Submissions
Learn About Submitting to Our Festival
Submissions to the 2025 imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival are officially closed. Thank you to everyone who submitted their work for consideration!
The upcoming 25th annual imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival will take place in-person in Toronto from June 3-8, 2025 and move to our online platforms from June 9-15, 2025.
The imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival is our annual primary event hosted by imagineNATIVE in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. We present Artistic and Industry programming over the six-day in-person Festival showcasing Film + Video, Digital + Interactive, and Audio media works created by Indigenous artists (directors, producers, writers, designers) at all levels of experience. Since 2020, imagineNATIVE has further moved into a hybrid presentation of these works, with an online portion of the Festival. Artistic programming consists of works selected through the general Call for Submissions, guest-curated programs, partnership exhibitions, and special curated initiatives.
As an Indigenous-led and Indigenous artist-centred organization, we support the artistic visions and perspectives of Indigenous artists working in film and media arts in an inclusive and professional manner. As identified in our mission statement, we are committed to a greater understanding by audiences of Indigenous peoples, cultures, and artistic expressions. Works are therefore not required to have overt Indigenous content or themes, and can be productions made at all budget levels. We strive to represent a variety of ideas, themes, and genres, in addition to a diversity of Indigenous languages, Nations, and cultures.
Please review the updated 2025 Festival Artistic Policy. For more information, please reach out to submissions@imagineNATIVE.org.
Disclaimer: imagineNATIVE will use credits exactly as they are specified in the submission forms. Make sure all credits are correct, including proper spelling and capitalization of names and their roles. Credits in the submission forms should correspond to the end of credits in the work.
*If you have been programmed at our Festival before and require accommodations regarding your submission fee, please email submissions@imagineNATIVE.org.
Submission Key Dates
November 1, 2024 – November 15, 2024
Early Bird Deadline – No Submission Fee
November 16, 2024 – February 7, 2025
Regular Deadline – $5 CAD Submission Fee
Please review the updated 2025 Festival Artistic Policy.
For more information, please reach out to submissions@imagineNATIVE.org.
Disclaimer:
imagineNATIVE will use credits exactly as they are specified in the submission forms. Make sure all credits are correct, including proper spelling and capitalization of names and their roles. Credits in the submission forms should correspond to the end of credits in the work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some of the questions we regularly receive about this topic. If you have another question that isn’t answered here, you can browse our comprehensive Frequently Asked Questions page.
Awards are determined by jury consensus. Each recipient is selected by filmmakers and industry professionals from the Festival’s independent programming team and juries, with the exception of our two Audience Choice Awards which are voted on by attendees during the Festival.
Yes, accepted submissions are considered by our awards juries who then select the winners of our many award categories. Award winners receive a sponsored cash prize, which is given directly to the Indigenous director/lead creative of the project.
Visit our Submissions page to see our up-to-date Artistic Policy, learn about upcoming Festival submission deadlines, and more.
YWe endeavour to make our Festival as accessible as possible and so, we offer a FREE Early Bird Submission period. Additionally, if you have been programmed at our Festival before and require accommodations regarding your submission fee, please email submissions@imagineNATIVE.org.
Yes. There is a $5.00 CAD fee to submit to the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival.
Yes! imagineNATIVE supports Indigenous artists’ work, including those who give their time, insight, and talent as board members, staff, contractors, and volunteers. The Programming Selection Committee has a responsibility to declare a conflict of interest when necessary, in which case they will be omitted from the decision-making process.
No problem. For the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, we typically accept submissions of works created from the current and previous calendar year (e.g. the 2026 Festival will accept works from 2025 and 2026).
No. We encourage artists to submit their finished projects, as well as their rough cuts as long as you specify your completion date. When submissions are open, our Submissions page will include information on deadlines for final cuts.
We accept works of all premiere statuses. We congratulate you for being successful at other festivals!
No problem. We accept submissions in all languages. Please provide your project with English subtitles or closed captioning.
Joint creative positions may be considered with additional clarification.
We accept Film + Video works (including cinematic films, music videos, web series, tv series), Digital + Interactive works (including non-interactive digital works, XR, video games, choose-your-own-adventure), and Audio works (including soundscapes, sound art, radio plays, audiobooks, podcasts).
What is the process for the Festival awards?
Awards are determined by jury consensus. Each recipient is selected by filmmakers and industry professionals from the Festival’s independent programming team and juries, with the exception of our two Audience Choice Awards which are voted on by attendees during the Festival.
If my submission is accepted into the Festival, will it be considered for an award? What happens if my work wins an award?
Yes, accepted submissions are considered by our awards juries who then select the winners of our many award categories. Award winners receive a sponsored cash prize, which is given directly to the Indigenous director/lead creative of the project.
Where can I learn more about submissions?
Visit our Submissions page to see our up-to-date Artistic Policy, learn about upcoming Festival submission deadlines, and more.
What if I cannot afford to pay the submission fee?
YWe endeavour to make our Festival as accessible as possible and so, we offer a FREE Early Bird Submission period. Additionally, if you have been programmed at our Festival before and require accommodations regarding your submission fee, please email submissions@imagineNATIVE.org.
Is there a fee to submit to the festival?
Yes. There is a $5.00 CAD fee to submit to the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival.
I am an imagineNATIVE volunteer/employee. Can I still submit?
Yes! imagineNATIVE supports Indigenous artists’ work, including those who give their time, insight, and talent as board members, staff, contractors, and volunteers. The Programming Selection Committee has a responsibility to declare a conflict of interest when necessary, in which case they will be omitted from the decision-making process.
What if I didn’t create my project this year?
No problem. For the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, we typically accept submissions of works created from the current and previous calendar year (e.g. the 2026 Festival will accept works from 2025 and 2026).
Does my submission need to be a completed project?
No. We encourage artists to submit their finished projects, as well as their rough cuts as long as you specify your completion date. When submissions are open, our Submissions page will include information on deadlines for final cuts.
What if my project premiered at another festival?
We accept works of all premiere statuses. We congratulate you for being successful at other festivals!
What if my submission is not in English?
No problem. We accept submissions in all languages. Please provide your project with English subtitles or closed captioning.
What if some members of my production team are non-Indigenous?
Joint creative positions may be considered with additional clarification.
What types of work can I submit?
We accept Film + Video works (including cinematic films, music videos, web series, tv series), Digital + Interactive works (including non-interactive digital works, XR, video games, choose-your-own-adventure), and Audio works (including soundscapes, sound art, radio plays, audiobooks, podcasts).