Submissions
25th Annual imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival
June 3-8, 2025 (Toronto) + June 9-15, 2025 (online)
Get ready to submit your work to the world’s largest Indigenous film and media arts Festival!
The upcoming 25th annual imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival will take place in-person at the TIFF Lightbox in Toronto from June 3-8, 2025, and move to our online streaming and iNdigital 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.
*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 before submitting your project.
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.
Yes! We are accepting submissions from November 1, 2024 – February 7, 2025.
Yes. There is a $5.00 CAD fee to submit to the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival.
We’ve got you! We will have a FREE Early Bird Submission period from November 1, 2024 – November 15, 2024. Additionally, if you have been programmed at our Festival before and require accommodations regarding your submission fee, please email submissions@imagineNATIVE.org.
No problem. We are accepting submissions of works created from January 1, 2023 to now.
That’s great! We accept works of all premiere statuses. We congratulate you for being successful at other festivals!
No problem. We are accepting submissions in all languages. Please provide your project with English subtitles or closed captioning.
Yes. We require the director to be Indigenous, as well as the writer and/or producer to be Indigenous.
Joint creative positions may be considered with additional clarification requests.
We are accepting 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).
No. We encourage artists to submit their finished projects, as well as their rough cuts as long as you specify your completion date. Final cuts must be completed by the end of February 2025.
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.
Awards are determined by jury consensus. With the exception of our Audience Choice Awards, the annual imagineNATIVE Awards are adjudicated by an independent jury.
Good things happen! In addition to the award, winners receive a sponsored cash prize, which is given directly to the Indigenous director/lead creative of the project.
Please visit us at imagineNATIVE.org/festival/submissions.
Is imagineNATIVE’s Call for Submissions open?
Yes! We are accepting submissions from November 1, 2024 – February 7, 2025.
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.
What if I cannot afford to pay the submission fee?
We’ve got you! We will have a FREE Early Bird Submission period from November 1, 2024 – November 15, 2024. Additionally, if you have been programmed at our Festival before and require accommodations regarding your submission fee, please email submissions@imagineNATIVE.org.
What if I didn’t create my project this year?
No problem. We are accepting submissions of works created from January 1, 2023 to now.
What if my project premiered at another festival?
That’s great! 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 are accepting submissions in all languages. Please provide your project with English subtitles or closed captioning.
Do I have to be Indigenous to submit?
Yes. We require the director to be Indigenous, as well as the writer and/or producer to be Indigenous.
What if some members of my production team are non-Indigenous?
Joint creative positions may be considered with additional clarification requests.
What types of work can I submit?
We are accepting 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).
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. Final cuts must be completed by the end of February 2025.
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 is the process for the Festival awards?
Awards are determined by jury consensus. With the exception of our Audience Choice Awards, the annual imagineNATIVE Awards are adjudicated by an independent jury.
What happens if my work wins an award?
Good things happen! In addition to the 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?
Please visit us at imagineNATIVE.org/festival/submissions.