FOFS Pitch Competition

The FOFS Pitch Competition, co-presented by POV, takes place during the Future of Film Showcase (FOFS) on June 22nd, 2024 in person at the Paradise Theatre in Toronto, ON.

In this inaugural pitch competition, six emerging Canadian filmmakers will be allocated ten minutes to pitch their next film production for financial and in-kind support. Selected participants will present their concepts or works in progress to a panel of judges composed of filmmakers and industry professionals who will offer each five minutes of constructive feedback. The winner of the pitch competition will be announced on June 23rd, 2024 and have their film screen at the 2026 Future of Film Showcase.

All pitch competition finalists will receive all-access passes to the 2024 Future of Film Showcase.

The five successful participants in the pitch competition will be offered mentorship sessions with mentors in various facets of the film industry (pre-production, production and post-production). These sessions will take place between April - June 2024.

May 1st: Mentorship Session #1
May 8th: Mentorship Session #2
May 15th: Mentorship Session #3
May 22nd: Mentorship Session #4
May 29th: Mentorship Session #5
June 5th: Mentorship Session #6

Application Materials:

When submitting, please ensure you have created a new project under the “My Projects” section of your profile for this specific programme application. The project is titled “FIRST AND LAST NAME – FOFS PITCH COMPETITION – 2025” and is a Film / Video project type.

You should be prepared to submit your materials in a single PDF. If you have a pitch deck already prepared for your project, you can submit it with your application. Submitters are required to provide the following for review by the submission committee. Projects will be judged on strength of CONCEPT (what project you want to make and for whom), BUDGET (what it will take to make your project a reality), and KEY CREATIVES (the people involved in making the project).

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

CONCEPT — materials include:
- Project Description, including story synopsis, logline, target audience, creative comparables -- limit to one to two pages max!
- Full outline or screenplay for a 15min (max) short film.
- Pitch deck (including festival strategy).

LETTER OF INTENT (500 words)
- Outlining your creative strategy and inspiration for the project, your immediate and long-term goals as a director, as well as how this competition will further your advance your career as a filmmaker. What are you hoping to gain from the mentorship sessions, and what are some topics you would like to see discussed?

VIDEO INTRODUCTION (1-2mins)
- An introduction to you! Who are you, what ignites your passion for filmmaking and why are you telling the story you're applying with?

PRODUCTION TIMELINE
- Detailed timeline for pre-production, production and post-production.
- Must have project completed by March 2025.

BUDGET:
- Including any funds or in-kind support already secured.

KEY CREATIVES -- materials include:
- Link to portfolio(s) - iMDB profiles, could be YouTube channel(s), Vimeo profile(s), etc.
- Names, contact info and bio of key creatives (Director, Producer, DOP, Writer, Editor) and CV's as one PDF. Your CV should include an up-to-date account of your experience, education, and/or training.

REFERENCE LETTERS
- Two (2) reference letters are required for the main applicant from anyone familiar with your work and skillset.