Feb 28, 2026
Awarding Saskatchewan Filmmakers
*no generative AI used anywhere on this website!
The Moose Jaw Film Festival celebrates the creative and professional achievements of the Saskatchewan film, television, and new media community. This year’s festival will be held on Saturday, February 28th on Treaty 4 Territory at the historic Mae Wilson Theatre in Moose Jaw and will include screenings, Q&A’s, and an awards ceremony!
🏆 Award Categories 🏆
All projects must have been completed and released in Saskatchewan after February, 2024 to be eligible for award consideration
click here to see the 2026 nominees
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click here to see the 2026 nominees ~
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Awarding the best achievement in a feature length scripted film that was directed and/or produced by a Saskatchewan resident and/or where a minimum of 51% of of principle photography took place in Saskatchewan.
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Awarding the best achievement in short scripted narrative filmmaking by a Saskatchewan-based director and/or Saskatchewan-based production company. Must be under 30 minutes in length.
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Awarding the best scripted episodic series created for television or streaming by a Saskatchewan-based production company.
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Awarding the best achievement in documentary filmmaking by a Saskatchewan-based director and/or Saskatchewan-based production company. Includes documentary features, shorts, and episodic series.
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Awarding the best technically innovative, genre-bending, or otherwise non-traditional filmmaking achievement by a Saskatchewan-based filmmaker.
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Awarding the best music video production directed by a Saskatchewan filmmaker.
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Awarding the best commercial video production, either for television or social media, produced by a Saskatchewan-based production company.
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Awarding the best Sask-based achievement in children's entertainment produced for broadcast, streaming, or theatrical distribution, including animation and/or episodic series.
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Awarding short films of any genre created by post-secondary students (University of Regina, Recording Arts Institute of Saskatoon, or Saskatchewan Polytechnic). Films must be under 30 minutes in length.
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Awarding the individual with the best achievement in directing a scripted film or episodic series. (Individual must be a Saskatchewan resident.)
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Awarding the individual with the best achievement in directing a documentary or otherwise unscripted film or episodic series. (Individual must be a Saskatchewan resident.)
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Awarding the individual with the best writing achievement on a scripted project. (Individual must be a Saskatchewan resident.)
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Awarding the female or nonbinary individual with the best acting performance in a scripted film or episodic series. (Individual must be a Saskatchewan resident.)
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Awarding the male or nonbinary individual with the best acting performance in a scripted film or episodic series. (Individual must be a Saskatchewan resident.)
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Awarding the individual with the best technical achievement in a film production (any genre), including camera work, audio mixing, editing technique, production design, etc. (Individual must be a Saskatchewan resident.)
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The winner of the Vertical Short Challenge!
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Eligible for all projects selected for screening and selected by the Jury for special mention at the Moose Jaw Film Festival.
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All submitted projects are eligible to win the MJFF’s juried “Best of Festival Award!”
Frequently Asked Questions
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Our province does not currently have an annual festival or awards ceremony solely dedicated to celebrating the accomplishments of those working in our film and television industry. We’re eager to change that!
In the past, organizations like ScreenSask (formally known as SMPIA) and the Saskatchewan Filmpool Cooperative hosted such events as the SMPIA Showcase Awards and the Saskatchewan Independent Film Awards. Both of those organizations have given the Moose Jaw Film Festival their blessing to host the next generation of Saskatchewan film industry awards, and we’re grateful to have their support.
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Our goal is to resonate with the filmmaking (and film-appreciating!) community across the province, including from Regina, Saskatoon, Prince Albert, Yorkton, Peepeekisis Cree Nation, and many more. We recognize that Moose Jaw is a fun destination where people enjoy visiting for the Temple Gardens mineral spa, our Tunnels of Moose Jaw attraction, and our historic downtown full of charming local businesses.
Moose Jaw is also no stranger to hosting important cultural festivals, as it has with annual events like the Saskatchewan Festival of Words since 1996. We have a beautiful, historic theatre equipped with state of the art projection which delivers an exceptional cinematic experience thanks to the Moose Jaw Centre for the Arts & Culture. We’re excited to have their full support.
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If you are a Saskatchewan-based filmmaker, director, producer, student, or content creator that has completed a project within the past two years and would like to have the opportunity to be considered for screening and/or award recognition, check out the submission categories on our FilmFreeway page and see if there’s one that fits.
If you are a Saskatchewan-based business owner or director of an organization and would like to benefit from participation in our festival, we welcome you to look at our sponsorship package and see if there’s a good fit for you. Festival sponsors are integral to our awards ceremony, as they are responsible for presenting the awards to the winners.
For any other questions, feel free to reach out to us here.
Venue
The Moose Jaw Film Festival is thrilled to be partnering with the Moose Jaw Centre for Arts & Culture, home of the historic Mae Wilson Theatre. Originally built in 1913, it was once the largest theatre in Saskatchewan. It was extensively restored in 2003 and now hosts performing arts and film screenings, which enjoy a state of the art cinema projection standard and immersive acoustics.
Festival Organizers
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Timothy Lenko
Tim is a writer and filmmaker with a career in grassroots theatre spanning Canada, America, Germany, Japan, and Latvia. From 2023-2025 he was Director of Communications & Marketing for RIFFA – Regina International Film Festival. He is proud to be one of Yorkton Film Festival’s three 2025-26 filmmaking mentees sponsored by RBC, and he is proud to call Moose Jaw home.
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Jeremy Ratzlaff
Jeremy is a cinematographer and video producer based in Moose Jaw, and is an associate member of the Canadian Society of Cinematographers. He has helmed the camera department for over half a dozen feature films and television series for NFB, CBC, APTN, AMItv, and Paramount+. He is an earnest advocate for Saskatchewan's independent film community.
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Nick Lamb
Nick is a real estate agent, videographer, and community advocate living in Moose Jaw with his wife and daughter. He co-created the social media phenomenon Leroy & Leroy, operating the camera for the first five years. He has a love for the film industry in Saskatchewan, having worked in the camera department during the heyday of shows like Corner Gas.
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Karla Weber
Karla Weber has done it all in the film industry: craft services, catering, line reading, acting, wardrobe, makeup, locations, the list goes on (and continues to get weirder). She’s passionate about Saskatchewan and her hometown of Regina, and strives to amplify and build new opportunities for artists to make art in Saskatchewan.
