Mirror Mountain Film Festival

About

Mirror Mountain Film Festival brings the best in independent, alternative and underground cinema to Canada’s capital. We are a diverse and inclusive festival that welcomes all types of films and all types of people to share in the collective cinema experience. Our mission is to promote unique and original creative voices from the Ottawa-Gatineau region and from around the world. Mirror Mountain showcases innovative, groundbreaking and unconventional films in a wide variety of genres, including drama, documentary, animation, experimental, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, dance and music videos. In addition to film screenings, the festival features engaging, community-oriented activities such as live performances, hybrid media presentations, interactive exhibits, parties, panel discussions, Q&A sessions and more. Our events aim to connect filmmakers both with audiences and with one another, and to support artists through educational and professional development opportunities.

Why should I submit to Mirror Mountain?

1. Free festival pass for all filmmakers who submit
Everyone who submits a film to Mirror Mountain, regardless of whether or not it is selected, gets a free pass to attend the entire festival.

2. Free to submit for local filmmakers
Films of any length can be submitted for free if they were shot and/or edited within a 125 km radius of Ottawa. This area includes Gatineau, Maniwaki, Mont Tremblant, Montebello, Hawkesbury, Cornwall, Potsdam, Brockville, Smiths Falls, Perth, Renfrew, Arnprior and more.

3. Free submissions for alumni
If you directed a film that was officially selected in a previous edition of Mirror Mountain, you can submit again at no cost.

4. Your money back
If your film is officially selected to screen in the festival, we’ll reimburse your original submission fee.

5. We pay artist fees
If your film is officially selected to screen in the festival, you will also receive an artist fee to thank you for letting us screen your work.

6. Fewer restrictions
We have no premiere or date-of-completion requirements. Your film is still eligible even if it has screened in the Ottawa region before, has distribution, has been broadcast on television, or is available to view online.

7. Stay in the loop
After you submit your film, you’ll get a notification from the festival to confirm we’ve received your application. Later, you’ll receive a notification informing you of the results, regardless of whether or not your film was selected.

8. Awards for winning filmmakers
Awards are given out in several categories after the completion of the festival. Award winners receive a certificate and a selection of prizes donated by our sponsors.

9. Friendly and alternative atmosphere
As a community of filmmakers and artists, we strive to cultivate a vibrant, dynamic and welcoming atmosphere, where creators and audience members from diverse artistic and cultural backgrounds can come together to engage and grow through shared work and conversation.

Awards

At the next edition of Mirror Mountain Film Festival, awards will be given out in the following categories:

BEST DIRECTOR
BEST SCREENPLAY
BEST PERFORMANCE
BEST SOUND
BEST LOCAL FILM

All selected films are automatically in consideration for awards in all relevant and appropriate categories. Award winners receive a certificate and a selection of prizes donated by our sponsors.

For more information on award sponsors, prizes, previous winners and nominees, visit: mirrormountainfilmfest.com/awards

Rules

Please read all of the rules carefully before submitting.

Mirror Mountain accepts any genre of film, including drama, comedy, documentary, animation, thriller, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, musical, dance, poetry/spoken word, experimental, music video, cult and more. We also accept submissions of interactive media artworks, including VR, explorable 360° video spaces, playable videogames, film/video installations, net art and more.

The festival welcomes submissions from diverse filmmakers from all backgrounds, including but not limited to, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, two-spirited and non-binary filmmakers, POC and Indigenous filmmakers, persons with disabilities, and diasporic and transcultural filmmakers.

Submissions are reviewed by a volunteer jury of experienced filmmakers and local arts and culture professionals. Visit mirrormountainfilmfest.com/about for more information.

– Submission fees are non-refundable.
– Waivers or discounts on submission fees are not offered.
– Films may originate from anywhere in the world.
– You may submit multiple films in a single year, but you must pay the full submission fee for each film.
– Mirror Mountain does not accept submissions sent by email or physical submissions sent by post.
– Mirror Mountain is not responsible for non-functional preview copies/screeners.
– Mirror Mountain is under no obligation to watch updated screeners. The jury will only review submissions once.
– Do not send a press kit or other support materials unless requested.
– All submitted films must either be in English or accompanied by English subtitles.
– There are no premiere requirements. Your film may have screened in the Ottawa region before.
– There are no date-of-completion requirements. Your film can be dated from any year.
– Films that have distribution, have been broadcast on television, or are available to view online, are still eligible for submission.
– You must be the copyright holder of the film and its soundtrack, or have obtained permission to use copyrighted materials in any part of your work. You may be asked to supply documentation supporting your claim. Works that consist of parody, satire and critical review are excepted under Canadian copyright law.
– Mirror Mountain reserves the right not to select any material they deem inappropriate for any reason.
– Mirror Mountain reserves the right to remove any film from the festival lineup at any time.

If your film is selected, you will be expected to submit a high-quality Quicktime H.264 file as your screening copy by no later than July 11 2025, or your film may not be screened. Filmmakers are responsible for ensuring that their Quicktime file is in good working order.

Short is defined as any film less than 20 minutes in length, including credits.

Medium-length is defined as any film between 20 and 60 minutes in length, including credits.

Feature-length is defined as any film longer than 60 minutes in length, including credits.

Interactive media is defined as any artwork that allows the audience to participate directly, including VR, explorable 360° video spaces, playable videogames, film/video installations, net art and more. Interactive media artworks may be of any length.

Film submissions of any length are free if your film was shot and/or edited within 125 km of Ottawa. You may be asked to provide documentation supporting your claim.

Film submissions of any length are free if you directed a film that was officially selected to screen at a previous edition of Mirror Mountain.

Premiere Requirements

No premiere requirement

Jury and Organizers

• Jess Maybear - Board of Directors
• Amanda Lowe Warnakulasuriya - Board of Directors
• Renuka Bauri - Board of Directors
• Kenneth Warner - Board of Directors