FAQs

Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival will be celebrating its 36th edition September 14-22, 2024. Details regarding major announcements, film scheduling, and tickets will be available summer 2024. Join our mailing list to the first to know!

Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival is based out of Sudbury, Ontario and takes place each September at SilverCity Sudbury, located at 355 Barrydowne Road.

Submissions for the 36th edition of Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival will open December 1, 2023 via FilmFreeway.

Submission Categories:

• Narrative Feature (70-180 minutes)
• Documentary Feature (70-180 minutes)
• Narrative Mid-Length (30-69 minutes)
• Documentary Mid-Length (30-69 minutes)
• Narrative Short (1-29 minutes)
• Documentary Short (1-29 minutes)

Tickets will be available to purchase early summer 2024. Please stay tuned for details.

The full film lineup for the 36th edition of Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival will be available late summer 2024. Please stay tuned for details.

Yes, in 2023 Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival offered awards with cash prizes in the following categories:

• Outstanding Canadian Feature Film Award
• Outstanding International Feature Film Award
• French Language Feature Film Award
• Cinema Indigenized Outstanding Talent Award
• Outstanding Female-Led Feature Film Award
• Inspiring Voices & Perspectives Feature Film Award
• Outstanding Short Film Award
• Outstanding Northern Ontario Short Film Award
• Outstanding Animated Short Film Award

Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival also offers a chance for the audience to vote in the following categories:

• Audience Choice Award: Best Feature
• Audience Choice Award: Best Documentary
• Audience Choice Award: Best Short

Additionally, Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival, in partnership with CTV, accepts film submissions from current and former residents of Northern Ontario for the CTV Best in Shorts Competition. The Competition provides Northern Ontario filmmakers the opportunity to advance their careers, have their work screened to a festival audience, receive exposure within the film industry, and have a chance to compete for a variety of cash prizes. In 2023, award categories for CTV Best in Shorts included:

• Open Category, First Place
• Open Category, Second Place
• Northern Flicks Award
• Post-Secondary, First Place
• Post-Secondary, Second Place

Yes, Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival hosts several opportunities for networking throughout the duration of the 9-day event that includes both industry events and social activities created to engage guests on the level of filmmaker to audience, filmmaker to industry, filmmaker to journalists/press, and filmmaker to filmmaker depending on the focus of the event. Please stay tuned for more details as they become available.

Yes, Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival strives to create plenty of space for panels, workshops, and extracurricular events that advance Northern Ontario's film and television production industries, one of Canada's most active and fastest growing production jurisdictions. Panels and workshops take many forms and vary from year-to-year, with each providing a tailored and focused space for engagement amongst filmmakers, industry, and audience. Please stay tuned for more details as they become available.

Above all else, Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival focuses on artistic quality and excellence by showcasing films that represent diverse voices and experiences, while providing a platform for film artists to relay the stories they wish to tell. Of special note, Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival features broadened programs that spotlight works from Indigenous, Francophone, and Canadian filmmakers—a spotlight that provides the unique opportunity of reaching a wider audience as the festival also hosts upwards of 60 programmers annually from other smaller domestic festivals. These programmers attend each year with the intention of selecting films screening at the festival to screen in their own home communities.

In 2020, 2021, and 2022, Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival offered virtual film programming to better align with COVID-19 protocols and procedures. As of 2023, the festival is back to operating fully in-theatre.

You can become a Red Carpet Patron by clicking "Red Carpet Patron Program" at the top right of the screen, by calling us at 705-688-1234, or by visiting the Cinéfest Sudbury Box Office (located at 40 Larch Street, Unit 103). Cinéfest Sudbury organizers are also available to answer any additional questions that you may have, so please don't hesitate to reach out.

2024 details for the Red Carpet Patron Program are available now, including the option to join or gift. Please note that the Red Carpet Patron Program is an annual subscription-based program that runs from January until December and will not automatically renew each year.

If choosing to gift the Red Carpet Patron Program this holiday season, orders will need to be placed no later than Friday, December 8 at noon to ensure the physical cards will be available in time. Completed orders will be available to pick up at the Cinéfest Box Office (40 Larch Street, Unit 103) once notified of their arrival. Additional arrangements can be made for delivery by calling 705-688-1234.

Cinéfest Sudbury strives to seek out the best in upcoming Canadian and international films, while keeping its loyal festival audience in mind. Previous Red Carpet film screenings include Au revoir le bonheur (Goodbye Happiness), After Yang, The Phantom of the Open, Broker (브로커), Chien blanc, Tempête (Ride Above), To Leslie, Master Gardener, Crépuscule pour un tueur (Dusk for a Hitman), La Chimera, and She Came to Me.

All Red Carpet Patron Program film titles will be announced closer to their respective screening dates. Please ensure you are opted-in to the Red Carpet Patron Program newsletter to remain updated on all things related to the program.

The Red Carpet Patron Program film schedule for 2023 is available by clicking the "Red Carpet Patron Program" button at the top right of the screen. All Red Carpet film screenings will take place at SilverCity Sudbury (located at 355 Barrydowne Road) unless otherwise noted by Cinéfest Sudbury organizers.

No, all Red Carpet film screenings will take place at SilverCity Sudbury (located at 355 Barrydowne Road) unless otherwise noted by Cinéfest Sudbury organizers.

Yes, tickets can be purchased for $12.50 each. However, it is encouraged to join the Red Carpet Patron Program to get the most out of each film screening, including the offering of exclusive perks. Please note that individual tickets are also limited and cannot be guaranteed.

No, simply flash your Red Carpet Patron card when you arrive at each scheduled film. If you don't happen to have your physical card with you, we will kindly ask you provide a piece of photo ID for admittance.