About

Octavia Films: A Nonprofit for Women is a new organization based in Toronto, Ontario. Our mission is to give young women the education and resources they need to make their cinematic vision a reality.

Despite gains in almost every other professional field, women continue to be severely underrepresented in the film industry. A recent study showed that of the 250 top grossing films in 2009, only 7% were directed by women!

How is Octavia Films going to help change that? By providing education and financial support to promising young female artists. We believe that offering assistance during the earliest stages of an emerging filmmaker’s career can help set them up for future success, whether they decide to work within the film industry or take the independent route.

As an organization Octavia Films has two main goals:

To encourage women to choose filmmaking as a career.

We want young women to think of film as both an art form and a vocation, something they could do themselves with the proper education, training and financial resources. We will offer free workshops where high school-age girls can learn the entire process of filmmaking from industry professionals and begin to see film as a fascinating and viable career option.

To support emerging female artists.

We will accomplish this goal in the simplest and most direct way possible: by providing financial assistance to help women make short films. There is a distinct lack of funding in Ontario for filmmakers who show promise but have a limited track record. Projects funded through our Short Film Grants program can serve as both a “calling card” to further an artist’s career and a welcome contribution to the short film art form.