Canada Shorts is proud to champion short filmmaking. We strive to award quality shorts regardless of their budget. We want to ensure indie filmmakers have the opportunity for festival success.

Canada Shorts works hard to recognize quality filmmaking and we offer awards based on these tiers: Best-of winners, Finalist Awards, Awards of Excellence, Awards of Distinction, Awards of Commendation, Awards of Merit and Honorable Mentions.

In total we award 120+ short films every season. We screen best-of winners, and genre winners during the festival.

Canada Shorts is an IMDB qualified festival.

2023 Awards and placings
https://canadashorts.com/2023.php

2022-2015 Awards and placings
https://canadashorts.com --> click 'Results & Awards' and select the year

We champion short filmmaking and strive to award quality shorts regardless of their budget:

• Best Short / Grand Prize
• Best Canadian Short
• Best International Short
• Best Director
• Best Writer
• Best Cinematography
• Best Music Score

• Best Action/Adventure
• Best Comedy
• Best Crime/Suspense
• Best Documentary
• Best Drama
• Best Experimental Film
• Best Animation
• Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy
• Best Thriller/Horror

• Finalist Awards
• Awards of Excellence
• Awards of Distinction
• Awards of Commendation
• Awards of Merit
• Honorable Mentions

ELIGIBILITY
• We accept Canadian and International shorts.
• Maximum film length 30 minutes (we have no minimum length).
• Films in languages other than English will only be accepted with English subtitles.

CANADIAN SHORTS ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
To be eligible for entry in the Canadian Short category, your film must have been shot in Canada, OR the director or screenwriter must be Canadian.

INTERNATIONAL SHORTS ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
If your short was not shot in Canada, or your director/writer are not Canadian then please enter it under our International Short category.

JUDGING PROCESS
Submissions will be judged and scored based on criteria including: quality of screenplay (story, dialogue, character arcs etc), acting, production quality, originality, technical proficiency, cinematography, sound design, editing, locations and set design. We support indie filmmaking and will award additional points to shorts produced on a micro budget and/or minimal crew.

SCREENING FOR SELECTED SHORTS
Your selection and award classification will be posted on our website. Canada Shorts works hard to recognize quality filmmaking and tends to offer awards to 120+ short films per season. That is considerably more than we could possibly screen. We screen all best-of winners (including genre winners) during the festival.

SCREENING LOCATION
Canada Shorts will screen all 'Premier Award' winners including 'Best Of' winners.

Canada Shorts screens at The Cinematheque theatre, 1131 Howe Street, Vancouver, British Columbia.

EXHIBITION FORMAT
If your short is selected for exhibition we will inform you. We will also send you an exhibition file request email. You will need to provide an HD (1920 x 1080) exhibition file.

IMDB
Canada Shorts is an IMDB qualifying festival.

COMMUNICATIONS
Canada Shorts communicates to entrants via FilmFreeway notifications. Please make certain the email address in your entry form is correct. Please also add admin@canadashorts.com to your Safe Senders list on your email platform.

Some email systems place FilmFreeway communications in junk/spam folders so we recommend you check those folders regularly and mark FilmFreeway as safe.

==> For our complete FAQ, Eligibility requirements, Rules & Terms please visit our website:
http://canadashorts.com/

FEE WAIVERS
We work hard to keep our submission fees as low as possible – consequently we cannot provide fee waivers.

RULES & TERMS
• The depiction of animal abuse whether real or implied is not acceptable and will lead to automatic disqualification and loss of entry fee.
• Canada Shorts has no festival premiere eligibility requirements. Shorts that have screened at other festivals are still eligible.
• Canada Shorts has no public or internet broadcast eligibility requirements. If your short has screened on Vimeo etc, it is still eligible.
• Changes to submitted films will only be accepted if accompanied by a new submission fee.
• The decision of the selection committee is final.
• Stills of selected films may also be shown on the Festival website and publicity/promo material including press releases, festival brochures and other materials.
• All entry fees are non-refundable.
• Entrants are responsible for securing all rights and permissions from copyright and other holders relating to their short.
• Canada Shorts reserves the right to update or modify these terms and policies without prior notice.

MISCELLANEOUS
• After selection, notification letters will be sent electronically.
• Canada Shorts does not accept trailers or rough assemblies but will accept work-in-progress cuts (picture lock with temp sound, color, etc.). Please be aware Canada Shorts will not view multiple updates/versions of your film for programming consideration.

TROPHIES
• Custom-made personalized trophies will be presented to winners of Grand Prize, Best Canadian Short, Best International Short, Best Director, Best Writer (maximum one per entry)

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Romaine Myers

    Great Quality Festival was a pleasure taking part in this festival

    February 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you Romaine! We wish you continued festival success with 'Who Saves Saves'. Thank you for submitting to Canada Shorts.

  • Karina Loerchner

    Thank-you Canada Shorts for recognizing my animated film 'Beached!'. Looking forward to entering my next short into your film festival!

    February 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you Karina. The selection committee were very much impressed with your 3D modelling and animation work, music score and direction. They highly commend you for leading these roles as well as being writer and producer for 'Beached'. You deserve a lot of praise for being able to take on so many critical roles. The industry needs more talented female writer/director creative voices like yourself. We wish you continued festival success with 'Beached'. Thank you for submitting to Canada Shorts.

  • Paula Randol-Smith

    So happy and proud to be an Official Selection at the festival for 2023. Canada is star as far as I'm concerned of all nations and to be recognized for my Documentary Forecast is royal!
    Thank you Canada Shorts!!!

    February 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you Paula. 'Forecast' is a wake up call that needs to be told and is told very well. We congratulate you on your award and particularly for being director, writer, producer and cast of 'Forecast'. Making a documentary is a difficult undertaking, let alone when taking on so many key roles. The industry needs more talented female writer/director creative voices like yourself. Thank you for submitting to Canada Shorts. We wish you continued festival success.

  • Kathryn Rose

    So excited to have been named Winner for a Merit Award by Canada Shorts, with the video for my song "Getting Along" by Kathryn Rose (feat. Julian Taylor), directed by Scott Dobson and Michael Wojewoda. Thank you so very much for this distinction!
    Kathryn Rose
    Toronto Canada

    February 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you Kathryn. As the writer, producer and lead for 'Getting Along' you had your hands very much full! Congratulations to you, Scott Dobson, Michael Phillip Wojewoda and the team on their award. The industry needs more talented female creative voices like yourself. We wish you and the 'Getting Along' team continued festival success.

  • 莉安 李

    Thank you for giving me the merit award for my short film Yu Jie. Maybe it's the snow in Vancouver that brings me good luck.Making a movie is like making snow, you don't know who your snowflakes are going to fall on.Although it was only a small encouragement, it was my first short film and the first time I got positive feedback from the outside world, which was important to me. It is worth mentioning that a few days after receiving this good news from you, I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, and now I have had my thyroid removed, recovered and discharged from hospital. By the way, Vancouver happens to be the adopted home of my favourite Chinese Canadian songstress KELLY YU, and I happen to be submitting my film to you as a tribute to her, which is really fate, this story sounds like another movie.Life is more dramatic than movies.I know my film has a lot of shortcomings, my work to some extent reflects my poor shooting resources, I will continue to shoot. I am grateful that strangers from far away are willing to listen to my story

    February 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you Li An. Our selection committee very much enjoyed your film and your award is very well deserved. Congratulations! It is difficult in many countries for filmmakers to get the praise they deserve. Making your first film is always the most difficult. We are sorry to hear of your struggles and your health concerns. Hopefully you can visit Vancouver one day! We wish you the very best and a speedy recovery.