern Whore Andrew Tracy, "Mile End Kicks, ‘Nirvanna’ lead noms for Vancouver critics’ awards". Playback, January 21, 2026. Alex Lee Williams, Mallory Drumm, Jay Drakulic Dream Eater
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