UWPG Film Festival

UWPG Film Festival

Also known as: University of Winnipeg Student Film Festival, UWPGFF
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UWPG Film Festival is the student film festival of the University of Winnipeg, based at its Department of Theatre and Film. Since 2002 it has screened short films by post-secondary filmmakers; it now selects work by students and recent graduates of Canadian post-secondary institutions, with separate submission categories for Canadian and Manitoban shorts, while earlier editions also had international categories such as Best International Animated Short. The festival was founded by John Kozak. Submitting and attending are free, and the films are chosen by a selection jury of people working in Manitoba's film and cultural industries.

Screenings take place at the Asper Centre for Theatre and Film on the university campus in Winnipeg, and the programmes are also streamed online. Besides the shorts programmes, the festival holds panels, a keynote talk and an awards night with craft awards and the Howard Curle Audience Choice award. The 2026 edition runs 21–23 October 2026.

Country

Canada

Categories

Short, Student

Dates

21 October 2026 — 23 October 2026

Awards and prizes

The selection committee nominates films for a range of awards. Categories of the 2026 edition: Best Manitoban Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Producers, Best Score and the Howard Curle Audience Choice award. Long-standing awards also include Best Film. Prizes vary between cash prizes, prize packages from sponsors and award plaques.

Festival rules

Eligibility: 1. Entrants must be current students of a Canadian post-secondary institution or recent graduates of one (within the last academic year). 2. The film must have been produced in the last or the current academic year. 3. Proof of enrolment (student ID or similar) is required. 4. The entrant must own the rights to the film and be its writer, director or producer. Co-directors must be indicated in the application; for selected films written permission from the other director is requested. 5. All films must have cast and crew credits and show the year the film was made. 6. Up to 2 films per applicant. 7. Maximum length: 20 minutes. 8. Films must be made without AI. Submission categories: Canadian Shorts (Canadian students and international students studying in Canada) and Manitoban Shorts. Submission is free. Selected films may be screened at the festival and in retrospective programmes of future festivals; the festival keeps a copy of the film and promotional materials for its library and may use excerpts and stills for promotion.

Contacts

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