The Canadian Diversity Film Festival is the premier festival to celebrate diversity in Toronto, Canada. This year, our festival will run monthly online and all winners will screen at the annual event from Monday, November 23rd to Sunday, November 29th, 2021.

The Canadian Diversity Film Festival is a hallmark event that celebrates our incredible diversity. Our aim is to bring diverse communities together to embrace our differences and discover our shared experiences. It is a focus through which filmmakers promote, challenge, and develop an understanding of equality, social justice, non-discrimination, diversity, and multiculturalism.

We accept all genres of films from all over the world. We create an opportunity for filmmakers to get their films judged and let them compete with other filmmakers. We perform a comprehensive evaluation process and select only high-quality films.

Awards & Prizes

We only award the best independent filmmakers after a comprehensive evaluation process. Our judges evaluate the quality of filmmaking, creativity, and storytelling ability.

1) We will have the Live Screening and Award Ceremony held on Monday, November 23rd to Sunday, November 29th, 2021.

2) The number of awards given out every month varies on the basis of the submission we receive.

4) Each winner will be contacted on the Notification Date

5) Each film has to be submitted to at least one genre, then they qualify for additional categories.

6) Films submitted into the review and rating category will receive their review and rating at the end of each month.

Rules & Terms

Rules & Terms:
- All films must have been made in or after 2018.
- Entries must be in English or subtitled in English.
- Work in progress is accepted.
- Multiple entries are allowed for each filmmaker.
- Our entries do not compete against each other.
- Entree fees are non-refundable.
- Short films must be under 40 minutes and features should be 40 mins and over.
- Each film has to be submitted to at least one genre, then they qualify for additional categories. Films entered in multiple categories may win multiple awards.
- Online screeners and posters must be uploaded to FilmFreeway’s site.
- CDFF does not download your film or make it available online.
- Student films need to upload their ID on the submission page.

87 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Billy Greer

    Where to start? I am thrilled to write a review for this incredible world class festival. From the moment we entered, we were informed of their notifications, important dates and potential outcomes of the in-person event this November due to COVID-19. They completely made us feel at home and it was so nice being received like that from a ‘hometown’ festival - thank you!! ❤️

    We are honoured and grateful, (okay, excited too), that “Was I Next? The Sean Cribbin Story” has been awarded 🏆 Best New Filmmaker, March 2021. Merci! Thank you! Meegwetch!

    To be recognized and awarded by a film festival with DIVERSITY🏳️‍🌈in their name... CANADIAN🇨🇦 and being from Toronto - well, this is extra meaningful!

    I don’t believe their incredible hospitality to be limited to the hometown submissions, these folks are the real deal. As Canadians, we pride ourselves on our diversity, the Canadian Diversity Film Festival has been so hospitable and really shown our team a lot of down home Canadian hospitality! We feel included and our project has been welcomed home.

    Congratulations to all the Official Selections and Winners this season - here’s hoping we can celebrate and socialize in November 2021. If you’re thinking about entering a festival and you want to have a great, film-family building experience... look no further than here.

    Five star is the max rating... I’m leaving 10!!
    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    Thank you for a wonderful experience, this is the start of something really cool. We can’t say enough about the recognition and networking we have seen as an offshoot to the announcement - and this was just the monthly!!

    Have a great festival season, stay safe and keep making dreams come true - we are grateful Sean’s story is being heard 🙏🏻🙏🏻

    Warmest regards,
    Billy Greer, Producer
    iCogitate Productions Inc.

    April 2021
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  • Josef Steiff

    Love this Festival! So proud for our film to be a finalist.

    April 2021
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  • Jason Lor

    I am honored to be a part of the 2021 film festival with my screenplay and looking forward to being a part of this festival again. The staff were very informative of any news and updates and got back to my questions very fast. Highly recommend this festival to new filmmakers and writers out there. Thanks again for a great experience.

    April 2021
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  • Agnes Maska

    Honored to take part in this festival and to have our film, The Age of Blossoms, be awarded best experimental film. Excellent communication and selection of films. Highly recommend.

    April 2021
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  • Ray Lee

    CDFF will become of of the top Canadian film fest in near future. Your professionalism and enthusiasm touch our heart. Million thanks for giving us such a prestigious award. We will support your film fest endlessly. On behave for Zombie Infection-Belaban Hidup movie team, I Ray Lee the director of the movie would like to wish CDFF a prosperous journey. Stay safe!

    April 2021
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