About

Founded in 2001, the Nickel is dedicated to growing independent film culture in Newfoundland and Labrador.

What began in 2001 as a weekend event for local filmmakers to showcase their work has grown into a cultural institution that supports artists, builds community, and champions diverse storytelling across the province.

Our Mission

Our core mission is to present high-quality independent films, with a strong focus on showcasing work from Newfoundland and Labrador, Atlantic Canada, and filmmakers of Inuit, Innu, or Mi'kmaq descent. With a deep-rooted tradition of storytelling in our region, we provide a dynamic platform for emerging and established voices to share their stories.

Celebrating Independent Film

Our festival is one of the few opportunities in our province for people to gather and see independent film work in Newfoundland and Labrador, especially short films and work by emerging local filmmakers. For these screenings we present local work, as well as presenting inspiring work that people here don't otherwise have an opportunity to see.

Over the years the Nickel has helped to build a community of film enthusiasts, supported the growth of local talent, and raised the profile of independent film in the region.

Global and Local

The work we show spans a wide variety of styles and approaches and we seek innovative work that offers fresh perspectives. We also strive to create an inclusive platform that amplifies underrepresented voices and reflects the rich diversity of our community and beyond.

In our 2024 festival, for example, we featured short films from Spain, France, Brazil, Portugal, Ireland, USA, Iceland, Palestinian Territory, Czechia and Poland — often with experimental or unique approaches, including TIFF's 2023 Short Cuts Award winner Electra and Oscar-nominated animation The Ice Merchants from Portugal. Our aim with showing these award-winning works alongside local productions is to foster cross-cultural conversation, to expose our audience to a strong diversity of artistic visions and influences, and to place local work within a broader context.

Beyond the Screen

The Nickel is more than a film festival! We're committed to nurturing the local film community through engagement and education. Our non-competitive filmmaking challenges, school outreach programs, and public workshops encourage new voices to explore the art of cinema. We believe creating work allows people to develop a deeper connection to and appreciation for the art of film.

Filmmaking has gone through a monumental technological shift since we were founded in 2001, and the technology required to make a film is quite literally in everyone's pocket. We know there is amazing potential for people to develop unique voices by creating their own work.

Often the one thing missing is an invitation. In recent years we've expanded our roster of community film challenges, starting with our flagship 48-Hour Horror Challenge, founded in 2011 and running every year since. These challenges are aimed at inspiring people to pick up a camera and create without judgement, and they've inspired hundreds and hundreds of people to do just that.

Fostering New Voices

Growing film culture here means paying special attention to fostering voices that have been traditionally underrepresented in the art form. In 2018 we launched the Voices Project — a hands-on film education initiative focused on racialized people who have never created film before. Since then the program has paired professionals with seven participants, including Santiago Guzman and Jessica Brown. Guzman went on to win the Emerging Lens Cultural Film Festival award in Halifax for Best Short Film for his follow-up film Express Checkout, and Jessica Brown has gone on to create a film and TV company, Ujarak Media. Presently we are focusing on fostering youth voices in Labrador.

Join Us

At the Nickel Independent Film Festival, we believe in the power of storytelling to connect, inspire, and transform. Whether you are a filmmaker or supporter of the arts, we invite you to be part of our growing community.

Charity # 856136007 RR0001 Mail PO Box 1644, Stn C, St. John's, NL A1C 5P3 Email info@nickelfestival.com