The Ottawa Film Festival celebrates the best that cinema has to offer. Showcasing films from established masters and emerging storytellers, the Festival welcomes films from around the world.

OFF is looking for hidden gems. Films that stand out and tell stories in ways that we could never imagine, with visuals that captivate us and leave us reflecting long after the closing credits. We also encourage films from veteran filmmakers who continue to hone their craft year-after-year producing works that awe us with every screening. Join us this September 2024 for OFFs highly anticipated inaugural event.

3 Reasons to Submit to OFF

1. We have a filmmaker first ideology. Regardless of who you are, where you're from, or how you choose to tell your story, we want to watch it. We respect all types of films and styles that challenge the boundaries of what makes a great film.

2. Our programmers will view each film to completion and do not use volunteers.

3. We are excited to put on a great show in our inaugural season at one of Ottawa's most iconic & classic theatres. We are carefully crafting a detailed event that is worthwhile and will leave you excited for things to come.

Awards & Prizes

Best Short Film
People's Choice Award
Best International Director
Best Canadian Director
Best Ottawa Film

Rules & Terms

2024 Terms & Conditions

1. All films must be submitted in English or with English subtitles (if in a different language).
2. All films must have been made in or after January 1st, 2023.
3. All films should not have and will not be made publicly available until October 2024.
4. Short films must not exceed 40 minutes. Feature Films must 80 minutes or more.
5. Filmmakers are responsible for sorting out the copyright on their own materials.
6. By submitting to us, you give us consent and right to screen your film in front of a live audience, and, under special circumstances, online screening.
7. Award Winners: Chosen from the Nominations (which includes the Official Selection).
8. We may promote clips from your film on social media, based on the press kits you provide us with, or existing stills on your FilmFreeway account.
9. We retain the right to change the date and venue of the festival under special circumstances. All filmmakers will be informed about any changes through email and our online platforms.
10. We place no restrictions on your work in terms of premiere status, however encourage premieres.
11. We do not accept partial screeners, trailers, or screener links that require access other than password protected links.
12. Any technical issues with the submitted films are 100% the responsibility of the filmmakers. If, at the time of judging, your video file doesn’t work or doesn’t have English subtitles (if in a language other than English), it will be automatically rejected, without a refund. Please contact the festival team ASAP if there are any issues with the submission process, and a solution will be found.
13. We reserve the right to alter deadlines on this platform.
14. By submitting to us you agree to our terms and conditions and to receiving marketing newsletters and discounts about film festivals in the form of emails. We will never sell your information to third parties.
15. All submissions are non-refundable.
16. We reserve the right to update our terms and conditions.