Awards Gala
Celebrate the end of RUSH with an epic Closing Night Gala. The night kicks off with our official awards presentation recognizing standout films, performances, and creative achievements from across the festival. Then we turn down the lights and turn up the music for a post-awards after party. Come hang, dance, and toast to a weekend of incredible storytelling.
SCENES FROM A PLACE WHERE RAILS AND WATER MEET
Dee wanders through the place that he calls home, taking in his surroundings and contemplating life. Consumed by an ambient sadness, Dee bears witness to many strange sights, culminating in a chance encounter with another soul that is just as lost and lonesome as he is.
ULTIMATE FILM CHALLENGE SCREENING
The clock was ticking. The cameras were rolling. Back in May, we challenged creators to make the ultimate short film under a brutal deadline. Now, it’s time to see what they built. Stream the official challenge screening and experience high-stakes filmmaking at its finest.
SHORT FILMS FROM AROUND THE WORLD BLOCK 6
Big stories don’t need big runtimes. Explore the world through the lens of international filmmaking. From breathtaking dramas to boundary-pushing animation, experience the best global short-form cinema right here.
SHORT FILMS FROM AROUND THE WORLD BLOCK 5
Big stories don’t need big runtimes. Explore the world through the lens of international filmmaking. From breathtaking dramas to boundary-pushing animation, experience the best global short-form cinema right here.
Sticking Together: Building Film Communities That Outlast the Festival Circuit
The future of independent film shouldn't depend on faceless algorithms or distant gatekeepers; it should rely on the networks we build right here in the room.
Lunch & Laugh
Featuring performances by local favourites David Green, Allie Moore and Jordan Trafford the afternoon kicks off with standup comedy from some of Niagara's best comics. Between the laughs, we’ll be dimming the lights to screen some fantastic, crowd-pleasing comedic short films.
WHAT WE DO!
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![Poster for the RUSH Youth Film Festival featuring a red background, film strip border, and white text.]()
RUSH YOUTH FILM FESTIVAL
RUSH is a multi-day takeover of the Niagara Region — packed with short film screenings, panels, live feedback sessions, special events, and moments that only happen when filmmakers and audiences share the same room.
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![Poster for the horror film 'RUSH', presented by Jarico Films, celebrating an after-dark festival. The background features a red and black grungy, splattered design.]()
RUSH AFTER DARK FILM FESTIVAL
RUSH After Dark is a, celebration of horror, grindhouse, and genre films that live on the edge of mainstream cinema.
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![A graphic promoting the 'RUSH' 48-hour film challenge presented by Jarico Films for Youth, featuring a dark background with orange film strip borders at the top and bottom, and white text in the center.]()
ULTIMATE SHORT FILM CHALLENGE
The Ultimate Short Film Challenge is a worldwide 4 day filmmaking challenge where teams write, shoot, and edit a short film. With creative restrictions, filmmakers race the clock to submit their film before the deadline. Top films will screen at the RUSH Youth Film Festival in Niagara, Canada.
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![A film strip with black and yellow background featuring the logo for a short film titled 'Boot Camp' by Jarico Films, with a grungy, distressed style]()
SHORT FILM BOOTCAMP
With mentors by their side, participants will learn the art of storytelling, film production, and post-production, resulting in a cinematic masterpiece that's showcased at a glittering red carpet gala attended by family, friends, and the public.
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![A film strip with the title 'Pitch Night' and the text 'Jarico Films Presents.' The background is pink with black splatters.]()
pitch night
Pitch your projects to industry professionals for a chance to win a Development Assistance Package Each Pitch Night winner will advance to the year-end competition, where one filmmaker will have their film produced by Jarico Films for Youth.
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![A graphic with a filmstrip border showing the text 'Scene Study with Erica Sherwood' in bold white and turquoise letters.]()
Scene Study
Designed to give students a comprehensive introduction to the world of acting. This class covers the basics such as script analysis, character development, working with a director etc.
