Submissions for 2027 are OPEN!
January 6, 2026
Earlybird Deadline
July 7, 2026
Regular Deadline
December 1, 2026
Late Deadline
January 11, 2027
Extended Deadline
Criteria for eligibility
• Works must made within the past 2 years.
• Submissions must be completed works.
• All submission must go through filmfreeway.com.
• Films in languages other than English require English subtitles to be accepted for consideration.
• Films selected must send in required materials by the given deadlines or risk being withdrawn.
• The “People’s Choice Awards” will be announced following the close of the festival online. Although this is a non-competitive film festival, “People’s Choice Awards” are given to the 5 films judged to be the best by festival audiences.
• If your film is selected for the festival, Vox Popular Film Festival requests your permission to keep a copy in our festival’s private library.
We pay screening fees to artists and distributors*, according to current CARFAC (Canadian Artist Representation/Le Front des Artistes Canadiens) rates. We provide up to ten travel grants to help subsidize travel expenses of out of town filmmakers, allowing them the opportunity to come to Thunder Bay to present their film, participate in Q&A periods after the screening, lead master classes and most importantly, to interact and celebrate media arts of all genres in Northwestern Ontario communities. We also coordinate virtual Q&As with filmmakers who are unable to attend but would like to engage our audience. * Some restrictions may apply
The People’s Choice Award
All official selections are candidates for the People’s Choice Awards. People’s Choice Awards are determined by ballot entry filled by festival attendees and awarded to the top five films as selected by and voted for by viewing audiences. The award carries no cash value, however a certificate will be presented to the director(s) of winning films at the close of the festival with the potential to tour Northwestern Ontario in the upcoming years.