Christina Ciddio

Sustaining a festival’s growth requires more than just selling tickets—it’s about building long-term strategies that engage audiences, inspire volunteers, and keep pace with evolving trends. In this session, I’ll share how, at the Vaughan International Film Festival (VFF), we’ve achieved sold-out screenings, attracted film submissions from over 65 countries, increased our social media presence and built strong community partnerships—all while operating on lean budgets with a volunteer-powered marketing crew. I’ll explore three key pillars of sustainable growth: Strategic Marketing Foundations: How phased campaigns, grassroots partnerships, and smart digital advertising can build lasting audience and sponsor relationships. Tech & Trends: Practical, accessible ways festivals can use tools like digital ads, short-form video, data insights, and entry-level AI to stay relevant and connect with new audiences. Volunteer-Powered Teams: How to recruit, train, and motivate young creatives to produce professional-quality content while sustaining creativity and energy year after year.

Outcomes:

Have the audience leave the session with adaptable frameworks they can apply to their own event—practical tools to stretch resources, embrace innovation, and sustain the creativity that fuels festivals well into the future.

BIO:

Christina Ciddio is a storyteller at heart, blending her background in journalism, film, and entrepreneurship to champion creativity, community, and the next generation of filmmakers. A graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) with a Bachelor of Journalism, she went on to study television and film production at the New York Film Academy, where she discovered her passion for visual storytelling.

Raised by entrepreneurial parents in the hospitality industry, Christina developed a strong sense of business and creativity early on. After graduating, she launched her own video and photography company, helping clients share their stories through powerful visuals. Her company soon became the official video and photography partner of the Vaughan International Film Festival (VFF)—a role that perfectly aligned with her background in journalism and film. Blending her creative vision, entrepreneurial drive, and instinct for compelling storytelling, Christina now leads VFF’s marketing initiatives as Manager of Marketing, elevating the festival’s brand and global presence.

Leading a team of creatives, Christina oversees brand strategy, digital campaigns, and audience engagement. Through her leadership and vision, VFF has become one of Ontario's fastest-growing celebrations of short film, connecting local and international communities through powerful storytelling.

Christina also serves on the Board of the Entertainment Industry Professionals Mentoring Alliance (EIPMA), advocating for education and mentorship in filmmaking. Driven by the belief that creativity and strategy can transform culture, Christina continues to empower emerging creatives to find their voice and share their stories with the world.