The Barrie Film Festival’s 4th Annual Central Ontario Youth Short Film Festival (COYSFF) is a regional competition for students registered in high schools in the Central Ontario region. This is a qualifying festival for the Ontario Youth Film Festival (OYFF). The runners-up and winners in our categories will advance to the OYFF’s competition to win “Best in Ontario”.
2025 COYSFF Award winners:
Animation Category:
WINNER: MARTY– directed by Presley Flores-Holz – Etobicoke School of the Arts
RUNNER-UP: DUSK – directed by Nyla Crucifix – Etobicoke School of the Arts
Documentary Category:
WINNER: NANA – directed by Maggie Kane – Etobicoke School of the Arts
RUNNER-UP: MOVING ON – directed by Holly Haines – Etobicoke School of the Arts
Experimental Category:
WINNER: COOL ORANGE – directed by Reed Hodgkinson – Etobicoke School of the Arts
RUNNER-UP: SUFFOCATED DREAM – directed by Julian Romano Lim – Lawrence Park Collegiate Institute
Narrative Category:
WINNER: MIGUEL – directed by Matteo Sanchez – Hodan Nalayeh Secondary School
Co-RUNNER-UP: CHASING THE PAST – directed by Nikhil Gupta – Upper Canada College
Co-RUNNER-UP: INSIDE VOICE – directed by Bruce Li – Saint Andrews College
2025 Official Selections (in alphabetical order):
A FLASHBACK TO BETTER TIMES
Directed by: Bruce Li
BEYOND VISION
Directed by: Jack Lagace
CAMI & DEVI’S FINAL TAKE
Directed by: Isabella Cortes-Carvajal
CHASING THE PAST
Directed by: Nikhil Gupta
COOL ORANGE
Directed by: Reed Hodgkinson
DUSK
Directed by: Nyla Crucefix
DUSTY DAN STOPS A BOMB
Directed by: Mattox Greig
INSIDE VOICE
Directed by Bruce Li
KUDZU
Directed by: Reed Hodgkinson
MARTY
Directed by: Presley Flores-Holz
MÍGUEL
Directed by: Matteo Sanchez
MISOPHONIA
Directed by: Julian James
MOVING ON
Directed by: Holly Haines
NANA
Directed by: Maggie Kane
NEW DOG
Directed by: Reed Hodgkinson
STUCK IN A STORYBOARD
Directed by: Omer Citrin
SUFFOCATED DREAM
Directed by: Julian Romano Lim
SWEATPANTS
Directed by: Nora Comeau & Holly Haines
July 31, 2025 – COYSFF Submission Deadline
August 22, 2025 – Notification Date
September 17, 2025 – COYSFF 2025 Screening and Awards Show, Barrie, ON
November 13, 2025 – Ontario Youth Film Festival Event Date, London, ON
Congratulations to all the filmmakers and thank you to all our funders & sponsors.
Check out the list of previous selections and award winners!
2022 Official Selections/Winners
2023 Official Selections/Winners
2024 Official Selections/Winners
2025 Official Selections/Winners
The Barrie Film Festival’s Central Ontario Youth Short Film Festival is an affiliated film festival with the Ontario Youth Film Festival – working together to celebrate the work and talent of high school filmmakers in Ontario.
