2026 Call for Submission: The Fountainhead Programme
The 6th Edition of Mulan International Film Festival will be held in-person, from November 21 to December 3, 2026 @ Toronto, Canada.
Our Fountainhead programme celebrates and promotes emerging talents and their works with creative originality. The 6th edition was honoured to have NAI An, Nicole CHI AMÉN, Alvin LUONG and Annie SONG on our Jury. We will announce our Jury members of this year in September.
The Fountainhead programme recognizes filmmaking achievement through presentation of balloted Audience Awards, including one CAD$2,000 cash award for a feature-length film, and one CAD$500 cash award for a short film. The Audience Awards go directly to the director(s) of the film.
The jury will vote and present the Best New Director award to the director of a feature film, and the Award for Excellence in Artistic Exploration to the director of a short film. The directors will receive CAD$2,000 and CAD$500 cash, respectively.
Rules and Regulations
1. How to Submit
The Fountainhead programme accepts all feature and short films through FilmFreeway.
If you are having trouble with FilmFreeway, please reach out to us through [email protected].
Submitted films must meet the following requirements:
- A feature-length film, by MulanIFF’s definition, has a running time of 60 minutes or more, including credits; a short film, by MulanIFF’s definition, has a running time of 40 minutes or less, including credits.
- The film has been completed on or after January 1st, 2024.
- Narrative, documentary, experimental and animated films are accepted.
- Either the main language of the film (>50%) is a Chinese language, or the film focuses on Chinese culture or the lives of the people residing in China and/or the Chinese diaspora.
- Only one film per director is accepted.
- Films must have at least at least Toronto premiere status. It has not been presented at any motion picture event in the Greater Toronto Area; and it has not been released in the Greater Toronto Area in any form, including but not limited to theatre, broadcast, home entertainment, online streaming, and Video On Demand (VOD).
- An online screener of the film must be provided and made available for streaming. No DVD, Blu-ray, or other physical screeners are accepted.
- A work-in-progress version of the film can be accepted and its status should be clearly indicated on the submission. However, any updated version(s) will not be viewed.
- The applicant represents and warrants that they hold all the copyrights within and related to the submitted film, and has the authority to grant MulanIFF the rights to promote and screen the submitted film.
If a film made by an emerging director does not meet one or more than one of the requirements and conditions listed above, MulanIFF encourages the filmmaker to reach out to us directly for other screening opportunities.
2. Submission Deadlines and Fees
June 15th: Early Bird deadline (CAD$10 for short film, CAD$20 for feature-length film)
July 15th: Regular deadline (CAD$15 for short film, CAD$30 for feature-length film)
August 8th: Late deadline (CAD$20 for short film, CAD$40 for feature-length film)
Submission fees are non-refundable under any circumstances.
Submission fees can be waived at the sole discretion of MulanIFF on a case-by-case basis. Before submitting a film, requests need to be made via email: [email protected].
3. Selection Process for the Fountainhead Programme
In 2026, the Fountainhead programme will present a maximum of 5 feature-length films and 10 short films.
The Artistic Director chairs on the Selection Committee consisting of programmers, assistant programmers and Fountainhead alumni filmmakers. Final selection decisions will be made at the sole and absolute discretion of the Committee.
The Artistic Director designates a Jury consisting of members from film institutions and the film industry. Jury-voted award decisions will be made at the sole and absolute discretion of the Jury.
4. Official Invitation
All official invitations will be sent out via FilmFreeway and/or email on or before August 31, 2026. Each film invited to MulanIFF will receive a Certificate of Participation if a request is made at the time of confirming participation.
5. Language and Subtitles
All films must be presented in English, or their original language(s) with English subtitles. For films in a language other than Mandarin Chinese, both Chinese and English subtitles are strongly preferred. The costs of subtitling are to be borne by the filmmaker or a relevant body.
6. Screening Formats
Only Digital Cinema Package (DCP), QuickTime ProRes 422 HQ and 35mm print are accepted, unless special arrangement is made with the MulanIFF programming team.
7. Print Traffic
All screening materials must be received by MulanIFF at least by September 30, 2026. Shipping costs to MulanIFF are to be borne by the filmmaker or a relevant body. Otherwise, MulanIFF reserves the right not to accept the package.
MulanIFF pays for return shipping as requested by the filmmaker or a relevant body.
Because of the rising costs of international shipping, MulanIFF prefers online transmission of screening materials. Special arrangements may be made with the MulanIFF programming team.
8. Copyrights
MulanIFF and its directors, members, officers, and volunteers, will not be held responsible for unauthorized use of any copyrighted materials within or related to the selected film. MulanIFF reserves the right to disqualify any film with unauthorized copyrighted materials at any time.
9. General
Participation in MulanIFF implies acceptance of all the aforementioned rules and regulations. MulanIFF reserves the right to rule, at its sole and absolute discretion, on cases and situations not covered by these rules and regulations.
Contact
For submissions to the Fountainhead programme, please email [email protected].
For all other inquiries, please email [email protected].