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Film Festival Submission Checklist

Original guide

Film Festival Submission Checklist

Prepare one accurate submission package, then verify the rules for every festival individually. A submission is an application—not a guarantee of selection, screening, award, distribution, or endorsement. Entries in this checklist stay in your browser.

Film and rights Picture and sound are final for the submitted version.
Music, footage, artwork, likenesses, locations, and other material are cleared for the intended use.
Title, runtime, completion date, country, language, genre, and credits are accurate.
Captions or subtitles were reviewed on the delivery file.

Submission package Short and long synopsis are proofread.
Director statement and biography are current and truthful.
Poster, horizontal stills, vertical stills, trailer, and captions meet requested specifications.
Secure screener link, password, download setting, and expiration were tested in a signed-out browser.

Festival fit and rules Eligibility, category, runtime, completion-date window, and student or regional status were verified.
Premiere requirements and online-availability restrictions were understood.
Deadlines, time zone, fee, waiver terms, refund policy, and notification date were recorded.
Exhibition format, caption requirements, travel expectations, and filmmaker attendance terms were reviewed.

Festival / category	Deadline	Fee	Premiere rule	Status / next action

Submission budget, priorities, and stop rule

How do you compare festival rules before submitting?

Choose the exact category first. For each festival, record the official rules URL, the date checked, runtime limits, completion window, premiere requirements, online-availability restrictions, deadline and time zone, fee, and screener instructions. A requirement for one category may not apply to another.

Fictional example: A 12-minute student short has a private screener and a planned public upload. Before submitting, the team checks whether that upload would affect the selected category’s premiere requirement. If the wording is unclear, they ask the festival and save its written answer before changing the release plan or paying a fee. This example does not establish eligibility for any named festival.

For a real research starting point, open Tribeca’s official submissions and category rules. Read the current edition directly; do not carry a deadline or premiere rule from an older article into a new application. Track the answer and next action in the checklist above.

Research every festival independently

Use the festival’s official rules and contact information. Preserve receipts and submission confirmations. A listing platform, school mention, press article, or social post does not by itself prove legitimacy or endorsement. Review the Film Credits Checklist and Trust & Safety Center.

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