Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival announced its five finalists for its inaugural BanffPitch competition. The young filmmakers pitch their film projects to an international jury in front of a live audience!
The live pitch event takes place on November 8, 2025, at 2 pm (MST) at the Max Bell Auditorium, Banff Centre, during the nine days of the Festival. The event is free and open to public to attend. Click here for more information.
The pitches will be evaluated by a jury panel of renowned filmmakers, producers and film programmers—Michael Brown, Joni Cooper, Joachim Hellinger, Ava Karvonen, and Greg Moga. Winners will be announced at the end of the pitch event on November 8, 2025.
About BanffPitch
In celebration of our 50th anniversary, the Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival will launch its newest initiative to support emerging filmmakers in pitching their film ideas to an international jury in front of a live audience.
Hosted at the Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival, five applicants will be selected and invited to pitch their project. The winning pitch will receive a $25,000 CAD cash award to support their film project. BanffPitch is open to emerging filmmakers of all nationalities between the ages of 18 and 35. The festival and our partners are committed to providing a new avenue of funding support for young filmmakers specifically.
2025 BanffPitch Rules and Regulations
Questions?
Reach out to us at banffmountainfilms@banffcentre.ca.
Sign up for our newsletter to stay up-to date with our announcements and information.
The Land She Treads (Canada)
By Olivia Johnson and Erica Negrini
Echoes of memory (Colombia)
By Mateo Arango Guerrero
Making The Cut (Canada)
By Tyler Burr
Waterkeeper (Kyrgyzstan)
By Nazgul Omurzhanova
BEARPROOF (USA)
By Kyle Dudgeon
The 2025 BanffPitch Competition Finalists Are Announced!
For full information on BanffPitch visit our FilmFreeway page.
Winners will be announced at the end of the pitch event on November 8, 2025. The jury reserves the right to not present an award, and its decision will be final.
Read the submission rules and eligibility page for all requirements. Only completed applications will be considered for the competition. Only completed applications will be considered for the competition. Applications should be unique projects on FilmFreeway that include all required elements below.
You will be required to submit:
Your project will be assessed based on the substance, originality, and quality of your story and characters. The Festival team and Jury members will determine the viability of your project based on your artistic merit, your ability to communicate your idea clearly and concisely, and relevant filmmaking experience.
Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity welcomes applications from people with disabilities, Blind or have low vision and people who have barriers accessing technology. In exercising our commitment to providing equal access to our resources, applicants who require support with their application, can email banffmountainfilms@banffcentre.ca.
Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity is committed to an equitable, diverse, and inclusive environment. We encourage women; First Nations, Métis and Inuit persons; members of visible minority groups; persons with disabilities; persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity and expression; and all those who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas at the Centre to apply.