THE 5TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL PEACE FESTIVAL
SEPTEMBER 20-24, 2023
Toronto, Canada
www.internationalpeacefestival.com
www.filmforpeace.org

The INTERNATIONAL PEACE FESTIVAL (IPF) returns to Toronto in September 2023 for its 5th edition — 5 days of diverse and innovative perspectives on peace as promoted through the arts, music, and international and Canadian cinema, special events featuring some of the biggest names in film, music, painting, sculpture, and photography and IPF’s Cultural Exchange & Industry Expo, offering IPF’s partners, sponsors, and endorsers the opportunity to showcase their products, services and communicate their key message to festival-goers.

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5th Annual Film For Peace Festival
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

All films to be screened at the
“Clubhouse Toronto”
643 Yonge Street, Toronto ON M4Y 1Z9

Film For Peace, Toronto, 2023

*************WINNERS************

A piece of peace "Blanket of words"
Best Animated Short (under 30 min),
Directors Carlos Zerpa, Beltran Perez, Jacobo Alban
Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
5289 5:18

Gen Z Mental Health: Climate Stories
Best Short Documentary (under 30 min)
Director Tehya Jennett
United States
5353 8:30

Moving Together in the Ways of the People
Best Director
Director Calder Cheverie
Canada

How Did You Learn Spanish?
Best Soundtrack
Director Claire Kinnen
United States

A Place Called Home
Best Short under 10 minutes
Director Lakai Worrell
United States

The Thin Green Line
Director Hugh Allen
Best Student Short Film
United Kingdom
5415 14:07

Little Broken Bodies
Directors Federico Ancillai, Nqobile Nunu K.H
Best Actress
South Africa
5271 15:00

Seven Minutes in Heaven
Best Short under 30
Director King Dawit
Canada

Palestine Report 7:00
BEST PRODUCER,
Best Doc over 30minutes
Director Atsushi Kadowaki
Japan
5413 01:35:00

What did I miss?
BEST ACTOR,
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Director Mariam El-Nowaihi
Egypt 5263

***********TOP SELECTION***************
The Pillar Of Strength
Director Aie Ibrahim
Malaysia

So does the silence
Director Sami Schinaia
Italy

Zombie
Director Dr. Lisa Spencer
USA

One Earth
Ilysa Spencer
USA

Reparation
Director Jason Verney
United Kingdom

How Did You Learn Spanish?
Director Claire Kinnen
United States

This Side
Director Dan Tarrant
United States

Moving Together in the Ways of the People
Director Calder Cheverie
Canada

VICTORIA
Director Alexander Shingurov
Kazakhstan

A Place Called Home
Director Lakai Worrell
United States

When I'll be capable of love
Director Giulia Brazzale
Italy

The Thin Green Line
Director Hugh Allen
United Kingdom

Same Language
Directors Blake Simpson, Morris Schmid
Switzerland

Palestine Report
Director Atsushi Kadowaki
Japan

Da Pacem Domine
Director Elwin de Wolf
Netherlands

Solstice
Jonathan Gallan
United States

Fredericksburg from Colonial Times to the Civil War
Director C Edward Mack
United States

The Address on the Wall
Director Serge Krutsenko
Ukraine

The Last Goodbye
Director Ben Vasion
United States

Seven Minutes in Heaven
Director King Dawit
Canada

Exploiting Eden, Île-à-Vache
Director Raquel Gómez-Rosado
Spain

The Kid Behind The Iron Door
Director Farnaz Samiinia
United States

The Story So Far
Directors Bill Brassow, Jack Schwitz
United States

Music is my refuge
Director THIERNO SEYDOU NOURO SY
Senegal

Gen Z Mental Health: Climate Stories
Director Tehya Jennett
United States

Together
Directors Marco Espirito Santo, Del Reginato
Portugal

RUTHLESS
Director Sanjai Chandrasekaran
India

who we are...
Director Noah Berlow
United States

The George Herman House
Director Declan O'Driscoll
Canada

Yuvalo
Director Adi Nagar
Israel

A piece of peace
Directors Carlos Zerpa, Beltran Perez,
Jacobo Alban,
Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

fella
Director atia bellal
Algeria

Boy in the Corner
Director Joshy Lee
United Kingdom

Little Broken Bodies
Directors Federico Ancillai, Nqobile Nunu
K.H
South Africa

The Last Bullet
Director GBU
United States

What did I miss?
Director Mariam El-Nowaihi
Egypt

Never Despair
Director Eser Tokas
Turkey

LUNARCODE: THE LIGHT
Director Vincenzo Carubia
United States

Sunflowers In the Night
Director Andres Useche
United States

Unlocking Ireland
Director Johnathan Connolly
Ireland

The Suitcase; Turning a Yellow Spot to Sun
Director Amir Payam
United States

EL SECRETO DE SORAYA
Director Talissa Lopes
Spain


CRITERIA
1) Principal theme must be of “Peace” – how to achieve it, lessons to be learned to keep this world in a peaceful state.
2) Production values – cinematography, sound design, musical score
3) Quality of acting & direction

Some films had great messages but lacked production values
Others had terrific production values but did not adhere to the theme.
And, of course, some scored very high in both theme and production values.
Very difficult to narrow so many wonderful films down to single winners.

As far as we are concerned, they are all winners!

I would like to thank Karim Mirshahi for initiating this festival 4 years ago.

And a huge thank you to the following judges who took a large chunk of time out of their busy lives to volunteer their talent and services for the benefit of this festival. They did a magnificent job in sorting through all entries from over 30 nations around the world.

Satie Narain Simon
francine Mbvoumbo
Sheena Osman
nobahar dadui
korrie smith
Sylvia Johnson-Lay
Arif Gilany
Angela Argentina

COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN:
Canada USA Greece Russia United Kingdom India Netherlands Israel
Spain Australia Jordan Egypt Finland Lebanon Qatar South Africa
Sweden South Korea Taiwan Germany France Iran Pakistan Chile Italy
Poland Bolivia China Macedonia Croatia Turkey

Peace and see you all in 2023 for our 5th Annual Film for Peace Festival.

Yours Truly,
Sandra Creighton – Film for Peace, Executive Director

“Film for Peace” is an experiential creative initiative organized by Toronto Waterfront Magazine to address the escalation of violence. You are invited to submit a short film addressing the issue of violence that is informative, inspiring and entertaining. The key component of the festival is to raise awareness of the underlying contributing factors leading to violence, such as bullying, mental health, addictions, social isolation, poverty, rejections of minority groups, etc. Entrants will be judged on their ability to effectively communicate, through the medium of film, potential solutions to achieving sustainable peace as a community. Valuable prizes and scholarships will be available to winning entrants, as judged by the team of volunteers with art and filmmaking backgrounds.

The festival is hosted by Toronto Waterfront Magazine (TWM), located at 20 Bay St., Suite #1100, Toronto, Ontario. Participation in the festival constitutes entrants’ full and unconditional agreement to and acceptance of the rules and the decisions of TWM, which are final and binding. Festival entries may be submitted by an individual or by a group. All entrants must complete the “Permission Form.” If the entrant is under the age of 18, the permission form must be signed by a parent or legal guardian.
Entrants will be judged on their ability to effectively communicate, through the medium of film, the issue of violence. We encourage films that introduce potential solutions to achieving sustainable peace as a community.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Calder Cheverie

    TL;DR: Literally don't even know if this festival happened.

    I never heard from anyone at this festival.
    They didn't even update their website for this year, didn't answer my emails when I inquired what was happening, and yet somehow my film won an award?
    But then when I emailed to ask: What award? What happened at the festival? Why isn't the website updated? Why is no one answer my emails?

    Never heard back from anyone. Literally don't even know if this festival happened.

    November 2023
  • Jason Verney

    Thank you for this opportunity to showcase my film in Toronto.

    However, as per previous year/s, where can we view the award ceremony? The website or social media platforms only show details from 2022's festival. Thanks.

    October 2023
  • Very happy to be part of the festival!
    Thank you so much!

    October 2023
  • Galina Fesenko

    Unfortunately, we are not answered either by e-mail or on Facebook. Our film "The Power of Childhood" became the winner as the best actor Andrei Noskov. But they didn't even send us any diploma for Andrei. It's a pity that we don't get any answers to our emails.

    October 2022
  • Holger Klussmann

    A festival with an important theme in these times. I was happy to participate and I hope I could inspire with my film.

    October 2022