Dufferin Film Festival

Before you submit your film to the Dufferin Film Festival, please review and understand the following Rules, Terms & Conditions. By submitting your film, you acknowledge and agree to abide by these Rules & Terms.

If you have any questions or concerns as it relates to these rules, terms and conditions or with the film submission process overall, please contact us at “submissions@dufferinfilmfest.com”

Rules, Terms & Conditions:

-Each film submission will be pre-screened by Dufferin Film Festival’s programming team to determine which films will be screened for the critics. If your film fails to meet any/all of the terms and conditions laid out below, it will be rejected and your submission will be non-refundable.
-Each category will be judged by a preselected jury consisting of professionals from different fields of the film industry who have no ties to the films in competition. The films submitted will be judged on multiple criteria including but not limited to:
-Quality of the screenplay, encompassing elements of storytelling and dialogue, as well as the caliber of acting on display.
-Technical achievements, encompassing elements such as cinematography, editing, and sound design.
-Other artistic elements such as production design, costumes, makeup & hairstyling, etc.
-For programming consideration, ALL submissions are accepted via FilmFreeway Only.. You will be able to enter this information during submission.

PLEASE NOTE THAT WE DO NOT ACCEPT DVD SCREENERS.

-Submission fees are non-refundable.
-Submission deadlines are at 11:59 PM EST on the posted date.
-All Short Films submitted must have been at least 60% filmed in Canada and/or is considered a Canadian Production created by a permanent resident of Canada. If you submit for “Ontario Short”, you must be able to prove, if required, that the project was created in Ontario, Canada specifically.
-Regardless of Genre, All submitted films that meet the eligibility requirements outlined by Dufferin Film Festival, and have been chosen as an Official Selection, will be automatically entered for awards consideration. Any selected film can win multiple awards across both categories.
-Award Winners will be announced during the Awards Gala & Dinner on the final night of the festival. You will also be notified if you won regardless of in-person attendance. -- -Award winners will have their award mailed or available for pickup from Orangeville, ON on an arranged date after the festival, if they cannot attend. Please reach out to us if you won and couldn’t attend to coordinate a date for pickup or mailing instructions.
-The Jury Award for Best Overall Film will be specifically selected by our preselected jury.
-The Audience Award for Best Overall Film will be voted on by our in-person audiences during each film screening block. We will coordinate votes via QR Code on the day and tally them prior to the Gala. The film with the highest votes across all film screening blocks will win our Audience Award.
-Recipients of each category award will receive a physical award and laurel with an official title of their award for the respective year of the festival.
-There are no festival premiere eligibility requirements however it is appreciated.
-Films that are readily available online through platforms, such as Vimeo or YouTube, are not eligible.
-Films not in the English language must be subtitled in English.
-Filmmakers are entirely accountable for addressing any technical issues related to their submitted films. In the event that, during the judging process, a video file fails to function correctly or lacks English subtitles (in the case of languages other than English), it will regrettably be subject to automatic rejection, with no refund provided. Please reach out to the Festival team if any submission-related challenges arise. Rest assured, we are committed to working collaboratively to identify and implement solutions to ensure a seamless submission experience.
-Once a short film is submitted to the Dufferin Film Festival, it is considered "finished" and will remain in its submitted form throughout the entire process, from the submission date to its showcase, if selected. This policy ensures that all submitted films are evaluated and presented consistently, preserving the fairness and integrity of the selection and screening process. Filmmakers are encouraged to carefully review their work before submission to ensure it aligns with their artistic vision and intentions, as any alterations post-submission are not permitted. Films cannot be withdrawn once submitted. We reserve the right to withdraw any film that does not meet or comply with our eligibility criteria post-submission. Your submission fee will not be refundable.
-Selected films' excerpts or stills may be displayed on the Festival website and in promotional materials, including press releases, festival brochures, and other online marketing materials. Entrants are responsible for obtaining all necessary rights and permissions for their shorts, including copyrights and other relevant rights. Dufferin Film Festival reserves the right to update or modify these terms and policies without prior notice. By submitting a film, you grant Dufferin Film Festival the rights to use an excerpt from your film for festival promotion. The submitter must ensure they have the authority to commit the film for screening and accept the requirements, rules, and regulations outlined here. Dufferin Film Festival reserves the right to refuse entries.
-Films selected for the Dufferin Film Festival (“Official Selection”) will be notified by June 30th, 2025. If your film is selected, you will receive a “Dufferin Film Festival” Official Selection Laurel along with two free Passes to to your screening block.
-Please be advised that Filmmakers may be asked to speak at a Q&A session during their screening block about their film and answer questions from the audience.
-Due to time constraints, the Selection Committee will not be able to respond individually to filmmakers if your film is not accepted.
-If selected, Dufferin Film Festival will ask for a master copy of your film (In its highest quality with mixed audio) as well as any and all available press materials (Trailer, Poster, Behind the Scenes Photos, Etc.) to be sent to Dufferin Film Festival via downloadable link to: “submissions@DufferinFilmFest.com” with the subject line: “Official Selection -” and the title of your film within three to four weeks of notification of selection. Failure to submit your materials within the alloted time window will risk being withdrawn from our "Official Selection"
-Upon acceptance into the festival, the scheduling of screening dates, times, and locations is the sole responsibility of festival organizers. You will be notified prior to the festival date of the screening date and time.
-Dufferin Film Festival reserves the right to modify the awards program, its categories, and awards at any given time.
-Dufferin Film Festival reserves the right to modify and update its terms and conditions at any given time.
-Participation in the Dufferin Film Festival implies understanding and acceptance of these regulations:
1) The individual or corporation submitting the film hereby warrants that it is authorized to commit the film for screening and understands and accepts these requirements and regulations.
2) In the event that a secondary screening will be held (either online or in-person) in addition to the festival dates, Dufferin Film Festival reserves the right to screen your selected film at this secondary screening. Dufferin Film Festival will notify the filmmakers of this secondary screening at least a month in advance.
3) The submitter shall indemnify and hold harmless Dufferin Film Festival from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages and expenses (including but not limited to attorney's fees and costs of the court) which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening and loss of or damage to the screening videos entered.

If selected for official programming:
• Digital submission via downloadable link (Dropbox, WeTransfer, Google Drive, etc.)
• No physical media will be accepted. Digital file submission only.
VIDEO:
-Resolutions Accepted: 4096 x 2160; 3840 x 2160; 1920x1080; 1998x1080; 2048x858
If your Resolution is not featured, please contact submissions@dufferinfilmfest.com for confirmation
-Formats Accepted: ProRes; .mov, or High-quality H.264 MP4;
Please Note: We do NOT accept DCP Format
-2.1 Stereo audio is mandatory due to the theatre's technical limitations