The Toronto Youth Shorts Film Festival is a volunteer-run not-for-profit initiative that works to bring a series of events for local young and emerging filmmakers in the Greater Toronto Area to showcase their talent and creations to an audience of independent film lovers. The festival provides a professional forum for participants to professionally engage a network of peers working in film and video. Supported by members and organizations within the film industry, this showcase provides fans of independent cinema the chance to enjoy work by up-and-coming talent while offering an educational forum for participants to strengthen their skills via feedback from experienced industry veterans. The festival is a growing endeavour, offering more and more events every year. The festival screening is a showcase of some of the best cinematic masterpieces this city has to offer made by local emerging youth artists.

Behind the scenes, the Toronto Youth Shorts Film Festival is run by a volunteer force of savvy young professionals with a combination of training in the arts, event management, marketing, media and promotions. We’re committed and ready to make this the best possible event for all participating artists and attendees. Founded by Henry Wong in 2009 due to his love for cinema, he wanted an opportunity to showcase the work that young artists of this city has to offer.  Through a practicum project for a postgraduate Event Management program, an event full of opportunities for entertainment, networking and learning due to a lively mix of public and professional events was born.  What started as a humble screening of 19 short films from a handful of local film schools has now become a full-fledged multi-event festival with an expanded repertoire and programming that reflects the diversity from all over the world.

NOW Magazine calls it "a festival with an intriguing mandate and a sense of genuine discovery" with BestUniversities.com ranking it amongst the top 10 film festivals in the world for young filmmakers, citing it's "a great resource for film fans and young storytellers in the surrounding area."