2025 Digi60 Filmmakers’ Festival
The 2025 Digi60 Festival Edition invited filmmakers to explore the theme Bloom through the annual 60-Day Challenge. Throughout the season, Digi60 brought together Ottawa's emerging filmmaking community through workshops, networking, mentorship, screenings, and professional development, culminating in our largest Festival to date. The season concluded with continued community programming, including the International Women's Day Creator Lab, reinforcing Digi60's commitment to supporting filmmakers beyond the festival weekend.
At a Glance
Theme
Festival Dates
Registered Filmmakers
Films Premiered
Panels & Workshops
Bloom
December 5-6, 2025
80
51
8
60-DAY CHALLENGE
Every Digi60 Festival Edition begins with a creative challenge. In September, filmmakers gathered to launch the 60-Day Challenge and received the 2025 theme: Bloom. Over the next sixty days, participants wrote, produced, and completed original short films, supported by mentorship, community events, and peer connections throughout the challenge. A record 80 filmmakers registered for the 2025 Edition, making it one of Digi60's largest creative cohorts to date.
VIDEOS
FESTIVAL Trailer
BEHIND-THE-SCENES
Available Films playlist
Professional Development
Speed Mentoring for Underrepresented Creatives
Workshops, panels, speed mentoring, and live pitching helped filmmakers develop their craft and build connections.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
IWD Creator’s Lab
Community events continued beyond the festival, including the International Women's Day Creator Lab.
FEATURED STORIES
AWARDS
Best Film Award
Forget Me Not
Best Screenplay Award
Just Be Yourself, Poldo - David B. Holton
Festival Top 5
Amarantos
Biogenesis
Crimes of Passion
Forget Me Not
Just Be Yourself, Poldo
Best Film Award
Forget Me Not
Best Director Award
Jessie Edwards & Dylan Argument - Biogenesis
Best Screenplay Award
Just Be Yourself, Poldo - David B. Holton
DARC Emerging Filmmaker Award
Sponsored by DARC, Digital Arts Resource Centre
Felipe Godoy Diaz
Best Story Award
Forget Me Not
Best Technical Award - Tie
Amarantos
Poof
Best Acting Award
Sammy Lewis & Ben Lewis - Crimes of Passion
Spirit of the Festival Award
Jean-Sébastien Boyer - A Rose By Any Other Name
Best Acting Award
Sammy Lewis & Ben Lewis - Crimes of Passion
Spirit of the Festival Award
Jean-Sébastien Boyer - A Rose By Any Other Name
SPONSORS & FUNDERS
Festival Partner
Presenting Sponsor
Founding Sponsor
Community Partner
Venue Partners
Financial Sponsors
The Digi60 Filmmakers' Festival would like to gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the City of Ottawa!
Interested in becoming a sponsor or festival partner? Send us an email at info@digi60.org to get your organization involved!
For the 2025 festival, we were lucky to have Gracie Henneberry as our practicum student.