How to Make Your Film Festival Submission Stand Out

You finally finished your first short film, congrats! Now what? A film festival run can be a great way to get your work noticed, but the submission process can feel like a bottomless pit. For some perspective there are 10,000 film festivals you can apply for on FilmFreeway and in 2020 there were over 9,000 short films submitted to Sundance alone (with only 50 making the cut). 

So, with thousands of festival options how do you know which festivals are worth your time and money? And with so much competition how do you create a submission that stands out above the rest? 

Here are some tips on festival submissions and how to get your film seen:

Film Freeway

Film Freeway bills itself as “the world’s #1 way to enter film festivals” for a reason. Through this website you can submit to festivals like TIFF, Sundance, Tribeca, Raindance, and Slamdance among countless others. 

How to join

Signing up for Film Freeway is FREE, all you need to do is create an account and add your profile and project. Make sure your profile is professional and your project includes a good synopsis, logline, and movie stills. When a festival juror logs on to view your film for consideration they can also view all the info about your film, so the more materials the better. A great film is the most important part of being accepted into a festival, but showing your project can be easily marketed never hurts.

The “Gold” Membership

If you plan to submit your film to a bunch of festivals (which most filmmakers do when they’re gunning for a festival run) it’s worth considering FilmFreeway’s “Gold” Membership. A monthly subscription that reduces the cost of nearly every festival submission fee. The membership can be cancelled at anytime, so you can sign up for the month(s) you plan to submit, get a serious discount on submissions, and then cancel.

Be wary of FREE invites and discount codes

Some lucky filmmakers start getting festival invites just by having their project viewable on FilmFreeway. But be wary, this usually only happens if you’re famous, or someone famous is in your film. If you are a new filmmaker with a short film made on a shoestring and a festival sends you a FREE invite or discount code, do your due diligence and Google them. Many small festivals are hungry for content and send discount codes to anyone and everyone. This doesn’t mean they aren’t worth your time, but they might not get you the attention you’re aiming for. 

Choose wisely

Before you start submitting, determine what you want to get out of a festival run. Do you only want to apply to festivals you can attend in person? Is your goal to get a high number of festival laurels? Or be eligible for an Oscar? Knowing your goals for your film will help you narrow down which festivals are worth applying to (which will also save you money on submission fees). Also, if networking is your goal, don’t discount virtual festivals. Some online festivals include Zoom meetings or “breakout rooms” that provide focused FaceTime with other creators and Hollywood professionals (Austin’s 2020 virtual festival was a great example of this!).

Don’t make this rookie mistake

One rookie mistake I see a lot of filmmakers make is only submitting to “premiere” festivals with their first short film. Don’t get me wrong, I hope your film is selected for TIFF and Tribeca too, but be realistic. Getting into these big festivals is extremely competitive (ie. my Sundance fact above). In my opinion, your best bet is to find the balance between big festivals with slim chances and smaller, but respectable, niche festivals that your film is perfect for. For example, if your film is a horror - suss out all of the great horror festivals and submit to them. Just by being in the right genre your chances of selection go up.

Online “Film Festivals”

Some of the most prestigious places for short content are not actually festivals at all, they’re online platforms. Short of the Week, Film Shortage and landing a Vimeo staff pick are all viable ways to get your film noticed by the Industry.

Tips for festival submissions on FilmFreeway

Once you’ve chosen your festivals, it’s time to submit. First, read the submission guidelines carefully. Are there multiple categories for short films? Once you’re sure you are submitting to the right category, personalize your submission. Every festival on FilmFreeway includes an optional “cover letter.” Use it! Maybe you have a personal connection to the festival itself, or you know someone who’s on the selection committee, or the festival mandate really connects to your project. Do your research and write a sincere personal note (even if it’s just thanking the selection committee for reviewing your film). You never know who’s going to read it. Maybe it’s that small, thoughtful move that gives your film a slight edge. And anything that gives you an edge is worth taking the time to do.

Good luck!

Do you have a short film that had a successful festival run? What are your best tips and tricks? Let me know @CaroleKirsch!