ELIGIBILITY
• We accept Canadian and International shorts.
• Maximum film length 30 minutes (we have no minimum length).
• Films in languages other than English will only be accepted with English subtitles.
CANADIAN SHORTS ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
To be eligible for entry in the Canadian Short category, your film must have been shot in Canada, OR the director or screenwriter must be Canadian.
INTERNATIONAL SHORTS ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
If your short was not shot in Canada, or your director/writer are not Canadian then please enter it under our International Short category.
JUDGING PROCESS
Submissions will be judged and scored based on criteria including: quality of screenplay (story, dialogue, character arcs etc), acting, production quality, originality, technical proficiency, cinematography, sound design, editing, locations and set design. We support indie filmmaking and will award additional points to shorts produced on a micro budget and/or minimal crew.
SCREENING FOR SELECTED SHORTS
Your selection and award classification will be posted on our website. Canada Shorts works hard to recognize quality filmmaking and tends to offer awards to 120+ short films per season. That is considerably more than we could possibly screen. We screen all best-of winners (including genre winners) during the festival.
SCREENING LOCATION
Canada Shorts will screen all 'Premier Award' winners including 'Best Of' winners.
Canada Shorts screens at The Cinematheque theatre, 1131 Howe Street, Vancouver, British Columbia.
EXHIBITION FORMAT
If your short is selected for exhibition we will inform you. We will also send you an exhibition file request email. If selected, you will need to provide an HD (1920 x 1080) or 2K/4K exhibition file, in a high-quality codec such as ProRes or H265. H264 is also acceptable. We will create an exhibition DCP.
IMDB
Canada Shorts is an IMDB qualifying festival.
COMMUNICATIONS
Canada Shorts communicates to entrants via FilmFreeway notifications. Please make certain the email address in your entry form is correct. Please also add admin@canadashorts.com to your Safe Senders list on your email platform.
Some email systems place FilmFreeway communications in junk/spam folders so we recommend you check those folders regularly and mark FilmFreeway as safe.
==> For our complete FAQ, Eligibility requirements, Rules & Terms please visit our website:
http://canadashorts.com/
FEE WAIVERS
We work hard to keep our submission fees as low as possible – consequently we cannot provide fee waivers.
RULES & TERMS
• The depiction of animal abuse whether real or implied is not acceptable and will lead to automatic disqualification and loss of entry fee.
• Canada Shorts has no festival premiere eligibility requirements. Shorts that have screened at other festivals are still eligible.
• Canada Shorts has no public or internet broadcast eligibility requirements. If your short has screened on Vimeo etc, it is still eligible.
• Changes to submitted films will only be accepted if accompanied by a new submission fee.
• The decision of the selection committee is final.
• Stills of selected films may also be shown on the Festival website and publicity/promo material including press releases, festival brochures and other materials.
• All entry fees are non-refundable.
• Entrants are responsible for securing all rights and permissions from copyright and other holders relating to their short.
• Canada Shorts reserves the right to update or modify these terms and policies without prior notice.
MISCELLANEOUS
• After selection, notification letters will be sent electronically.
• Canada Shorts does not accept trailers or rough assemblies but will accept work-in-progress cuts (picture lock with temp sound, color, etc.). Please be aware Canada Shorts will not view multiple updates/versions of your film for programming consideration.
TROPHIES
• Custom-made personalized trophies will be presented to winners of Grand Prize, Best Canadian Short, Best International Short, Best Director, Best Writer. Maximum one trophy per entry.
