The Stinger Awards are going to be back in person for 2023! In our 4th year of hosting the best party in the Alberta independent film scene we're upgrading to a bigger space so the party isn't restricted by size.

The Stinger Awards will include live award announcements, recipients of the Friend of the Community and Gerrick Winston Spirit Award, as well as prizes, surprises, and a hell of a lot of fun. This event is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the amazing work of home-grown talent.

Submission fees go directly towards hosting this event, and providing an honorarium to the Jurors who are out of province industry professionals who review all Stinger Awards submissions. We need money to host the Stingers, but we also don’t want financial barriers to stop independent filmmakers from submitting . If you want to submit but can’t afford the submission fee, please email programming@csif.org to discuss.

Named after filmmaker jargon for A/C extension cords on a film set, the Stinger Awards are dedicated to recognizing the talent of Southern Alberta filmmakers from all career levels.

Best Student Production
Best Music Video
Best Short Film
Best Short Documentary
Best Web Series
Best Cinematographer
Best Director
Best Editor
Best Screenplay
Best Long Form Doc
Best Long Form Narrative
Best Short Performance
Best Long Performance
Best Score
Best Overall Sound
Best Art & Production Design
Best Key Art
Best New Media
Best Makeup
Best Costumes
Best Stunts

Friend of the Community Honorary Award
Gerrick Winston Community Spirit Award

Eligibility:
- The awards will be open to all filmmakers located in Red Deer and south, within Alberta (Please note: your address must be entered with each submission in order to qualify)
- Project needs to have been completed between January 2019 to June 2023.
- Unless otherwise noted, submitters shall be 18 years or older
- Best Student Production category ONLY: Residents of Southern Alberta who were enrolled in an educational institution during the time of the film's production.
*Students enrolled outside of the province are eligible to apply for this award, as long as their primary residence is within Southern Alberta
- Must own the rights to the project and retain creative control
- There is no limit to the number of submissions per category, however, each submission must be listed on its own form.

Categories:
Best Student Production
Best Music Video
Best Short Film
Best Short Documentary
Best Web Series
Best Cinematographer
Best Director
Best Editor
Best Screenplay
Best Long Form Doc
Best Long Form Narrative
Best Short Performance
Best Long Performance
Best Score
Best Overall Sound
Best Art & Production Design
Best Key Art
Best New Media
Best Makeup

By submitting to the Stinger Awards, you affirm that:
- You own or have gained the rights for the film you are putting forward;
- Agree that the Stinger Awards and CSIF can screen all or part of your work as part of the Stinger Award ceremony. However, please note that the Stinger Awards does not agree, commit, nor is obligated to screen all or part of your film during any part of the Stinger Award

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Austin Ladouceur

    CSIF created an engaging, entertaining, and welcoming environment to celebrate Calgary’s independent filmmaking. From the food, to the awards presentation, to the networking opportunities, the Stingers are a valuable instalment in Calgary’s film scene, and a fun celebration of local talent.

    January 2024
  • Jayson Therrien

    This was an incredible evening. CSIF does a great job of celebrating Calgary talent in a fun fashion. Looking forward to next year!

    December 2023
  • This was an absolute blast to attend and be a part of. Matt Watterworth, James and the whole team at CSIF have a wonderful and passionate community of supporters and filmmakers who make this festival one to remember. The venue, the host (Andrew Phung), the hospitality, the quality of productions, the networking were all top-notch and I left the event with a warm and fuzzy heart despite not taking home any hardware. It was a lovely night full of laughs and new connections. I highly recommend this festival. One of, if not, the best festival experience(s) I can remember. SUBMIT, attend and share in the magic of The Stingers, you won't be disappointed.

    December 2023
  • It was a blast to be part of this year's Stinger Awards. Such a great way to recognize local talent and to get to know other filmmakers and their work. Highly recommend!

    July 2021
  • Maryam Ejaz

    It was such a pleasure being a part of Stinger Awards 2020! Despite all the difficulties of this year the event was done so well!! ☺️

    December 2020