2024 Edmonton Film Prize

Shared Eligibility and Assessment Criteria for Edmonton Arts Prizes:  

• Eligible artists/recipients must be a resident of the greater Edmonton region / amiskwaciywaskâhikan. The greater Edmonton region is defined as the City of Edmonton, the Counties of Sturgeon, Parkland, Leduc and Strathcona, and the communities of Enoch Cree Nation, Alexander First Nation, Paul First Nation, and Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation.
• NEW FOR 2024 – By the submission deadline, all nominated artists must have a current profile (with all required fields completed) with the Edmonton Arts Council: smartsimple.ca Contact support@edmontonarts.ca  or 780−424−2787 if you have questions or need help creating a profile.
• Prize recommendations in each discipline will be based on an evaluation of the artistic merits of a specific work, or collection of work, by a knowledgeable group of peer assessors.
• Assessors will be charged with basing their decisions on the artwork’s merits, including originality, creativity, relevance, and technical excellence. In all cases the prizes will attempt to recognize the highest standards of artistic achievement, regardless of the artist’s particular mode of expression, or style within the genre.

In the case of equivalent merits, the assessors will be encouraged to consider the work in the context of the (in order):

1. Artist’s career;
2. Relevant tradition(s), and arts practice in Canada;
3. Representation of the demographic diversity of Edmonton’s population;
4. Representation of the diversity of artistic expression or styles within the discipline.

Prizes will be awarded in the spring of 2024. 

The primary prize recipient in each category will be awarded $15,000, and two secondary prizes of $5,000 will be awarded to the runners up.

Submission Guidelines for the City of Edmonton Film Prize:

In partnership with Alberta Media Production Industry Association (AMPIA)

• Submission deadline: Friday, January 19, 2024 at 3pm

  The City of Edmonton Film Prize recognizes artists (directors and/or producers), based on a single film, video or online work that has had a first broadcast or public exhibition in the relevant 12 months (calendar year) prior to the deadline.

  In this context, an eligible film can be a narrative, documentary, or experimental project, including one-offs, series, mini-series, features or shorts, of any length, where creative control rests with the artist. The prize is not intended for commercials, PSAs, corporate/industrial videos or promotional works, including music videos. Not eligible are engineers, executives, or any other technical or support personnel.

  The prize program is coordinated by the Edmonton Arts Council, in collaboration with the City of Edmonton and our community partners, to enhance Edmonton’s reputation as a hub for extraordinary creation in the arts.

  Edmonton Film Prize Entry Form:

• Judging Process
  • Submissions will be judged by an independent jury of filmmakers, presenters, broadcasters, and/or members of the film community recruited by AMPIA and the Edmonton Arts Council.
  • If, in the opinion of the judges, no work in the competition merits an award, no award will be given.
  • In all cases, the jury’s decision is final.

  Submission Procedures

  •  Entries must be received at the AMPIA offices by 3:00 PM on Friday, January 19, 2024.
    •    Entries may be submitted by filmmakers, producers, or any interested parties.
    •    Separate entry forms must be completed for each production being submitted.
    •    Materials will not be returned.
    •    Nominations must include:
  • Completed, signed entry form uploaded here. Please label file with Production title, nominee’s name and entry form. (Example: Flying Cars_Joel Anders_entry from)
  • Brief biography of the nominee.
  • Brief, 30-word description of the film.
  • Detailed synopsis of the film (max 200 words).
  • One-page statement describing the artistic and technical excellence on display in the film work; and if necessary, the nominee’s relationship to the film or excellence on display. Please upload all supporting materials via FilmFreeway.  Please label with Production Title, nominee’s name and support materials. (Example: Flying Cars_Joel Anders_support materials)
  • Upload the digital screener. File must be in a Mp4 (H.264) compressed 720p file format. Please label file with Production Title, nominee’s full name and screener. (Example:  Flying Cars_Joel Anders_screener)
  • Contact Desiree Burkett at dburkett@amipia.org for further information.
  • For any technical issues experienced during the online application process, please submit details of the error directly to our support team at kelly@ampia.org