We are proud to announce the 10th Durham Region International Film Festival (DRIFF) with programs running from October 22nd to 24th, 2026. We invite you to submit your films to our open call for submissions.

We love passionate and visionary filmmakers, and go out of our way to promote and support you. In 2025, we were delighted to be able to offer filmmakers and our audiences several chances to connect through Q&As and social time. We all loved it!

The spirit of DRIFF is flourishing! We encourage community involvement through a shared love for cinema by offering unique and diverse programming, great conversations, and creative community partnerships.

Awards & Prizes

2026 FESTIVAL AWARDS:
(please note if there are no suitable award candidates in a given category in 2026, then no cash prize will be awarded for that category this year.)

Best Student Film - $700 cash prize

Best Canadian Short Film - $700 cash prize

Best International Short Film - $700 cash prize

Best Regional Film - $700 cash prize*

People's Choice Award - $700 cash prize

* If your film contains one or more of the following criteria you will be considered for the Regional prize of $700.

1. If the producer/director/screenwriter lives in Durham Region.

2. If a substantial number of your production crew is from Durham Region.

3. If more than 30% of the film was shot on location in Durham Region.

4. If more than three locations in Durham Region were used.

5. If your foley or film score was produced by Durham Region artists.

6. If the script was written by a Durham Region screenwriter.

7. If your documentary content and subject matter profiles Durham Region.

Rules & Terms

ELIGIBILITY

Entrants must be at least 18 years old at the time of submission for all categories other than the Student category where they can be 14 years and over.

DEFINITION:

SHORT FILMS : Films that are over 1 minute and under 29 minutes including all genres.

FEATURE FILMS : Films that are 60 minutes and over including all genres.

Check all categories that apply to your FIlm.

Important Dates:

- Production : Only works produced from January 1, 2025 will be accepted.

- Submission : The deadline for submission is June 30, 2026.

- Selection : Applicants will be informed of the results of the selection by August 10, 2026.

The following should be provided with each submission:

- Completely filled submission form.

- A secured web screener, working until the end of the Festival, October 26, 2026.

- Full payment of the submission fees.

Films must not have a scheduled theatrical release in Ontario before the festival dates: October 22 to 24, 2026. No entry shall have been screened commercially, released in video format, or available on the internet (including social media) or video-on-demand prior to the Festival (exceptions may be made at the discretion of the Festival Committee upon selection).

Filmmakers whose films have been chosen for screening at the festival will be notified by EMAIL ONLY, on or before Aug 10, 2026. The judge’s decision is final and not subject to appeal. Scheduling screening dates, times, and locations are at the sole discretion of DRIFF.

By submitting your film to DRIFF, you consent to having your email added to DRIFF’s mailing list where you can choose to unsubscribe at any time.

All short films submitted to DRIFF are automatically considered for our community "DRIFF in a Jiff" program. By submitting your film, you grant permission for it to be considered for screening at this free event, which helps engage and build an audience for our annual festival. If your film is selected for screening at one of these events, you will be notified and can choose whether or not to participate. Due to the high volume of submissions, we cannot provide individual feedback.

Please Note. DRIFF organizers have final authority on all matters not specifically covered by these regulations.

For more information, please contact us at programming@driff.ca.

26 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Jack Copland

    Attending DRIFF with my short film Going Dutch was a fantastic experience. The team was organized, communicative, and genuinely supportive. The programming was strong, the audiences were engaged, and there were great opportunities to connect with other filmmakers. DRIFF truly values its artists and creates a welcoming community that goes beyond the screenings.

    November 2025
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  • Lauren Eden

    This has now been my third time screening my work here and I had an amazing time at DRIFF 2024. The festival takes amazing care of artists and the atmosphere overall was lovely. The audience and my fellow filmmakers were all so friendly, this experience just makes me want to return even more.

    February 2025
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  • Kyle Marchen

    DRIFF 2024 was the perfect place to meet and engage with fellow filmmakers, we thoroughly enjoyed the programming and attending the event with our short film "Heap".

    November 2024
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  • Amir Zargara

    What a great experience this was. We were lucky enough to attend the festival in person and they really know how to take care of their filmmakers. Can't wait to be back with our future work :)

    November 2024
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  • Herbert Robertson

    GREAT FESTIVAL and we were so excited to be included with our short COMMON AS RED HAIR!

    October 2023
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