The Muskoka Independent Film Festival 2018

The Muskoka Independent Film Festival was founded by screenwriter and playwright Vince Grittani in 2014.

MIFF 2018 returns to, the refurbished, Gravenhurst Opera House, in the town of Gravenhurst on Lake Muskoka. 1 1/2 hours north of Toronto.

We are open to all GENRES and formats: full-length features, shorts, documentaries, and animation. Dramas, dramatic comedies, comic dramas, social documentaries, biographies, folktales, musicals, children’s…you name it! As long as there's a great story to tell. We are seeking films from emerging and established filmmakers. Student films are welcome.

Films should either be in English or with English subtitles.

If accepted we will require a high-resolution digital copy of the film, poster and publicity stills upon request.

*Vince Grittani's career as an award-winning writer began with his Toronto hit “Yuppies, The Musical” and his classic cottage musical "Scenes From My Dock" and his award-winning "Wake Me When It's Over" and "Quiet! I'm Talking". Followed by several other plays to his name, Vince is also a screenwriter with credits that include "Cottage Life Television", "The Weekend Guy" (Ion Life), animation "Tales From the Cryptkeeper" (Nelvana) "Dog City" (Jim Henson Productions) , soap "Family Passions" (CTV) , dramas "Sweating Bullets" (CBS) and the film "Criss Cross" (Paragon Pictures). (www.WordsTalkProductions.com)

MIFF awards

The Muskoka Independent Film Festival

Rules and Terms:

Festival Objective

The principal objective of the Muskoka Independent Film Festival is to give Global and Canadian filmmakers a platform for screening their films to audiences in the Muskoka Region. Our mandate is to present independent films from all over the world in addition to Canadian Cinema and Ontario Films. Films are selected based on quality and original content that would interest Muskoka Audiences.

Industry Objectives

The Festival includes events to promote contacts between film industry professionals both Canadian and world Filmmakers.

Selection Process

Selected films will be placed in the appropriate category by the Festival Organizing Committee in consultation with the filmmaker.

The Categories are Full Live-Action or Animated Features (over 60 minutes), Short live action or animation under (under 60 minutes) Feature Documentary (over 60 min) Short documentary (under 60 min) .

Format Requirements

For programming consideration, the Festival accepts only digital format via FilmFreeway.com Please do not send trailers to the committee. Please contact the committee if you cannot send via FilmFreeway to make alternate arrangements: films@rosseaucultureandarts.com

Films must be in their original language with English subtitles if the original language is not English.

A nominal submission fee is charged to submit a film to the festival.

The Festival requires films to be submitted on line via filmfreeway.com. DVD Submissions will be accepted on request, but must be labelled with the title, running time. Submissions will NOT be returned, unless payments are arranged.

Press Materials

Please only send press release materials by email or mail if requested by the Festival Committee. Should you be informed directly that your film has been selected, you may be required to submit publicity materials.

Submission Process

The submission deadline for selection purposes is midnight, August 31, 2018

Festival Programmers select and filmmakers are notified after Sept 14, 2018

Should you be informed that your film has been selected, you must provide a high-resolution copy of the film and publicity materials by October 1, 2018

Scheduling

The Festival may screen the selected winners film a second time on our Best of the Fest final day . The date, time and exhibitions of the films will be determined by the Festival

Overall Rating

Quality

Value

Communication

Hospitality

Networking

Gazanfer BIRICIK

We very appreciate, it's a really good event and we advice other filmmakers & companies to participate to it. cheers !

December 2018

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Justin Mader

I’m really dissatisfied with the way this turned out. There wasn’t enough promotion and the organizer had to condense the festival into several different nights over months to come. Even having done that the attendance was still about 25 people. I get it, sometimes it can be tough to draw a crowd for a smaller festival so, not a big deal, at least some people came out in support. The main thing for me was they played my film off of the internet as opposed to downloading a copy. It glitched several times and there were vital plot points and moments that were completely missed because of this inefficient and amateur screw up. I worked very, very hard on this film and it’s really disappointing to have it screened with such poor execution.

November 2018

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Pennan Brae

A well-run festival in a lovely spot in Cottage Country, Ontario. Nice organizer; a great festival to take part in.

October 2018

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Sai deodhar Anand

The festival was gracious to screen my short film D.A.T.E even though they had time constraints!!! Thank you once again for giving us this recognition and honour!!! the communications is prompt and the team is very considerate to new film makers..

October 2018

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Martin Bennett

Had an amazing time going to the festival last year. Great variety of films from many parts of the world so it's great exposure for the locals to see stories from outside the community. Very welcoming and warm reception.

Being from the area myself my only criticism is that I would love to see way more youth involvement. My suggestion is to get high school kids involved and volunteer. Great way to earn some of their 40 hours of community service and also for anyone that is interested in film they can meet and talk to filmmakers from outside the area. I know I would have appreciated that when I was going to school.

Otherwise it was a lovely event and the organizers are very helpful. Great outlet for the arts in small town Ontario. Engaging audience with loving responses and reactions.

April 2018

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