Submissions Now Open!
From March 13th – June 18th, 2023, you can submit your one-minute, silent short film on FilmFreeway! Please make sure to follow the submission guidelines. FAVA members and Youth (17 and under) can submit their film for FREE! Please email [email protected] for the submission code.
About GMFF
Gotta Minute is Western Canada’s first film fest for Commuters proudly brought to you by PATTISON Onestop & The Film and Video Arts Society of Alberta (FAVA). The 10th Anniversary 2023 festival will run from September 11th – 24th.
Gotta Minute is a unique public art festival featuring one-minute silent short films in every genre. A gem of a fest for one and all, big and small, Gotta Minute films delight audiences as they move about in public space and on public transit. Learn more about the festival here.
Where to Watch

On the Train
Selected short films will be shown over a two-week-long program on PATTISON Onestop platform screens. These shorts will run every 5 minutes throughout Edmonton Transit’s LRT system and Calgary’s C-train system – Public Art on Public Transit in Public Space. These screens get MILLIONS of eyes on them – that’s quite the audience!
Metro Cinema
Movie lovers – it keeps getting better! Enjoy the GMFF program in the Metro Cinema lobby during the festival.
Awards Celebration
Our full program will be shared at the Awards Celebration on Sept 24th, the last day of the festival. Join us for refreshments, live music, and to celebrate the 2023 Gotta Minute Film Festival Award Winners!
Online
You’ve got “A Festival in your Pocket”! If you miss our shows in transit, you can always pick them up Online. The complete program will be available on the website to enjoy during the Fest and throughout the year at your leisure. Share the online program with your friends and VOTE for your favourite short.
At the Library
See one-minute gems on the screens at select Edmonton Public Library and Calgary Public Library branches.
Awards Celebration
The Gotta Minute Film Festival wraps by recognizing the creativity and uniqueness of the participating filmmakers with an Award Celebration. At the celebration, we will be presenting the 10th Anniversary award-winning films with live musical accompaniment. Join the community as we celebrate our filmmakers and give away some amazing awards and cash prizes!
All of the selected films will be eligible for cash prizes* and awards such as:
FIRST PRIZE
$1000 CASH + PRIZES
SECOND PRIZE
$500 CASH + PRIZES
THIRD PRIZE
$250 CASH + PRIZES
Best Animation Film: $250 CASH + Prizes
Best Non-Fiction Film: $250 CASH + Prizes
Best International Film: $250 CASH + Prizes
Best Film for Young Audiences: $250 CASH + Prizes
Best Youth Film: $250 CASH + Prizes
Spirit of Alberta: $250 CASH + Prizes
Audience Choice: $250 + Prizes
*Please note, due to international barriers, not all prizes are eligible to those outside of Canada, and prize money is subject to transfer fees. We apologize for the inconvenience. If an award winner is not present in-person to accept an award, arrangements will be made in the week following the festival to assure prize delivery.


Submission Guidelines
- EXACTLY ONE MINUTE (60 seconds) in length. Not over and not under.
- COMPLETELY SILENT. No dialogue, no sound effects, and no music. Any submissions that contain sound will be viewed without it.
- APPROPRIATE FOR GENERAL AUDIENCES. Any films featuring alcohol (in any capacity), violence (even implied), weapons (even fake), nudity, profanity, frightening imagery, or other content that is not suitable for general audiences may not be selected, as they will not be able to play on the transit screens or at the public libraries.