We’re hiring! Join the Breakthroughs team this summer as our Workshop Coordinator or Partnership & Sponsorship Coordinator ⭐️ Apply today at breakthroughsfilmfestival.com/join-the-team or through the link in our bio ⬆️
⭐️ Workshop Coordinator
Breakthroughs Film Festival is seeking a Workshop Coordinator to support the planning and execution of BFF’s 2026 year-round programming, including Script Lab, a pilot program geared towards first-time directors.
Application Deadline: May 27, 2026
⭐️ Partnership & Sponsorship Coordinator
Breakthroughs Film Festival is seeking a Fundraising & Partnership Coordinator to support the planning and execution of BFF’s 2026 fundraising strategy.
Application Deadline: June 3, 2026
Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and the position may be filled before the deadline. Early applications are encouraged.
Full job descriptions are linked on the application pages ꩜
Calling emerging women, trans-masculine & non-binary Canadian filmmakers ⭐️ We’re excited to launch the pilot edition of the Breakthroughs Short Film Incubator!
Develop your first short film with support in script development, casting, actor workshops & hands-on production guidance. ꩜
Priority will be given to first-time directors with some industry experience.
Successful applicants must be available for an in-person public table read in Toronto (early August, date TBD)
Applications close June 10! More details linked in our bio ⬆️
Put two or more people in a room and there are endless ways for competition to emerge. From a callback for a role to a good old mud wrestling match, it can take many forms. This collection of shorts is all about how confrontation can build into very heated rivalries.
Featuring:
⭐️Stalling, Dir. Jasia Ka
⭐️Lesbian Mud Wrestling, Dir. Kirsty Wilson
⭐️ Cottonmouth, Dir. Ama Anane
⭐️ Bare Roots, Dir. Ellen McDougall
⭐️ This House That Bears No Fruit, Dir. Chantal Leong
⭐️ Clean Slate, Dir. Emily May Jampel
⭐️ Ronita Rambo, Dir. Michael Doshier
See Shorts: Bodies in Collision at #InsideOut26 🫀
📍May 24, 2:00PM at TIFF Lightbox Cinema 3
Community Partners: @breakthroughsff@wereallylikeher
Screening Sponsor: @nbculaunch
Some photos from our #CanFilmDay screening with @sookyinleee and @julietbelisario moderated by BFF Board Chair @nedsjan 💘 Thank you all for coming out to our screening of Paying for It & Cocoon at the @smallworldcentre 💫
We had the loveliest time and hope you did as well! Stay tuned for more events to come shortly 👀
Photography by Joel Gale
Crew Connect is back! Our popular networking event is back and even better for its second year. Apply by May 8th for a chance to participate in our customized speed networking event for emerging filmmakers, happening May 30th, 2-5pm at Trinity Square Video.
This free, curated networking event matches emerging talent with potential peer collaborators. From editors to costume designers, cinematographers to producers, directors and more, we’ll help you break the ice and form meaningful connections with likeminded creatives. PLUS, you’ll get a FREE HEADSHOT to level up your professional look! ⭐️
Application is linked in our bio ⬆️
Please note that completing this form does NOT guarantee your participation. Selection will be based on creating a balanced group, and event capacity. Selected participants will receive a confirmation email by May 14th.
If you cannot guarantee your attendance on May 30th, please do not apply this year.
This event is co-presented with @trinitysquare ꩜
Swipe to read some of our filmmaker reviews from last year’s Festival ➡️ We were in the company of some of the most talented women and gender-diverse creators 🩵
Interested in joining our filmmaker cohort for #BFF26? Submissions are now open and the regular deadline is next Thursday, April 30th! Submit online via FilmFreeway.
Full details are linked in our bio ⬆️
Thank you to everyone who supported our Donation Drive last month! ❤️🔥 One of our donors, Beth (who also worked at BFF last year as our Festival Manager and previously screened films with us), shared why they continue to support Breakthroughs:
“As a truly grassroots organization, Breakthroughs possesses a vital freedom to respond authentically and courageously to the needs of our community and our present socio-political moment, without the compromising pressures many larger institutions juggle.
As a local filmmaker, arts worker, and lover of independent cinema, I’ve felt continually inspired, supported, and included in their thoughtful curation and wonderful community events. I will never hesitate to support BFF!”
Thank you for your thoughtful words, Beth and to everyone who has supported and continues to support Breakthroughs. We love this community! 🦋
Thanks to your tremendous support for our #CanFilmDay screening, we’re OFFICIALLY ON RUSH FOR PLAYING FOR IT & COCOON! ❤️🔥
We have officially sold all available seats for our screening, however, we’ll be opening up a rush line. You can also sign up through our Eventbrite link to be added to the waitlist ⬆️
What’s rush?
If a screening is off-sale, customers without tickets may wait in the rush line as a last chance to see the screening. 5 minutes prior to a screening’s start time, Front of House staff will count the empty seats in the cinema and sell a select amount of rush tickets to those in the rush line on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note that being in a rush line does not guarantee a ticket to the screening.
Thank you again for your support! We can’t wait to see you on April 15th ꩜
Happy Trans Day of Visibility 🩵🩷🤍 To celebrate today, we’re proud to spotlight both trans-centred stories and the incredible trans filmmakers from Breakthroughs’ alumni community. Together these voices and works continue to inspire us, beautifully weaving powerful stories that uplift and connect us all 🏳️⚧️꩜
Films in order of appearance:
⭐️ Worlds’ End, Dir. Rowan Campbell
⭐️ Cocoon, Dir. Juliet Belisario
⭐️ Becoming, Dir. McKenna Pipher
⭐️ Bodies (Tanha), Dir. Morvarid Kashiyan
⭐️ One Leg In, One Leg Out, Dir. Lisa Rideout
⭐️ Jo, Dir. Christine Wu
⭐️ Femme Queen Chronicles - Episode One: The Clock, Dir. Ahya Simone
Celebrate #CanFilmDay with us on April 15 at the Small World Centre with a FREE screening of Paying for It, the bold feature from @sookyinleee , preceded by #BFF25 filmmaker @julietbelisario ’s short film Cocoon.🦋
Woven from Chester Brown’s graphic novel and moments from Lee’s own life, Paying for It is a semi-autobiographical dramedy on sex work ꩜ Paying for It was named one of Canada’s Top Ten Feature Films of 2024 @tiff_net
Following the screening, directors Sook-Yin Lee and Juliet Belisario will be joining us for a Q&A.
Reserve your tickets in the link in our bio ⬆️
We’re thrilled to support the 20th anniversary of Canadian Film Fest, celebrating homegrown stories and cinematic talent! This year’s festival features a spectacular lineup of 16 feature films, 40+ short films, and daily industry events, all taking place March 24 - 29, at Cineplex’s Scotiabank Theatre Toronto.
A full lineup of films and industry events, as well as links to acquire tickets and passes can be found at www.canfilmfest.ca
Use code CFF26xCommunityPartnerBreakthroughs for 10% off! ❤️🔥
This March, help us celebrate our 15th anniversary by donating $15 to our Donation Drive! ⭐️
Donations support breakthroughs and the future of filmmaking by expanding access, funding filmmaker prizes, and growing mentorship and community spaces—empowering the next generation of storytellers. ꩜
Visit /donate or the link in our bio ⬆️
Be part of the story for emerging women and gender-diverse filmmakers today. Plus, all donations made during March will be entered for a chance to win a 2026 Festival Pass.
Thank you, as always, for your support! 🫶
