CFF INDUSTRY PRESENTS
You-CAN Pitch Competition 2025
Calling all Black Canadian filmmakers!
Are you ready to get your feature film off the ground? We invite you to submit to our You-CAN Pitch Competition this year at the 2025 Canadian Film Fest!
We’re looking for narrative feature film pitches by BLACK FILMMAKERS and are open to all genres.
Up to five finalists (individuals or teams) will be invited to participate in an in-person pitch session in front of our selected panelists of industry experts who will provide constructive feedback and their thoughts on your project. Afterwards, there will be organized meeting sessions with select panelists. There will also be mentorship sessions and one-on-one practice opportunities before the event, where participants will get a chance to hone their pitching skills and practice with a pitching mentor. Participants will receive CFF passes and industry networking opportunities.
This is a unique chance to introduce yourself to key decision makers and industry leaders, learn career-serving pitching skills, and showcase your talents!
Deadline for submissions: Friday March 3, 2025 at 11:59 pm EST.
“As a filmmaker, I couldn't be happier with this festival and the life-changing platform they provided for our film and team.” - the tweetations
Where
Anyone across Canada can participate! The live event will take place at the Canadian Film Fest in Toronto, from March 24-29, 2025.
How it Works
Apply! SUBMISSION FORM HERE
Each submission will be pre-screened for eligibility purposes. A peer jury will assess and select the top ranking projects.
Top Five Finalists participate in a mandatory pitch prep session on TBC with our industry expert.
Top Five Finalists will pitch live on March 28th to a panel of industry experts. This panel will determine the grand prize winner, who will be announced at the CFF Closing Night Awards Ceremony. Additional meetings with industry professionals may be arranged at the discretion of CFF.
All Top Five Finalists receive complimentary festival passes
Rules & Terms
-Applicant must identify as Black and be 18+
-Applicant must be the director of the film
-Must be a narrative feature film, with an intended length of at least 75 minutes long
-The director must have previous experience in a key above-the-line role in at least one short, web series, feature, or narrative TV episode
-The director must be a Canadian citizen, resident of Canada or Permanent Resident
-Team submissions that include writer and producer are encouraged but not required. It is not required that Producer or Writer be Black-identifying (3 individuals per team maximum.)
-Top projects selected for participation will be determined at the jury’s discretion based on the number of submissions.
-All entries must be in English
Submission Requirements
-Logline
-First ten pages of a properly formatted feature film script
-Pitch deck (no more than 10 pages.) This should include: Genre, Theme, Synopsis, director’s vision, team bios, character descriptions, visual references, etc
-Visual Support Material. A video (up to five minutes) which includes samples of previous narrative work that best demonstrate the applicant's creative abilities.
-Resume with IMDb (no longer than 3 pages)
-Headshot + Bio
Awards & Prizes
-All Top Five Finalists receive laurels
-Complimentary CFF festival passes for up to 3 key participants (valued at $400+), which gives access to 2025 Canadian Film Fest screenings and industry series events.
-More sponsors will be added soon!
Notification
Due to the volume of submissions received, applicants will be notified only if they move forward in the selection process. Filmmakers will be selected by mid-March 2025. Please check our social media pages (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn) for updates on the selection process.
*Event details subject to change.
QUESTIONS? CONTACT CFF FILM & INDUSTRY PROGRAMMER RICHARD, richard@canfilmfest.ca