Grand River Film Festival

Celebrating and inspiring community through the shared experience of film, the Grand River Film Festival (GRFF) is an annual festival dedicated to bringing bold, reflective and inspiring films to Waterloo Region (Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo).

GRFF offers the community a week of local, Canadian and international film hosted throughout the region, pairing screenings with panels consisting of directors, film professionals, local interest groups and notable guest speakers. The festival week also includes a short film competition, an industry workshop that provides training for local filmmakers and an educational outreach program that brings film and topical expertise to high school and university students.

GRFF is proud to support aspiring filmmakers through the annual MCAP SHORT Shorts competition. This highly successful competition is a forum for recognition and awards, and also provides filmmakers an avenue to screen their films in a festival setting. Past winners have been featured in the media and have gone on to earn awards at other top film festivals throughout North America.

MISSION & OBJECTIVE
• showcase and promote Canadian and international films, advocate for home grown talent, celebrate the culturally diverse which shapes Canada and our Region
• foster community involvement and interaction through a shared love for cinema by offering unique and diverse programming, special events, volunteer opportunities and a platform to engage in dialogue with filmmakers and artists.
• provide skills development, professional training and mentoring for our aspiring filmmakers, particularly our youth with an opportunity to showcase their films.
• be a catalyst for creative partnerships, including other film festivals as well as artists and organizations from a variety of genres encompassing fine arts, music and video