Built by Festival Organizers
Film Submissions is maintained by people who program, screen, and run real film festivals.
We review thousands of submissions each year across multiple genres and formats.
Everything here reflects real-world programming decisions, not marketing language.
About Film Submissions
Film Submissions is a practical guide to navigating film festival submissions.
It’s built to help filmmakers understand how festivals actually review films, how submission pages are evaluated, and what improves a film’s chances of being taken seriously.
This isn’t a list of shortcuts or guarantees. It’s a working guide based on real programming decisions.
Who This Is For
This site is for filmmakers submitting short films, documentaries, horror films, experimental work, and micro shorts.
If you’re trying to improve how your film is presented, where you submit, or how your submission is received, this guide is for you.
It’s especially helpful if you’ve submitted before and felt unsure why certain festivals passed.
What This Guide Covers
Film Submissions focuses on the full submission process, including:
How FilmFreeway pages are read and evaluated
What programmers notice first
How descriptions, stills, and trailers affect perception
Common mistakes that weaken submissions
Choosing festivals that actually fit your film
The goal is clarity, not theory.
Why This Exists
Many filmmakers submit blindly.
They follow advice that sounds good but doesn’t reflect how festivals operate day to day.
This guide exists to close that gap and give filmmakers practical insight into the submission side of festivals.
