The Toronto Urban Film Festival (TUFF) is North America's largest and longest-running commuter film festival, reaching over one million daily commuters on subway platform screens across the Toronto transit system every September. TUFF turns 10 this September and is getting ready to celebrate 10 years of outstanding one-minute films from Toronto, across North America and around the world.

The 10th annual Toronto Urban Film Festival (TUFF) will bring the best one-minute silent films from around the world to Toronto subway platforms from September 10 – 18, 2016. TUFF launches the 10th anniversary celebrations with TUFF Ten, a special programme in recognition of the festival’s history.

TUFF Ten will take over all 346 PATTISON Onestop digital subway screens, replacing all regular content, from 10:00 am - 4:00pm on Saturday, September 10, 2016. Starting September 11th, TUFF will be seen daily at five-minute intervals from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., on all subway platform screens across Toronto, entertaining an audience of over 1.2 million daily commuters.

Continuing TUFF traditions for 2016, dedicated PATTISON Onestop subway screens in key stations will present an uninterrupted viewing of TUFF each day, and Too TUFF for the TTC will offer an online program of great films not appropriate for screening in a public transit setting.

Named one of the 'Coolest Film Festivals' by MovieMaker Magazine, TUFF is North America’s largest commuter film festival. Past guest judges include: Patricia Rozema, Guy Maddin, Bruce McDonald, Jennifer Baichwal, Atom Egoyan, and Deepa Mehta.

1st Prize - $3,000 CAD
2nd Prize - $1,500 CAD
3rd Prize - $750 CAD

Other awards total approximately $15,000 in sponsored prizes.
TUFF also pays a screening fee of $100 per accepted film.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

LENGTH: 60 seconds (exactly!)

AUDIO: No audio (TTC screens do not support audio)

FORMAT: Either DV NTSC Standard (4:3) and Widescreen (16:9), or HD video formats

FRAME RATE: 30 fps, deinterlaced

FILE SIZE: Under 200 MB in size (if uploading)

ACCEPTED CODECS: Windows Media 8 or 9; divx; xvid; Quicktime H.264 or Sorenson 3.

ACCEPTED FILE EXTENSIONS: mov, avi, mpg, mpeg, mp4, wmv, asf

FILM TITLE AND BASIC CREDITS APPEAR BESIDE THE FILM AT ALL TIME, SO IT IS UNNECESSARY TO INCLUDE THEM IN YOUR 60-SECOND FILM. LONGER CREDITS APPEAR WITH YOUR FILM ONLINE.

RELEASE

By participating in the Toronto Urban Film Festival (TUFF), I certify that I/we are the sole owner(s) of the work described above, and that I have obtained all necessary releases and clearances necessary for public screening. By submitting this entry, I agree that the Toronto Urban Film Festival (TUFF), Art for Commuters (A4C), Pattison Onestop, its affiliates and assigns may publicly screen the work, as part of TUFF, and may use all or part of the work and any stills and descriptive material, including the title of the work in any publicity efforts for the festival, including any broadcast or Internet website use. I also agree to allow my submission to be included in repeat screenings of TUFF which may occur outside of the original context, and which may include being part of a TUFF screening at other film festivals both within and outside of Canada. I understand that my screening copy may not be returned.

THIRD PARTY RIGHTS & CLEARANCES

All one-minute films must be the original work of the entrant and must not infringe upon the copyrights, trademarks, rights of privacy, publicity or other intellectual property or other rights of any person or entity. If the film contains any material or elements that are not owned by the entrant and/or which are subject to the rights of third parties, the entrant is responsible for obtaining, prior to the submission of the film, any and all releases and consents necessary to permit use of the film by the Toronto Urban Film Festival (TUFF). TUFF reserves the right, in its sole and unfettered discretion, to verify at any time during the Competition that all necessary Clearances relating to any film have been obtained. At any time during the Festival, TUFF reserves the right, in its sole and unfettered discretion, to disqualify and remove any film that potentially or actually infringes any third party's copyright(s).

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

By entering into this Contest, entrants hereby release and discharge the Toronto Urban Film Festival (TUFF) and its respective affiliates, subsidiaries, assigns, agents, representatives, independent contractors, officers, employees and directors from and against any and all claims, liabilities, costs, damages and expenses of any kind arising out of or relating to their participation in this Festival, their use or acceptance of any prize, the use by TUFF of any films submitted by entrants and/or any actions or decisions of TUFF in connection with the conduct and administration of this Festival. Entrants hereby waive any right to seek injunctive or other equitable relief in connection with any claim against TUFF, any of the Co-Sponsors, or any of their respective affiliates, subsidiaries, assigns, agents, representatives, independent contractors, officers, employees and directors.

TUFF is not responsible for technical failures of any kind or any problems or delays arising from any technical, software or equipment malfunctions, computer viruses, or any other technical, equipment or human errors of any kind, or any damage or alteration to your film that may occur in connection with the uploading or display of the film. If TUFF determines in its sole discretion that there is any suspected or actual evidence of electronic or non-electronic tampering or fraud relating to any portion of the Festival, or if technical difficulties compromise the integrity of the Festival, TUFF reserves the right to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest, in whole or in part, at any time without notice. TUFF is not liable for any failure to screen one-minute films if that failure is due to circumstances beyond its control.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Jaiden Dal Bello

    this was an amazing and well coordinated experience.

    April 2017
  • Christine Jaudoin

    Great concept of a festival and excellent communication

    December 2016
  • its great opportunity for filmmaker like me and of course great people of festival .I did not attain the festival .

    September 2016