Submit your film to be a part of Buffer Festival
Up to 3 films and their creators total will be selected and awarded. Selected entries and their creators will be promoted by Buffer Festival on bufferfestival.com and through social media. Winners will be invited to screen their video at Buffer Festival 2023 taking place November 9-12.
In addition to each winner being invited to screen their video and attend the festival as a featured creator, each winner outside of the Toronto area will have their travel and accommodations covered. Please note that Buffer Festival cannot accommodate travel visas or provide waivers.
Powered by Henrys
Submissions are made possible thanks for the generous support of Henrys: Canada’s Greatest Camera Store. With the best gear and honest expert advice, Henry’s is a huge supporter of digital creators across the country.
Rules & Terms
- Submissions must be longer than one (1) minute and under ten (10) minutes.
- Submissions will be reviewed based on the quality of cinematic content, audio, video, editing, story, and other film aspects.
- The applicant must own all copyrights to all aspects of the submission.
- This process is international. Submissions are in no way based on the country of origin, and anyone is eligible.
- The video may be in any language. However, if the video is not primarily in English, the video must include English subtitles burned into the export, or available as closed-caption option on the video player.
- Videos submitted as premieres are preferred, but not required.
- Any video that does not meet the eligibility qualifications should not be submitted. No refunds are available.
- The creator maintains full ownership and rights over their video at all times, even after submission to Buffer Festival. Buffer Festival will never own any aspects or lay claim to ownership over the video.
Submission Dates and Cost
Opening Date: September 4
Regular Submissions: $10 CAD until October 2
Late Submissions: $20 CAD October 3 – October 6
Notification Date: October 10
Remain in the regular submission period
FAQ
Can I submit more than one video?
Of course! Creators are welcome to submit as many as they’d like in as many of the categories as they’d like.
Can I submit the same video into multiple categories?
Although creators are welcome to submit the same video into multiple categories, we encourage submission into the primary category that the creator feels best aligns.
What are the categories?
We accept videos that fit into the following categories.
- Short films
- Comedy
- Documentaries
- Music videos
- Animation
- Misc
What are some examples of videos that have won in the past?
Great question, and good research. Here are a few videos that have been invited to screen in previous years.
Are videos eligible for the Buffer Festival Excellence Awards?
Of course! All videos that screen at the festival are eligible for the Buffer Awards.
How are videos selected?
All videos are reviewed by a selection of established digital creators, members of the festival staff, and experts from Henrys. The selection committee focuses on finding cinematic and narrative videos that excel in audio, production, editing, story, and other film aspects.