VOLUNTEER at the festival
feature presentations
short films from around the world
after dark short films
our 2026 partners
SHORT FILM screenings
& awards cOMPETITION
A cornerstone of the RUSH Youth Film Festival, the Short Film Screenings & Awards Competition showcases short films from emerging filmmakers around the world. Films are screened in the FilmHouse at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre in Downtown St. Catharine, and compete for a range of awards and prizes, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Performances, and more, giving young filmmakers meaningful recognition, exposure, and a true festival experience.
New this year, RUSH is also accepting screenplays in competition for the Best Original Screenplay Award. Selected scripts will be eligible for live table reads during the festival, giving writers the rare opportunity to hear their work performed in front of an audience and receive real-time feedback, expanding RUSH beyond the screen and into the heart of storytelling.
“Truly a fantastic festival to get to know filmmakers of similar calibre and talent.”
— Éric Arsenault, It Takes Two
The RUSH After Dark Festival is a, celebration of horror, grindhouse, and genre films that live on the edge of mainstream cinema. The festival invites audiences and filmmakers into a late-night world of fearless storytelling, and cinematic chaos, showcasing films from psychological thrillers, the surreal experimental and potential cult-classic B-movies. And while you’re here, visit Nightmare Alley; horror art, retro VHS, handmade merch, collectibles, clothes and more…
our 2026 partners
partnership opportunities
partnership opportunities
Your support helps provide festival programming, while aligning your company with a creative cultural movement. As a sponsor, you don’t just support the festival; you connect with future creators, decision-makers, and audiences in an authentic, impactful way that builds lasting brand awareness and community loyalty.
RUSH offers a unique opportunity to support emerging filmmakers while directly engaging with a highly engaged audience of creatives, educators, families, and film enthusiasts from around the world.
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Your logo featured on promotional materials, social media, and event signage.
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Support local talent and help develop the next generation of filmmakers.
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Connect with influential members of the film industry and regional businesses.
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Mentions in event speeches, printed programs, and festival communications.
“Loved the location and the award ceremony. Great place to network with young film makers.”
- Brooklynn Prince, Happy Thanksgiving, The Florida Project
“Absolutely incredible! From start to finish, the Rush Film Festival never disappointed.”
- Cohen Hulcoop, Patient 45, Therion
RUSH 2025 re/wind
In 2025, we screened 30 short films from around the world, including 8 films made by Niagara-based filmmakers, and presented 18 awards celebrating storytelling, performance, and filmmaking craft. The festival welcomed over 200 attendees to screenings, workshops, panels, and special events, creating an atmosphere that felt celebratory, inclusive, and electric.
RUSH also featured a 48-Hour Short Film Challenge, where six teams competed to write, shoot, and edit a film in just two days, pushing creativity to its limits and showcasing the passion of emerging filmmakers.And this was just the beginning.
Now heading into the next chapter, the RUSH Youth Film Festival is expanding into a multi-event festival season, welcoming filmmakers from around the world to submit films, attend screenings, and be part of a growing creative community.
thank you to our partners & friends
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RUSH was proudly supported by FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre’s FilmHouse who provides professional screening spaces and creative environments where films can be experienced the way they’re meant to be together, on the big screen.
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Educational partners Welland Centennial Studios and Notre Dame College School helped connect students to meaningful filmmaking opportunities, while community partners Murray Media, Eat Your Eggs Productions, Wandering Spirits, Christopher’s Café, and Fourgrounds Media contributed mentorship, technical support, and belief in the next generation of storytellers.
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Thanks to Cool Koala Rentals, The Bank Art House / Femmes du Feu Creations, Improv Niagara, and Lester D’s Reel Diner, RUSH was able to offer awards and prizes that truly honored the work of participating filmmakers.