Rules & Terms

Eligibility

• AI in the pipeline. Any short film qualifies if AI was used somewhere in its creation - image or video generation, animation, visual effects, sound, music, voice, editing, screenplay, or concept development. Hybrid AI / traditional workflows are welcome.
• Genre focus. The festival celebrates genre cinema: horror, sci-fi, thriller, fantasy, dark comedy, supernatural, and adjacent forms.
• Format. Short films up to 30 minutes. Experimental and hybrid works are eligible.
• Language. Non-English films must include English subtitles.

Submission terms

• Rights. Submitters must hold the rights to all material in their film, including AI-generated assets, music, and third-party content.
• Original work. Films must be the submitter's own work. Plagiarized or infringing entries are disqualified.
• Submission. Entries are made through FilmFreeway. Entry fees are non-refundable.
• Multiple entries. A creator may submit multiple films; each film requires its own submission.
• Discretion. Selection, programming, and award decisions rest solely with the festival. Categories may be combined or adjusted based on the volume and nature of submissions.

Deadlines

Notification: September 8, 2026 · Event: September 18, 2026 · 49 Elm St, Old Toronto, ON.