Virtual Festival FAQ

Festival Pass information for All Access and Patron members

No need to purchase or book a festival pass on our website. If you are an active member or have renewed your membership by Wednesday, October 21st, you will receive an email at the start of the festival in order to create a username and password for our online portal (watch.vtiff.org) or our Roku Channel and Apple TV 4K apps (both called VTIFF- see below for more info on how to download). The e-mail will come from Cinesend. If you create this account, you can then easily pair your TV Roku/Apple apps with your account in order to view all festival films through the apps or portal without having to go through our website each time. If you become a member or renew later than October 21^st, you will receive an email from Cinesend within 24hrs of purchase to create your account. In the mean-time you can book a film through the website and follow those instructions to watch. If you prefer not to create a login for our portal, you can simply “book” individual films on www.vtiff.org and watch by clicking “WATCH NOW” to view on your device or computer or entering the 9 digit voucher code into your Roku/Apple TV 4K app. See below for other ways to watch on your TV under “How can I watch films on my TV?”.

Purchasing a Festival Pass (General Admission, Friend Member)

If you purchase your festival pass by Wednesday, October 21^st, you will receive an email at the start of the festival in order to create a username and password for our online portal (watch.vtiff.org) or our Roku Channel and Apple TV 4K apps (both called VTIFF- see below for more info on how to download). The e-mail will come from Cinesend. If you create this account, you can then easily pair your TV Roku/Apple apps with your account in order to view all festival films through the apps or portal without having to go through our website each time. If you purchase a pass later than October 21^st, you will receive an email from Cinesend within 24hrs of purchase to create your account. In the mean-time you can book a film through the website and follow those instructions to watch. If you prefer not to create a login for our portal, you can simply “book” individual films on www.vtiff.org and watch by clicking “WATCH NOW” to view on your device or computer or entering the 9 digit voucher code into your Roku/Apple TV 4K app. See below for other ways to watch on your TV under “How can I watch films on my TV?”.

Note that Friend members should log into www.vtiff.org before purchasing a festival pass, in order to receive the price option of a 20% off festival pass ($48). 

How do I enter my promotion code?

If you have a promotion code for a festival pass, after choosing “BUY PASS”, above “select quantity” you will see a box that says “Know a promo code?”. Enter the code and your discounted price will appear at the top of the price list.

If you have a promotion code for an individual film, after choosing “BUY TICKET”, above “select quantity”, you will see a box that says “Know a promo code?”. Enter the code and your discounted price will appear at the top of the price list.

Viewing films for individually purchased tickets

To watch an individually purchased film on your computer or device click WATCH NOW after the checkout process, and you will be directed to watch.vtiff.org. A 9 digit code/voucher will also appear along with instructions for other ways to view, such as on your Roku or Apple TV 4K. See below under “How can I watch films on my TV?” for additional ways to view on your TV, and how to access the VTIFF channel/app on your Roku or Apple TV 4K.

Note that if you stop watching and intend to finish viewing the film at a later time, you will need to enter the 9 digit code into your Roku or Apple TV 4K app when you restart the film. You can find this in your email confirmation, or in your account history on the VTIFF website.

How long do I have to view a film?

Each film has a different viewing period, most during the festival have a 3 day window. Check the festival schedule for dates that the film is playing- films will not be available after their scheduled time, no matter when it was purchased (for example if a film is scheduled for Friday through Sunday, that means it is viewable up until 11:59pm on Sunday). If you are purchasing it Sunday evening, you will want to be sure you can finish it by 11:59pm that night.

How do I view a Live Q&A Discussion?

Live discussions will be available in the web portal and apps if you are a pass holder. You will see the upcoming LIVE discussion below the”Now Playing” category. Click on it and choose “LIVE Stream”) not “play”). You will be able to ask questions by typing them. If you are watching the discussion on your TV, log into the portal also from your device and type from there.

Will Live Q&A discussions be available after they happen?

Yes, they will be recorded for viewing after they happen and posted on the vtiff.watch.org portal. Check the film pages associated with the discussions for the links.

Can I watch films if I live outside of Vermont?

Yes. Two films in the festival have some geo-limitations – these will show up when you attempt to purchase a ticket. Mostly you can watch from anywhere, so let your friends all across the country and the world know they can watch the festival as well!

How do I access Closed Captioning?

Closed Captioning is available on the web portal for select films (only if the distributor supplied them to us). To enable this option click the square icon on the bottom right of your screen (see image below). Note that films not in the English language will automatically have subtitles on all viewing platforms.

How can I watch films on my TV?

Below you will find multiple ways to watch VTIFF films on your personal television. We have a free VTIFF channel that can be added to your Roku or Apple TV 4K which will provide the best viewing experience, however there are also a handful of other options depending on the type of equipment you are using. If none of the options below are available to you and you still want to watch VTIFF films on your TV, we recommend investing in a Roku Express, Chromecast, or HDMI cable. They are relatively inexpensive and have further utility beyond the scope of the festival. The best choice for you will depend on the device you intend to use to purchase tickets. Do not hesitate to reach out to us (see contact info at the top of this page) to discuss the option that is best for you.

Roku App

Optimal for those with a Roku TV or Roku device plugged into your television.

If you have a Roku Player or RokuTV, you can add the VTIFF channel for free:

• Press the Home button on your Roku remote.
• On the left sidebar, scroll down to the Streaming Channels section.
• Select Streaming Channels to open the Roku Channel Store.
• Scroll down and click on Search Channels.
• Type in VTIFF.
• Select the VTIFF Channel that shows up in the results and press OK.
• Select Add Channel to install the channel.
• You can now open the channel from here, or hit the Home button and find it on the right hand side of the screen alongside your other installed channels.
• You will now be able to access the VTIFF channel from your Roku Home Screen. 

Roku Support’s Video Walkthrough

TCL is the most common brand for Roku TVs, but a handful of other name-brand companies make them as well. Check to see if your television is a Roku TV by looking for the Roku logo on your remote, or if your television shows the Roku logo when you turn it on. Roku also makes streaming devices that can plug into any TV using an HDMI port, the most affordable of which is the Roku Express at $29.99.

Apple TV 4K App 

Optimal for those with an Apple TV 4K device.

A subscription to AppleTV+ is not required, but the app is only available on the Apple TV 4k edition. If you own an Apple TV that is not the 4k edition, you can still use Airplay to watch the film on your television. For those instructions, skip to the next section.

On your Apple TV 4K:

• Go to the home screen and find the App Store  along the bottom row of tiles.
• Select Search and type in VTIFF.
• Install the VTIFF channel for free.
• You will now be able to access the VTIFF channel from the home screen on your Apple TV 4K.

Apple Support’s Walkthrough

Apple Airplay

Optimal for those using an Apple device to purchase their film who also own an Apple TV or AirPlay 2-enabled Smart Television

Many Smart Televisions are compatible with Apple’s AirPlay function, and all Apple TVs, regardless of age or model, are also able to use AirPlay. If you are using an iPhone, iPad, iPod, or Mac computer, you can use AirPlay to cast to your television by following these steps:

• Make sure that the Apple device you are using is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your AppleTV/Compatible Smart TV.
• Play the film on your apple device.
• Tap the icon.
• Choose your Apple TV or AirPlay-2 compatible smart TV.
• To stop streaming, tap the   icon and choose your iPhone/iPad.

Apple Support’s Walkthrough

You can also add the VTIFF channel to your device using the Apple TV app on a linked iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Apple’s Walkthrough for this can be found here.

Google Chromecast

Optimal for those using a Windows PC or Android device to view their film and wish to stream to their Chromecast device or Smart Television

As long as you are using the Google Chrome browser on your PC or android device, casting to your Chromecast or Chromecast enabled TV is fairly straightforward.

• Make sure that the mobile device, tablet or computer you are using is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your Chromecast or TV with Chromecast built-in.
• Start the film on your device
• Press the Cast button which is typically found in one of the corners of the video player.
• Select the device you’d like to cast to.
• The Cast button will turn color once connected.
• To stop casting, tap the Cast button   and hit Disconnect.

Google’s Walkthrough

If you need to set up a new Chromecast, see Google’s instructions here.

HDMI Cable

Optimal for those who are using a PC/Mac with an HDMI port that can be plugged into their television.

If none of the options above are available to you or you are having issues using one of those methods, it is fairly straightforward to plug a laptop or nearby PC into your TV using an HDMI cable. Not only is this the most affordable option, but it also rarely requires further troubleshooting or setup.

• First, make sure that your computer and your television both have an HDMI port on it, it will be this shape:   
• There are other types of HDMI ports such as Mini-HDMI and Micro-HDMI, and some newer computers may not have an HDMI port at all, opting for USB-C ports instead. Consult your product manual, or look up your device online, to see which option you have. Each of those ports has a corresponding cable or adapter that you can buy to enable use of your TV as a display.
• Find or purchase the appropriate HDMI cable that will reach from your computer to the back of your television
• Once the cable is connected and the television is turned on, your computer will recognize the TV screen and either extend your display or mirror it onto your television.
• Use your television remote to change the INPUT source to the HDMI channel. Note that there may be more than 1 HDMI channel so keep trying until you find the correct one.
• To adjust how your computer uses your TV as a monitor, check your Display Settings either in Control Panel for PC, or in your System Preferences for Mac. Your computer will automatically pick a screen resolution that works best with the TV, it is typically best to leave this as-is unless your screen is highly magnified or stretched, in which case you will want to try a higher resolution. If audio is not being sent to the TV, check your computer’s sound settings and make sure the output is set to the correct device.

WikiHow walkthrough for using HDMI cables with TVs

Your computer will automatically pick a screen resolution that works best with the TV, it is typically best to leave this as-is unless your screen is highly magnified or stretched, in which case you will want to try a higher resolution. If audio is not being sent to the TV, check your computer’s sound settings and make sure the output is set to the correct device.