Welcome to the Toronto Chinese Film Festival, where we bridge cultures and inspire creativity through the power of Chinese films. As a not-for-profit organization, our mission is to celebrate rich Chinese cultural heritage by showcasing a diverse array of Chinese films. Our festival serves as a vibrant platform for aspiring filmmakers to gain exposure and for audiences in Toronto and beyond to explore the depth of Chinese storytelling. We are dedicated to fostering cultural understanding and supporting the development of future filmmakers, making each screening more than just a movie!

TCFF was formed when a group of filmmakers led by Tery (Wong) Imamura discover that, despite Ontario's substantial Chinese population, there was no Chinese film festival. Motivated by the need to showcase the vibrant narratives of Chinese cinema and promote cultural heritage, they founded the Toronto Chinese Film Festival.

TCFF is not only a celebration of Chinese filmmaking, it's a commitment to nurturing future talent and making Chinese cinema accessible to not only Toronto, but the world. From October 7-11, join TCFF as they bridge cultural divides at the Chinese Cultural Center of Greater Toronto.

Awards & Prizes

- Audience Choice Award ($5000)
- Best International Film ($2500)
- Best Canadian Film ($2500)
- Best Chinese Film ($2500)
- Best Student Film ($1500)

Rules & Terms

For the competition, TCFF is looking for live-action or animated short films (up to 10 minutes) that were produced in 2020 or later.

Films can be submitted into one or more of the following categories:

Canadian
At least one filmmaker (producer/writer/director) must be based in Canada AND the film itself should be set in, related to or reflective of life in Canada.

Chinese
At least one filmmaker (producer/writer/director) must be Chinese or have Chinese heritage AND the film itself should be set in, related to or reflective of life in China OR be related to or reflective of Chinese culture in any location.

International
For non-Canadian filmmakers (producer/writer/director) AND the film itself should be set, related to or reflective of life outside of Canada.

Student
For student filmmakers (producer/writer/director) of any nationality AND the film can reflect any subject.

Other rules:
- Preference will be given to short films that are family-friendly, inspirational, and/or educational.

- Short films that use extreme profanity, nudity, or hateful messages will be rejected.

- TCFF reserves the right to request proof of student ID for any films submitted as a student.

- It is the responsibility of the submitter to make sure films have working links and passwords. Broken links will disqualify your film.

- Premiere status is not required to submit to TCFF.

- All films submitted to TCFF must be the original work of the filmmakers and have all the necessary rights and clearances.

- TCFF reserves the right to change the programming without notice.