Welcome to the annual and IMDb qualifying seasonal competition of the Toronto Women Film Festival! It is important to recognize talented female voices and artists from all over the world.

Throughout the past few years, the festival has screened hundreds of films directed by women in Carlton Cinema, Innis Town Hall of the University of Toronto and various art centers. The festival celebrates and recognizes films made by talented female filmmakers from all over the world.

Every season, the festival team nominates and selects films and artists for various sections of the seasonal competition. All the nominees are offered promotion and screening through our annual online catalogue through Toronto Film Magazine. Every season, the best of the various categories are promoted in various platforms and are nominated to be an official selection for annual live screening at the Innis Town Hall of the University of Toronto.

The festival focuses on female driven stories, independent female directors, producers, writers, actresses, cinematographers, editors, and all female artists contributing to the language of cinema as women in film. The festival aims to discover, promote, screen and award female filmmakers and stories dealing with women in societies around the world.

Toronto Women Festival has become one of the most popular festivals dedicated to female talents in the film industry in the past few years. The members of our jury and programmers have been selected from award winning artists working in media from Canada, United States, Austria, Germany, Japan, Iran, India, Sweden, United Kingdom and all over the world. Award winning artists of Toronto Women Film Festival can also apply to become a member of the jury for a new edition of the competition.

Narrative Feature
Narrative Short
Feature Documentary
Short Documentary
Best Experimental
Best Comedy
Best Science Fiction
Best Horror
Best Animation
Best Web/TV/Pilot
Best Music Video
Best Student Film
Best Actress
Best Female Cinematographer
Best Female Scriptwriter
Best Female Producer
Best Female Editor
Best Female Director
Best Female Composer
Best LGBTQ
Best Human Rights
Best Environmental
Best Poster
Best Canadian Female Filmmaker
Best First Time Female Filmmaker
Films About Women

Films must have been completed within the past three years.
Films must be produced, directed or written by a female or include a female cast or female characters, themes, or a female cinematographer or editor.
Male directors can submit a film to Films About Women Category and also nominate a female director, female producer, female scriptwriter, and any member of the crew and cast as a female artist.
Non-English language films need to have English subtitles.
Shorts must be less than 50 minutes.
The festival has the right to use promotional material from the official selections and nominees.
Premiere status is not required for seasonal festival bur will be taken into consideration for annual screening. A minimum of North American premiere is preferred.
The filmmaker has secured all the rights.
Entry fees are non-refundable.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Karin Shapiro

    I am delighted that my documentary, "A Road Out" has been awarded Best Historical Film and am thrilled to be nominated for this year's festival.

    June 2025
  • Tobi Iverson Halliday

    Thank you for considering my screenplay Wild Woman of the Woods as a nominee. Your encouragement is greatly appreciated.

    June 2025
  • Merli V. Guerra

    Thank you for selecting “Ao pó voltaremos”! I’m so impressed with the professional and supportive communication I’ve engaged in with the festival’s staff. Looking forward to seeing the final curation this fall!

    May 2025
  • Anya Vaughn

    Thank you so much for nominating my first film, "The Tale of Mari" in the student category. I appreciated the recognition and hope to be able to attend the festival in future years.

    March 2025
  • Gamze Tanrivermis

    I am really honored that my film has been awarded as Best Human Rights film. Grateful to be a part of this festival!!

    March 2025