Local News

2026-02-12 

 Local filmmakers still have time to submit their entries for the “Locals Showcase” portion of the annual Campbell River Festival of Film, but the deadline draws near.

  Suzanne Joly, a local filmmaker herself, is excited about the annual opportunity for locals to get their work screened in front of a large audience. Three years ago, she helped get one day of the long-running film festival dedicated to local submissions. Now, it’s one of the festival’s most popular events.

  “I created the night so other filmmakers could have the same opportunities that I had,” she said, explaining how she wanted to help up-and-coming filmmakers get their work in front of large audiences.  

The festival has been running since 1998, and often features films from the Toronto International Film Festival. The locals night lets filmmakers living in the North Island get their work screened alongside international productions.

  Joly said the night of local submissions is always a highlight, featuring a wide variety of genres and themes. The one restriction is that films need to be around 25 minutes or less, to make sure as many as possible can be screened.

  It’s free for locals to submit their entries, and it’s open to anyone who lives in the region covered by the Island North Film Commission, from Ladysmith north to Port Hardy. That includes secondary school students, who have been big parts of the festival since local offerings started to be screened.

  All proceeds from the festival are used for bursaries for local high school grads who want to go into filmmaking. Proceeds also go towards purchasing equipment for the Tidemark Theatre, which hosts the annual event.  

  Submissions are still open until next week, with Feb. 17 set as the cut-off. Visit our Facebook page for the event link, and more information about how to make an entry.