richmond international film and media film festival
Richmond, Canada
74
Tier BScreenings
Festival dossier
Experimental, Dance & Music Film Festival
Toronto, Canada · Est. 2015 · High structural score (80–100) for legitimacy and industry clout — not limited to Oscar-qualifying festivals
Tier ATrusted
Toronto, Canada
98
Legitimacy ScoreShould I submit?
Strong legitimacy signals
Tier A score for legitimacy and industry clout. Still confirm deadlines, fees, and categories on the festival site before paying.
- 11 years of verifiable history
- Physical screenings at Carlton Cinemas
- 4 verified pro signals
Overview
The Experimental, Dance & Music Film Festival is a Toronto-based screening series that focuses on short experimental films, dance films, and music videos from around the world. It is notable for giving a platform to work that can be difficult for mainstream festivals to categorize, and for pairing screenings at Carlton Cinemas with filmmaker Q&As and audience feedback, making it a recognizable niche venue in the independent festival circuit.
Last updated Oct 1, 2026
Legitimacy Analysis
Positive Indicators (+48 pts)
- 11 years of verifiable history
- Physical screenings at Carlton Cinemas
- 4 verified pro signals
- Verified trusted status
- Legitimacy signals outweigh concerns (4 vs 0)
Red Flags (-0 pts)
No red flags found
Trust Signals
Positive Signals
- FilmFreeway Gold festival
- Has FilmFreeway community ratings
- Documented history with archived programs
- Named venues with external verification
Festival Details
Founded
2015
Venue
Carlton Cinemas
Screenings
Physical screenings confirmed
FilmFreeway communityGold festival
Avg. rating
4.8/ 5
Reviews
212
Synced 4 days ago
- Ignatius RakeFeb 2024
This is an excellent film festival with really good support for filmmakers. I particularly like the audience feedback videos they provide as it's really interesting, constructive and eye-opening to get such feedback. The interview/podcast opportunities are also excellent features that make this a really worthwhile festival to partcipate in. Huge salutes indeed and many thanks for the Best Music Video Award. A great festival indeed!
- Denis RustamovFeb 2024
A festival that talks to filmmakers in an unusually warm, personal way.
- Xenia BaMar 2024
Thank you very much to the festival for the opportunity to show my work and share about myself in short interview. As someone new to filmmaking, this experience was incredibly valuable. Receiving feedback from the audience was a pleasant addition. This was the first detailed feedback for me and I was really happy to receive it. Their encouragement has inspired me to create more and explore new ideas without fear of making mistakes. The festival was well-organized and engaging, making it a fantastic experience overall.
- Woody yocumMar 2024
This is wonderful festival! Everyone involved puts so much into creating a great venue for indie shorts. One of my favorite things is the video review segment. It's such a boost when you can hear from an appreciative audience. Everyone at the festival has done such a great job of anticipating the kind of exposure an indie short really needs. I love this festival!
- Daniel Rodrigues CorreiaMar 2024
It's an interesting concept of a film festival that really tries to promotes and give feedback about your film. We are honoured to be selected and get the best direction award. Thank you so much.
FilmFreeway reviews are filmmaker opinions, not our score. Cross-check red flags before paying fees.
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At a glance
How scoring works
Scores are calculated from structural indicators: accreditations, physical screenings, award category count, submission frequency, and acceptance rate. Higher scores reflect more verifiable legitimacy signals.
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