Back for its 7th year, the Toronto Urban Film Festival (TUFF) is looking for submissions. The 11-day long event celebrates the art of the urban silent screen; films appear on over 300 subway platform screens in the Pattison Onestop network, making it the largest festival of its kind in North America.

The festival accepts all genres of silent, one-minute film, video, and animation that are considered of interest to an urban audience. If you get your submission in before June 15, 2013, then entry is free (it’s $20 to enter after that date). The final submission deadline is July 15, 2013. This year’s festival runs September 6 to 16.

Guest judging this year’s festival is Canadian cult filmmaker Bruce McDonald, known for such award-winning films as Highway 61 (1991), Hard Core Logo (1996), Picture Claire (2001) and Pontypool (2008). Past guest judges include Atom Egoyan, Deepa Mehta, Jeremy Podeswa, and more. McDonald will choose the top three films of the festival, as well as the winer of the Naish McHugh Award for Emerging Filmmakers (a $2,500 cash prize awarded by the City of Toronto). Assisting him will be returning TUFF programmer Angie Driscoll.

What’s so cool about this festival is the fact that these one-minute films (shown at 10-minute intervals) are played across the city to over one million subway commuters. It’s a great way for aspiring filmmakers to get their work noticed while at the same time providing some entertainment for those taking the TTC. Anything that aims to make commuting more enjoyable has my heart!