SUBMISSION CATEGORIES & ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
Films submitted to the Festival for consideration for the Festival may apply in one of six submission categories. The following is a description of each submission category, along with eligibility requirements for each:
NARRATIVE FEATURE FILMS
Any narrative work of fiction with a running time of 50 minutes or more, including films that are shot in a "mockumentary" style.
DOCUMENTARY FILMS
Any non-fiction film WITH THE EXCEPTION OF, and NOT INCLUDING, entirely scripted or improvised fictionalizations of actual events. If your documentary contains some dramatization of actual events, you may submit in this category, but we will ultimately decide which program is best suited for your project, if accepted.
NARRATIVE SHORT FILMS
Any narrative film with a running time of less than 50 minutes. Short Films have no premiere requirements or prior screening restrictions-- they may have had any number of public theatrical exhibitions, been released on DVD, and may have been broadcast on television or the internet and still retain eligibility.
FESTIVAL PROGRAM CATEGORIES & ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
Please be advised that the information listed below is subject to change at any time, as our Festival program categories vary from year to year. Films accepted by the Festival into the Festival will be placed, at the sole and absolute discretion of the Festival Programming department, in one of twelve program categories. Applicants may not submit their Films directly to any specific category.
The following is a description of each program category, along with eligibility requirements for each:
FEATURE FILM COMPETITION
This category offers a first look at groundbreaking new voices in independent film from around the world. Fueled by fierce creativity and vision, these films are guaranteed to leave a lasting impact on the next generation of cinema.
Films must be either scripted or improvisational fiction and must have a total running time of 50 minutes or more. Films selected to play in this category will compete against one another for jury prizes and an audience award.
DOCUMENTARY FILM COMPETITION
From human rights to popular culture, these films confront the subjects that define our time. Stylistic diversity and rigorous filmmaking distinguish these new worldwide documentaries.
Films must be a non-fiction documentary subject ("mockumentaries" do not qualify). Films selected to play in this category will compete against one another for jury prizes and an audience award.
SHORT NARRATIVE FILM COMPETITON (U.S. & International Short Films)
Limited only by runtime and driven by innovation and experimentation, short films transcend the rules of conventional storytelling. From cutting-edge animation to the best in Native and documentary cinema, these Shorts Programs call out filmmaking’s most original imaginations.
All short films are selected to play before features or in one of eight Shorts Programs, and all accepted shorts are eligible for awards in our Shorts Competition. Short Films must have a total running time of less than 50 minutes, including credits. There are no premiere or prior screening restrictions for short films. Shorts may have been released on DVD, broadcast on television or the internet, and/or publicly screened anywhere in the world, and still remain eligible for our Shorts Competition. U.S. Films selected to play in this category will compete against one another for the Jury Prize in Short Filmmaking. International films selected to play in this category will compete against one another for the Jury Prize in International Short Filmmaking.