Frequently Asked Questions

Is this contest open to students as well as inexperienced amateur filmmakers?

What is the criteria to submit films to MMFFYR?

• is by a current York Region Resident
• is by a York Region native (born & bread in the region with family still living here)
• hasYork Region content
• was filmed in York Region

Are there age categories?

Yes—for the most part! There are two age related submission categories and an All Inclusive Category (no age restrictions). The age specific categories are: Elementary/Children (ages 6-13) and Secondary/Youth (ages 14-18).

It is up to you to determine whether you want to enter your film in the All Inclusive Category if indeed you are of the age to enter one of the age specific categories. For instance, if you are a 14-year-old filmmaker you can choose to enter your film in either the Secondary/Youth (14-18) Category or the All Inclusive Category (all can make a submission regardless of age and experience in this category). Multimedia/film submissions can only be submitted in one category.

Note: Age categories are exclusive to the Adjudication (General) Stream.  The Adjudication (Professional) Stream is open to all, however applicants are forewarned that if their submission is not of professional grade as self-identified by the applicant and beyond 16 minutes for films or 5 minutes for photo-voices and animations- -the submission will be excluded from the festival. In other words, only enter your submission in this category if you are certain that it meets professional standards! 

Are there prizes/awards for winners?

Winners will receive a beautifully crafted award on behalf of the Multimedia Film Development Council of York Region.

How long do submissions have to be?

Documentaries, dramas and docu-dramas can be anywhere from seconds long to 30 minutes in length for those entering the Adjudication (Professional) Stream while photo-voices and animations can be anywhere from seconds in length to 8 minutes.  Other films are required to be no more than 16 minutes in length while photo-voices and animations can be anywhere from seconds in length to 5 minutes.

Do you always need to list who appears in the film in the credits?

If your film is a documentary, there is no need to list principal individuals. However, if your documentary includes an acted or dramatized piece, the names of the actors would be helpful in terms of providing credit for their role. Anchors and voice actors can also be included in this group to be credited.

Where will the films be shown?

During the course of the May/2013 multimedia film festival, selected submissions will be shown in a venue/s in one or more of the nine following municipalities: Georgina, East Gwillimbury, Markham, Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Whitchurch-Stouffville, Newmarket, King Township and Aurora.

Other venues may also include art-centred schools within the Region. School-based screenings will also be streamed to other schools across the Region.

Some submissions may go on to be televised after the multimedia film festival on Rogers TV and through other media sources.

Scheduled screenings and associated events will be provided in the “Festival Schedule” section beginning March 31st, 2013.

What is the difference between the Adjudication (Professional) Stream and the Adjudication (General) Stream and the Open Stream and what does it mean for my submission?

Adjudicated Stream (Professional): Applicants are required to self-identify their submission for this particular stream. All other submissions will be sorted into one of the two latter streams as per the Program Committee’s decision.

Adjudication (General) & Open Stream: All films/multimedia submissions that are not self-identified for the "Adjudication (Professional) Stream" and are of the proper/legal duration will be sorted into either the Adjudication (General) Stream or the Open Stream by the Programming Committee.

Who is going to view my submission?

All submissions will be viewed and evaluated by three adjudicators who sit on the Programming Committee. Submissions selected to be screened at festival venues, will be viewed by festival attendees.

What cannot be shown in my film?

Submissions that promote/contain or allude to: gratuitous violence, excessive coarse language, explicit sexual content, or hate/discriminatory practices will not be considered.

Do submissions have to be restricted to the given submission themes?

Submissions are required to include the broad subject matters detailed in the submission themes: matters/experiences of diversity from either an individual prospective or communal viewpoint as they unfold within our Region; matters concerning social issues within our borders (e.g. poverty/homeless among youth, partner violence within teenaged relationships, substance misuse among youth, cyber bullying, and so forth); environmental concerns and successes within our Region; and finally, subject matters that explore local, provincial, national and international challenges or experiences through the lens of those within our borders. All mentioned options can explore successes or challenges.

Note: All submission themes are open to most genres: comedy, satire, drama, documentary forms, quirky treatments, musicals, animation and film noir. Make it interesting, provocative and eye-catching with the undercurrent of a good story. When all is said and done, it is all about story telling!

If my organization (e.g. Big Brothers & Big Sisters of York Region) wants to make a film but has no access to equipment and expertise, who can we turn to?

The Council facilitates film making workshops throughout the region at several points in the year.  For more information please contact Multimedia Film Festival of York Region's Project Manager, Mona El Baroudi at .

NOTE: Films/Multimedia entries that were submitted to the multimedia film festival in a previous year cannot be resubmitted in subsequent years.