Experience Northern Ontario's leading film industry conference.

Cinema Summit invites regional filmmakers to exchange ideas with national leaders on the backdrop of a week's worth of worldwide cinema, courtesy of Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival and Cultural Industries Ontario North.

Established artists, up-and-comers, recent graduates, crew members, aficianados: All accreditated guests can access expert-led panel discussions, along with exclusive networking events and select film screenings from the Cinéfest Sudbury roster.

Cinema Summit Accreditation for in-person attendance is now closed, but you can still watch the panels online (see below)!

And consider purchasing a Cinéfest passport or tickets to SEE the full show while supporting local!
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Panel Discussions & Networking

All Cinema Summit  panel discussions will be livestreamed for online viewing, courtesy of Points North Media.

CINEMA SUMMIT: OPENING RECEPTION

Thursday, Sept. 18 at 10:30am

Fuel up for Cinema Summit activities at the official opening reception, where good food and great people come together. Accredited guests can enjoy light snacks and refreshments as they reunite with old friends, discover new collaborators, and map-out the must-see screenings and events from Cinéfest 2025. 

Additional details about this event will be forwarded to all Accredited Guests of Cinema Summit 2025.

EMPOWERING AMBITION: FUNDING AND CAREER MODELS

Thursday, Sept. 18 at 3:30pm

You’ve got a vision, a script, an assembled crew -- so how do you get your project funded? Then, how do you grow from Grassroots to Next Level in Northern Ontario? This panel provides funding insights from top level funding insiders Melissa Amer (Telefilm Canada), Barbara Gilbert (Ontario Arts Council), and Anna Newallo (Ontario Creates), with priceless career wisdom from Edge Entertainment producer Rosalia Chilelli.  

    Panelists:

    Rosalia Chilelli (Edge Entertainment: Producer)

    Anna Newallo (Ontario Creates: Program Consultant, Film & TV, Industry Development)

    Barbara Gilbert (Ontario Arts Council: Media Arts Officer)

    Melissa Amer (Telefilm Canada: Regional Feature Film Executive, Ontario and Nunavut)

HIT YOUR MARK OUTTA THE PARK: AVENUES FOR NORTHERN ACTORS

Friday, Sept. 19 at 1:00pm

Whether background or principal, supporting or star, Northern actors have long been known to steal the show. This multi-perspective panel aims the spotlight on the opportunities, experiences, challenges, and triumphs of acting in the North. Featuring Kate Ziegler (ACTRA Toronto), joined by Ilona Smyth (Smyth Casting/Background Work), Jordan Gavaris (THE LAKE), and Joshua Bainbridge (NOBEL & THE KID). 

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    Panelists:

    Kate Ziegler (ACTRA Toronto: President)

    Ilona Smyth (Smyth Casting / Background Work: Founder / CEO & Co-Founder)

    Jordan Gavaris (Actor: THE LAKE, ORPHAN BLACK)

    Joshua Bainbridge (Actor: NOBEL & THE KID, SKYMED)

HONED AT HOME: SELF-EDUCATION LEADS TO ON-SET SUCCESS

Friday, Sept. 19 at 3:30pm

The tools to sharpen your craft, widen your knowledge, or spark your career have never been more readily available thanks to online training and community support. Put your film journey into a higher gear by joining this talk between Caitlin Delaney (Up Light Academy), Jessica Jennings (Ontario Green Screen), and moderator Jack Blum (REEL CANADA) who will discuss at-home remedies for stifled progress.

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Sponsored by:

 

    Panelists:

    Jack Blum (REEL CANADA: Executive Director)

    Caitlin Delaney (Up Light Academy / 1D Entertainment Services: Founder / Producer)

    Jessica Jennings (Ontario Creates: Production Consultant, Environmental Services)

SUDBURY SATURDAY BITE: INDUSTRY MIXER & BREAKFAST

Saturday, Sept. 20 at 10:00am

Accredited guests are invited to mix and match over catered meals at this exclusive business-to-business networking session. In attendance are filmmakers, industry representatives, vendors, and key stakeholders who are eager to connect.

Chat with peers, discuss careers, and plot the course for your next milestone in Northern Ontario’s screen industry.

Additional details about this event will be forwarded to all Accredited Guests of Cinema Summit 2025.

ONLINE IN MIND: DIGITAL CREATION AND DISTRIBUTION

Saturday, Sept. 20 at 2:00pm

Filmmaking and technology go hand-in-hand, production and distribution models are ever-changing. This digital creator-focused panel will help illuminate how modern careers have embraced the limitless internet landscape. 

    Panelists:

    Scott Benzie (Buffer Festival / Digital First Canada: CEO / Executive Director)

    Katie Uhlmann (WebSeries Canada / Katie Chats Inc: President / Actor, Director, Writer)

    Mariah Owen (GTE Productions: CEO & Founder / Actor, Director, Writer)

    Tope Babalola (Writer, Director, Content Creator: 2.6 million followers on YouTube & TikTok)

    Zach Ramelan (The 4 Week Filmmaker: Director, Educator)

NICKEL MINES TO SILVER SCREENS: SUDBURY’S CINEMATIC RISE

Saturday, Sept. 20 at 3:30pm

Home to industrial might, rural bliss, bustling streets, lush wilderness – whatever the script has called for, Sudbury has dressed to impress onscreen for 25 years and counting. Its citizens have made incredible careers, won awards, and screened all over the world. Now it’s time now to bring it home and toast the history, future, and Blueberry Bulldogs, of the Greater Sudbury Area.

    Panelists:

    Mariah Owen (GTE Productions: CEO & Founder / Actor, Director, Writer)

    Jason Jallet (Producer: BRIDE HARD, THE DOGS)

    Kamilla Kowal (Actor: LETTERKENNY, UNTITLED HOME INVASION ROMANCE)

    Matthew Poitras (Director: THE BRUCE PENINSULA)

Film Screenings

A Cinema Summit pass grants access to a selection of film screenings from the official Cinéfest Sudbury lineup. Consider the options below and start curating your cinema-filled Summit experience!

IMPORTANT TO NOTE: tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis due to limited availability. Please present your Cinema Summit pass at the festival box office on the day of a given Cinema Summit screening to reserve a ticket.
*An asterisk denotes films that were shot in Northern Ontario.

Saturday, September 13th

1:00pm
Clear Sky, directed by Michael Del Monte & Shawn Clearsky Davies (76 minutes).
4:30pm
Fantasy Life, directed by Matthew Shear (91 minutes).

Sunday, September 14th

12:30pm
Nika & Madison, directed by Eva Thomas (87 minutes).
2:30pm
Racewalkers, directed by Kevin Claydon & Phil Moniz (80 minutes).
8:00pm
Uiksaringitara (Wrong Husband), directed by Zacharias Kunuk (100 minutes).

Monday, September 15th

12:45pm
My Father’s Shadow, directed by Akinola Davies (93 minutes).
2:30pm
Still Single, directed by Jamal Burger & Jukan Tateisi (93 minutes).
4:30pm
DJ Ahmet, directed by Georgi M. Unkovski (99 minutes).

Tuesday, September 16th

12:30pm
Hangashore, directed by Justin Oakey (87 minutes).
2:00pm
Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5, directed by Raoul Peck (119 minutes).
2:30pm
Urchin, directed by Harris Dickinson (99 minutes).
4:00pm
*Short Circuit I: including Can You Feel It Now? directed by Isak Vaillancourt, 20 Crickets, directed by Zha Babaieva (86 minutes).
8:30pm
*Everything’s Going to be Great, directed by Jon S. Baird (95 minutes).

Wednesday, September 17th

10:00am
Space Cadet, directed by Kid Koala (86 minutes).
2:30pm
Shamed, directed by Matt Gallagher (90 minutes).
4:30pm
Yunan, directed by Ameer Fakher Eldin (124 minutes).
6:00pm
*Blood Lines, directed by Gail Maurice (89 minutes).
9:00pm
Mermaid, directed by Tyler Cornack (105 minutes).

Thursday, September 18th

12:00pm
The Scout, directed by Paula González-Nasser (89 minutes).
12:30pm
The Mastermind, directed by Kelly Reichardt (110 minutes).
6:00pm
What We Dreamed of Then, directed by Taylor Olson (104 minutes).
9:00pm
*The Bruce Peninsula, directed by Matthew Poitras (111 minutes).

Friday, September 19th

12:00pm
Fanny, directed by Yan England (114 minutes).
1:30pm
*Short Circuit III: including A Snowman's Dream, directed by Gus & Steve Belford (88 minutes).
2:45pm
Best Boy, directed by Jesse Noah Klein (91 minutes).
4:15pm
Out Standing, directed by Mélanie Charbonneau (106 minutes).
4:30pm
Omaha, directed by Cole Webley (83 minutes).
6:30pm
*Nobel & the Kid, directed by James Anthony Usas (84 minutes).
9:00pm
*Violence, directed by Connor Marsden (83 minutes).

Saturday, September 20th

12:00pm
*CTV Best in Shorts: Finalists Screening
12:15pm
Horseshoe, directed by Edwin Mullane & Adam O’Keeffe (86 minutes).
2:00pm
Köln 75, directed by Ido Fluk (112 minutes).
9:00pm
*Deathstalker, directed by Steven Kostanski (102 minutes).

Sunday, September 21st

12:00pm
L'inconnu de la Grande Arche (The Great Arch), directed by Stéphane Demoustier (104 minutes).
12:30pm
Silver Screamers, directed by Sean Cisterna (101 minutes).
2:30pm
Free Leonard Peltier, directed by David France & Jesse Short Bull (113 minutes).

Cinema Summit is brought to you by:


Telefilm Canada FedNor Logo Canada Media Fund Logo Ontario Creates Ontario Arts Council Ontario.ca NOHFC Sudbury Logo Sudbury

Cinema Summit Sponsor:


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Industry Panel Sponsor:


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Northern Entertainment Broker:


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Industry Events Sponsor:


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Industry Decor Sponsor:


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