The Ontario International Film Festival ONIFF returns to roll out its red carpet virtually for the second consecutive year, in its new edition scheduled to launch in Canada next October.

The international ONIFF festival, the first of its kind in the Canadian city of Ontario, has opened submissions for filmmakers within Canada and worldwide to participate with their cinematic creations in feature films, short films, and documentaries in its second edition officially launching in October, online, in line with the ongoing global COVID-19 crisis since last year. The festival offers the chance to participate this year and receive nominations from mid-March until mid-July.

On her part, festival director Ellen Grant revealed that the festival was able to withstand the global pandemic last year by receiving more than 500 films from 60 different countries, and its first edition appeared successfully online, encouraging its organizers to return again this year with a stronger edition. She pointed out the opportunity provided to filmmakers worldwide to showcase their cinematic works through the Ontario International platform until mid-July, with the participating films to be announced in mid-August.

Rasha Asfour, festival president, explained that the goal of the "Ontario Film Festival" is to be a recognized cinematic platform among the best major international festivals worldwide within the next five years. Although still in its second edition, its strong start last year proved its merit to be an "international festival" with global standing within a few years.