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ABOUT US

Inside Out is a not-for-profit registered charity that exists to challenge attitudes and change lives through the promotion, production and exhibition of film and video made by and about lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) people of all ages, races and abilities.

For more than two decades, Inside Out has brought Toronto's LGBT community together in celebration of the best queer film from Canada and around the world. Through our annual Festivals in Toronto and Ottawa, our filmmaker initiatives, our youth engagement and our year-round events and screenings, Inside Out is engaged every day in challenging attitudes and changing lives.

Toronto LGBT Film and Video Festival

In 1991, Inside Out celebrated its first film and video festival with a small community of people who yearned to see film and video created by and about lesbians, gays, bisexuals and trans (LGBT) people. Currently the largest event of its kind in Canada, the Festival entertains film buffs of all stripes, showcasing the best and most diverse work of interest to LGBT communities. Taking place over 11 days, the Festival draws crowds of 35,000 to screenings, artist talks, panel discussions, installations and parties that highlight more than 200 films and videos from Canada and around the world. Since 2009, RBC Royal Bank has served as the Presenting Sponsor of the Toronto Festival.

Ottawa-Gatineau LGBT Film and Video Festival

Since 2007, Inside Out has produced a four-day festival in the Ottawa- Gatineau region. With the support of Presenting Sponsor RBC Royal Bank, the Ottawa Festival showcases the best queer cinema from Canada and around the world. The event has received a warm welcome from the queer community in the region, building partnerships with local businesses and LGBT organizations and experiencing healthy growth in attendance each year with the 2010 Festival attracting more than 3,500 attendees to 12 film programs and parties.

Queer Video Mentorship Project

In 1998, with the support of Charles Street Video, Inside Out initiated the Queer Youth Digital Video Project in order to provide opportunities for participants to learn video production in a supportive atmosphere. Queer youth under the age of 25 were mentored through the process of making their first videos-from storyboarding and shooting to post-production and editing. The works are screened at the Toronto Festival and many go on to play at festivals around the globe. Each year, the videos are compiled on DVD and distributed free to schools and community organizations.

In celebration of the Festival's 20th Anniversary in 2010, Inside Out initiated a special edition of the Project, expanding it into a multi-generational program bringing together LGBT youth and seniors over the age of 55. In 2011, Inside Out permanently extended the scope of the Project to be multi-generational and rechristened the program, the Queer Video Mentorship Project (QVMP). To date, close to 100 new artists have created work through the Project.

Mark S. Bonham Scholarship for Queer Studies in Film and Video

Inaugurated in 2002, this annual $5,000 cash scholarship assists a Canadian student who identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans and who wishes to pursue post-secondary studies in the field of film or video. The first scholarship was awarded in September 2002 to Adam Garnet Jones from Vancouver. Subsequent recipients are Mary Fogarty, Christopher Sanchez, Jung Kim, Cam Matamoros, Jo Simalaya Alcampo, Rachel Smyth and Jordan Tannahill. Inside Out is pleased to announce Amy Dyck as the 2010 recipient of the annual Mark S. Bonham Scholarship for Queer Studies in Film and Video. Amy is enrolled in her second year of Film and Video Production at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology.