2025 Festival Submission Deadlines & Fees
| |
EARLY-BIRD DEADLINE
October 31, 2024 |
REGULAR DEADLINE December 12,
2024 |
FINAL DEADLINE January 9, 2025 |
| Short (1-40 min) |
$35 |
$50 |
$70 |
| Mid-Length, Feature (41+ min) & Episodic Series |
$70 |
$120 |
$165 |
Please note that HST taxes (13%) will be added on all transactions within Canada. Fees are in Canadian Dollars (CAD).
All fees outlined above include:
- Submission to the Festival for programming consideration
- Administrative expenses related to cataloging and previewing each film
Submission fees are non-refundable.
ELIGIBILITY
- All films must have been completed after January 1, 2024
- Features, Mid-Lengths and Episodic Series must be at minimum Ontario premieres (i.e. cannot have been screened publicly in Ontario prior to the Festival, including broadcast versions of any length or language);
- Features, Mid-Lengths and Episodic Series must not be available online in any form that is accessible to Ontario, Canada audiences (this includes DVDs for purchase, VOD of any length or language, or online film festivals that streamed in Ontario) - Not applicable for short film submissions.
- Short films must be at minimum Toronto Premieres (i.e cannot have been screened publicly in Toronto prior to the Festival) - Short Films available online will be considered Toronto Premieres
- All films must be in English, subtitled in English or English versioned (non-English language films may be submitted with an English transcript; however, if selected for Hot Docs, they must be subtitled or dubbed into English at the applicant’s expense)
- All films must not have submitted to the Festival previously in any stage of completion (i.e. films that were submitted in previous years as rough cuts will not be reconsidered. If you have any specific questions regarding this, please contact [email protected]).
Please note: It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to secure clearance from the copyright holders of any copyrighted materials included within the submitted film. Hot Docs will not be held responsible for the unauthorized inclusion of any copyrighted materials within or relating to the submitted film. Hot Docs reserves the right to disqualify any film with any unauthorized inclusion of copyrighted materials.
Please consult the submissionS FAQ page for additional information.
Programming Consideration
Hot Docs accepts Canadian and international documentaries of all lengths and subject matter.
All Hot Docs screening programs are curated and all submissions will be considered by Hot Docs' programming team.
For the purposes of eligibility and awards consideration, Hot Docs uses the following definitions:
Film Length
- Feature Length: 66 minutes or longer
- Mid-Length: 41 to 65 minutes
- Short: 40 minutes or under
* When submitting, round up to the nearest minute.
Episodic Series
Long form narratives that can’t be told within the frame of a feature-length film. No set runtime.
Country of Production and Submission Categories
Submissions to the Festival are divided into two categories:
- Canadian Submissions: All films produced in Canada and/or directed by Canadian filmmakers (The director must currently reside in Canada with permanent resident status or be able to provide proof of Canadian citizenship. If the film is co-directed, at least one of the directors must meet this criteria)
- International Submissions: All films produced outside of Canada and directed by non-Canadians.
*Hot Docs reserves the right to determine which submission category the film will reside in if selected.
Country of Production
The origin of the majority of the film’s financing and/or the film’s key crew members, which can also include the location of significant production support.
Rough Cuts/Fine Cuts
- Rough Cut: a basic edit of the footage which gives an idea of the overall structure of the film.
- Picture lock: the point at which the film’s final edit has been approved, and no further changes can be made to the visual/story content. Please note any post-production processes such as sound design, color correction, and special effects to come.
- Final cut: ready for exhibition
The Festival will only accept one cut of each film for programming consideration. If needed, Hot Docs will request an updated version and will contact those applicants directly.
Programming Decisions
Applicants will be notified of programming decisions via email by the end of March. Final programming, categorization and slotting of films will be determined by the Festival programming team. Their decision is final. Successful applicants will receive this information in their official invitation.
Hot Docs is under no obligation to provide comments or feedback regarding the submitted film to the applicant or any other representative of the submitted film.
No screeners or application materials will be returned. Do not send film prints, master tapes or other originals.
Feature Films
Hot Docs has two juried competition programs for feature films - Canadian Spectrum and International Spectrum - and several non-competitive programs. Feature-length films in the two Spectrum programs are eligible for jury prizes.
- International Spectrum films are chosen by the programming department and must be at minimum an International Premiere, with priority given to World Premieres.
- Canadian Spectrum films are chosen by the programming department and must meet CAVCO requirements and be directed by a Canadian Citizen or permanent resident.
Mid-length Films
- Select mid-length films chosen by the programming department will be considered by the jury for Best Mid-Length Documentary.
Short Films
- International Short Films that are World or International Premieres will be eligible for the Best International Short Film Award. *Short films available online are considered Toronto Premieres
- Canadian Short Films that are produced in Canada and directed by a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident will be eligible for the Best Canadian Short Film Award.
Audience Awards
- All films selected for Hot Docs, with the exception of those screening in retrospective programs, are eligible for the Audience Award for their runtime category (Feature, Mid-Length, Short).
- All CAVCO certified Feature Length Canadian Films, directed by a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident, with the exception of those screening in retrospective programs and series, are eligible for the Rogers Audience Award.
Hot Docs is a qualifying festival for the following awards:
Oscars
Hot Docs is recognized as a qualifying festival for the Academy Awards® in the Documentary Feature and Documentary Short Subject categories. The winner of Hot Docs’ Best International Feature Documentary Award qualifies for consideration for the Oscar for Documentary Feature, and the winner of Hot Docs’ Best Canadian and International Short Documentary Awards qualify for consideration for the Oscar for Documentary Short Subject without standard theatrical runs, provided the films otherwise comply with the Academy rules.
BAFTAs
Hot Docs is a BAFTA-recognised festival, acknowledged to be one of the most trusted and respected arbiters of excellence in the art of short filmmaking. Shorts screened at Hot Docs fulfill an important eligibility criterion for entry to the BAFTA British Short Film and British Short Animation categories at the EE British Academy Film Awards.
Spirit Awards
Hot Docs is recognized as a qualifying festival for the Film Independent Spirit Awards. All official festival selections above 70 minutes are eligible for the Spirit Awards, regardless of theatrical release.
BIFAs
Hot Docs is a BIFA-qualifying festival. All British feature and short films selected for Hot Docs fulfill the eligibility criterion for entry to the upcoming British Independent Film Awards.
CSAs
Hot Docs is a Canadian Screen Awards qualifying festival. Any Canadian film selected for Hot Docs and at least one other Academy approved Canadian Festival qualifies a Feature or Short Film for entry into the Canadian Screen Awards.
How to Apply
Step 1: Online Submission Form
To submit your film for consideration, you must complete and submit Hot Docs' online submission form.
Step 2: Online Screener or Link
Copy and paste the link and password into the online submission form under the section titled "Screener Information." The link must be available to stream until April 2024. Download-only links will not be accepted.
Please note: The password to your film link must not change during our programming process. If you must change your password for security purposes, please contact [email protected].
All links must be received by the deadline that the film is applying to.
Step 3: Payment
At the end of the form, you will be asked to make a credit card payment. All major credit cards are accepted. If you get an error message, please call your bank as we have found that some banks block the transaction.
Hot Docs does not accept links or submissions via email.
Submit Your Film
Submissions are open for the 2025 Hot Docs Festival, taking place April 24 to May 4!
SUBMIT NOW
Submission guidelines for Hot Docs are subject to change. Hot Docs reserves the right to rule on all issues not expressly covered in these guidelines.