Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival

Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas, United States, North America

08 - 16 Oct, 2021

Academy Award ® Qualifying

Keywords

tv show, Documentary, vr film, oscar qualifying, sport, free-based, Vr 360

Category

Feature, Short, Television

Genre

Documentary

Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival logo
Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival

Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas, United States, North America

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General Information

founded

1991

edition

30th

organizers

Jennifer Gerber

Executive Director

Annie Gerber

Managing Director

Sheryl Santazcruz

Festival Director

Greta Hagen-Richardson

Director of Programming

Contact details

659 Ouachita Ave. Hot Springs National Park, AR 71901 United States

71901

hsdfi@hsdfi.org

501-538-0452

Web & social

About the festival

The Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival, celebrating its 30th Anniversary October 6th-October 18th is the oldest non-fiction festival in North America. HSDFF offers multiple awards categories, and is a designated Academy-Award© -qualifying festival for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Documentary Short Subject.

MovieMaker Magazine has named HSDFF to its global list of “50 Festivals Worth the Entry Fee”. Each year, HSDFF presents multiple special sidebar programs, one of the most recent being Women Behind the Lens: Diverse Perspectives in 2016, funded by a grant from the Academy®.

HSDFF, a 9-day all-pedestrian festival, makes its home in one of the most unique vacation destinations of the American South, the Historic Spa City of Hot Springs, Arkansas, with all screenings and parties held within easy walking distance. Each October, the city comes alive as film-lovers and filmmakers gather to immerse themselves in over 100 of the best international features and shorts the documentary world has to offer, and to attend unforgettable events. HSDFF offers one-of-a kind forums, tributes to industry greats, and numbers of noted guests and visiting professionals. Over the years, Hot Springs has hosted many of the greats in documentary film, and is known for its warmth and hospitality to filmmakers.

Awards & Prizes

Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival hosts multiple juries made up of industry professionals. Awards are given in the categories of Best U.S. Documentary Feature, Best International Documentary Feature, Best Documentary Short and Audience Award as well as additional recognitions determined by the juries.

The winning short film in the Documentary Short Film Competition is eligible for Academy Award® consideration without the standard theatrical run, provided the film otherwise complies with the Academy rules.

About

The Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival, celebrating its 30th Anniversary October 6th-October 18th is the oldest non-fiction festival in North America. HSDFF offers multiple awards categories, and is a designated Academy-Award© -qualifying festival for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Documentary Short Subject.

MovieMaker Magazine has named HSDFF to its global list of “50 Festivals Worth the Entry Fee”. Each year, HSDFF presents multiple special sidebar programs, one of the most recent being Women Behind the Lens: Diverse Perspectives in 2016, funded by a grant from the Academy®.

HSDFF, a 9-day all-pedestrian festival, makes its home in one of the most unique vacation destinations of the American South, the Historic Spa City of Hot Springs, Arkansas, with all screenings and parties held within easy walking distance. Each October, the city comes alive as film-lovers and filmmakers gather to immerse themselves in over 100 of the best international features and shorts the documentary world has to offer, and to attend unforgettable events. HSDFF offers one-of-a kind forums, tributes to industry greats, and numbers of noted guests and visiting professionals. Over the years, Hot Springs has hosted many of the greats in documentary film, and is known for its warmth and hospitality to filmmakers.

Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival hosts multiple juries made up of industry professionals. Awards are given in the categories of Best U.S. Documentary Feature, Best International Documentary Feature, Best Documentary Short and Audience Award as well as additional recognitions determined by the juries.

The winning short film in the Documentary Short Film Competition is eligible for Academy Award® consideration without the standard theatrical run, provided the film otherwise complies with the Academy rules.

Awards & Winners

There are no winners yet for this festival

Terms and rules

The Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival exhibits in a variety of program categories. Not all categories are competitive.

*Short Films: 40 minutes or less
*Features: Over 40 minutes
*Episodic Series
*Fees are non-refundable.
*Competition is open to U.S. and International entries.
*Films not in English must be subtitled with English subtitles

ELIGIBILITY: Feature and short documentary films completed after November, 1 2020, are eligible for HSDFF 2021 with preference given to films premiering after May 1, 2021.

SUBMISSIONS will be received between January and July of 2021, with notification of acceptance no later than September 30th, 2021.

Feature and Short films that are available on VOD or a streaming platform will not be eligible for competition at the festival.

Feature length films that have been released theatrically or broadcast on television nationally prior to the festival will be considered for non-competitive sections only under special circumstances determined by the festival.

Short films that are available on VOD or a streaming platform will not be eligible for competition at the festival.

SUBMISSIONS will be received between January and July of 2021, with notification of acceptance no later than September 30th, 2021.

SUBMISSION FORMAT: ENTRIES MUST BE SUBMITTED FOR PRE-SCREENING WITH VIMEO OR YOUTUBE LINK. You are required to keep us updated with passwords.

You may submit multiple entries but must fill out a separate entry form and PROVIDE an entry fee for each.

UPDATED CUTS: Our programming team will review the original screener received. HSDFF is unable to guarantee a review of the updated versions of your film, but links to new cuts can be emailed to hsdfi@hsdfi.org

FEEDBACK: Unfortunately, due to the volume of submissions, we are unable to provide individualized feedback to filmmakers at this time.

Have additional questions about submitting? Please email hsdfi@hsdfi.org
Once accepted, if distribution plans accelerate and you find that your film will be released, theatrically or otherwise, before October 16, 2021, we ask that you notify us immediately.

LIABILITY
Great care will be taken with entries while with us, however we cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage incurred en route, or due to normal wear and tear. HSDFF is held harmless from any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses that may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity or screening of any film.

Ratings & Reviews

Categories and fees

Documentary Shorts
Early Bird (19th February, 2021) $35
Regular (1st April, 2021) $50
Late (1st July, 2021) $60
Runtime - 40 minutes
Age restriction No age restriction
Country Any country
Director's age No restriction
Director's gender Any gender
Student films No
First films No

Non-fiction, maximum 40 minutes

Documentary Features
Early Bird (19th February, 2021) $45
Regular (1st April, 2021) $60
Late (1st July, 2021) $75
Runtime 40 - minutes
Age restriction No age restriction
Country Any country
Director's age No restriction
Director's gender Any gender
Student films No
First films No

Non-fiction in all forms, minimum 40 minutes

Episodic Series
Early Bird (19th February, 2021) $35
Regular (1st April, 2021) $50
Late (1st July, 2021) $65
Age restriction No age restriction
Country Any country
Director's age No restriction
Director's gender Any gender
Student films No
First films No

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