Film for Peace

THE 7TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL PEACE FESTIVAL
www.internationalpeacefestival.com
INTERNATIONAL PEACE FILM FESTIVAL (ipff.ca)
FILM FOR PEACE FESTIVAL (filmforpeace.org)
SEPTEMBER 21-30, 2025
Toronto, Canada

The INTERNATIONAL PEACE FESTIVAL (IPF) returns to Toronto in September 2025 for its 6th edition — diverse and innovative perspectives on peace as promoted through the arts, music, and international and Canadian cinema, special events featuring some of the biggest names in film, music, painting, sculpture, and photography and IPF’s Cultural Exchange & Industry Expo, offering IPF’s partners, sponsors, and endorsers the opportunity to showcase their products, services and communicate their key message to festival-goers.

FILM FOR PEACE FESTIVAL (FFP) screens various independent short films and showcases filmmakers whose work may fall outside the mainstream festival market. We also assist emerging artists grow in their careers by offering feedback on the projects they have submitted to FFP. As a grassroots festival, we also invite the community into the world of filmmaking through several events.

FFP video and short film creators are asked to focus on their vision in expressing issues of conflict and resolution, including reconciliation processes. Film for Peace is here to support the creative searches of young filmmakers, in addressing such issues as drug abuse, mental health, bullying, social isolation, racism, and poverty, especially with a focus on the problems encountered by youth.

Entrants are judged on their ability to effectively communicate, through the medium of film, potential solutions to achieving sustainable peace as a community. Films in over eleven categories will be selected to be showcased at the FFP festival on September 21 -30, 2025.

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6th Annual Film For Peace Festival screenings:

****** September 21, 2024 ******
IPF (Opening Reception) - 5PM - 11PM
UN Habitat - 660 Dundas Street East, 3rd Floor, Toronto, ON

****** September 28, 2024 ******
Charles Pachter Gallery - 4 PM - 9 PM
22 Grange Ave, Toronto, ON, M5T 1C7

****** October 24th, 2024 ******
University of Toronto, 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm
St. George Campus, 27 King's College Cir, Toronto ON

****** November 24, 2024 ******
GlobalLink Trade Hub, 3PM to 9PM
88 Doncaster Ave., Thornhill, ON

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CRITERIA
1) The principal theme must be of “Peace” – how to achieve it, and lessons to be learned to keep this world in a peaceful state.
2) Production values – cinematography, sound design, musical score
3) Quality of acting & direction

Some films had great messages but lacked production values
Others had terrific production values but did not adhere to the theme.
And, of course, some scored very high in both theme and production values.
Very difficult to narrow so many wonderful films down to single winners.

As far as we are concerned, they are all winners!

I would like to thank Karim Mirshahi for initiating this festival 6 years ago. And a huge thank you to the following judges who took a large chunk of time out of their busy lives to volunteer their talent and services for the benefit of this festival. They did a magnificent job in sorting through all entries from over 30 nations around the world.

Satie Narain Simon, Head Judge
Joshua Schreiber
Saba Akhari
Sonia Dolar
Sheena Osman
Devon Codrington
Amy Qin

COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN:
Canada USA Greece Russia United Kingdom India Netherlands Israel Spain Australia Jordan Egypt Finland Lebanon Qatar South Africa, Sweden South Korea Taiwan Germany France Iran Pakistan Chile Colombia Italy Poland Bolivia China Macedonia Croatia Turkey

Peace and see you all in 2025 for our 7th Annual International Peace Film Festival.

Yours Truly,
Sandra Creighton – Film for Peace, Executive Director

“Film for Peace” is an experiential creative initiative organized by Toronto Waterfront Magazine to address the escalation of violence. You are invited to submit a short film addressing the issue of violence that is informative, inspiring, and entertaining. The key component of the festival is to raise awareness of the underlying contributing factors leading to violence, such as bullying, mental health, addictions, social isolation, poverty, rejections of minority groups, etc. Entrants will be judged on their ability to effectively communicate, through the medium of film, potential solutions to achieving sustainable peace as a community. Valuable prizes and scholarships will be available to winning entrants, as judged by the team of volunteers with art and filmmaking backgrounds.