2015 Every Film Festival in Toronto: all 35 of them

Yes, there are more festivals in Toronto than just TIFF and Hot Docs. By the way, did you know that there are two “TIFF”s? One is the TIFF everyone knows, and the other is the “Toronto Independent Film Festival”; a festival you have a hugely greater chance of getting into than the regular TIFF. And the best thing is, you can brag “Hey my movie premiered at TIFF” and not be technically lying.

Anyway, for you my scholars, we’ve compiled a list of all the festivals, with submission deadlines, within the GTA. If you want more content like this and want to be updated instantly when it comes out, join the 500+ other filmmakers and get the free newsletter.

Every Single Film Festival in Toronto

Toronto International Film Festival (link)

The Toronto International Film Festival is the most prestigious festival in Toronto. I didn’t have to put it first, but ah well.

Genre Restrictions

Multiple films of every kind. No restrictions other than the obvious “no porn.” Unless it’s tasteful porn, and then it can go under the category of “art films you didn’t get.”

Eligibility

International and Canadian short films

Location

350 King St W, Toronto, ON M5V 3C6

Deadline

February 9, 2015 to May 1, 2015

How-To Apply

In order to submit your film, you must register via http://Withoutabox.com and send to: submissions@tiff.net.

indiefilmTO Film Festival (link)

Yes, a shameless plug, so what? I don’t feel any shame. I wanna screen your movies.

Genre Restrictions

None. Must be a short though.

Eligibility

Anyone from the GTA or Ontario can apply.

Location

Queen and Spadina

Deadline

Submissions start March 15th, and last until May 15th, 2015.

How-To Apply

Keep checking our site, we’ll open up the submissions in the next two weeks. Or you can sign up to be notified here.

Queer West Film Festival (link)

Genre Restrictions

Deals with LBTQ themes, or by an artist who belongs to that group.

Location

Revue Cinema on August 7th to August 9th.

Deadline

The deadline to submit just passed (April 4th) but look out for next years.

Toronto Independent Film Festival (link)

The Toronto Independent Film Festival, not to be confused with TIFF, is a short film festival

Genre Restrictions

Just shorts, no genre restrictions.

Eligibility

International films in the following categories: documentary, short film, LGBT film, animated short, Experimental short, Sci-Fi Short, and music videos

Location

2100 Bloor St. West, Suite 6130.

Deadline

The earliest submission period is January 16, 2015. The latest is July 10th.

How-To Apply

In order to submit your film, you must register via info@film-fest.ca. You must also submit the entry fees.

The Festival Doc Shop (link)

The Festival Doc Shop is a source for only the hottest documentaries

Genre Restrictions

The greatest documentary festival in Toronto. Food for thought!

Eligibility

Documentaries (All Matters) must be English language, subtitled in English or English-versioned

Location

110 Spadina Avenue, Suite 333, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5V 2K4

Deadline

Now to March 23, 2015

Toronto After Dark (link)

Toronto After Dark is a horror based film centre in Toronto.

Genre Restrictions

Horror. Thriller. Question is, can you take it?

Eligibility

Can you scare or be scared? Seriously, that’s what it says on their site.

Location

3219 Yonge Street, Suite 346, Toronto, Ontario, M4N 3S1

Deadline

(Passed) Keep this in mind for when it opens up again soon.

How-To Apply

You must contact: info@torontoafterdark.com. There simply is no other way!

Inside Out Film Festival (link)

Toronto’s Queer film festival is a niche market for specific films.

Genre Restrictions

Romance, Queer.

Eligibility

Must have themes that deal with LGBTQ.

Location

401 Richmond Street West, Suite 219, Toronto, ON M5V 3A8 CANADA

Deadline

Now to February 20, 2015

How-To Apply

Inside Out

Attn: Meryl Warren, Programming Assistant

401 Richmond Street West, Suite 219

Toronto, ON M5V 3A8 CANADA

When in doubt, contact submissions@insideout.ca.

Real Asian Film Festival (link)

Eligibility

East/South/Southeast Asian/Asian North American and Asian Films

Location

401 Richmond Street West, Suite 309. Toronto, Ontario M5V 3A8 Canada

Deadline

(Passed) APRIL 30, 2014

How-To Apply

Mail your submission to their location, or email info@reelasian.com.

Toronto Jewish Film Festival (link)

Jewish Film Festival of Toronto where you sing, dance and film it!

Eligibility

Must deal in subjects of Jewish history and culture

Location

19 Madison Avenue

Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5R 2S2

Deadline

March 26, 2015.

How-To Apply

http://form.zonefestival.com/?k=tjff_f1

Planet in Focus (link)

Environmentalism films. Hey watch out for those sexy Panda’s.

Eligibility

Must have ecological and environmental topics.

Location

33 Mill Street, Unit 1209, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5A 3R3

Deadline

May 1st, 2015

Cinefranco (link)

The French language film festival, where you get to steal the Pink Panther Diamond of films.

Genre Restrictions

Culturally French centric

Eligibility

The film must be in French.

Location

642 King street West, Suite 307, Toronto, ON M5V 1M5

Deadline

April 10 to 19, 2015

How-To Apply

http://2015.ci…2015-festival

Images (link)

Provides interdisciplinary films which focus on the cutting edge of new media professionalism

Genre Restrictions

Programming considered outside dominant media

Eligibility

All works related to the moving image, interactive processes and digital media are eligible for entry.

Location

401 Richmond St. W. # 448, Toronto, Ontario M5V 3A8 CANADA

Deadline

17th October 2015

How-To Apply

http://www.ima…tallation.php or email: submissions@imagesfestival.com

Open Roof Festival (link)

A not for profit outdoor music and film festival

Location

99 Sudbury St, Toronto, ON. M6J 3C2

How-To Apply

Bring your film to the event: contact@openrooffestival.com

Reel World (link)

Eligibility

Feature racially diverse people in prominent roles in film/video content.

Location

243 Eglinton Ave West, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4R 1B1

Deadline

(Passed) Keep in mind for the future though.

Toronto Urban Film Festival (link)

North America’s largest commuter film festival.

Genre Restrictions

Movies made in commuter locations

Eligibility

They search for different kinds of films year to year. Last year they were looking for 60 second silent films. Who knows what they might be seeking next year? Stay creative!

Location

300-266 King St. West

Toronto, ON M5V 1H8

Deadline

Passed. Keep in mind for the future! Don’t let this discourage you, my scholars.

How-To Apply

info@torontourbanfilmfestival.com

European Union Film Festival (link)

Genre Restrictions

The European films that interest Toronto audiences.

Location

608 College Street Toronto, Ontario M6G 1A1

Deadline

(Passed) 15 -30 November 2014. They are opening up soon though so keep checking back.

How-To Apply

Be sure to talk to them in Euro’s: jabessira@eutorontofilmfest.ca

Regent Park Film Festival (link)

Regent Park is Film Festival for the neighborhood of Regent Park.

Eligibility

The festival focuses on stories that resonate with the inner-city, community-driven, transient context of Regent Park, as well as with other communities in Toronto, across Canada and around the globe.

Location

585 Dundas Street East, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Deadline

Passed.

How-To Apply

http://regentp…it-your-film/ and email them: info@regentparkfilmfestival.com

Toronto Palestine Film Festival (link)

Genre Restrictions

Palestinian history, culture and politics

Eligibility

Palestinian filmmakers; as well as films on topics related to Palestine by Canadian and International filmmakers

Location

102A-1075 Bay Street, Suite 148 , Toronto, ON M5S 2B2 Canada

Deadline

Passed.

How-To Apply

http://tpff.ca…on-Form-1.doc email: submissions@tpff.ca

ImagineNative Film and Media Arts Festival (link)

Genre Restrictions

First Nation, American Indian and Canadian Indian films.

Eligibility

To be eligible, an Indigenous person (ie. self-identified as Indigenous, Aboriginal or First Peoples and their descendents) must have held a key creative role on the project as a writer, director, or producer. The content of the film/video can be universal

Location

401 Richmond Street West, Suite 349, Toronto, ON, Canada M5V 3A8

Deadline

(Passed) May 15, 2014

How-To Apply

Attn: Submissions

imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival

401 Richmond Street West, Suite 349

Toronto, ON, Canada M5V 3A8

You can always email first: programming@imagineNATIVE.org

Female-eye film festival (link)

Films which strongly features women

Genre Restrictions

Subjects involving the lives of women.

Eligibility

Female film-makers, or those with a predominantly female cast/crew.

Location

180 Shaw Street, Toronto, Ontario

How-To Apply

You must submit your film through Vimeo: submitfeff@gmail.com

Toronto South African Film Festival (link)

Eligibility

Features and documentaries about the culture, history and politics of South Africa

Deadline

Passed.

How-To Apply

Talk to them at info@tsaff.ca

Brazil Film Fest (link)

A film festival dedicated to Brazilian culture in Toronto.

Genre Restrictions

Documentaries or features that showcase Brazilian culture.

Location

TIFF Bell Lightbox.

Deadline

Passed. But don’t let that discourage you my friend.

How-To Apply

Subscribe to their newsletter or follow them on twitter at @brazilfilmfest.

Toronto Silent Film Festival

You might think it’s silent, but pictures say more than words!

Genre Restrictions

A curse on the spoken word

Eligibility

Must be a silent film

Location

140 Rhodes Avenue. Toronto, Ontario.

Canada M4L 3A1

How-To Apply

Contact them at torontosilentfilm@gmail.com

**added after March 20th**

Scarborough Film Festival (link)

Eligibility

Canadian and world cinema

Location

Suite 572 – 36 Stadium Rd. Toronto, ON., Canada. M5V 3P4

Deadline

June 2015 ( First Week )

How-To Apply

info@scarboroughfilmfestival.com

Toronto Web Festival (link)

Eligibility

A festival for independent web series

Location

The last festival was held at the Harbourfront Centre in Toronto

How-To Apply

Email them at info@towebfest.com

Blood in the Snow (link)

Eligibility

Canadian-made shorts, features and documentaries in the horror, underground or grindhouse genre’s.

Deadline

November 27, 2015

Location

Carlton Cinema’s

How-To Apply

To submit go to this email: info@bloodinthesnow.ca

The Canadian Film Festival (link)

Eligibility

Any Canadian-made film

Deadline

They appear to have multiple deadlines for different kinds of films

Location

1 Tregann St. Unite A

Toronto, ON M5A 3A9

How-To Apply

Email these guys at: berneuler@canfilmfest.ca

8 Fest: Small Gauge Film Festival (link)

Eligibility

Films in any genre

Deadline

September 30th, 2015

How- To Apply

the8fest@gmail.com with complete submission form.

aluCine Latin Film + Media Arts Festival (link)

Eligibility

Latin-American films by Latin-American artists living in Canada

Deadline

April 2nd 2015

How- To Apply

Submissions are now closed: Must wait until 2016

Location

Jackman Hall AGO

Rendez-vous with Madness (link)

Eligibility

Films designed for high-school students and for the benefit of people living with mental illness

Deadline

August 7th 2015

Location

TIFF Bell Lightbox

How- To Apply

Fill out this form: link and then email: geoff_pevere@workmanarts.com

TIFF Kids International Festival (link)

Eligibility

Films for Kids

Deadline

Applications for the TIFF kids Studio open March 1st.

Location

TIFF Lightbox

Cabbagetown Short Film Festival (link)

Eligibility

For the best short films from around the world, to be shown in the neighborhood of Cabbagetown.

Deadline

September 11 2015

Location

383 Sackville Street

How-to Apply

Application form at this link: link

The Parkdale Showcase (link)

Deadline

May 4 2015

Location

Parkdale and Roncesvalles neighborhood

How-to Apply

Visit the submission form here: link

The Breast Film Festival (link)

A Festival dedicated to Breast Cancer Awareness.

Eligibility

Documentaries and features exploring being young and suffering from breast cancer

Location

215 Spadina Avenue, Studio 570, Toronto, ON. M5T 2C7

Deadline

September 30th 2015

How-to Apply

Submit your film to: allen@rethinkbreastcancer.com

The Pomegranate Film Festival (link)

The Armenian Film Festival.

Eligibility

Relevant topics for Armenian culture

Location

50 Hallcrown Place, North York. Ontario. M2J 4Y4

Deadline

Wednesday November 5th 2015

How-to Apply

Submit a film to them by following this link: ( link )

The Water Docs Film Festival (link)

A film festival all about Water and Ecology

Eligibility

Any documentary, short or feature which deals in preserving clean water

Location

250 The East Mall

Deadline

March 18th 2015

How-to Apply

For submitting your film please contact: info@ecologos.ca

The Lakeshorts Film Festival (link)

A short film festival for South Etobicoke.

Eligibility

Short films from independent filmmakers

Location

2422 Lakeshore Blvd W.

Deadline

May 2nd 2015

How-to Apply

Please email Michelle Nolden: lakeshorts@lakeshorearts.ca

Bonus

The Toronto Fringe Festival (link)

If you are a theatre actor, you can always gather your troops and put on some live performances. Talk to them at: The Fringe of Toronto Theatre Festival #403 – 720 Bathurst Street or general@fringetoronto.com,

Toronto International Deaf Film & Arts Festival (link)

A film for the deaf in Toronto.

Genre Restrictions

Must be for the deaf.

Eligibility

Subtitles a must; intended for a deaf audience

Deadline

April 1st, 2015

How-To Apply

Contact them at info@titfaf.ca and arts_submission@tidfaf.ca.