From world-famous events such as Cannes and the Berlinale to niche gatherings such as Southend’s Horror-On-Sea, film festivals bring together industry professionals and audiences to share and discover new storytelling, filmmaking techniques and screen talent.
Film festivals remain a key platform for filmmakers to showcase work, gain feedback, and network with other industry professionals. If you’re an emerging filmmaker, getting your work screened on the festival circuit could launch your career.
Award-winning writer and producer Karla Williams says festivals are a great platform for filmmakers. “This industry works on who you know, and the sooner you start building relationships, the better,” she says. “It took me a while to learn how important networking is, and I missed out on opportunities because of it. It may seem scary, but it’s essential to building your career. Find the courage and do it!”
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Before firing off submissions, here are some things to consider about your film project:
1. What is your film’s unique selling proposition?
Festival curators and judges are looking for a great story, originality, and something that evokes emotion in audiences. Exploring underrepresented voices, diverse narratives, social issues, or creative filmmaking techniques are some ways to make your film stand out.
2. Which festivals are right for your film?
“The best film festivals to submit to really depend on your film,” says award-winning Australian filmmaker Timothy Despina Marshall, who has screened at Sundance Film Festival, South by Southwest, and Melbourne International Film Festival. His debut feature, In The Room Where He Waits, was named one of the 10 best Australian films of 2024 by the Guardian.
“The big festivals help launch your career, but I want to focus on the importance of smaller film festivals,” he says. “My first two short films, which didn’t get into Sundance, both screened at Outfest, a queer film festival in Los Angeles. I attended the festival both times, and I made some really great networks and friends.”
“One of the people I got to know there was, unbeknownst to me at the time, a programmer at Sundance,” he says. “When I made my next short film, she said, ‘You can submit that film directly to me when you enter Sundance.’ I’m not saying my film wasn’t worthy of being in Sundance, but I believe that relationship helped, and that relationship came from a smaller festival that nobody in Australia really cared about. Attending was key for the advancement of my career. So don’t ignore the value of the smaller film festivals!”
You’ll need to plan a persuasive pitch and choose the right festivals to enter. If your project captures issues primarily affecting rural communities, for example, consider entering it into Borderlines, the largest rural film festival in the UK, where attendees may have firsthand experience with the topics your film raises. Get clear on what your film offers (style, message, and genre) and what you want to achieve (distribution leads, publicity, or networking opportunities).
Submitting to local film festivals will offer the best chance of support and exposure, but don’t restrict yourself from applying to international film festivals that may be a good fit and provide new experiences and insights in a different environment. Just ensure that you have the means to fund your travel if you get accepted, whether it’s through your own finances, crowdfunding, or any grants or subsidies that may be available. It’s normally not mandatory to attend, but if your film is selected, festivals are a fantastic opportunity to network, get feedback, and support fellow filmmakers and the festivals themselves.
3. How many film festivals should you enter?
“Do your research,” says Williams, whose short Pretty Bitch was screened internationally, including at BFI Future Film Festival and London Short Film Festival. “There are thousands of festivals, and not all of them are worth your time. Set a budget and be strategic. You’re unlikely to be able to afford to apply to every festival you would like to, so have a plan about which ones would be best for your film.”
Once you’ve found a few that seem like a good match, look carefully at the submission guidelines, rules, and deadlines, because each festival has its own process.
Some of the bigger film festivals receive thousands of submissions, but only a few will be selected for screening. Sundance Film Festival, for example, received nearly 16,000 submissions from across the world this year and selected 88 feature films and six episodic projects.
To avoid spreading your submissions too thin, look online at each festival’s past programming and review its mission statement to get an idea of the films it typically selects. Ask yourself if your film would belong there before forking out to enter it.
4. Is your film ready for submission?
You don’t need a big budget to enter film festivals, but your submission needs a professional finish. Increase your chances of acceptance by making sure your film has good-quality cinematography, editing, cast, and crew. Pay attention to production design, and don’t overlook proper sound mixing and editing to give your film a polished feel.
Make sure all details requested are completed, and keep any supporting materials, such as synopses, loglines, filmmaker statements, and bios, clear and brief. Added extras such as high-quality stills, trailers, and film posters are also good to prepare.
“The length of your short film matters,” Marshall says. “If your short film is 15 minutes or under, it has a much better chance of being programmed. Longer short films are harder for festival programmers to programme, because they are putting short films in a package that is usually 90 minutes. If your film is 20 minutes or longer, it means they would be programming your film instead of two short films. Your film has to be especially good for them to essentially exclude another filmmaker and choose just your longer film.”
5. What’s your budget?
Plan ahead to have enough funds not only for submission fees, but also – if your film is accepted – PR and marketing, deliverables such as printed posters, and travel and accommodation costs, since most festivals won’t cover it.
If you are a UK filmmaker whose short film has been accepted to an international festival, you may be eligible for a travel grant through the British Council Film. Australia also offers funding through organisations such as VicScreen.
“Festival entries can be really expensive. For the bigger festivals that cost more money, you need to do your research and put together a plan,” Marshall says. “If you don’t get into bigger festivals, what’s your backup plan? What are some smaller festivals that might be worthwhile to attend both in your home country and overseas? That sort of research is going to help you save money, rather than just entering everything and essentially wasting money.”
Some festivals have free submissions, such as Seoul International Women’s Film Festival and several aimed exclusively at young people, like Cinemagic Young Filmmaker. Most, however, charge a fee. (On FilmFreeway and other sites, you can filter by which festivals are free.) You can also save money by submitting during early bird periods.
Submission fees tend to be higher for feature films than shorts. Sundance 2025 costs between US$50 and US$120 to enter. It was US$65 to US$115 for SXSW 2025, while the Toronto International Film Festival ranges from CA$50 to CA$155 for standard submissions. Smaller festivals like Outfest typically cost between US$25 and US$90 to enter. In the UK, BFI’s London Film Festival entry fees range from £18 to £75 (US$24 to US$100), while the Edinburgh International Film Festival costs between US$40 and US$110.
Credit: Stephanie Dunn
FilmFreeway is a leading platform for festival submissions, and it may be worth a membership if you’re making multiple submissions.
“If you can afford it, work with a company like Festival Formula to help you compile a good list of festivals to apply for,” Williams says. “Shout about your selections and, if you attend, make sure you network, network, network.”
In the UK, notable festivals include BFI’s Flare and London Film Festival, Bolton International Film Festival, Sheffield DocFest, Raindance, and Edinburgh International Film Festival.
BFI has a list of festivals that are especially good for young filmmakers, while Screen Daily offers a regularly updated list of festivals around the globe.
Top-tier events include Venice, Cannes, Berlin, Sundance, Toronto, and South by Southwest. Other big-name festivals known for supporting emerging filmmakers include Tribeca, Locarno, and AFI Fest.
“Festivals only work if you do,” Williams says. “They are a great opportunity to showcase your work to a wider audience, but you also need to make the most of that opportunity.”
If your film gets accepted, “attend the festival if you can and be sure to network,” she says. “Share about the festivals on your socials and use the festival selection as an opportunity to meet new people, such as a producer you want to one day work with. Being selected for a festival is great, but that’s just the beginning. The fact that you’ve been selected means they like your work and the festival selection could be an opportunity to meet future collaborators and bring some attention to your film.”
Winning a festival award or getting positive reviews can lead to further festival invitations, media attention, funding, and even distribution deals. Do what you can to maintain interest in your film after the festival by continuing to network, promote your film, and keep your audience engaged.
Submitting to festivals, waiting for a response, and completing screenings can take up to two years. Be discerning in your selections and complete everything within two years.
Don’t take it personally if your film wasn’t selected. Submitting to film festivals can be competitive, and they are a business that needs to be profitable to survive. Take feedback, and keep improving, submitting, and creating.
Don’t just focus on the traditional festival circuit. Look for opportunities online, such as Vimeo Staff Picks, Short of the Week, and YouTube channels such as Alter or Dust.
You could also create your own opportunities for exposure, such as releasing work on your own Vimeo or YouTube channel and teasing it on social media.