Winnipeg Film Group -- Gimli Film Festival

Overview

The Gimli Film Festival is Manitoba's most beloved film festival and one of Canada's most distinctive regional film events. Founded in 1998 and held annually in July in the small lakeside town of Gimli on the shores of Lake Winnipeg, the festival combines curated Canadian and international programming with the lakeside community atmosphere that makes it genuinely unlike any urban festival.

Gimli is a small town with a proud Icelandic-Canadian heritage, and the festival reflects the community's welcoming spirit. The combination of world-class cinema, Lake Winnipeg's stunning setting, and the intimate community scale creates a festival experience that filmmakers and audiences consistently describe as one of the most enjoyable in Canada.

The festival has a particular commitment to Canadian cinema and to Manitoba filmmakers, providing the most important regional platform for Prairie-based filmmaking.

Key Sections

• Canadian Film Competition -- new Canadian features and shorts
• International Program -- curated world cinema
• Manitoba Film Showcase -- films by Manitoba-based filmmakers
• Children's Program -- films for younger audiences
• Outdoor Screenings -- films screened in Gimli's outdoor spaces

What Filmmakers Should Know

Gimli accepts open submissions. For Manitoba and Prairie filmmakers, the festival provides the most important regional platform. For Canadian filmmakers more broadly, Gimli provides exposure to an audience that engages with cinema on the basis of pure enthusiasm.

Major Awards

• Best Canadian Film -- jury prize
• Audience Award
• Manitoba Film Award

Festival History

Gimli Film Festival was founded in 1998 and has operated continuously since then, building a devoted following among Canadian filmmakers and audiences who value its unique combination of quality programming and community warmth.

See Also

For Canadian cinema, see International Film Markets. For festival strategy, see Film Festival Strategy.