A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

48 Hour Film Project
Category: Short Film
Deadline: August

The 48 Hour Film Project is a wild and sleepless weekend in which you and a team make a movie-write, shoot, edit and score it-in just 48 hours. Austin is one of the chosen cities to host a 48 Hour Film Project. Free to enter!

AFI DOCS
Category: Documentary/Non-Fiction
Deadline: January

Honors excellence in filmmaking, supports the diverse voices and free expression of independent storytellers and celebrates the power of documentary to improve our understanding of the world. Cost: $25 Shorts, $35 Features

African Film Festival
Category: African American, Free to enter!!! ,Shorts ,Student
Deadline: April

African Film Festival seeks to introduce African film to non-African audiences to help create a dialogue. Free to enter!

American Black Film Festival
Category: African American , Documentary/Non-Fiction , Features , Shorts
Deadline: December, January

The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) is a four-day retreat and international film market created to spearhead distribution opportunities for independent Black filmmakers.

Ann Arbor Film Festival
Category: Animation , Documentary/Non-Fiction , Experimental , Features , Indie , Shorts
Deadline: November

The Ann Arbor Film Festival is internationally recognized as a premiere showcase for creative, inspiring, and influential films of all types. $35 to enter.

Annapolis Film Festival
Category: Animation , Documentary/Non-Fiction , Experimental , Features , Indie , Shorts
Deadline: July, June

Annapolis Film Festival is an international festival catering to all genres, bringing independent films to the scenic backyard of DC. $20-50 to enter.

Ashland Independent Film Festival
Category: Documentary/Non-Fiction , Features , Shorts
Deadline: December, November, October

Five days of the highest quality independent film in this historic town the Washington Post called “a dream you’ll never want to leave.” $30-75 to enter.

Austin Film Festival & Screen Writing Competition
Category: Animation , Documentary/Non-Fiction , Experimental , Features , Indie , International , Sci-fi/Fantasy/Horror , Shorts , Student , Texas , Trailers
Deadline: June, May

AFF keeps its focus on the craft of screenwriting, making it unique among festivals where the director is always king. The festival attracts the top screenwriters in the industry. AFF likes films with unique stories. $40 to enter a film or screenplay. $30 for a teleplay.

Austin Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival
Category: Documentary/Non-Fiction , Experimental , Features , International , LGBTIQ/Sexuality/Gender , Shorts , Texas
Deadline: May

The Austin Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival (aGLIFF) is the oldest and largest gay and lesbian film festival in the Southwest.

Balticon Film Festival
Category: Free to enter!!! , Sci-fi/Fantasy/Horror
Deadline: October

Over 300 Hours of Multi-Track Programming featuring authors, publishers, editors, artists, scientists, musicians and other creative SF luminaries. free to enter!

Bayou City Inspirational Film Festival
Category: Animation , Awareness/Topical , Indie , LGBTIQ/Sexuality/Gender , Shorts , Women
Deadline: December, February, January

Bayou City Inspirational Film Festival showcasing exceptional educational, inspirational and positive films and videos from around the world. $40 Features, $35 Shorts

Bicycle Film Festival
Category: Awareness/Topical , Documentary/Non-Fiction , Experimental , Free to enter!!! , Indie , Shorts , Student
Deadline: February, March

The Bicycle Film Festival celebrates and embraces bicycles through film. BFF travels to over 20 cities around the world, including Paris, London, Tokyo, New York, Austin, LA – and Sydney. Free to enter!

Big Sky Documentary Film Festival
Category: Awareness/Topical, Documentary/Non-Fiction
Deadline: September

Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, centered in downtown Missoula’s historic Wilma Theatre, has packed audiences of avid moviegoers, most films are accompanied by Q&A with their respective filmmakers. Special Events include nightly parties with great music, panel discussions, informal gatherings and the Big Sky in Schools Educational Outreach Program.

BlueCat Screenplay Competition
Category: Screenwriting/Teleplay Writing/Playwriting
Deadline: December, March, November

EVERY SCREENPLAY RECEIVES WRITTEN SCRIPT ANALYSIS! Winner receives $10,000, Four Finalists receive $1500 each. The screenplay with the best title submitted in November and December, as voted by the public, will receive $1000.

Cine Las Americas International Film Festival
Category: International, Latino
Deadline: January

Works made by or about Latinos and native groups of the Americas are eligible to participate. $20 to enter

Cinema Touching Disability
Category: Animation, Awareness/Topical, Commercials/1 Minute Shorts, Documentary/Non-Fiction, Free to enter!!!, Indie, Music Video/Musicals, Shorts, Texas
Deadline: October

The vision behind CTD’s short Film Competition is to empower emerging filmmakers by providing them an opportunity to create images portraying people with disabilities in their most creative way. Cash Prizes! Free to enter!

CineMart: International Film Festival Rotterdam
Category: Animation , Experimental , Free to enter!!! , Indie , International
Deadline: October, September

CineMart gets a select number of directors/producers to present their film projects to co-producers, bankers, funds, sales agents, distributors, TV stations and other potential financiers.

CINESTORY Screenwriting Competition
Category: Screenwriting/Teleplay Writing/Playwriting
Deadline: December, January

CINESTORY Screenwriting Competition is a screenwriting competition that supports and celebrates the most important part of movie-making – the story! $70 to submit.

Cucalorus Film Festival
Category: Animation , Documentary/Non-Fiction , Experimental , Indie , International , Shorts , Student
Deadline: July, June

Cucalorus, named one of the “Top 25 Coolest Film Festivals” by Moviemaker Magazine, Cucalorus provides a forum where film becomes a player in the social and political arena and offers a new voice for the South. $30-50 to enter.

Dallas International Film Festival
Category: Features , Shorts , Texas
Deadline: December, November

The Dallas International Film Festival, hosted by the Dallas Film Society celebrates films and their impact on society and will run for a ten days in April. $40-65 to enter.

deadCENTER Film Festival
Category: Animation , Documentary/Non-Fiction , Indie , Shorts , Student
Deadline: December, February, January

Named one of the top regional festivals in “The Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide,” the annual festival will take place at seven locations over five days with more than 8,000 film enthusiasts from around the country expected to attend. A $2,500 cash prize will be given to the winner of the Best Narrative Feature. Fees vary with deadline and length.

Fantastic Fest
Category: Animation , Experimental , Sci-fi/Fantasy/Horror , Shorts , Texas
Deadline: April, March, May

Fantastic Fest is an eight-day festival in Austin, Texas spotlighting the best in new horror, sci-fi, fantasy and genre film as well as genre retrospectives. $15-30 to enter!

FilmMakers International Screenwriting Competition
Category: Screenwriting/Teleplay Writing/Playwriting
Deadline: April, March

FilmMakers International Screenwriting Competition is a prestegious writing competition focusing on story. The top 50 scripts will be read by The Radmin Company* and Consideration for representation

Frameline Film Festival
Category: Free to enter!!! , LGBTIQ/Sexuality/Gender
Deadline: January

Frameline Film Festival strengthens the diverse lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and further its visibility by supporting and promoting a broad array of cultural representations and artistic expression in film, video and other media arts. FREE to enter!

Full Frame Documentary Film Festival
Category: Awareness/Topical , Documentary/Non-Fiction
Deadline: ongoing/rolling

Full Frame’s mission is to support the documentary form and community by showcasing the contemporary work of established and emerging filmmakers and by preserving film heritage through archival efforts and continued exhibition of classic documentaries. cash prizes!

Hamptons International Film Festival
Category: Animation , Documentary/Non-Fiction , Features , Indie , International , Shorts
Deadline: May

The festival is committed to exhibiting films that express fresh voices and differing global perspectives, with the hope that these programs will enlighten audiences, provide invaluable exposure for filmmakers and present inspired entertainment for all. $40-55 to enter.

Hill Country Film Festival
Category: Features , Shorts , Texas
Deadline: February, January, March

The Hill Country Film Festival takes place in Fredericksburg in the heart of the Texas Hill Country. $15-55 to enter depending on length and submission deadline.

Hiroshima International Animation Festival
Category: Animation , Experimental
Deadline: April, February, March

Our festival has been held under the spirit of LOVE & PEACE, long since its establishment in 1985. It is our pleasure to serve as a place of true international cultural exchange through the development of animation art, and also, it is our sincere happiness to serve as a stepping stone for your successful future.

HollyShorts Film Festival
Category: Short Film, Feature Film, Animation, Fiction, Documentary, Indie
Deadline: Fall, June

The “Cannes” of short films, HollyShorts is a 10 day festival in the heart of Hollywood at the world famous TCL Chinese Theatre. The festival offers short films of all genres and budgets from student films to high budget projects by Hollywood’s biggest names. Hollyshorts also hosts monthly screenings at the TCL Chinese Theatre throughout the year.

Hollywood Black Film Festival (HBFF)
Category: African American

The Hollywood Black Film Festival (HBFF) is an annual 6-day celebration of black cinema drawing together established filmmakers, popular film and TV stars, writers, directors, industry executives, emerging artists and new audiences from Southern California and around the world.

Houston Film Commission’s Texas Filmmakers Showcase
Category: Indie , Shorts , Student , Texas
Deadline: February, March

Houston Film Commission’s Texas Filmmakers Showcase is a special screening event consisting of the best of Texas short films and videos under 45 minutes in length, presented to studio executives, agents and producers in the Hollywood film community. Free to enter!

Indie Fest
Category: Indie
Deadline: January

The Indie is about helping independent filmmakers gain publicity and secure distribution, the Holy Grail of filmmaking. $50 to enter

The International Buddhist Film Festival
Category: Faith-based/Religious
Deadline: ongoing/rolling

The International Buddhist Film Festival (IBFF) presents, archives, preserves and promotes Buddhist-themed and Buddhist-inspired cinema of all kinds: features, documentaries, animation, experimental work, children’s films and television programs. $25-35 to enter.

Lights. Camera. Help. – Film Frenzy
Category: Awareness/Topical , Commercials/1 Minute Shorts , Public Service Announcement , Shorts , Texas
Deadline: Spring, Fall

Lights. Camera. Help. is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to connecting nonprofits and filmmakers to use film and video to multiply and amplify their storytelling.​

Lone Star International Film Festival
Category: Animation , Documentary/Non-Fiction , Features , Indie , International , Shorts , Texas
Deadline: July

The Lone Star International Film Festival (LSIFF), Fort Worth in Sundance Square is a presentation of the Lone Star Film Society. In addition to showcasing the best in American independent cinema, LSIFF is committed to being truly international as well as establishing itself as an authority on emerging talent. Categories include narrative feature length, documentary feature length, short form, and animation.

Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival
Category: Documentary/Non-Fiction , Experimental , Indie , International , Latino , Shorts
Deadline: February

Los Angeles Latino International Film festival aims to support and promote the development and exhibition of diverse visions by Latino filmmakers.

Lunafest Film Festival
Category: Awareness/Topical, Documentary/Non-Fiction, LGBTIQ/Sexuality/Gender, Shorts, Student, Women
Deadline: April, March
Lunafest looks for filmmakers and producers from around the globe with unique films by…for…about women! $20 to enter!

Manhattan Short Screenplay Competition
Category: Screenwriting/Teleplay Writing/Playwriting , Shorts
Deadline: July

The competition is for screenplays for short films. Screenplays much be 20 pages and under. $35 to submit.

Moondance International Film
Category: Indie , International , Music Video/Musicals , Shorts , Television , Women
Deadline: April, February, March, May

Moondance’s objective for this competition and film festival is to promote and encourage screenwriters and independent filmmakers, and the best work in stage plays, radio plays, TV scripts, musical scores, lyrics, librettos, musical videos, & short stories.

Mountainfilm in Telluride Film Festival
Category: Documentary/Non-Fiction , Features , Shorts , Student
Deadline: December, February, January

Mountainfilm is America’s premier festival celebrating achievement in mountain, adventure, culture and environment. We accept and screen films – doc and narrative, feature and short – on a broad range of subjects. We like quirky causes and indomitable spirit. $25-60 to enter depending on length and deadline.

Nantucket Film Festival & Screenwriting Competition
Category: Experimental , Indie , Sci-fi/Fantasy/Horror , Shorts , Student
Deadline: February, March

Films are selected with an eye for great screenwriting and storytelling. Costs vary on length.

National Film Festival for Talented Youth
Category: Animation , Documentary/Non-Fiction , Experimental , Music Video/Musicals , Shorts , Student , Youth/Child-friendly
Deadline: January

NFFTY showcases work by filmmakers age 22 and under from across the U.S. and the world. It is the largest multi-day youth film festival in the United States, featuring 100+ films, filmmaking panels and workshops, and opportunities for young filmmakers to network with industry professionals and each other. Submission Fee $20 – $35

NYC Horror Film Festival
Category: Sci-fi/Fantasy/Horror
Deadline: August, September

America’s largest genre film festival focusing solely on Horror and Science Fiction. Each year the NYCHFF celebrates both the horror classics we grew up with and the new horror films & filmmakers who created them. The New York City Horror Film Festival is the Halloween time event not to be missed.

Off Centered Film Festival
Category: Commercials/1 Minute Shorts , Shorts
Deadline: February, March

Once again, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery’s Off Centered Film Festival teamed up with the fantastic folks at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, Lake Creek in Austin, Texas to put together our annual film competition. Directors submitting films must be at least 21 years old by the submission deadline. CASH PRIZES!

Outfest
Category: LGBTIQ/Sexuality/Gender
Deadline: October

Outfest is the leading organization showcasing, nurturing and preserving lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender film images and artistry.

Portland Women’s Film Festival, POW FEST
Category: LGBTIQ/Sexuality/Gender, Women
Deadline: April

The mission of the Portland Women’s Film Festival is to celebrate the art and cinematic contribution of women filmmakers from around the world, in any format, with any content and in any genre.

PSAid: Public Service Announcements for International Disasters
Category: Awareness/Topical, Public Service Announcement
Deadline: March

PSA theme-based film festival competition with Cash Prizes!

Rocky Mountain Women’s Film Festival
Category: Documentary/Non-Fiction , Features , LGBTIQ/Sexuality/Gender , Shorts , Women
Deadline: June

Rocky Mountain Women’s Film Festival is a film festival to support and celebrate women filmmakers and women subject matters. $25 to enter.

San Antonio Film Festival
Category: Animation , Documentary/Non-Fiction , Experimental , Features , Shorts , Texas
Deadline: April, May

Formerly The San Antonio Underground Film Festival – is held annually in June at the Instituto Cultural de Mexico en San Antonio & is looking for 100% DIY narrative, animation, doc, or experimental shorts or features. Prizes! $40-60 to enter.

San Diego Latino Film Festival
Category: Documentary/Non-Fiction , Features , Latino , Shorts
Deadline: November

MEDIA ARTS CENTER SAN DIEGO promotes access to film and video as tools for community self-expression and social change and supports the professional development of media artists.

San Francisco Jewish Film Festival
Category: Faith-based/Religious
Deadline: December, January, November, October

Screening in four Bay Area venues and featuring the highest quality Jewish films from around the world. As the first of more than 100 Jewish film festivals worldwide-and still the largest, with some 30,000 attendees-SFJFF is an influential showcase bringing together filmmakers and audiences to celebrate Jewish cinema and explore its new frontiers.

A.K.A Shriekfest, The Los Angeles Horror/Science Fiction Film Festival
Category: Features , Sci-fi/Fantasy/Horror , Shorts
Deadline: August, September

AKA Shriek Fest is dedicated to discovering new and overlooked artists in the horror and science fiction genre. $25-55 to enter.

Scriptapalooza Screenplay Competition
Category: Screenwriting/Teleplay Writing/Playwriting
Deadline: April, March

Scriptapalooza’s goal is to seek out that storyteller and honor his or her script with a grand prize of $10,000. Each year dozens of production companies and literary representatives sign on as participants to read Scriptapalooza’s winners, finalists and semifinalists. $50 to enter!

Slamdance Film Festival
Category: Animation , Documentary/Non-Fiction , Experimental , Features , Indie , International , Shorts

The Slamdance Film Festival is dedicated to new filmmakers. SFF accept films in every genre, on any topic from every country around the world.

Sonoma International Film Festival
Category: Documentary/Non-Fiction , Features , International , Shorts
Deadline: December, November, October

The Sonoma International Film Society presents events and programs celebrating gourmet food, fine wine, the best in new independent filmmaking, and the remarkable richness of life in Sonoma Valley.

SXSW Film Conference & Festival
Category: Animation , Documentary/Non-Fiction , Experimental , Indie , International , Sci-fi/Fantasy/Horror , Shorts , Student , Texas
Deadline: December, November

SXSW is the most prestigious film festival in the south. SXSW considers any and all categories of filmmaking, from Narrative to Documentary, Experimental to Music Video, Short to Feature. $35 for shorts, $45 for features.

Talking Pictures Festival
Category: Features , Indie , Shorts
Deadline: February, January

Founded by independent filmmakers Ines Sommer and Kathy Berger. We collaborate with community organizations and bring independent filmmakers and audience members together to create a space for public dialogue about the films we screen. $15-35 to enter.

Telluride Film Festival
Category: Animation , Documentary/Non-Fiction , Features , Shorts , Student
Deadline: April, July, June, May

What are the prizes? There are none. The real prize is to be accepted from hundreds of entries as one of approximately 15 shorts and 20 features that will be showcased at the Telluride Film Festival.

Texandance International Film Festival
Category: Animation , Documentary/Non-Fiction , Experimental , Indie , International , Music Video/Musicals , Shorts , Student , Texas , Trailers
Deadline: April, March

If your production can hold our attention and has good production values, your creation may be selected to show at the festival. Send your best trailer, short, doc, music video, or feature! $25-65 depending on length.

Tribeca Film Festival
Category: Documentary/Non-Fiction , Features , Shorts
Deadline: December

The Festival’s mission focuses on assisting filmmakers to reach the broadest possible audience, enabling the international film community and general public to experience the power of cinema and promoting New York City as a major filmmaking center. $40-65 to enter.

True/False Film Fest
Category: Awareness/Topical , Documentary/Non-Fiction , Shorts
Deadline: September

True/False Film Fest accepts submissions that cross the boundary between fact and fiction. The festival highlights innovative work with a cinematic scope, creative takes on contemporary currents, and most of all work that provokes dialogue about its subject and the documentary form itself. $15-20 to enter.

The Webby Film and Video Awards
Category: Animation , Shorts , Web Series/Websites
Deadline: December, November

Hailed as the “Internet’s highest honor” by the NY Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international award honoring excellence on the Internet, including Websites, interactive advertising, online film and video, and mobile web sites.

Woodstock Film Festival
Category: Animation , Documentary/Non-Fiction , Experimental , Features , Music Video/Musicals , Shorts
Deadline: June

At the Woodstock Film Festival, participants and visitors find themselves in a friendly, casual environment, one that is conducive to creativity, networking and a good time, surrounded by some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world. $10-50 depending on entry deadline.