The Pendance Film Festival started on a snowy night in 2017 with 420 guests and hasn't stopped rolling since—quietly becoming one of the fastest-growing film festivals in the world. Pendance has quickly developed a reputation for strong programming and a filmmaker-first approach.
Pendance is supported by some of the top filmmakers, studios, and sponsors in the world. The festival features top-industry members on both shorts and features juries, and draws in mid-tier distribution companies and sales agents each year. Curated with love, and organized with filmmaker support and experience always in mind, Pendance is a must-stop for independent filmmakers around the world.
5 Reasons to Submit to Pendance
1) Story Over Everything. That's our motto, and it means the world to us. That means star-power, buzz, hype, language, country of origin, genre, OR whether a filmmaker has been selected in a previous edition does not sway our decision as programmers. We program purely on the basis of story, and a film's ability to resonate with our audience. We're uniquely transparent about why films get into Pendance.
2) Programmers watch each film through to completion. There are no volunteer test screeners or rounds to get through.
3) We prioritize filmmaker education. Not only does Pendance select some of the top emerging filmmakers in the world each year, it also plays host to some of the top minds in the Canadian film industry, leading panels and workshops. Past workshop leaders include filmmakers like Mark Raso, Barbara Vekaric, Ann Lupo, Peter Brunner, and Miljan Milovanovic.
4) We pack the house. You're a filmmaker. We're filmmakers. We understand the pain of watching a film with fifteen people. We work very hard each year to make sure that not only do we host Pendance at the top venues in Toronto like the AGO and TIFF Bell Lightbox, but that these venues are packed to capacity.
5) Programmers respect Pendance. We're a young festival, but we've quickly earned a solid reputation for programming great films. Due to our rigid quality control standards, you can be sure that an official selection at Pendance can be leveraged forward to gain a lot of credibility with other festival programmers as well.
Pendance is supported by some of the top filmmakers, studios, and sponsors in the world. The festival features top-industry members on both shorts and features juries, and draws in mid-tier distribution companies and sales agents each year. Curated with love, and organized with filmmaker support and experience always in mind, Pendance is a must-stop for independent filmmakers around the world.
5 Reasons to Submit to Pendance
1) Story Over Everything. That's our motto, and it means the world to us. That means star-power, buzz, hype, language, country of origin, genre, OR whether a filmmaker has been selected in a previous edition does not sway our decision as programmers. We program purely on the basis of story, and a film's ability to resonate with our audience. We're uniquely transparent about why films get into Pendance.
2) Programmers watch each film through to completion. There are no volunteer test screeners or rounds to get through.
3) We prioritize filmmaker education. Not only does Pendance select some of the top emerging filmmakers in the world each year, it also plays host to some of the top minds in the Canadian film industry, leading panels and workshops. Past workshop leaders include filmmakers like Mark Raso, Barbara Vekaric, Ann Lupo, Peter Brunner, and Miljan Milovanovic.
4) We pack the house. You're a filmmaker. We're filmmakers. We understand the pain of watching a film with fifteen people. We work very hard each year to make sure that not only do we host Pendance at the top venues in Toronto like the AGO and TIFF Bell Lightbox, but that these venues are packed to capacity.
5) Programmers respect Pendance. We're a young festival, but we've quickly earned a solid reputation for programming great films. Due to our rigid quality control standards, you can be sure that an official selection at Pendance can be leveraged forward to gain a lot of credibility with other festival programmers as well.