The 19th Annual Hamilton Film Festival will run from October 18th - 27th, 2024. 
Films are not rated. Viewer discretion is advised unless noted as Family or For Kids.

FESTIVAL PASS

All screenings and public events unless otherwise noted* Oct 18th - 27th, 2024
$99 + HST ($300+ value) 
​Free Shipping
For years we have not raised our pass prices, and we won't again this year. 
Make sure to include your shipping address when you check out. 
*Excludes the Red Carpet premiere of East End, on October 26th

Friday October 18th - Opening Night

LOCAL SHORTS!

Friday October 18th, 6:30pm, $12
Q&A after the movies
Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre, 357 Wilson St. E, Ancaster, On
Free parking on site.
​Q&A will happen after the program with attending filmmakers
Kick of the festival with an eclectic viewing of short films from Hamilton, and the surrounding area!
​Blink and You’ll Miss It / Experimental / 1min / Jason Lamb
The Wait / 2min / Animation / Chelsea Irwin
Figaro, Figaro / 13min / Action / Chris Kabisoso
Over The Edge / 7min / Drama / Jenna Harder
The Stain / 5min / Comedy / Constance Hilton
Perseverance / 1min / Animation / Chelsea Irwin
Capsule / 13min / SciFi Comedy Drama / Dani Kind
EarthWorm / 16m / Experimental / Phillip Barker
Dick Move / 13m / Comedy / Scott Morris
Clementine / 14min / Comedy / Drama / Beth Evans
The Understudy / 13m / Drama / Peter Pasyk
T-Bone / 8min / Drama / Zachary Bennett

A THOUSAND CUTS

Mystery / Thriller / 90min
Written and Directed by Jake Horowitz ​(3-time HFF Alumni)
​Friday October 18th, 9:30pm, $12
Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre, 357 Wilson St. E, Ancaster, On
​Free parking on site.
​Q&A will happen after the program with attending filmmakers

GATEKEEPERS
6min / Short / Jason & Ben Speir
Short film before the feature

After signing up for a literal elevator pitch, a screenwriter grapples with the conflicting advice from three very different producers.
​Synopsis
While investigating a notorious 30-year-old unsolved murder on a true crime special, the hosts find themselves dangerously intertwined with the case as their relationship begins to derail and mysteriously echo the brutal murders, all on live TV.
Cast:
​Jonas Chernick (The End of Sex), David Hewlett (Stargate: Atlantis), Julian Richings (Beau is Afraid, Man of Steel), Storm Steenson (The Boys, Cup of Cheer)
Picture

​The ENTIRE 30+ person crew and producing team are all born and raised Hamiltonians, the film was made with the support of Hamilton Film Studios, and prep and post was done in Hamilton. 

Saturday October 19th

INDUSTRY TALKS 1

Saturday October 19th
10am - 2:30pm, $12
Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre, Room 213
Free for pass holders but you must reserve a spot. You will receive an email with a code. 
The $12 gets you access to all 3. There is no discount if you don't attend all of them.
MARKETING
​Join Louie La Vella, an entertainment marketing and advertising expert, for an insightful session at our film conference. As the producer and founder of 105ive Films and co-founder of FOUND TV, Louie has mastered promoting film, music, and live events, managing digital advertising campaigns worth tens of millions of dollars. In this session, Louie will unveil a new low-budget film marketing strategy, sharing practical tips and insights. He'll conduct a live demonstration on effective advertising for your film on Facebook and Instagram. Whether you're a new filmmaker or an established producer, you'll gain actionable strategies to boost your marketing efforts. Don't miss this chance to learn from a seasoned professional and enhance your film promotions.
PACKAGING
Join Dana Abraham, as he explains the value of attaching names to your project, having produced the films She Came Back (Amybeth McNulty), Neon Lights (Kim Coates), and A Hundred Lies (Rob Raco). Through continuous writing of screenplays, Dana has established a portfolio of films, geared for theatrical release, under his arsenal that soon began capturing the eyes of those keen to creatively pursue filmmaking. 
PITCH DECK
Join Jeremy Major, as he explains the importance of having a great pitch deck, and what you should include. Jeremy Major has been a writer, producer, and director for over twenty years, whose unique vision for filmmaking is founded in his multidisciplinary background as a visual artist, musician/composer, and performer.

SHORT MIX

Saturday October 19th, 1pm, $12
Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre, 357 Wilson St. E, Ancaster, On
SHORT MIX
103m

Stardust / 14m / USA / Cristian Bautista
In a quaint 1950s record shop on an unassuming day, it is announced over the radio that Jazz legend Hoagy Carmichael has died, which leads to a violent bidding war over the last Hoagy album in the shop's possession. Richard, a loyal employee in his early 20s, tries to protect the album and the store as the patrons fight like animals over the last record.
Spag Bol / 10m / Drama / UK / Frankie Wade
First Time Filmmaker 
Unannounced, Damien turns up to watch the big match in an attempt to reconnect with his struggling father. But in order to do so, Damien must navigate his Dad’s unwillingness to acknowledge an unspoken truth.
Ladybug / 19m / USA / Daniela Schrier Kafshi
On the anniversary of her daughter’s death, Ronnie is commemorating the day with a surprising act -- and we’re along for the ride.
Fool's Game / 14m / Drama /  Laurence Roberts
Old university friends meet with their wives over dinner, and as time passes, secrets emerge throwing the dinner into chaos and challenging the couples’ understanding of love, betrayal, monogamy and marriage.
Shut Up / 25m / Denmark / Rune Lange Abildgaard
When Jonas discovers his frenemy Tourette disappears when eavesdropping on the boy’s choir in the local church, he must find a way to join the choir without letting Tourette ruin his chances.
Some Kind of Paradise  / 21m /  USA / Nicholas Finegan
In a chance encounter on Grindr, a reclusive barman at an Arkansas line-dancing bar connects with a charismatic Hollywood actor. The sheer force of their chemistry pushes him to question the isolated life he has built for himself- and embrace the transformative power of intimacy and vulnerability.

DREAM EATER

86m / Canada / Alex Lee Williams, Jay Drakulic, Mallory Drumm 
Saturday October 19th, 3pm, $12
Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre, 357 Wilson St. E, Ancaster, On
Mallory, a documentary filmmaker, and her boyfriend Alex go on a vacation to a remote, rustic cabin in the woods to celebrate Alex’s 30th birthday. Alex suffers from parasomnia, and Mallory believes some time to disconnect is what the couple needs. Mallory packs her camera so she can document Alex’s episodes while they’re away - a request made by Alex’s sleep therapist to better diagnose his disorder. Mallory's recordings uncover a dark secret within Alex.

Drama Shorts (107min)

Saturday October 19th, 6:30pm, $12
Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre, 357 Wilson St. E, Ancaster, On
​Free parking on site.
A popular choice annually, the drama shorts program is an excellent choice for your cinematic pallet.
Movies start at 6:30pm sharp
​Q&A will happen after the program with attending filmmakers

Two Breaths / 19min / USA / Kateryna Kurganska
After a man-made disaster decimates an evergreen island, a stranded 11-year-old girl must find the tenacity to leave behind her home with the help of an unlikely friend.
Triage / 14m / Canada / David Rendall
For Gemma and James, a simple car ride to the vet escalates into a full-blown crisis, exposing hard truths beneath the surface of their relationship.
Desync / 12min / Canada / Minerva Marie Navasca
A young Filipina filmmaker attempts to overwrite a painful memory of her mother with a perfect narrative.
One Good Horse / 14m / Spain / Kolya-Alvaro Dam de nogales
To celebrate sixty years of union, an aging man decides to take his bed-ridden and semi-commotose wife on a physically and emotionally challenging trip to the summit where he first proposed.
Strangers / 14m / Canada / Leah Doz
After missing their bus on a cold winter night, a young girl confronts the limits of her mother's love.
The Other Stuff / Canada / 14m / Bernard Gray
After a breakthrough moment during couples therapy, Winston, a 30-year-old black man, must confront his uncle about their abusive relationship.
Dinner Party / 20min / Canada / Kevin Alves
In the bustling hours before a dinner party, three couples face a rollercoaster of emotions, navigating through personal struggles and the complexities of their relationships.
​

Thrills and Chills

A mix of short films showcasing the darker side of things including Dark Comedy, Dark Drama, Thriller & Horror.
Saturday October 19th, 9:30pm, $12
Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre, 357 Wilson St. E, Ancaster, On
​Free parking on site.
Movies start at 9:30pm sharp
​Q&A will happen after the program with attending filmmakers
Pocketman / 2m / USA / Ericka Clevenger
Careful what you put in your pocket.
Rodent / 8m / UK / Joe Fereday
In the not too distant future, a rat transports us through the last vestiges of humanity as it forages for food for its family.
Heap / 12m / Canada / Kyle Marchen
Caught in a lie, Isha is forced to live a double life after discovering a “utopian” society in the building next door to her dilapidated apartment.
Bunker / 7min / UK / Ian Killick
On the brink of nuclear destruction, a mother must make an impossible decision to protect her children.
Nosocomephilia / 15m / Canada / Michèle Kaye
A middle-aged woman in a state of ennui starts compulsively visiting doctors.
Northern Escape / 11m / Canada / Alexis Korotash & Lucy Sanci
A couple on a cottage getaway tries to work on their relationship but ends up getting more than they bargained for when they discover something sinister lurking beneath the surface.
The Shadow Path / 7m / Canada / Daniel Foreman
The Shadow Path is a gritty, supernatural thriller about struggling to escape the inner city and living out one’s dreams. 
Dirty Bad Wrong / 15m / Canada / Erica Orofino
Desperate to keep her promise to host the best superhero party for her 6 year old, young mother Sid, a sex worker, takes extreme measures and books a last-minute client with a dark fetish.
God Damn Door / 7m / Russian Federation / Mikhail Morskov & Vitaly Dudka
A happy mother is preparing dinner and waiting for her son from a walk. Suddenly her ex-husband, from whom she has been hiding for so long, rings the doorbell. 
Dungeon of Death / 18m / Canada / Brian Rowe
​Torturer Raulin loves his job (maybe a little too much) but his latest victim challenges both his skills and his sanity.

Sunday October 20th

Industry Talks 2

Sunday October 20th
Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre, Room 213
10am - Imagine Magic
11:30am - Young Filmmakers
Free with ticket
IMAGINE MAGIC - 10am
We are going to introduce Imagine Magic FX as a studio that was created to make VFX available for smaller independent productions.
During the panel we will go through the cases when you need to use VFX, how and when to seek out a VFX studio or artist.
Then we will discuss deeper on how to stay within VFX budgets and avoid pitfalls that might increase them.
We will also briefly touch how to create assignments and give feedback to the VFX studio, so that artists can understand the director’s vision.
YOUNG FILMMAKERS - 11:30am (45min)
For young filmmakers, it is important to have mentors that are around your age to hear them tell stories about how they got started, and how you can set goals for the not to distant future, in the world of movie making! 

Olivia Ellis was a former student at the Hamilton School of Media Arts and quickly established herself as an up-and-comer that was a must-have on local indie sets. With music video, short, and feature film experience under her belt already, Olivia has directed two of her own short films and continues her studies in her 2nd year at Mohawk College. 

Ben Coates was a former student at the Hamilton School of Media Arts and immediately took his skills and made a short film, The Mirror, all by himself! His second short, Broken Ties, has a larger cast and will screen this evening in the Emerging Filmmakers program at 3pm. Ben is in High School. 

Leah "sfx by Leah"
Leah has been a student of the Hamilton School of Media arts and brings a skill we didn't teach, sfx make-up! This young talent does character design, scarring, burns, open gashes, cuts and is definitely an up-and-comer in the local scene! 

Kids Can Film

Sunday October 20th, 1pm, $10
Family / Probably the most fun you will have!
Movies made by the kids during the Winter Break, March Break, and Summer Camp 
(please note the Teen movies will be at 3pm)
Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre, 357 Wilson St. E, Ancaster, Ontario
Free parking on site
​Please note the movies will start at exactly 1pm.
​Please be in your seats at least 5 minutes before the movie starts.
There will be time for photos in the lobby after the screening 
Theatre of Horrors - Winter Break
The Doll - March Break
A Bird Egg...I think? - July 2
Fish of Time - July 8
Frankie's Funhouse - July 15
Tap Tap - July 22
Ancaster's Got Talent...? - July 29
​Calendar Killers - Aug 12
This Game is Whack, Bro Jack - Aug 19

Emerging Filmmakers

Sunday October 20th, 3pm, $10
8 short films - 103m
Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre, 357 Wilson St. E, Ancaster, Ontario
Free parking on site
Student and First Time FilmmakersAt the Hamilton Film Festival, we aim to give new filmmakers an opportunity to go from script-to-screen so they can experience their work on the big screen, with a captive audience. 
Presented by the Hamilton School of Media Arts
Listen - Teen Camp - Aug 5th week
Made by teenagers during the summer camps.
SHLOP - Teen Camp - Aug 26th week
Made by teenagers during the summer camps.
Dream Cube  / Filmmaking weekend class
A mysterious cube holds the secrets to achieving your dreams. 
Broken Ties / 26m / Ben Coates
Ellis and her family have to learn to navigate life with the youngest in the family, Kyla, who can be a danger to others, and herself…
Paw / 4m / Adam James Stevenson
The relationship between a highschool student and his last moments with his beloved dog.
My Lovely Quarantine / 6m / Leonardo Suarez
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Liam Reynolds struggles with isolation as his girlfriend, Olivia Harper, pursues her career in another country. Global lockdown mandates against travel have kept the couple apart, pushing Liam to seek creative ways to cope with their physical separation.
Salvage  13m / David Hall
Financially desperate millennial couple turn to a shady broker in order to salvage their down-payment.
Vela / 14min / Esteban Powell
Young Xime hopes to restore her family by arranging a Día de Los Muertos altar - meanwhile a looming presence closes in.
You Have / 10m / Drama / Ryan Nesbitt
After being diagnosed with a chronic illness, Rigel manifests his emotions into a creature that only he can see. With no way to rid themselves of one another, the pair must find a balance within their relationship in order to co-exist.
Silence / 10m / Musical / Katherine Lynn-Rose
A high school senior and her mother navigate cultural barriers during their nightly routine of watching TV. As college dreams clash with familial expectations, unspoken tensions rise, and music becomes the language of their hidden desires and unexpressed love.

Magnetosphere

Family / 90min / Canada 
Written and Directed by Nicola Rose
Actors Patrick McKenna and Zooey Schneider, are from Hamilton.
Sunday October 20th, 7pm, $10
​Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre, 357 Wilson St. E, Ancaster, On
It's 1997. The Hale-Bopp comet is passing by Earth, and Maggie Campion is a kid with a secret. She's always known there’s something different about her: she can see sounds and hear colours, and her senses do all sorts of other unusual things besides. Shy and cautious, Maggie has always kept these things to herself.
But when she moves across the country with her family — goofy theatrical dad Russell, pragmatic mom Helen, and mischievous little sister Evie — Maggie’s world is shaken up. When she starts school and her dad mounts a ramshackle production of "The Pirates of Penzance" at the local theatre, everything changes. Maggie meets several important people: her first love, her first best friend, a teacher who recognizes Maggie’s differences, and the family’s loony handyman-exterminator, Gil, who nurses a formidable hidden talent. Together, these oddball folks will lead Maggie to the realization that her differences have a name — synesthesia. And that with or without it, she’s remarkable.

Cast: Colin Mochrie, Steven He, Patrick McKenna, Tara Strong, Debra McGrath, and Shayelin Martin.
Directors Statement
"Magnetosphere" is a comedy about a 13-year-old girl with a neurological condition called synesthesia. I believe it is the first-ever family film to place synesthesia at the center of a story. As a young child, I experienced synesthesia myself, which indirectly set me on the path to making this movie.  In making "Magnetosphere," I wanted to highlight both synesthesia specifically, and, more generally, neurodivergent girls, who are underrepresented in media. I hope you enjoy the humour, warmth and heart of this film as much as I enjoyed directing it. - Nicola Rose

Look at Me

Drama / 86m / Canada / Taylor Olsen
Sunday October 20th, 9:30pm, $12
Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre
A fictional autobiography about an insecure, awkward and lonely bisexual actor who goes on an unwitting journey of self-love in the midst of an eating disorder relapse.
Taylor Olson (he/they) is a queer former athlete-turned filmmaker. The Canadian Screen Award & thirteen-time ACTRA Award nominee is based in Kjipuktuk/ Halifax, N.S. Taylor’s feature film directorial debut Bone Cage was released to critical acclaim; sweeping the awards at the FIN Atlantic International Film Festival and earning over 30 additional accolades at festivals around the globe. Bone Cage appeared in competition at Camerimage, competed in the Forward Future section of the Beijing International Film Festival, and toured numerous US festivals before being nominated for two Canadian Screen Awards for Adapted Screenplay & Supporting Actress. Next, Olson is set to premiere his sophomore feature film Look At Me at the Slamdance Film Festival and will be shooting his third feature film Unseen in the spring of 2024 alongside Crave and Vortex Media. For television, Olson has directed for two seasons of This Hour Has 22 Minutes on CBC, three seasons of the documentary series Disrupt for AMI, and screened their AR series Alone Together at festivals such as the Reykjavik International Film Festival and the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. As a creator, Olson released his first two short-form comedy series King & Pawn and 2GETHER 4EVER for Bell Fibe TV1. King & Pawn is currently shooting its third season in a 6 x 22 minute format for the Trailer Park Boys streaming service Swearnet. Olson likes to explore themes of masculinity, queerness, and the ways the two intersect. - HFF Alumni and award winner for Bone Cage

Monday October 21st

Curl Power

85m / Canada / Josephine Anderson
Monday October 21, 2pm, $12
Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre
357 Wilson St E, Ancaster
Free Parking on site
CURL POWER follows a team of teenage girls as they pursue their unusual dream of becoming Canadian National Curling Champions, and seek out their own paths amid the legacies of their world champion mothers. This intimate and imaginative coming-of-age documentary tells a story of angst and ecstasy, following the funny and tender evolution of five best friends as they reckon with their bodies, minds, and the great unknown.

Josephine Anderson is a Vancouver-based documentary filmmaker who works across linear and immersive modes to address themes like time, irreverence, yearning, and female experience. Her films are intimate, sensorial, and imaginative. Josephine’s work has been shown at festivals worldwide including Tribeca and IDFA, and has been exhibited by The New Yorker Documentary, CBC, Canada Council for the Arts, and the National Film Board of Canada. She has received two Vimeo Staff Picks.

HamOnt Acting Studio presents

10 short films from the HamOnt Studio Short Film acting program
Monday October 21, 6:30pm, $10
Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre
357 Wilson St E, Ancaster
Free Parking on site
103m / HamOnt Acting Studio
Graduation Day / 10m
My Best Friends Bat Mitzvah / 10m
Nathanial Crane is an A**hole / 10m
Talent Show / 6m
Pepper / 9m
Edgewater Crescent / 10m
Something to Stalk About / 7m
Detention Party / 11m
The House Always Wins / 17m
Patient / 12:00

Poly Is The New Monogamy

Special Presentation
​Monday October 21st, 9pm, $12
Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre
357 Wilson St E, Ancaster
Free Parking on site
Poly is the New Monogamy is a hot new series created by Cat Hostick, and streaming now on Hollywood Suite.
Join us as we watch 3 episodes (on the big screen), and host a Q&A, with cast and crew to learn about the passion, and challenges, that go along with getting a series written, produced, and streamed. They will also discuss how some filmmakers are now focussing on series, rather than features.  Panelists include Cat Hostick, Ann Pirvu, and Bobby Del Rio
Synopsis
Three girls living in NYC explore modern day relationships; each finding themselves with more than one in their lives. Starring Cat Hostick, Ann Pirvu, Marianna Phung, Bobby Del Rio, Sasha Barry Series Creator: Cat Hostick

Tuesday October 22nd

Our Heritage

104m / DocuDrama  / France / Anne-Sophie Bailly
​2pm, Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre, $12
French with English Subtitles

Preceding the feature film
Statu Quo Chouchou (Favourite Only Child)
10m / Quebec / Juliette Poitras
French with English subtitles ​
Our Heritage
Synopsis
A family film organized around the plot of the Atreides myth ; a conflict of reign filmed over several years. A family is torn apart in a house that is being built, images of the past interfere with those of the present.

About the film
This is a film-essay shot over the 4 years of my schooling at La Fémis, with a group of actor friends, in my grandmother's farm being renovated. It has a proto-documentary form, with fictional aspects, but we have integrated a lot of reality into it: archive images of the actors when they were young, the passing of time, the inhabitants of the village where we shot, the evolution of the relationships between the actors... It is the result of more than 5 years of work and testing, from my very first images as a young director to the period of editing.


Statu Quo Chouchou
​Fanny keeps quiet: she does not want to be a bother.

Trainwreck

113m / Canada / Taras Hemon, Emily Power, Alex Balch
Tuesday October 22nd, 4:00pm, $12
Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre, 357 Wilson St E.
This film was directed by three directors. 
Alex Balch is a filmmaker and community organizer from Hamilton, Ontario. 
Emily Power is a first-time filmmaker and community-based researcher from Hamilton, Ontario. 
Taras Hemon is a Hamilton based filmmaker, whose work focuses on community, human rights, and challenging oppression. 

Trainwreck weaves together the first-hand accounts of tenants, small business owners, cultural organizations, community activists, and researchers affected by transit-induced gentrification. This film shines a spotlight on Metrolinx and exposes the destructive effects of ‘new urbanist’ policies such as transit-oriented development, intensification, and ‘regeneration’ of working-class neighbourhoods. Trainwreck is a sobering call to action, and a damning account of the collateral damage and social destruction wrought by Metrolinx and the City of Hamilton in the name of progress. And it is a celebration and rallying call to support those who have refused to abandon their homes without a fight.

DOUBLE FEATURE
​Thriller / Horror

Voices Carry / Massacre at Femur Creek
​Tuesday October 22nd, $15 gets you into both films
Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre, 357 Wilson St. E, Ancaster
​Free parking on site
15min Intermission between the films
Q&A for both films take place after the last film
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VOICES CARRY - 7pm
​Thriller / Horror / 81min
Henry arrives in a new city for his first wedding 
photography gig. But when he checks into his BNB in hopes of a quiet stay, he gets much more than he bargained for. On his first night in the basement apartment, he is kept awake by disruptive sounds coming from the unit above. Each subsequent night, the noises become more unsettling and messages from his dodgy host become stranger and more alarming. Disgruntled and prepared to check out early, Henry uncovers his host’s secret and quickly realizes that checking out may not be as easy as he had thought.

Director Biography - Derek Lukosius
Derek Lukosius is an award-winning filmmaker from Hamilton Ontario. He graduated with a Bachelor of Film and Media Production in 2014. In 2016, Derek proudly won the prestigious Hamilton Arts Award for Emerging Media Artist.His films have screened at festivals all around the world from Puerto Rico, to Mexico to the UK to New York. His film, Camp Kenneth, proudly won an award with judge Bruce Clark, DOP of Canada’s Worst Driver, calling it “guerilla filmmaking at its best!”

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MASSACRE AT FEMUR CREEK - 8:45pm
Horror / 82min
​As his wedding day approaches, a nervous groom reluctantly joins his childhood friends at a wild bachelor party organized by his overbearing best friend. However, the festivities turn into a night of terror when a psychotic killer starts hunting them down, forcing the group to confront their deepest fears and fight for their lives in a desperate struggle for survival.

​Cast / Crew / Locations in Hamilton
​
Director Biography - Kyle Hytonen
Kyle Hytonen cut his teeth on indie cinema in the frozen tundra of Thunder Bay. Since moving south to the warmer confines of Hamilton, Kyle, who may or may not be an illegitimate child of tough guy Brian Dennehy, has directed and produced several shorts and features in the horror genre. His film Massacre at Femur Creek toured several film festivals, where Kyle spent most of his time eating cured meats and hocking cheap t-shirts.

Wednesday October 23rd

One Must Wash Eyes

88m / Drama / Canada / Sepideh Yadegar

Playing before the feature film
Not Afraid
9m / USA / Mikaela Bruce
Wednesday October 23rd, 2pm, $12, 89min
Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre
Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre, 357 Wilson St. E, Ancaster
​Free parking on site
One Must Wash Eyes
88m / Drama / Canada / Sepideh Yadegar

Synopsis
Sahar dedicates her downtime to writing feminist articles on her blog that shines light on the Iranian government and its brutal laws against women. When she finds out about the death of Mahsa Amini and the anti-government protests in Vancouver, she is compelled to show her support of the female-led revolution back home. 

About Sepideh Yadegar
As a young girl growing up in Iran, where the idea of gender equality is equated with the end of civilizations, Sepideh always struggled to find a means to express her emotions to tell her story. Everywhere she went she sought proof that females, too, could use their creative outlets, but found instead, punishment and strife. She envied the lives of her male counterparts, a shimmer in their eyes betrayed the pleasant knowledge that they, at least, could fulfill their destinies. In the winter of 2011, she was finally driven to reject the predetermined role her society sought to weigh her down with; she left her homeland.
She was elated with her newfound ability to express herself when she arrived in Canada. Free speech first gave birth to the most simple form of self-expression: she took to social media to educate her fellow Canadians about the injustices done to her peers in the Middle East. She initially sought to find her voice by speaking on the radio. She joined a radio station called Pazhvak, where, besides speaking about her personal experiences, she helped to create a larger narrative about life under a radically religious government. Still, something was missing, and she didn’t know what it was until she watched a close friend turn a five-year struggle for funding into a wildly successful campaign through a single amateur film. The same people who had merely liked and commented on his work previously were now the ambassadors of his story, all thanks to the combination of beautiful imagery and a gripping narrative. Sepideh knew instantly that this was her outlet.


Not Afraid
9m / USA / Mikaela Bruce
After a period of absence, OLIVIA (Jashaun St. John) is eager to get back on her high school basketball team, or at least that’s what she thought. Reality hits when she starts practicing with her team again and painful memories resurface.

Short Documentaries - Canadian Voices

Filmmakers from Canada share their stories in short format
Wednesday October 23rd, 6:30pm, $12, 107min
Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre, 357 Wilson St. E, Ancaster
​Free parking on site
Q&A will take place after the films with attending filmmakers
What Ales Us? / 22m / Cathy van Ingen
Two women reckon with a broken beer industry in Canada and start a movement to change it.
Michif Land-Based Knowledge / 3min /  Robyn Adams
Weaving shots of historical and contemporary Métis beadwork with intricate flashes of prairie landscape, and native plants this film explores relationship to the land through a place-based tactile knowledge. Featuring beadwork from Lor Brand and Jennine Krauchi this knowledge is shared throughout the film.
DRM1000: Intro to Performance / 9m /  Ahlam Hassan
Welcome to theatre school. Lessons include: how to speak, move and be human on-stage. Four Black-Canadian students appear blurred, out of focus and obscured, mirroring their experiences in Eurocentric theatre institutions. What does it mean to graduate from a drama school at the cost of your own voice?
Mataperra / 21min / Rachel Trudeau
Yelda embarks on a quest that drives her to achieve much more than her climbing dreams. She aspires to make a mark in history by becoming the first Cuban to conquer three legendary ascents.
Terry's Little Village / 7min / Jack Kukolic
Terry Wilson is a 70-year-old lifelong resident of Meadowvale Village, Ontario's first heritage district. As development looms and begins to destroy Terry’s favourite place in the world, he recreates pieces of history in his backyard, crafting an oasis where it feels like nothing has changed. A beautiful tribute to his childhood, his mother, and his town, Terry passionately fights to preserve history in a world that’s too anxious for change.
Tecumseh / 15m / Cher Obediah
Tecumseh is a short documentary about a historical hero who had the future in mind. 
Immersed in the Indigenous way he navigated a colonizer mindset to reimagine the landscape of Turtle Island. His leadership and efforts were cut short but the spirit of his vision lives on today, with hope for a peaceful path forward. 
Uncle Bardo / 14m /  Luke Mistruzzi
Through an innovative blend of documentary and experimental stop-motion animation, Uncle Bardo delves into the mind of an estranged family member who has undergone a near-death experience and awakens lost between two worlds.
Temple of Love: The Erroll Starr Story / 18m /  Kyle Sawyer
The story of Canadian R&B icon Erroll Starr’s rise to fame and sudden departure from the spotlight in the 1980’s. Presented by the retrospective Vintage Black Canada.

Know Her Name

90m / Documentary  / Canada / Zainab Muse
Wednesday October 23rd, 9:30pm, $12, 90m
Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre, 357 Wilson St. E, Ancaster
​Free parking on site
Know Her Name is a mystery documentary that delves into the legacy of filmmakers and uncovers the mystery of why women, especially women from underrepresented communities like Zora Neale Hurston and Esther Eng, have been forgotten in discussions of film, erased through HISTORICAL AMNESIA – and, how to make sure this doesn’t continue to happen to contemporary filmmakers from diverse backgrounds, now and in the future.  Know Her Name explores how film history is documented and the inequities that exist within this process.

Zainab Muse is a filmmaker, and an award-winning entrepreneur. She owns CREATORLAND, a Canadian independent production company that has been active for over a decade with a mission to produce stories that advance the narratives of unheard voices and perspectives.
Some of her productions include documentaries and short films for Canadian broadcasters, CBC and Bell, along with feature-length films, television series, and a film and philosophy podcast.  In addition, she supports many productions as a consulting producer and works on international co-productions with Canada.
In 2022, she was a fellow of the Netflix - BANFF Diversity of Voices Initiative, and a fellow of the Black Screen Office (BSO) and Directors Guild of Canada (DDGC)'s Black Women Directors Accelerator. She currently sits as a Programming Committee member for the Black Screen Office (BSO).

Thursday October 24th

Sitting In The Fire

78m / Documentary / USA / ALEC GOLDBERG, BOSON WANG
​Thursday October 24th, 2pm, $12
Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre, 357 Wilson St. E, Ancaster
​Free parking on site

Before the feature
Footnotes
3m / Animation / Canada / Stephanie Joline
Sitting In The Fire
‘Sitting in the Fire’ examines the spillover effect of rehabilitation programs in prison, on gun violence prevention in communities. Born and raised in Richmond, California to a single mother, Vaughn Miles fell into the dangers of his environment at an early age. After being sentenced to life in prison for murder at twenty years old, it took Vaughn Miles years before his transformation.

Once he arrived at newly reformed San Quentin State Prison, he was exposed to programs that pushed him to address his childhood trauma and violent triggers. After 24 years in prison, Vaughn was released from San Quentin and went back to his hometown of Richmond, CA- just 24 miles from prison. Now, Vaughn works as an Agent of Change at the Office of Neighborhood Safety: A gun violence prevention and youth outreach initiative, to end gun violence in the place he once helped destroy.

Footnotes
Footnotes" is a visually stunning animated short film brought to life by the unique artistic style of Indigenous illustrator Christopher Grant and the evocative words of writer Rebecca Thomas. Set against the backdrop of a hauntingly beautiful yet scarred Canadian landscape, the film explores the profound impact of colonization on the Indigenous people of Canada.

FINANCE

These panel discussion are free to attend with accreditation*, OR your festival pass.
Questions from attendees will be welcomed. Limited seating. 
Thursday October 24th, 4pm
John Griffith from CAVCO (Canadian Audio-Visual Certification Office)
John is a 20-year veteran of both the public and private sectors within Canadian film and television industry, with a career that marries the field’s creative heart and the financial expertise needed to make it go.

​Thursday October 24th, 5pm 
Michael Steinberg from RBC
Michael will lead a discussion on Media Banking/Entertainment Financing for producers.
Michael J. Steinberg MBA/LL.b | Senior Relationship Manager | Media & Entertainment | Commercial Financial Services

    FINANCE PANEL ACCREDITATION FORM*

    If you have a filmmaker pass, or a film market pass, you do NOT need to fill out this form. 

OM.I.NOUS

A Bell FibeTV1 Special Presentation
in partnership with the Hamilton Film Festival 
Thursday October 24th, Free Admission with ticket
​7omin.  - Q&A after the movie with Tony Burgess and George Mihalka. 
Playhouse Cinema
Ticketing for this event is through Film Freeway
Synopsis
Three unnerving ghost stories inspired by Hamilton area Urban Legends.  A tormented ghost comes to the aid of a Rhonda a troubled teenager.Lana a  delusional romantic with thoughts of ending it all, is pulled back from tragedy by a ghost with a unique sense of humour. An overnight DJ tries to rid her airwaves of an unwanted demon only to expose her entire audience to supernatural peril. These supernatural interventions change the lives of the haunted.
Ominous is a supernatural anthology from writer Tony Burgess (Ponty Pool) and director George Mihalka (My Bloody Valentine) featuring tales of ghostly intervention, inspired by popular urban legends of Hamilton Ontario. 

International Short Films

Short Films from Around the World
Thursday October 24th, 6:30pm, $12
​Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre, 357 Wilson St. E, Ancaster
​Free parking on site
122m
A Reflection / 14m / UK / Laurie Barraclough
Cam is brought back to her childhood home with three things to reckon with: her father’s heart attack, her estranged mother and the giant dragon following her around.
American Oxygen / 20m / USA / Adam & Emily Hazelton
Sam — a young woman living on supplemental oxygen — races to catch the last bus to Los Angeles to be healed by a miracle-working televangelist before her oxygen runs out.
What I Am / 26m / UK / Jackie Oudney
A woman suffers amnesia after an accident at home, embarking on a journey of self-discovery that leads to the reclamation of her agency.
Tribu  / Spain / 22m
For Coke, the limits of his world are set by his neighborhood and his two friends. He may not agree with everything they say, but he would do almost anything for them.
Olga's Eyes / 22m / Belgium / Sarah Carlot Jaber
Olga, a music-loving octogenarian, is tired of killing humans. Could it be the vampire blues? For her daughter Simone, she’s just being picky! Olga is placed in a care home where she can deal with those “who have one foot in the grave”...
Spook / 18m / Norway / Nils Johan Nesse
A frustrated man caring for his chronically ill mother vents his feelings by dressing up as a dead colonel to spook the local townspeople.

Out of the Box

9 short films that don't fall into typical genres that will cleanse your cinematic pallet.
​Thursday October 24th, 9:30pm, $12
​Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre, 357 Wilson St. E, Ancaster
​Free parking on site
107m

Dracula's Super Scary Halloween / 5m / USA / Kevin Maher, Joe Dator
A new take on the Dracula story, combining horror and comedy. Rendered in pen and ink, in a crosshatched style reminiscent of Edward Gorey and Charles Addams. This Halloween tale delivers laughs and chills for monster kids of all ages.
Pre-Crash and the Foxbats / 8min / Canada / Kirsten Johnson
Pre-Crash and the Foxbats - a fantastical imagining of a single moment frozen in time just before a life or death bicycle accident.
Tasks: candy for the mind / 2m / Canada / Leah Rifkin
PSA for those attached to and obsessed with task lists, planners and organizers. (A product of The Illusion LLC.)
Houdini's Ghost / 8min / Eliza Griffin, Jeffrey Bender
The Great Houdini must perform his last illusion, escaping the clutches of Death!
Man Baby / 10m / Aaron Murtagh
A new father turns into a baby.
*666 / 3m / Abby Elizabeth Falvo
Two curious women perform a ritual to make a call beyond the veil and discover that some calls are better unanswered
Parrot / 24 / Cameron Faulkner
After forcibly being sold a parrot, Ollie is thrust into a surprise birthday party hosted by his roommates. The night spirals into chaos as he tries to regain control and sort his life out. Based on an unbelievable true story.
3pm Thursdays / 6m / Michèle Kaye
A dancer's shift in a dive bar takes an unexpected turn.
Steel City Warriors / 15m / Luke Meneok 
A slice-of-life anthology focusing on the inhabitants of Steel City, a wasteland cesspool in the year 2025: stoner-punk Musty Draco ventures into the unknown in pursuit of outrageous fortune and a better life; lawman Trapper Steve hunts the violent fugitive, Hatchet MacReady.
A Little Longer / 3m / Connor Kujawinski
 In the future, a dying man briefly recalls his past with the help of a headset that allows him to see his memories -- but only a random select few, for his payment plan restricts him from viewing anything more.
Rouge / 23m / France / Jason Boussioux
On a December night in 1947, in an outskirts hotel, the mayor's son is discovered dead in a room where he typically indulges his discreetly unsavory desires. Amidst corrupt cops and unexpected foes, beneath the crimson glow of the hotel's neon lights, masks are unveiled: what truly unfolded on the night of the murder? Who is Louise, the one trying to cover up the case?

Friday October 25th

​Beyond The Podium: Celebrating Canadian Women Champions

Documentary / 139m / Brenda Whitehall
​Friday October 25th, 2pm, $12
Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre, , 357 Wilson St. E, Ancaster
​Free parking on site
A groundbreaking documentary highlighting the triumphs and tribulations of some of Canada’s most-inspiring and decorated women winter athletes, through the lens of a women-identifying and non-binary filmmaking team – tackling unconventional topics like postpartum depression, divorce, gender-based inequities, racism, safe sport, body image, and mental health challenges.
Testimonial: 
Beyond the Podium showcases a stunning array of A-list female athletes who speak not only about their success in their sport but also about the challenges and triumphs in their lives, ranging from gender inequity, mental health, racism and body image. I have seldom heard such brave and honest stories which give such inspiration and strength. -
Claire Aguilar , Producer/Documentary Film Consultant
Brenda Whitehall is an award-winning, independent filmmaker based in Vancouver, Canada.

Her production company Whitehall Entertainment Incorporated has spearheaded several projects including short films, animations, music videos and documentaries.

BEYOND THE PODIUM: CELEBRATING CANADIAN WOMEN CHAMPIONS has been a 4.5-year labour of love with many challenges along the way, including the global pandemic, undergoing cancer treatments, and the unexpected death of my beloved mother. Having experienced the excitement of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games, I wanted to commemorate the 10-year anniversary with a “where are they now?” web series, focusing on Canada’s women athletes who dominated those Olympic and Paralympic Games. We interviewed 15 athletes in 20 locations in three Canadian provinces, creating a casual, conversational atmosphere, and showcasing the visual beauty across the country through images by Canadian photographers. We also hired local filmmakers in the provinces where we filmed. I’m exceptionally grateful to the athletes for their candour and bravery. Our documentary tackles controversial topics, including abortion, gender-based inequities, racism, postpartum depression, divorce, infertility, body image and mental health challenges.

Athletes: Meghan Agosta (ice hockey), Cheryl Bernard (curling), Shelley-Ann Brown (bobsleigh brakewoman), Lindsay DeBou (para-alpine ski guide), Viviane Forest (para-alpine skiing, goalball, blind hockey), Ina Forrest (wheelchair curling), Jennifer Heil (freestyle moguls skiing), Kaillie Humphries (bobsleigh pilot), Heather Moyse (bobsleigh brakewoman), Christine Nesbitt (speed skating), Kaetlyn Osmond (figure skating), Maëlle Ricker (snowboard cross), Kelsey Serwa (ski cross), Helen Upperton (bobsleigh pilot) and Lauren Woolstencroft (para-alpine skiing).

Comedy Shorts!

Friday October 25th, 6:30pm, $12
Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre, 357 Wilson St E. 
111m

What's Killing Lillith / 5m / Set L. Shuter
A young woman who believes she is dying finally receives a diagnosis.
Summit / 2m / UK / Ant Blades
The harder the climb. The better the view from the top.  And the top is just there. It's so close.
Dear Friend / 19m / Romantic Comedy / Kyle Schmalenberg
Trina, disillusioned with online dating, leaves a heartfelt letter in a book box seeking a genuine connection. Jeff finds the letter, responds, and they exchange anonymous letters, revealing their innermost thoughts and fears. When they agree to meet, Jeff fears Trina will recognize him from a bad dating app encounter. 
Gemma / 6m / CHRISTINA IENNA
Gemma is a tenacious young woman trying out an exuberant number of activities and hobbies in her quest to find a special talent to call her own. Gemma represents the unspoken pressures and expectations that many of us put on ourselves when we are developing new skills. We often forget there is no rule that you need to be great at a hobby, only that you find joy in the activity you choose.
Such A Monster / 7m / Taylor Mann
When getting ready for their school dance, three girls are interrupted by a beastly friend, and their pity party turns into a journey of self-acceptance and love.
[INSERT SHORT FILM TITLE] 12m / Canada / Kory Orban
n the mind of every filmmaker, there are two wolves locked in an epic, eternal, and fierce battle for control and influence.
Her Corpse / 14m / Abdul Mohaimen, Kearsten Johansson
When a human finger is suddenly dropped into his backyard, a bored twenty-something suburbanite enlists the help of his dimwitted, stoner friends to search for the missing corpse it belongs to.
Yogi Jazz / 7m / Jasvir Tamber
A mockumentary sketch that focuses on a yoga studio run by a delusional travelling yogi named Yogi Jazzz. He goes through trials and tribulations by having interesting encounters with colleagues and Hamilton community members that help guide him on rediscovering his purpose in 
Serious Buyers Only / 22m / Samuel D Larson
A middle class couple and a disgraced heiress come head to head when both parties seek ownership of an empty plot of land. The heiress needs the property to enact a mysterious plan that might just redeem her family's name, while the young couple simple want a home to raise their child in. Calder, the cunning broker, pits the two against each other to further his own agenda - A scheme that could affect the entire city...
J'ACCUSE / 6m / Canada / Pascale Behrman
J'ACCUSE is about the fierceness of female friendship and the dangers of miscommunication. When Jillian jumps to conclusions, her friends are happy to dive into action, but excitement muddles their goal and leads to confusion. What they uncover will forever change the course of Jillian's marriage.
Profiles Of Remarkable Neophytes / 12m / USA / Gavin Michael Booth A self-important film director invites a documentary crew to follow him on his latest journey helming pornography. In this mockumentary, come behind the curtain, with the cast and crew working on a professional pornography set. Like any job, there are ups and downs, and at times, their jobs suck.
Method to Their Madness / 11m / USA / Will Limpert
A Production assistant working on a low budget horror film is trapped in the apartment of the film's method acting antagonist.

Daughter of the Sun

Friday October 25th, 9:30pm, $12
Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre, 357 Wilson St E.
A 12-year-old girl struggles with life on the run as she travels across the country with her father who has Tourette Syndrome. Wanting nothing more than a normal family life, she befriends a community of outcasts in the remote countryside who want to harness a volatile supernatural power her father is hiding.
Ryan Ward hails from Winnipeg, Manitoba—Canada's violent crime capital, home to the windiest street corner in the country, where the only thing colder than the weather is the reception to the idea that there is actually a film industry here. But as Ryan proves, sometimes the most interesting stories come from the most unlikely of places.
Growing up in a frozen, cultural wasteland where he shoots the lion’s share of his films has imbued his work with a gritty realism and poetic search for any kind of meaning inspired by pastel Prairie sunsets, the urban decay of his home city, and outlier filmmakers like Joel Potrykus, Vincent Gallo, Gasper Noé, and his former University Prof, Guy Maddin.
Ryan’s debut feature, SON OF THE SUNSHINE (Slamdance), was nominated by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television for a Canadian Screen Award (CSA). The film received critical acclaim with Indiewire praising it as "a mature, immediately involving story” and the National Post calling it "a gem of filmmaking genius." It screened at over 50 festivals, winning 13 awards, and was distributed by Netflix, Amazon, HBO, Hulu, and MUBI. His new feature, DAUGHTER OF THE SUN, won an Audience Award for "Best Canadian Film" at Fantasia International Film Festival where it premiered. As an actor, Ryan originated the lead role of Ash in the Broadway cult hit, EVIL DEAD: THE MUSICAL that MTV called "the greatest musical phenomenon on the planet. With over 800 performances in the role, Ryan was nominated for a Dora Mavor Moore Award for Best Actor.
Ryan is shooting his newest feature, THE AQUANAUT AND THE SHIPWRECK, this spring.

Saturday October 26th

Drama Shorts 2

Saturday October 26th, 12 noon, $12
​Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre, 357 Wilson St. E, Ancaster, On
Free parking on site.
The Boxing Ring
23m / Emily Gutierrez
After deciding to do a Muay Thai competition, a timid, mid-20s Filipino-Canadian woman must train in secret and go against her strict parents, while also falling in love with her coach, who is also a woman.


Coeur/Azon
40m / Calvin Keo
A young couple struggles to piece together what remains of their
relationship after a recent diagnosis. As they both come to terms with the eventual outcome, fate intervenes and causes worlds to collide.

Bardo
16m / Mishki Vaccaro
Bardo - noun - In Tibetan Buddhism, the transitory state of existence between life and rebirth.
Bardo takes place over the three days after Steph's mother's death when she returns home to find a surprise visitor and wrestles with guilt over not being more present when her mother was alive.

The Light Before The Sun
33m / Michael Greyeyes
Struggling to find his footing after coming off an international book tour, celebrated self-help guru Daniel Wolf returns home to an empty house. With his family snowed in hundreds of miles away and without his support systems in place, he does everything he can to keep himself from calling the one person who could relieve his anxieties, but also lead him down a rabbit hole. When estranged friend Freddie arrives on the scene, Daniel succumbs to the desperate need for reassurance, liberation and intimacy. As the two friends spiral into a drug-induced contemplation of the human condition, Daniel attempts to reconcile his body of work, the demand of his followers, and his unrelenting quest for enlightenment. Set within the world of the human potential movement, Daniel’s descent reveals the intricate web of mental health, addiction and celebrity culture. In this journey of self-discovery, Daniel must decide if he’s willing to lose everything and finally step into his most authentic self.

Adaptation

Saturday October 26th, 3pm, $12
​Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre, 357 Wilson St. E, Ancaster, On
Fully accessible. Free parking on site.
Documentary / 112m / Jake Thomas
​Q&A will happen after the program with attending filmmakers
Adaptation follows a group of wheelchair bound athletes as they converge in British Columbia, Canada for the BC Summer Race Series. The World’s first downhill mountain bike race series to include an adaptive mountain bike (aMTB) category. However Adaptation is not just a film about a race, it's a group of stories about the human race and ones ability to overcome adversity. Whether for the thrill of competition, or a need to push through the pain of daily life to simply get lost in a moment. The film seeks to inspire the uninspired, and educate the uneducated. To celebrate the gift of life, love, and friendship through all its complexities.
Jake Thomas was born in Hamilton Ontario Canada. He studied recorded music production in college and also graduated with a degree in film. Jake began producing action sport videos at an early age which lead to the incorporation of Riley Lake Productions Inc. in 1997. Over the years Jake has honed his skills as a producer, director, cinematographer, drone pilot and editor on countless projects for film and television. During the winter of 2017, Jake suffered a life altering spinal cord injury which left him without the use of his legs. While this sudden change in mobility altered his trajectory, it did not impact his creativity. It just brought him a little closer to the ground for a great dolly shot.

EAST END

Red Carpet Special Presentation - World Premiere
85% Sold Out
Saturday October 26th, 7:30pm, $15
87min/Drama / Canada / wr. dir. Nathan Fleet
​Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre, 357 Wilson St. E, Ancaster, On
Red Carpet at 6pm, Cast and Crew Q&A after the feature.
Special prop table set up in the lobby
​
Screening out of competition
No passes for this engagement
SYNOPSIS
​Max (Nathan Fleet), a recovering alcoholic with a gambling addiction, has burned most of his bridges in the east end of the city where he lives. He has a sobering moment when he realizes that his estranged daughter (Regan Saker) is about to turn 16, and he wants back into her life. The road blocks he faces along the way are, his ex-wife(Christena Hampson), his criminal past, and his inner demons. Based on true stories from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Starring Nathan Fleet, Regan Saker, Christena Hampson
Written and Directed by Nathan Fleet
Produced by Jeremy Major and Rob Morash
​Screening out of competition
#EastEndMovie
Picture

​East End was filmed entirely in Hamilton and at least 95% of the cast and crew were from Hamilton. 
​It is also set in Hamilton, primarily in the east end of the city.

Sunday October 27th

HFF - The $10,000 Pitch

Sunday October 27th, 10am
​Pitch at 10:30am
Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre, Room 213
Sign up sheet coming soon and we only allow the first 10 qualifying applications.
​Cash prize sponsored by the Hamilton Film Festival and the Ancaster Film Festival (Total $1500)
$2000 and a $1000 VFX in services from Imagine Magic
Up to $5000 in mentorship, equipment and facility access,  and training from the Hamilton School of Media Arts
More TBA! 
This is to support the local film scene so you must be a resident of Hamilton OR be shooting the majority of the film in Hamilton. 
Films must be in pre-production, production, or post production (we don't accept projects at the script or idea phase).
Ideally, you have some funding in place, either private, grant, pending grant or fund. 
You will have up to 1-minute to "elevator pitch" your project, then we will ask a few questions.
​Remember to tell us your connection to the city! 
​Recipients from the previous year (2023) are not eligible to pitch. You can pitch again in 2025.

EAST END

Encore screening
Sunday October 27th, 1pm, $12
Playhouse Cinema, 177 Sherman Ave N, Hamilton
87min/Drama / Canada / wr. dir. Nathan Fleet
Passes allowed for this engagement

Before the feature
Expecting
12m / Drama / Shayne McGreal
A woman in her late thirties struggles to tell her mother that she had her tubes tied.
Tickets for this event will be processed through Film Freeway

Self Driver

90min / Thriller / Canada / Michael Pierro
Sunday October 27th, 3pm
Staircase Theatre, 27 Dundurn St N
Tickets for this event will be processed through Film Freeway
Synopsis
Facing mounting expenses and the unrelenting pressure of modern living, a down-on-his-luck cab driver is lured on to a mysterious new app that promises fast, easy money. 
As his first night on the job unfolds, he is pulled ever deeper into the dark underbelly of society, embarking on a journey that will test his moral code and shake his understanding of what it means to have freewill. The question becomes not how much money he can make, but what he’ll be compelled to do to make it. If you've got nothing to lose, how far would you go?
About Michael Pierro
​When he was sixteen Michael worked in a government mail room, operating an x-ray machine to scan incoming deliveries for explosives and bio-chemical weapons. Today he makes movies in his hometown of Toronto, Canada. As an editor he has cut everything from music videos for hit Canadian artists (Gordon Downey, Lowell) to popular TV comedies (Workin’ Moms, Baroness Von Sketch) and award winning indie features that have played at festivals around the world (Last Porno Show, Honey Bee, Room for Rent). 
His feature film directorial debut, Self Driver, a fast paced pitch black comedic-thriller, premiered at Fantaspoa in 2024, where it took home a Best Film award. The film has been picked up for distribution in Canada by Mongrel Media, slated for release later in the year.

L.O.F.T. SHORTS
​

Sunday October 27th, 6pm, $12
The Westdale, 1014 King St W, Hamilton
Ladies of Film and Television presents a compilation of 8 short films
​97m

UNIBROW
14m / Canada / Needa Sarshar
 In an attempt to get rid of her unibrow, Leyla accidentally makes things worst and now has to go to school with ruined brows! 
When You Know You Know / 13m / Canada / Katie Uhlmann
This film follows three individuals whose lives are ruined through social media in a fun and dark exploration of "Instagram vs reality".
Healer / 16m / Mackenzie Leigh
A young woman grapples with the untimely death of her sister, seeking solace in an imagined reality where they grew up together.
Right To Privacy / 12m / USA / Julie Herlocker
After a women’s health doctor has a charged encounter with a volatile protester, she faces a moral dilemma she could never imagine.
Pocket Princess / Animated / 10min / Canada / Olivia Loccisano
A young girl must take part in a dangerous task in order to complete her doll collection.
Sara
11m / Drama / Jessica Hinkson
As Sara navigates the stress of her flight being delayed multiple times, a missed call from an unknown number sends her spiralling into distress. Taking refuge in a bar, an unlikely stranger becomes the confessional she didn’t know she needed and the support to tackle her diagnosis.
Have Your Cake
13m / Leah Magdalen
Set against the colourful backdrop of eight different kitchens between the 1950s and 2020s, a woman bakes a cake and decorates it with a simple but poignant message, all while navigating various circumstances that challenge her autonomy and sense of self.
Class Crush
8m / Comedy Horror Musical / Katherine Lynn-Rose
In class, Julia quietly admires Riley from a distance. Their first awkward interaction leads to a friendship as they walk home together after school. 
Picture
About Hamilton LOFT
The Hamilton Ladies of Film & Television (L.O.F.T.) is excited to partner with the Hamilton Film Festival for their 2024 season as they support our mandate to achieve gender parity within our city and the Canadian film industry. In 2021 They hosted their debut at the 16th Annual Hamilton Film Festival that included a screening of films made by female identifying filmmakers, and a panel discussion.  The Hamilton Ladies of Film & Television (L.O.F.T) is a Hamilton based collective founded and co-created by local artists Laura Ellis, Alysha Main, and Cher Obediah. The Hamilton L.O.F.T seeks to bring together womxn* working in all disciplines of filmmaking.  To create/support content that is predominantly female-driven with a focus on overcoming issues/barriers within the film industry affecting womxn and underrepresented minorities

Films on Cable14!

A selection of short documentaries will be available to watch on Cable14, and Cable14 Now during the festival!
​Titles and times coming soon! 

AFTER PARTY!

Sunday October 27th, 9pm till close (2am)
Hamilton Prop House
Free Membership required to enter - sign up here
https://hamiltonprophouse.com/become-a-member/
​Cash bar
Hamilton Prop House is a creator’s hub, prop house, bar, and café all rolled into one. As a member, you can work in our unique space, curate your own Cinemini sets, attend industry events, earn rewards for filming with our sister company Digital Canaries, and so much more …

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2024 SPONSORS & PARTNERS

Get in touch if you wish to sponsor the 19th Annual Hamilton Film Festival email
  • 3000 Attendees, a captive audience!
  • Logo on the website as early as you sign up! 
  • Complimentary ticket packages
  • Reserved Seating in the Ancaster Memorial Art Centre during the festival​
  • Logo on a festival poster
  • ​Sponsor a specific screening ie "Your Company" presents Drama Shorts

SPONSORS

PARTNERS

VENUES

19 years at the Hamilton Film Festival and we've hit the TOP 100 best reviewed festivals status a few times on FilmFreeway and are now a Canadian Screen Award Qualifying festival. 
We have put a pause on the "themed" events for now so we are open to everything. We accept short, mid-length, feature, episodic / series, and screenplays.

An initiative we started during the pandemic will continue as will have NO MORE LATE FEES! ONE TIER, ALL YEAR, is GOLD! That means there will be NO inflated fees based on when you submit. Fees will be the same from open to close. 

GOLD members on FilmFreeway will be able to take advantage of our additional Gold Member discounts.

Following us on social media is beneficial as throughout the year we post limited time / quantity discount codes that will offer a 19% discount off submission fees. 

Those familiar with our dates know that we have been running in November since 2008, and in 2023 we moved the event into October, so that we can take full advantage of our new venue in the Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre, that we share with dozens of productions. The October dates will allow us to fully utilize the facility, which is also the home of our film school! 

The 19th Annual Hamilton Film Festival continues to be one of Canada’s most important film festivals for Canadian and International films as it has an industry development component, and a market. It is also one that programs over 100 independent films which means there is plenty of room for your film. We are not part of any distribution circuit and our screens are dedicated to the indie filmmaker on the festival circuit. 
Hosted in a city with a booming film scene, it has become a go-to destination to live and work for several people in the film and television industry with year-round opportunities to network, engage, pitch and participate. Distributors, festivals and industry professionals actively look to the Hamilton Film Festival for content, connections and top-notch engagement.

Included in your submission fee is the option to become a delegate at our networking and meet-up events, at no extra charge. So even if your film is not accepted, you can still participate and take advantage of the networking and industry development that HFF has to offer! 
The Hamilton Film Festival has a school of media arts inside the new Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre where will will host classes, camps, workshops and panel discussions year round. We will also utilize this learning space during the festival! 

HFF Guests have included Academy Award® winner Colin Chilvers, Kim Coates (Sons Of Anarchy) Juno Rinaldi (Working Moms), DB Sweeney (Fire In The Sky) Michael Pare (Eddie and the Cruisers), Tony Rosato (SCTV), Marc Blucas (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Catherine Dyer (Stranger Things) Robert Miano (Donny Brasco), Alex Elena (Drummer for Bruce Dickinson) Jason MacDonald (Vampire Diaries) Frank D’Angelo (Red Maple Leaf), Fred Fuchs (Godfather III Executive Producer, Milton's Secret) Art Hindle (Black Christmas), Doug McGrath (Goin’ Down the Road), Lynne Griffin (Curtains), Julian Richings (Superman: Man of Steel), TJ McGibbon (The Umbrella Academy), Craig Davidson (Author / Rust and Bone) Kirsten Bodenstedt (COO and Co-Owner of Peregrine Labs) Academy Award® winner Colin Doncaster, Bob Munro (The Expanse), Sean Sullivan (Wayne’s World, Back to the Future III) Lisa Langlois (Class of 1984), Danial Baldwin, Matthew Willson (Exec. Producer) and many, many more! Filmmakers and producers have attended from England, Italy, Germany, Austria, France, Cyprus, Australia, the USA, and all across Canada.

We have 14 prize categories, including, Feature, Short, Doc, Performance(2), Editing, Cinematography, Sound, Screenplay (x2), Music, Student, Production Design, Truly Independent local award, and the legendary Sparquie the Squirrel award! 

The festival is as diverse as our alumni, who come from over 50 countries around the world. Filmmakers globally are looking to the Hamilton Film Festival as an accessible event with multiple chances to screen, network, win awards and gain post-festival promotion as our Alumni is our family and your movie never has a shelf life with us! You’d be surprised how much we remember about you and your film even from our earliest screenings!
We have screened many films from BIPOC, 2SLGBTQIA+ filmmakers, filmmakers with disabilities, and female filmmakers. 

HAMILTON LADIES OF FILM & TELEVISION (L.O.F.T.) 
The Hamilton Ladies of Film & Television (L.O.F.T.) is excited to partner with the Hamilton Film Festival for their 2022 season as they support our mandate to achieve gender parity within our city and the Canadian film industry. In 2021 They hosted their debut at the 16th Annual Hamilton Film Festival that included a screening of films made by female identifying filmmakers, and a panel discussion. 
The Hamilton Ladies of Film & Television (L.O.F.T) is a Hamilton based collective founded and co-created by local artists Laura Ellis, Alysha Main, and Cher Obediah. The Hamilton L.O.F.T seeks to bring together womxn* working in all disciplines of filmmaking. 
To create/support content that is predominantly female-driven with a focus on overcoming issues/barriers within the film industry affecting womxn and underrepresented minorities Assist in building the skills and confidence of womxn by working in cross-disciplinary and supportive teams while providing affordable training opportunities with mentors in the film community
Demonstrate that a local all-female identified production team is achievable
Showcase the achievements of womxn in Hamilton’s film industry 
Partner with local organizations to provide mutual support and opportunities for womxn by sharing knowledge, tools, and holding networking events
*The Hamilton L.O.F.T. uses an all-emcompassing definition of “womxn/woman/female/lady” which includes but is not limited to cis, trans-identifying, non-binary, and other.
We are excited to officially launch in spring of 2021 and look forward to working with many of the talented womxn in Hamilton that we know, that we love, and those we have yet to meet.

YOUR CHANCES 
We receive between 400 - 700 films, typically screening around 100-150 of them, so if your film is good…so are the odds. We aim to earn the "Hamilton" in our title so we do our best to make sure there is dedicated screen-time for locally made films! For this reason, films MUST be Hamilton premieres as they will also benefit from free-passes to the entire festival so they can take advantage of all the films, networking and industry development we bring in each year. To date we have screened 998 Canadian Films!

THE MARKET 
We are proud to offer the Canadian Film Market which runs during the festival, and includes Industry Development events, quality networking, pitches and more! 50 countries have participated.
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OUR CITY 
Guillermo Del Toro love’s our city and say’s he’s been watching it since the 90’s and would like to set up his own studio here. Hamilton, Ontario, Canada is a major destination for film and television productions. Shows like The Queen’s Gambit, The Umbrella Academy, The Handmaid’s Tale, The Shape of Water, Spotlight, Crimson Peak, Suicide Squad, The Hulk, and Robocop, are just a few films that have taken advantage of Hamilton’s many incredible locations. Producers love the additional tax credits, Directors love the “anywhere is here” look of the city, and people love seeing it on screen! You will also have the opportunity to meet with the people who run the film office, should you wish to film in our great city!.
Filmmakers around the world are choosing the Hamilton Film Festival as a required stop, and we want YOU to be a part of this growing scene that is expanding into a not-so-hidden gem! See you, and your film, in Hamilton this November!
Awards & Prizes 
Each film accepted receives a pass to attend all films, panels, and events! 
($15000 total value from approx. 150 passes at $99each)
FILM SUBMISSIONS 
Truly Independent 
Best Film (Feature) 
Best Short 
Best Documentary 
Best Screenplay (for a submitted film) 
Best Screenplay (script submission) 
Best Performance in a feature 
Best Performance in a short 
Best Cinematography 
Best Editing 
Best Music 
Best Sound 
Best Production Design 
Best Special FX 
Best Emerging Film 
Sparquie the Squirrel*
*The most electrifying film in honour of a squirrel who knocked out the power during our gala in 2012. Sparquie did not make it but his legacy lives on.

​SCRIPT SUBMISSIONS 
Top 3 prize package includes four months of our InkTip Pro membership so your winners can promote themselves and their scripts to InkTip's large network of producers and reps. 

As an InkTip Pro Member, thousands of filmmakers can find and read your scripts, and you'll be able to pitch directly to production companies every week. With over 3,000 options and 400 movies made, InkTip is the place for independent film.

Every InkTip producer has been vetted via resume and references and demonstrated the ability to get movies made. 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, and 20th Century Fox.
Rules & TermsTERMS for 2024. 
PLEASE READ CAREFULLY 
It is recommended that you print this / view this and check off all the requirements one at a time, make notes, before submitting and/or contact us with questions.

WHAT WE ACCEPT 
All film lengths and genres will be considered. Selection is at the final discretion of the programming team. We will accept and screen films from all genres. 

PREMIERE STATUS 
We REQUIRE a Hamilton Ontario area premiere status. Films that have, or will, screen in the Hamilton area prior to this festival will not be selected. Special circumstances may be considered. The festival is rapidly growing and your film will have greater publicity, and opportunities exclusive to HFF that you may miss out on. By considering our event as your first festival stop in the area, you are making a choice that will benefit your film, and connections. All selected films get special access passes, opening up your visit to any opportunities we bring. And we do bring them! (Toronto is not included as being in our area) If you have questions about this, contact us.

FESTIVAL or MARKET 
Either one, or both! The Film Festival is for public screenings and the Film Market is a private exchange of information and screeners to industry professionals. The Festival is juried, the Market is automatically accepted.
Hamilton Film Festival 
Public screenings, Juried selections, ALL selected films get a special pass for films and events.
Canadian Film Market 
Not public, not juried, automatically available for online screening access to industry professionals / distributors / agents, ALL entries will get a special pass for special events, screenings and will be included in a market guide for industry to access.
If submitting to the Canadian Film Market, your contact information will be added to the Market Guide, should an industry professional wish to access this. There may be private Market Only events that you will also gain access to. 

SUBMISSION DETAILS 
The Canadian Film Market and the Hamilton Film Festival make NO guarantees that your film will be acquired (MARKET) or selected (FESTIVAL). 
By submitting, you agree that you have full rights to be able to submit your work, for viewing in either the CANADIAN FILM MARKET or the HAMILTON FILM FESTIVAL, and that you have obtained all necessary rights to be able to submit for exhibition and inclusion.

OBLIGATIONS 
Once a film is programmed in the FESTIVAL it may NOT be removed. If you want to remove your film you MUST do it before the final deadline. After the final deadline, a film is considered entered and we will begin programming immediately, at our discretion. You will get a FilmFreeway notification from us with possibly no further contact as to your inclusion in the festival. Please check you junk filters. Once a film is programmed, you will receive a welcome email from FilmFreeway via the HAMILTON FILM FESTIVAL with all the information you need to attend and any further materials if needed.
HAMILTON FILM FESTIVAL SCREENER FORMATS 
We view online screeners only. No physical copies. 
We will also not accept links through our social media channels. Everything MUST go exclusively through Film Freeway. 

EXHIBITION FORMATS 
File formats such as DCP, a high resolution mpeg, mov, quicktime and your screener link may be sufficient in some cases. 
If you do not supply us with an Exhibition copy by the deadline, we will screen the version we have. Please note: If you want us to use a VIMEO for exhibition, make sure your profile allows the DOWNLOAD option. 
Delivery details will be listed in your acceptance letter and will include request for press access / screeners and links to excerpts for press.

PRESENTATION & NETWORKING 
We are a truly independent film festival that does not receive any arts grants or arts loans. HFF operates similar to a Trade Show for exhibiting, networking, industry development and audience building. We are a service-based event. For those accepted, that service includes a theatrical screening in one of our amazing venues, up to $99 value access-pass to public screenings (many festivals only offer a ticket to your own screening program) promotion & visibility, post-fest alumni promotion, access to industry professionals, quality networking and engaging experiences. We also have prize opportunities, official laurels and some year-round opportunities that come our way! (For example, in the past we have worked with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra to book HFF alumni filmmakers who create original films to be screened with a live orchestra) We are also in touch year-round with many organizations and opportunities, and we look directly our alumni, to make these connect. All of the above are not guaranteed, but offered at the sole discretion of Hamilton Film Festival LTD. Terms may change, without notice. 

INFORMATION 
While we will do everything we can to protect your information, what happens with it when another person, or company, has it in their possession (like a film guide, or screener access) it is impossible for us to manage and therefor, The Hamilton Film Festival LTD, and it's employees, and volunteers, can not be held liable for any damages that may occur. By submiting to the Hamilton Film Festival, you agree to these terms. 
Thank you for reading and we look forward to seeing your work at the 18th Annual Hamilton Film Festival and the 7th Film Market.
F.A.Q. 
Q) Why would I want to submit to both FESTIVAL and MARKET? 
A)Having a selection in the festival tells buyers that your film has been filtered by a jury of 
your peers.
Q) Why would I NOT want to be in the MARKET? 
A) You may already have distribution, or pending distribution, and you may also have a strategy that includes film festivals.
Q) Why would I opt into the MARKET only, not the FESTIVAL? 
A) You may not want your film displayed to the public, and may wish to keep your premiere status for another festival. 
Your contact info and screener is for the Canadian Film Market participants only. Participants will be know as the year rolls out.
Q) Do you pay for travel, food, lodging? 
A) The Hamilton Film Festival can not provide this. We do occasionally partner with the local hospitality industry and we may have access to discounts. This varies each year so please reach out if you plan to attend and we will decide on a case-by-case method.