Founded by James Warrack in 1999 at Toronto Metropolitan University, the aim of the Image Arts Film Festival (formerly known as RUFF), is to give students a large-scale festival experience and a launching pad into future work in the industry. Taking place in early May, the Image Arts Film Festival takes place over the course of four days. Festivities include a red carpet, a gala, an awards ceremony, daytime panels, daytime, and nighttime screenings, and an after-party.

The Image Arts Film Festival is excited to announce our inaugural Daytime Programme. We will be accepting film submissions from students across all years who are currently enrolled or recent graduates of Film Studies, Photography, Integrated Digital at IMA or RTA at Toronto Metropolitan University. Filmmakers may submit any work (not limited to films made for academic credit) completed from the time they began their studies until the final submission deadline.

We are so excited to see and share your films, and we hope to see you at the Image Arts Film Festival in the spring of 2023!

Awards & Prizes

Daytime Programme Shorts will be automatically entered to compete for awards and cash prizes for the following categories:

BEST SHORT FILM
AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD

Rules & Terms

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

*Submitter/key creative must be student/recent graduate at TORONTO METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY.

The submitter/key creative must be currently enrolled in Film Studies, Photography, or Integrated Digital at the School of Image Arts or Media Production / New Media at RTA School of Media, or be a recent graduate within the past two academic years (2021-2022).

The submitter must be a key creative of the film (Director, Writer, or Producer). Other key creatives may be non-TMU members.

The followings should be provided with each submission:
• Duly filled submission form
• Valid Ryerson email address
• A secured online screener valid until the end of the festival on May 6, 2023

There is a limit of a 25 minute run time.

Filmmakers may submit any work (not limited to films made for academic credit) completed from the time they began their studies until the final submission deadline.

You may submit a total of two (2) films.

You may submit a working-in-progress.

All non-English language shorts must have English subtitles.

Once a submitted film is invited to screen, we will require the following format:

Video codec - H.264, Apple Prores, or DNxHD/DNxHR, minimum bitrate of 20 mbps (.mov or .mp4 wrapper)
Resolution of 1080p HD or greater
Rec. 709, gamma 2.4 - 2.6
Loudness of Integrated -24 LUFS with a True Peak of -2dB
2-Channel (Stereo or LtRt) OR 6-Channel (5.1 Mix). Please note for 5.1 audio configuration track layout should be Left, Right, Centre, Sub, Left Surround, Right Surround

CONSENT

Participation in the Image Arts Film Festival implies understanding and acceptance of these regulations:
1) The Festival is hereby granted the right to utilize an excerpt from any film submitted and accepted for exhibition at the Festival for promotional purposes.
2) The individual or corporation submitting the film hereby warrants that it is authorized to commit the film for screening and understands and accepts these requirements and regulations.
3) The submitter shall indemnify and hold harmless Image Arts Film Festival from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages and expenses which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening and loss of or damage to the screening videos entered.

Any questions or inquiries can be made by emailing: imagearts.programming@gmail.com