Abya Yala Film Festival is the first of its kind in Northern Ontario, Canada. This inaugural festival will be based on several screenings over the course of 3 days. Film programmes will come from a combination of curated features from the best of recent Latin America cinema, as well as selected films from amongst online submissions to AYFF from Latin artists worldwide. Preference will be given to films whose themes are centred in Latin America, or to films by Latin-Canadian media artists living in Ontario.
AYFF will be a space of encounter for the Latino community, centering our stories, our cultures and languages, and create a meeting place where our legacy, stories, joy and pride will be celebrated. AYFF is also a platform to share our stories with our children, show them our roots and thus, bring them closer to their origins, and to having access to both cultures. The programming will spawn reflection, education and awareness about Latin American realities, social movements and current political situations of our countries.

Awards & Prizes

The inaugural festival will have the following AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARDS:
Best Fiction Feature
Best Documentary Feature
Best Fiction Mid-Length or Short Film
Best Documentary Mid-Length or Short Film
Best Latinx-Canadian Film

Rules & Terms

- Films in languages such as Spanish, Portuguese, French, and English are preferred. If accepted, for Non-English films a version with English subtitles must be provided for exhibition. For English films, Spanish subtitles are requested.
- Shorts films: 1-20 min.
-Mid-length films: 21-69 min.
-Feature-length: 70 min. -120 min.
to be eligible for consideration as the Best Latinx-Canadian Film, the entry can meet one of 2 requirements: either that the filmmaker is originally form Latin America but currently resides full-time in Canada; OR the filmmaker is Canadian-born with Latin American ancestry.

- Film should be completed work and submitted in a familiar downloadable format.
- Entrants are responsible for obtaining all necessary clearances, licensing, permits and releases necessary to have their films exhibited. The festival and organizers are not responsible for any infringement claims, including but not limited to credit, copyrights and/or trademarks.
- By submitting to the festival you give us permission to screen your film in front of a live audience. If your film is selected to screen at AYFF, it is your responsibility to provide a copy for exhibition (DCP or MP4 file with subtitles as specified above) by the deadline specified in your notification letter: your film may be withdrawn by the organizers if your team does not meet the deadline for providing an exhibition copy.
- The final program of the festival will be posted 2 weeks prior to the festival date.
- If accepted through this platform, your film will be in-competition for Audience Choice Awards.