Reelworld is committed to making our Festival and Summit more inclusive every year. Accessibility is essential to full participation. We are proud to be working with the Disability Screen Office (DSO) as part of their Screen Festival Accessibility Program (SFAP) Funded by Telefilm. This partnership allows us to implement meaningful accessibility measures today and build a long-term plan that will help set new standards for the Canadian screen industry

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2025 Initiatives

 

This year marks the start of our expanded accessibility work, with new initiatives supported by the DSO’s expertise and the SFAP:

• Subtitled Feature Films: All feature films will include subtitles, increasing access for d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences.

 

• Live Interpretation: Select Festival events will feature live interpretation.

 

• Support for Filmmakers: Reelworld is offering additional artist support to encourage the inclusion of captions in films, helping to establish a culture of accessible production from the outset.

 

These first steps are laying the groundwork for a long-term framework, developed with the DSO, that will guide accessibility at screen festivals across Canada

 

Looking Ahead

 

Reelworld’s accessibility plan is designed to grow in scope and impact:

 

Year 2: Full Implementation (2026)
Accessibility will be embedded across all major events. ASL interpretation will be standard at flagship programming, and 75% of all films will be captioned. We will increase direct support for filmmakers to add captions, introduce formal accessibility guidelines, and work with partners such as the DSO to reduce barriers for producers with disabilities, including travel stipends and other supports.

 

Year 3: Full-Scale Captioning and Systemic Change (2027)
By 2027, all Festival and Summit films will be captioned, with captioning a requirement for participation. Reelworld will provide financial and technical support to help filmmakers meet this standard. Accessibility will become a permanent part of our budget and operations, ensuring sustainability. At the same time, Reelworld will advocate for sector-wide commitments from funders and festivals, setting a new bar for accessibility across the Canadian screen industry.