Student filmmakers from across the valley are encouraged to submit their mini documentaries, experimental shorts, music videos, animation or short narratives to be judged in the ninth annual student film festival.
What: Student Okanagan Film Festival
Who: UBCO’s Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies students, faculty and staff, along with emerging filmmakers, general public
When: Monday, April 27, at 7 pm
Where: University Theatre, ADM 026, 1138 Alumni Ave., UBC Okanagan
Emerging filmmakers are invited to polish off their projects and get them ready for the judging stage.
The annual Student Okanagan Film Festival showcases short films from a range of genres, including mini‑documentaries, experimental shorts, music videos, animation and short narrative films. The deadline for submissions is fast approaching.
The festival is co-organized by UBC Okanagan’s Myron Campbell, Michael V. Smith and Daniel Keyes, all faculty members in the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies. The three will be joined by student volunteers for the final judging round. Winners from that round will be shown at the festival on April 27.
Young filmmakers enrolled in any local school, including UBC Okanagan, local colleges and regional high schools, are eligible to submit their work for the chance to be included in the festival screening, explains Campbell.
“The talent we’ve witnessed over the years has been nothing short of impressive, and we can’t wait to see what this year’s filmmakers bring to the screen,” says Campbell. “Reaching our ninth year is an incredible milestone. It’s fulfilling for everyone involved to see how this festival has grown into such a vibrant celebration of student work.”
Campbell notes the screening will last for about 75 minutes and will highlight a diverse array of submitted works. Filmmakers are eligible for awards in several categories.
He has also engaged UBCO students to help reshape the festival’s identity. Last year, students in Campbell’s Advanced Practices in Media Arts course were tasked with designing marketing materials for the festival, including a poster, title graphics and social media assets. The top designs were chosen to create the branding and graphics for the next few years. This year, the design of Brenna Lam Kennedy, now an alumna of the media studies program, was selected.
“We’re truly excited to share these films with the public, and it’s a great opportunity for students across the Okanagan to present their hard work on a big screen,” says Campbell. “Having students design promotional materials for the festival is a great way for us to highlight what our students are capable of creating.”
To be eligible for the festival, the filmmaker must be a registered student in any Okanagan school, and their film must have been produced in 2025 or 2026.
Submissions are due by April 15 and can be submitted at fccs.ok.ubc.ca/about/events-workshops/film-festival.
The screening of this year’s best short films takes place Monday, April 27, in UBCO’s University Theatre, starting at 7 pm. The event is open to the public. Admission is by donation, and all proceeds go toward awards and festival programming for future years.
To view last year’s award winners, visit: fccs.ok.ubc.ca/2025/04/29/2025-student-okanagan-film-festival
