CANADIAN SCREEN AWARDS QUALIFYING FESTIVAL
The Guelph Film Festival is an international film festival that started in the early 1980's, making it one of the oldest documentary-focused film festivals in the world. We are located in Guelph, Ontario, Canada and our programming focuses on social justice, the environment, and community building (all broadly construed). We have purposefully kept the festival small to encourage participation in our post-film events, which are lead by the filmmaker, film subject, and/or someone from the community with knowledge of the topic(s) that can connect the broader issues with local initiatives and understandings. At the GFF we focus on inspiring community engagement and appreciation for the arts through connecting people with stories of global reach and local relevance. #LetsTalkDoc

The Guelph Film Festival is dedicated to expanding the proliferation of  voices and perspectives of all kinds, through the presentation of stories from the margins. We program at least 50% Canadian Documentaries (this applies to both films shot in Canada and/or with a Canadian Director), 50% with Female-Identifying Directors, 50% Diversity (BIPOC/LGBTQ+/Deaf & Disabled). At least two screenings every year highlight Indigenous-made documentaries. We are serious about promoting gender parity and diversity in the film industry and every decision we make is guided by principles of inclusion.

Our 2025 focused on renewal. We live in a time of immense and rapid change. How might we lead with our values—burn it down, compost it up, and redefine our future? A future that nourishes and empowers us all. We curated 14 events over nine days to provoke thought, encourage play, and weave a wide range of viewpoints into the conversational threads of our community. The festival lit up screens across downtown Guelph (and beyond!) showcasing artful nonfiction films.

Opening night immersed the audience in the wetlands of the Florida Everglades with River of Grass. Closing night strut the runway of sustainable fashion with Dust to Dust. Along the way, we celebrated Black and queer cultures, imagined new possibilities for post-life planning, fought for the rights of nature, demanded inclusive narratives, and built community through basketball. Sharing stories that matter is at the heart of what we do.

In addition to offering screenings of acclaimed films, we are passionate about discovering and supporting the hidden gems and emerging filmmakers.

The festival takes place over nine days at the beginning of November in a variety of venues throughout downtown Guelph. Venues range in size from 50-200 seats, with most being around 50-120 seats and include a variety of community locations from galleries, museums, and performance centres to coffee shops, churches, and art studios.

Awards & Prizes

Canadian Screen Awards Qualifying Festival. A screening fee will be provided to each documentary selected for screening at the Guelph Film Festival.

$500 (CAD) for features: World Premieres
$350 (CAD) for features: Guelph & Canadian Premieres 
$278 (CAD) for mid-length between 30-59 mins
$110 (CAD) for shorts less than 30 mins

The Guelph Film Festival accepts submissions from anywhere in the world. The festival considers films that have previously screened in Canada - ONLY GUELPH PREMIERE IS REQUIRED- however, we do take these previous screenings and filmmaker availability into consideration when making official selections.

If you are a local filmmaker (Guelph), please reach out for a waiver.

Rules & Terms

29th Annual Guelph Film Festival

The Guelph Film Festival is a not-for-profit that presents more than 25 documentaries (features, mid-length, and shorts) every year to a dedicated audience of film enthusiasts during the nine day festival. Each screening receives the full focus of the festival, as each event has a dedicated time slot with no overlap, so that all films can be attended by the full community. Most of the screenings are accompanied by a post-film discussion focused on either the filmmaker, film subject, or community connections to the film's topic(s).

If your film has a connection to the city of Guelph (either in having been partial filmed here or having crew members connected with the city), please reach out and let us know!

Submissions

1. The GFF only accepts DOCUMENTARIES, with the exception of the children’s program, which focuses on short docs and animations geared towards children audiences (aged 4-11).
2. We are an international film festival and accept films from anywhere in the world. The content of the documentaries must fit within the festival themes of SOCIAL JUSTICE, the ENVIRONMENT, and/or COMMUNITY BUILDING (all broadly construed).
3. Only films completed after 01 September 2024 are eligible.
4. Films which have received screenings in Guelph, ON prior to the festival are ineligible.
5. Films previously submitted to the Guelph Film Festival are ineligible.
6. Films openly available online are ineligible (some exceptions are made for shorts - please reach out to confirm your eligibility if there is question).
7. Press Kits are required upon selection, including 3-5 film stills (jpeg or png), a director's headshot (jpeg or png) & bio, poster & trailer (if available), a short (50 words) and long (200 words) synopsis.
8. Promotional materials of selected films become the property of the GFF and can be used to promote the Festival and the programs of the Festival in all mediums.
9. All films must be submitted with a private online screener on FilmFreeway.
10. If selected for the festival, a high quality H264 QUICKTIME compliant file is the preferred exhibition format (10GB max). As we believe in saving filmmakers money (especially emerging filmmakers) we do not screen in DCP.
11. Shorts and mid-length docs chosen will be compiled into programs for screenings.
12. Short submissions must be under 30 min in duration.
13. Mid-length submissions must be between 30-59 min in duration.
14. Feature submissions must be over 59 min in duration, and not exceed 110 min.
15. ALL SUBMISSION FEES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE. It is the responsibility of the filmmaker to ensure that their submission is applicable for our festival, meets all requirements, and adheres to all rules.
16. Films must be in English and/or offer English Subtitles or captions.

Screening Access

The Festival will provide two complimentary Festival passes for each feature (60+ minutes) presented. Short and mid-length filmmakers will receive one complimentary Festival pass. Some support for travel to attend the festival may be available, but is subject to funding and is influenced by the volume of requests.

Program Selection

Entries will be reviewed by a Programming Committee appointed by/and including the Artistic Director. The programming committee is made up of local filmmakers, artists, and community members/documentary enthusiasts.

Upon Acceptance

1. All digital screeners must be delivered to the GFF by September 10, 2026 via download link. (Full details will be sent out once inclusion in the festival is confirmed)
2. Digital Press Kits including 3-5 film stills, a director's headshot & bio, poster & trailer (if available), a short synopsis (~50 words) and long synopsis(<200 words), and social media handles/hashtags should be emailed to submissions@guelphfilmfestival.ca
3. Promotional materials of selected films become the property of the GFF and can be edited & used to promote the Festival and the programs of the Festival in all mediums.
4 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Carolyn Gair

    Guelph Film Festival was a highlight this year, selecting my stopmotion short TIN TUNE for their lineup. Great communication, warm and friendly, and I wish I could have attended in person! Fingers crossed for next year!

    November 2025
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    Response from festival:

    It was such a fun screening! The kids narrated along with your animation. At one point even chanting "go mice, go mice!" Thanks for sharing your film with us!

  • Ryan Mekenian

    It was an immense honor and a delight to screen my feature documentary, "Freak Bikes," at the Guelph Film Festival. This was, without a doubt, one of the most rewarding festival experiences we've had on our circuit.

    The passion and professionalism of the Guelph team are second to none. From the technical setup to organized communication, they created a welcoming, supportive, and celebratory environment. We felt valued and uplifted throughout the entire process.

    I am grateful to the entire team at the Guelph Film Festival. Thank you for championing our documentary and for providing this wonderful opportunity. We recommend this festival to any filmmaker looking for a top-tier screening experience. Thank you, Guelph, for everything!

    October 2025
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    Response from festival:

    Everyone really loved your film and getting to talk about sustainable transportation! Thank you for sharing it with us!

  • Fazila Amiri

    Thank you, Guelph Film Festival, for screening my documentary AND STILL I SING at the 2022 Guelph Film Festival. Really enjoyed my time in Guelph and impressed by the team and audiences.

    --Fazila Amiri

    November 2022
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    Response from festival:

    It was such a pleasure to have you join us at the festival this year! And thank you so much for sharing your powerful documentary with us!

  • Brian g. Smith

    Had a great time at this little fest. It was very well run, with excellent communication channels, lots of filmmaker perks, and a slate of films worth seeing. I will be submitting again next year!

    November 2019
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