The Regent Park Film Festival (RPFF) is inviting up-and-coming filmmakers to submit their short films (the “Spotlight”), along with a proposal for a new project (the “Pitch”) for our Closing Night event, the Emerging Directors’ Spotlight and Pitch Competition!

Part showcase and pitch event, this exciting platform highlights the best of Canada’s emerging talent. Filmmakers will have a chance to showcase their previous work at the festival, then pitch a new project to a jury of industry experts.

This year, there will be two categories for the pitch competition, SCRIPTED and UNSCRIPTED. One winner in each category will receive a development deal from CBC* and $1000 from RBC to be put towards their production.

If you wish to be considered in both the SCRIPTED and the UNSCRIPTED categories, you must complete a separate application form and pitch for each. You will be a finalist in only one category.

The Emerging Directors’ Spotlight and Pitch Competition is free to enter, open to all ages and directors, producers and creators of all genres and styles.

We highly encourage submissions by filmmakers from marginalized communities (Black, Indigenous, Person of Colour, Person with Disabilities, LGBTQSAA+, Women) and films that feature these communities.

Filmmaker Eligibility:

Applicants must be a Canadian citizen or have permanent resident status

Emerging is defined as directed or produced no more than 2 films for festival and/or broadcast

Selected finalists must commit to a pitch training session (date TBD) and a 3-minute live pitch that will take place virtually in late October (date TBD)

Permanent CBC employees are not eligible to apply

Pitch Project Eligibility:

Cannot be the same project as film being submitted for “Spotlight” portion (Example: You cannot submit a Spotlight film that is a short and pitch a web series of the same concept)

Maximum length of 44 minutes for unscripted and 20 minutes for scripted (i.e. no feature films)

Fiction or nonfiction (i.e. short doc or scripted web series)

Must have a completed script or treatment
Projects with existing equity investment and/or distribution commitments are ineligible.

Selected finalists cannot pitch the same project at another Festival program which means you will have to withdraw your project from other festivals or competitions.
For your application to be considered you must include a PDF with the following:
1. Logline (1 or 2 sentences, 50 word max description)
2. Pitch (150 word max outline)
3. Script or Treatment (must demonstrate character development, story arc)

Selected finalists will be required to sign CBC’s standard submission release form
Please visit these pages to see what kind of SCRIPTED and UNSCRIPTED projects CBC is currently looking for:

UNSCRIPTED projects that will be considered: Short Documentary, Unscripted digital series
SCRIPTED projects that will be considered: YA Digital Originals