FAQ: Festival Submissions

Please call your bank. We have found that some banks block the transaction. Tell them that you do indeed wish to make the payment. If you are still having problems email us at [email protected].

Hot Docs does not accept re-submissions. If you feel your film has changed significantly in structure or approach from the previous submission, please send a list of the changes that have been made to [email protected].

SHORT FILMS: Yes, as long as it is not a festival in Toronto. A Toronto premiere is the minimum requirement for all short film submissions, meaning your film must not have screened publicly or been broadcast before a Toronto audience prior to the Festival. Short films available online will be considered Toronto premieres.

FEATURE & MID-LENGTH FILMS: Yes, as long as it is not a festival based in Ontario, or an Online festival that was accessible to audiences in Ontario. An Ontario premiere is the minimum requirement for all mid-length and feature submissions, meaning your film must not have screened publicly or been broadcast before an Ontario audience prior to the Festival.

That said, premiere status is something the programming team takes into consideration when making final decisions.

In recent years, Hot Docs has begun to include limited series at the Festival. We accept long form narratives that can’t be told within the frame of a feature-length film. If you have a series you would like to submit, please fill out the submission form and check off that you are submitting an episodic series. We ask that all episodes be available on one screener link. 

Please do not use the submission form to submit a VR project. In previous years, Hot Docs has presented DocX, a VR focused exhibit during the festival; however this program is currently on pause.

While we strongly encourage filmmakers to submit finished versions of their films whenever possible, we do accept rough cuts. Please note that the Festival will only accept one cut per film for programming consideration, and the programming decision will be based on the cut you submit. If needed, Hot Docs will request an updated version and will contact those applicants directly.  

You may indicate the status of your cut and what changes have yet to be made in the online submission form. Before submitting a rough cut, please keep in mind that we will not consider new versions of the same film for future Festivals. 

You may upload a new version to the screener link that you provided in your submission form or email a new link to [email protected]; However, we cannot guarantee this version will be seen if the previous version was already considered.

No. Please do not send trailers, press kits or any other materials. If your film is selected, you will receive details about submitting your press kit and other publicity materials.

No. Films must be submitted through our online submission form.

• 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 is generally determined by the production's financing or the birth place/permanent residence of the filmmaker(s). In distinguishing between Canadian and international entries, our general rule is that any film with 51 per cent or more Canadian financing is considered a Canadian film. The location of your documentary does not necessarily relate to the country of production, unless significant financing originated in that country or it is the filmmaker’s place of birth/permanent residence. Significant staffing and crew who reside in the location where the film was shot can also be taken into consideration.

Tags are keyword descriptors used to help search for your film within a database structure. These are useful if your film is selected for the festival. They are used to enable keyword-based searches so that users can find work of a similar theme.

We will contact you via email by end of March 2026. Please note that the primary contact listed on your entry form will be the only person contacted.

Hot Docs watches all film submissions, however, there have been instances in which our views are not recorded on Vimeo’s statistics. Films viewed via a third party player or application do not always register views in the same way that films viewed via the direct web link are.

Due to the overwhelming amount of submissions, we cannot provide notes or comments on films not selected for the Festival.

If your film is selected for the festival, we will require a DCP of the film. More information will be provided upon acceptance.

English language feature length, mid-length films and series that are accepted to the festival are required to provide a closed captioned track for their film. More information will be provided upon acceptance.