Planet in Focus is celebrating our 25th anniversary as Canada’s leading environmental film organization showcasing and promoting outstanding environmental films in all genres by Canadian and international filmmakers.

Planet in Focus proudly pays screening fees to all Official Festival Selections and Touring Selections. PIF is committed to paying artist fees to directors in selection and follows standard rates set by the Independent Media Arts Alliance (http://www.imaa.ca/). Artist fees will be paid via PayPal post-festival, unless negotiated otherwise upon selection.

PIF operates year-round producing Canada’s largest environmental film festival every fall in Toronto, as well as bringing environmental films to communities and schools across the country and internationally through our Touring Programs.

Awards & Prizes

Film Awards:
- Best Canadian Short Film
- Best Canadian Feature Film
- Best International Short Film
- Best International Feature Film
- Mark Haslam Award for under-represented communities
- People's Choice Award

Planet in Focus presents an Industry Conference during the festival - including workshops, networking, panels, and a filmmaker Master Class. The Green Pitch Award for a new production - $20,000+ cash and in-kind.

Rules & Terms

ELIGIBILITY AND ENTRY
1) Submitted films must not have been broadcast, distributed, offered on VOD or screened commercially in the Toronto area. PIF will consider short films that have been made available online.
2) Only films completed after January 1st, 2023 will be considered for official selection
3) All foreign language films must have English subtitles

PRESENTATION
Accepted films for the Festival will be exhibited in cinema and on CineSend digital platform, geo-blocked to Canada. The dates, times, and locations of screenings of selected films are at the discretion of the festival. Complete source file requirements/upload specifications to our CineSend streaming platform will be sent to selected applicants. Filmmakers should be available to prerecord one Q&A session and/or panel discussion scheduled in the month of September.

CONSENT
Participation in the Planet in Focus Environmental Film Festival (PIF) implies understanding and acceptance of these regulations:
1) PIF 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 PIF from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages and expenses (including but not limited to attorney's fees and costs of the court) 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.

ADDITIONAL SCREENING TERMS
All submissions, despite selection will be considered for the Planet in Focus Foundation Educational Tours. Applicants will be contacted if a film is selected for a school tour or screening between the months of January to June following the festival season.

Please contact submissions@planetinfocus.org for questions or concerns regarding any of the aforementioned rules and regulations.

13 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
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Networking
  • Su Rynard

    There is something very special at PIF festival in Toronto. It's intimate yet powerful, and offers a great selection of environmental films to audiences - both in the fest and year round. Kudos!

    January 2025
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  • Polina Teif

    Thank you to Planet in Focus fro premiering our film Eulogy for the Dead Sea! We are so grateful to the programmers, organizers and staff for making this a thoughtful and seamless process. Immense gratitude for your hard work and support!

    October 2022
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  • Nadine Pequeneza

    We had an amazing experience collaborating with PiF to organize an industry panel and a live, virtual screening. As a filmmaker and audience member the festival exceeded expectations, highly recommend!

    November 2021
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  • Eric Ebner

    We loved the PIF Environmental Film Festival! Our film Perpetual Plastic showed there and we were very happy with our experience. Communication was easy and clear, although our team was not able to make the fest, everything seemed to go very smoothly.

    November 2021
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  • Isaac King

    PIF is a great environmental film festival. Year after year, their programming is top notch and the passionate team is engaged with the work and the filmmakers. Looking forward to a post-COVID PIF festival!

    November 2020
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