Directors' Lab
Applications are now open!
TIFF Directors’ Lab is a five-day competitive talent development programme that takes place during the Toronto International Film Festival in September.
Formerly TIFF Filmmaker Lab, TIFF Directors’ Lab returns with a greater focus on directorial debuts. The Lab selects 16 Canadian and international directors from hundreds of applications to receive an impactful career-launching mentorship from renowned directors, producers, agents, distributors, and top industry experts from around the world. TIFF Directors’ Lab is designed to be a catalyst for emerging directors to refine their creative projects and prepare their projects for the marketplace. Select participants of the Lab will be eligible for fellowships generously supported by our donors.
This year, select participants will be awarded the Micki Moore Fellowship, the Share Her Journey Giving Circle Fellowship, the Share Her Journey Directors’ Lab Fellowship in honour of Viola Desmond, and the Jennifer A. Tory Legacy Fellowship.
Select Lab participants will receive financial support to be in Toronto for the duration of the programme, with specifics in their official invitation.
What’s included
- Five-day feature film development and market readiness programme, taking place in-person September 3–7
- Mentorship from TIFF’s programming team and top industry experts
- Access to the 50th Toronto International Film Festival, TIFF’s Industry Conference, Industry Hub, and Delegate Resources
- Complimentary one-year TIFF Membership, including discounts on film tickets at TIFF Lightbox
Eligibility
TIFF Directors' Lab focuses on narrative storytelling and filmmaking.
- Applications are open to Canadian and international emerging directors.
- NEW! Only applicants making their first feature film are eligible.
- Applicants must have a minimum of two short-film credits as a director or screenwriter.
- Applicants credited as the director of a completed feature film will not be considered, unless the film did NOT receive any of the following: a) a theatrical release, b) industry funding from any private or government body, or c) screening at a qualifying film festival. See the full list of qualifying festivals below.
- The submitted project must have a completed first draft at minimum.
- Applicants must submit a treatment and lookbook.
- Only one submission per applicant will be considered
- Applicants must submit a continuous one-minute excerpt of one film project (narrative short film, documentary, or animation). The clip must not exceed one minute. If you applied to TIFF Filmmaker Lab in previous years, you must re-apply with a different film clip. Applications must be submitted online by 11:59pm ET on May 18.
- Applicants must submit a video pitch no longer than two minutes. The applicant should comment on their project, filmmaking approach, and why they want to join TIFF Directors’ Lab.
Key dates
Submission guidelines
One-minute clip
- For password-protected Vimeo files, please use the password DL2025.
- Demo reels, trailers, and music videos will NOT be accepted.
- The total runtime of your Vimeo file cannot exceed one minute.
- Please add info on yourclip to the “Clip Description” field on the Custom Form as part of your FilmFreeway submission.
- Submissions of full-length films that suggest only viewing a specific time code will not be considered by the jury.
- The clip must include English subtitles if the language spoken is not English.
Film festivals
If you had a feature-length film selected by any of the following festivals, you are ineligible to apply for this programme:
- Austin Film Festival
- Berlinale
- La Biennale di Venezia (Venice International Film Festival)
- BFI London Film Festival
- Busan International Film Festival
- Festival de Cannes
- Locarno Film Festival
- IFFR (Rotterdam International Film Festival)
- Sundance Film Festival
- SXSW
- Toronto International Film Festival
- Tribeca Film Festival