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About Us

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THE TORONTO INTERNATIONAL NOLLYWOOD FILM FESTIVAL (TINFF)

IS AN ACADEMY OF CANADIAN CINEMA & TELEVISION

(CANADIAN SCREEN AWARD)

QUALIFYING FILM FESTIVAL.

 

 

As a transcending multicultural film festival that celebrates diversity and inclusion through film, using the TINFF platform to present a creative space for Canadian and international films. With the aim of providing a creative platform for Canadian and international films and creative content, TINFF is happy to announce that the Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival (TINFF) is now an approved Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television (Canadian Screen Award) qualifying festival. The 2024 updated qualifying festival list on the Academy website includes TINFF. The Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television, known as the Canadian Screen Award, is often seen by some as the Canadian version of the OSCARS, and TINFF is proud to be on that list!

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According to the Academy of Canadian Film and Television (Canadian Screen Award),

“Acceptance into at least two (2) of the following Academy-approved Canadian festivals qualifies a feature documentary or theatrical short film for entry into the Canadian Screen Awards.”

 

This means that going forward, all past and future Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival (TINFF) official selections can list TINFF as a qualifying film festival for submissions to be considered for the Canadian Screen Award via the official website of the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television.

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In addition, TINFF is also an IMDb and Telefilm Canada Qualifying Film Festival and is supported by the City of Brampton, Ontario Creates, Canadian Heritage, and the Canada Media Fund, among others.

 

• TINFF is an IMDb-qualifying film festival. https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0010686/2019/1

• For a complete list, visit the academy's website here:

https://www.academy.ca/canadian-screen-awards/rules-eligibility/

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The Toronto International Film Festival (TINFF) invites you to come to enjoy the diversity that brings local and international films, filmmakers, and artists to the beautiful city of Toronto every year.

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TINFF SHORT FILM FESTIVAL CONTEST COMING SOON

 

The Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival (TINFF) is excited to announce that it will be hosting a short film festival contest that’s open to all short filmmakers. The winners will receive a small cash prize for the first cash prize), be screened at the TINFF festival each year in September 2020 in Toronto, Canada, and receive a special award during the closing gala.  

 

We invite you to celebrate diversity through film as we screen films from across the globe every year at TINFF in the beautiful city of Toronto, Canada.  One of our goals at TINFF is to present a platform that helps and promotes local and international artists through music showcase filmmakers' work from across the globe to build an audience for their projects and work to diversify the music and film industry while maintaining a cultural diversity that the city of Toronto is accustomed to. We will choose our favourite music and films from each year to be screened at the festival and gala event. Judges will choose their favorite and there will be a viewer's choice award and a TINFF trophy will be awarded to the winners. All winners from individual categories will be recognized at the event.   ​

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About Us / Rules

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The Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival (TINFF) is a competition with live festival screenings and an annual awards event in the beautiful city of Toronto. Each year between August and October, we will have our festival award and Gala night. After Official Selected Films have been announced and notified, we will proceed to the next stage of the selection process and announce the TINFF's Festival's "NOMINEES" who will now compete for an award to be presented at the live festival event in Toronto, Canada.  All Official Selection Award Nominees will be announced on the TINFF's festival website {http://www.tinff.net/}, TINFF Instagram Page (@tinffestival) and TINFF's Facebook page {https://www.facebook.com/tinff/}.

TINFF is a focus-oriented multicultural music and film festival, with an awards night to recognize and encourage filmmakers by appreciating, promoting, challenging, and developing an understanding of equality, social justice, non-discrimination, diversity, and multiculturalism.

 

 TINFF is an IMDb Approved Festival: https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0010686/2020/1/

 

We provide a platform that brings both film distributors and filmmakers together. Providing excellent customer service to filmmakers is key to us as each filmmaker is part of our growing family and we are happy to assist from the stage of submission to the end result at the Annual Event. We will try to be in touch with you within 24 hours to resolve any queries related to your film or submission. We are very excited to review your film and observe the detailed creativity of your work.

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Our Mission:

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Diversity is key to us and as such, our main objective of the Film Festival & Awards Night is to provide support for independent filmmakers through reviewing, judging, marketing, and distribution networking, and trying to overcome any other obstacles which potentially hinder the artist’s ability to create.

Submission & Evaluation Process:

We create an opportunity for filmmakers to get their films judged and let them compete with other filmmakers. We perform a comprehensive evaluation process and select only high-quality films.

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The Evaluation Process:

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• Reviewing for official selection by the jury and selection of Award Nominees.

• Films are Judged by filmmakers and audiences to review and vote for the best film from individual categories.

• Declaration of Festival Award Winners.

• Films get a screening at the annual event and compete with other films for “The Viewers Choice Award.”

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Awards & Prizes:

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We award the best independent filmmakers after a comprehensive evaluation process. All finalists get LAURELS, with an opportunity to contest at a combination of audience and judges vote for a TROPHY at various categories and a DISTRIBUTION OFFER which is optional to you.

 

Awards & Prizes

 

TROPHY STATUE or AWARD CERTIFICATES

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• Best Project and Audience Choice Award

• InkTip publishing opportunity

• Silverbird Film Distribution WA (Cinema Distribution Opportunity)

• FilmOne Distribution (Cinema Distribution Opportunity)

• Evritfilms Distribution UK (Cinema Distribution Opportunity)

• True Sail Distribution (Limited Cinema Distribution Opportunity)

 

Video-on-demand (VOD) is becoming more accessible to the public and is opening doors to independent filmmakers worldwide. All films are being consumed by a paying audience and we believe that our platform can help our filmmakers take a slice of that pie. Allowing our filmmakers to get rightfully paid for the content they produce.

 

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TINFF is proud to Announce InkTip as a sponsored partner for our screenplay awards at the Festival this year in Toronto.

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In Addition to Winning a Trophy, “Top Three Screenplays” Winners from our ScreenPlay Categories will receive an InkTip Script Listing to promote themselves and their scripts to InkTip’s entire network of producers, managers, and agents. Companies who are InkTip members include ABC, Anonymous Content, APA, CBS Films, HBO Films, ICM, Paradigm, Paramount Pictures, Hallmark Channel, FX, Universal, WME, Echo Lake, Zero Gravity, Bad Robot, 20th Century Fox, and much more. Producers have made more than 315 films from scripts and writers found through InkTip.  {InkTip: Where producers go for scripts and writers.}  https://www.inktip.com/

 

Filmmakers will have access to festival Screenings, Red carpet Interviews, Awards Ceremony and Networking opportunities in Toronto, Canada.

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Rules & Regulations:

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Rules & Regulations:

The competition is open to all! This includes films from Canada, Nollywood, Bollywood, Hollywood-USA, and international entries. Please check individual categories and submit suitable categories to your project.

Hybrid Screening & Programs

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, TINFF’s programs will be delivered in a hybrid form allowing us to better serve our audience. Each year TINFF’s Official Selection projects will be screened online and in person subject to screening slot/facility availability.

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• Feature films (75 minutes and more), medium-length films (30 to 74 minutes), and short films (less than 30 minutes)

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• All Entries with or without distribution deals are welcome.

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• All Entries selected into the festival programs agree to have their project participate in TINFF’s Hybrid screening programs which include Online and In-person programs and activities.

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• Films previously entered into and screened at our festival are eligible for one additional re-entry in subsequent years.

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• Entries must be submitted for pre-screening through our online submission platform. If you use a secured link, you are REQUIRED to keep us updated with passwords.

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• Works in progress are accepted. We cannot promise that we will be able to watch re-edited submissions. Please only submit works in progress if submitting close to the final deadline.

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• You grant the TINFF festival a limited license to screen your film(s) at any of its yearly calendar festival events in addition to during the festival itself by allowing the festival to download your films through the festival FilmFreeway submission download system or by sending a hard copy or a downloadable version of your film, digital content, or screenplay. By submitting your work, you consent to the festival using still photos and brief video clips to promote the festival. Credit shall be given to any filmmaker or screenwriter whose work appears in festival promotional materials. The owner of the copyright retains all rights to the original work.

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• You may submit multiple entries but must pay an entry fee for each.

• If the movie has nudity or sex. The movie should have a strong storyline; however, we are strictly not accepting any movies about porn, or animal cruelty.

To submit a Film for Festival consideration, Applicants must complete the registration process at the online submission platform and pay the required fee by the deadlines. Submissions must be postmarked or online submitted via the submission platform. Submitted DVDs must contain one version only of the Film, in the original language of production, with English subtitles if the original language is not English.

• DVDs must be labelled in the following manner: Title. Production company name, phone number, and address. Director’s name. Length in minutes and submission platform tracking number.

• Where the applicant chooses to forward a DVD instead of an online screener, the Applicant is responsible for ensuring that the submitted DVD screener plays in its entirety on an industry-standard DVD player. If TINFF is unable to view the DVD, TINFF is under no obligation, to contact the Applicant to obtain a replacement DVD.

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• TINFF will not review multiple versions of a submitted Film. Only one version of the Film may be submitted. If multiple versions are submitted, TINFF will view only the version that was received first.

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• Note! DVD screeners will not be returned.

All Films must be sent by way of prepaid shipping. TINFF will not accept cash-on-delivery shipments or be responsible for duties, taxes or customs brokerage.
Charges are to be billed to the sender. TINFF is not responsible for and will not accept shipments incurring expenses for terminal charges, duties, taxes or customs brokerage.

Shipping and customs charges are to be billed to the sender. Any shipping charges incurred by TINFF will be billed back to the Applicant.

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About our Waiver Policy:

 

We believe in a fair policy for every filmmaker. We try to keep reasonable fees for all submissions, and we offer regular discounts to students and new filmmakers, however, no waivers at this stage.

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TERMS AND CONDITIONS

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COMPETITION CERTIFICATION

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• I/We have read all the Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival (TINFF) rules.

• I/We understand and have complied with these rules.

• I/We warrant the submission of my/our original work and there are no disputes regarding the ownership of the submission.

• I/We also warrant the submitted material does not defame or invade the rights of any person living or dead and I/we fully indemnify the Festival against any claim made for such violations of law.

• To the best of my/our knowledge, all the statements herein are true and correct.

• I/We understand that failure to adhere to the Festival rules will result in disqualification and forfeiture of the entry fee.

• I/We agree to hold TINFF harmless from and defend them against all claims, demands, losses, damages, judgments, liabilities, and expenses (including legal fees) arising out of or in connection with any and all claims of third parties, whether or not groundless, based on any film submitted to the Festival. I understand that the festival projection format may change and I will be notified of the required format once my film is accepted.

• All selected films must be available to screen, we will inform you of the appropriate screening format.