Welcome to the McGill International Cellphilm Festival website

The McGill International Cellphilm Festival website is the home of the International Cellphilm Festival (ICF), an annual (and sometimes twice yearly) festival of cellphilms based on participatory visual methods to engage with critical social themes. The site houses the organization and management of the festival, but is also an interactive showcase/archive of globally-based cellphilms, produced from the time of the beginning of the festival in 2013 to the present. Watch this site for upcoming festivals! 

The ICF also houses a plethora of related initiatives and resources, linked to the Participatory Cultures Lab and the McGill Institute for Human Development and Well-being. Among these are:

  • Instructional guides and videos for cellphilm creation and design, with special focuses on working with young participants, storyboarding, filming tips, and connections between cellphilms, social distancing, and well-being in the time of COVID-19;
  • Post-festival follow-up, including interviews with winners and judges, thematic analyses, and festival reports;
  • Toolkits for arts-based community projects, including food-based activities, resources for digital storage and connection, guides to storyboarding and photo-voice, and movement-based initiatives;
  • Cellphilm references for deeper research, featuring publications and reports by specialists in education, cellphilming, and participatory visual methodology;
  • Links to other similar initiatives focusing on cellphilms and the use of mobile technologies from around the world;
  • Connections to PCL/IHDW sponsors and partnerships within Canada and abroad.

2021 Winners!

Creative Content Award:

The Labyrinth Of Depression - Laya Najwa Zoukari

Best Production Award:

Breaking the Mold - Yasha Shodjaee-Zrudlo

Best Group Award:

After Tomorrow - Déborah Maia de Lima and Juliana Ponguta

Young Filmmakers Award:

Melody McKay, Harmony McKay, Kelly Kakum, Kalan Kakum-McKay

People's Choice Award:

Kitties Transform Alma's Life - Alma Sadati

2020 Winners!

1st Prize: IMPERI(a)L

By Alexa Ahooja, Kevin Ah-Sen

2nd Prize: Circa Diem (About a Day)

By Emily Liang, Sunny Liang

3rd Prize: Our experiences during the lockdown, SA 2020

By Young Girls Leading Change: Amahle Dlala, Siphosethu Nyamakazi, Siyathanda Nogaya, Phelokazi Mahashi, Xabisa Bless

14 Years and Under Prize: Changing Perspectives

By Kendra Ley

People's Choice Prize: What do I do NOW??

By Darshan Sanju Daryanani

2019 Winners!

1st Prize: Be Green, Be Sustainable

Produced by Huiling Su

2nd Prize: What are we moving on with?

Produced by Queency Fernandes & Oko Moncar

3rd Prize: Be Kind to Bees

Produced by Vanessa Gold & Mitchell McLarnon

2018 Winners!

1st Prize: Community Gardening for Social Ills (Montreal, Canada)

Produced Sven 7ven Creese, Mitchell McLarnon, and Lyne Dwyer

2nd Prize (tie): Juala, Nairobi, Kenya

Produced by Queency Fernandes & Oko Moncar

2nd Prize (tie): Indigenous Young Women’s Utopia, Saskatoon, Canada. (video not availble for public by producers)

Produced by the Treaty 6 Girls and their mentors Jennifer Altenberg, Sarah Flicker, Katie MacEntee and Kari Wuttunee

2017 Winners!

1st Prize: Toxic Tour in Aamjiwnaang

By Krist inaHedlund & GaranceMalivel

2nd Prize: The Power Within Us

By Lorielle Anderson

3rd place: Abuses is the Crime (video not availble for public by producers)

Produced by Vumile Mazibuko, Bonakele Mazibuko, Nompumelelo Gwala, Sindiswa Mazibuko (sent by UKZN from South Africa)

2016 Winners!

1st Prize: Exploring Consent: Bodies, Lands & Media

Information not available to public by producers

2nd Prize (tie): The Day After

By Nicole Boudreau

3rd place: Are You Watching? A Cellphilm about Consent and Surveillance

Produced by Nick S

2015 Winners!

1st Prize: Who am I in Hong Kong?

By Katrina & Ann

2nd Prize: The Mountain

By Patrick Richard

3rd place: Binniza` – Cultura Zapoteca. The GR-records Producciones

By Giovanny Rodriguez

2014 Winners!

1st Prize: Cold Nights

By Nwabisa Amanda Holby

2nd Prize: Home

By Raumina Rezai

3rd place: Finding Truth

By Angelina Weenie

2013 Winners! (1st Festival)

International Submission: Bridging Communities

By Sonwabise, April, Zethu Jiyana, Thina Kamnqa, Bongiwe Maome, Elethu, Ntseth

Local/Canadian submissions (1): On the Number One

By Casey Burkholder

Local/Canadian submissions (2): All hope

By Nick Dangeli

Local/Canadian submissions (3): Intercultural Recipe Share: Canadian-esque Egg & Tempura Don Bori

By Laurel Hart