RIFFA - Regina International Film Festival and Awards

06/16/2026

Save the date.

The road to RIFFA 2026 continues on July 8.

Join us at the Cornwall Centre’s Center Court from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. for RIFFA’s annual press conference, where we will officially announce this year’s nominees across our festival categories.

After receiving an incredible number of submissions from talented filmmakers around the world, we are excited to reveal the projects that will move forward in this year’s awards season.

This is the moment when months of storytelling, creativity, and hard work come into focus, and we cannot wait to share it with you.

Mark your calendar and join us as we celebrate the filmmakers, stories, and achievements that make RIFFA 2026 possible.

06/16/2026

Save the date.

The road to RIFFA 2026 continues on July 8.

Join us at the Cornwall Centre’s Center Court from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. for RIFFA’s annual press conference, where we will officially announce this year’s nominees across our festival categories.

After receiving an incredible number of submissions from talented filmmakers around the world, we are excited to reveal the projects that will move forward in this year’s awards season.

This is the moment when months of storytelling, creativity, and hard work come into focus, and we cannot wait to share it with you.

Mark your calendar and join us as we celebrate the filmmakers, stories, and achievements that make RIFFA 2026 possible.

06/13/2026

What makes a film festival Q&A unforgettable?

Some of the best moments at RIFFA happen after the credits roll.

A great Q&A goes beyond explaining the plot. It opens the door into the creative process, the challenges behind the film, and the story behind the storytellers.

Here are three things we always love hearing filmmakers talk about:

❓What inspired the story?
Every filmmaker starts somewhere. Whether it comes from personal experience, a conversation, a memory, or a question they could not let go of, inspiration helps audiences connect more deeply with the film and often inspires other creators in the room.

❓What challenges came up during production, and how did you push through them?
Every project faces obstacles. Tight schedules, changing locations, technical issues, unexpected rewrites. Hearing how filmmakers adapt and problem solve is one of the most valuable parts of festival conversations.

❓What was the moment you realized the film was finally coming together?
Sometimes it happens in the edit suite. Sometimes on set. Sometimes during the first audience screening. Those turning points often reveal the heart behind the filmmaking process.

The most memorable Q&As are honest, thoughtful, and human. They remind us that filmmaking is not just about the final product. It is about the journey behind it.

What is your favorite question to hear during a festival Q&A?

06/08/2026

Great films can lose momentum because of a few small mistakes.

As we review submissions for RIFFA, here are some of the most common things we see filmmakers struggle with during festival season:

🎬 Weak audio
Good sound instantly elevates a film. Clear dialogue and balanced audio make a huge difference in how audiences connect with your story.

🎬 An unclear logline
Your logline is your film’s first impression. A concise and compelling summary helps programmers quickly understand the heart of your project.

🎬 Runtime issues
Sometimes less is more. Strong pacing and intentional editing can completely transform the impact of a film.

🎬 Slow openings
The first few minutes matter. Hook your audience early and give them a reason to stay invested.
Every filmmaker grows with every project. Festival submissions are part of the journey, and refining your craft is what keeps pushing great storytelling forward.

What is the biggest lesson you learned from your last film?

06/05/2026

Why does a film feel important right now?

Timing matters in storytelling. Some films connect with audiences because they tap into the conversations, emotions, and realities people are living through today.

When reviewing submissions at RIFFA, we are always drawn to stories that feel connected to the world around us.

• Identity
Stories that explore who we are, where we belong, and how we see ourselves.

• Migration
Films that reflect movement, displacement, family, and the search for home.

• AI
Stories that question technology, creativity, ethics, and the future we are building.

• Loneliness
Quiet and deeply human films about isolation, connection, and the need to be understood.

• Climate
Projects that reflect our changing environment and the emotional realities surrounding it.

• Prairie storytelling
Stories rooted in the Prairies, their communities, landscapes, and voices that deserve to be seen on screen.

The films that stay with us are often the ones that say something about the moment we are living in.

What themes are inspiring your storytelling right now?

05/21/2026

10 categories. 468 films submitted.

RIFFA is incredibly proud to share that we received 468 submissions this year. Our programming team has carefully watched and evaluated each entry, and we are truly amazed by the level of talent, craft, and production value across all submitted projects.

We want to thank every filmmaker who submitted their work this year. Your stories, effort, and vision are what make this festival possible. We wish you the very best as we move into the next stages of RIFFA 2026.

Keep an eye out for upcoming announcements.

05/16/2026

Stay in the loop with our newsletter

News about the festival, nominations, official selection, winners, and all details about closing ceremony in one place. This is your backstage ticket to know everything about RIFFA.

Subscribe to the newsletter in the lowest part of our website riffa.ca

05/13/2026

is the winner of RIFFA Launch Pad 2026.

After a competitive pitch process, Arnolda Dufour Bowes has been awarded a prize valued at over $12,000 to support the production and distribution of their film project.

We were genuinely moved by their vision and the strength of the story they brought forward. We are excited to see how this next step brings their project to life and launches them into the next phase of their creative journey.

This prize is made possible through the generous contributions and collaboration of Play Creative Media , Lo and Behold Public Relations , the Canadian Filmmakers Distribution Centre , and RIFFA.

Congratulations from the entire RIFFA team.

04/29/2026

Tomorrow! CBC Creator Network presents: A Celebration of Saskatchewan Filmmakers! 🔥🎞️🤩 RPL Film Theatre

🎥✨
The CBC Creator Network presents: A Celebration of Saskatchewan filmmakers. This free screening takes place on Thursday, April 30, and you're invited!

Thurs, April 30th, 2026
6:00PM-8:30PM
RPL Film Theatre

Learn about the interesting people and places in our province, brought to life by local filmmakers in collaboration with the CBC Creator Network.

The screening includes five mini-documentaries made by talented Saskatchewan filmmakers, plus a Q&A following the show.

Grab free tickets on eventbrite --> https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/a-celebration-of-saskatchewan-films-from-the-cbc-creator-network-tickets-1980909673157?aff=oddtdtcreator