Should You Enter Film Festivals?

After releasing my first short film this summer, I had a sense of “what do I do next” -isms. Although I made the film for myself purely out of self-interest I became empty inside after realizing there was really nothing else for me to do after that. That is until I started entering the festival circuit.

My First Film Screening at TheDaps, Kichijoji | 2022

While my film isn’t winning any Sundance awards or anything, it’s nice to see my film appreciated by other cinematographers, actors, etc. both big and small. At the very least I know my skills are on the right path to put me in line with a possible career in film, maybe internationally.

What are Film Festivals?

Film festivals are organized events by universities, private organizations, art associations, government associations, etc to provide opportunities for unknown filmmakers to showcase their work in front of a live audience and hopefully receive feedback from professional critics. While many festivals accept a wide range of genres and types of films, some are very specific and narrow down their festivals to certain categories. There may or may not be monetary prizes involved but at the very least winners do receive a certificate or trophy for their achievement.

It seems like new film festivals are popping up every day especially now since most festivals can operate entirely online. Due to the increasing amount of festivals, it’s easy to question the purpose behind them and whether or not they’re even worth entering. I was surely skeptical at first, but after entering a few of them I’m ready to give my take on them.

Why Enter a Film Festival

Visibility

Getting eyes on your film is the most rewarding and frustrating part of being a filmmaker. Even if you’re making a film for yourself, at the end of the day we all want people to enjoy and hopefully praise our films. Film festivals offer exactly that—a chance for a viewing committee to watch, appreciate and critique your film.

If you’re selected to participate in the festival, you’ll also receive the added benefit of exposure from their marketing strategy. Most festivals are proud to showcase their winners online and will often spend some time promoting selected films, winners, and honorable mentions for film fans to watch and get in contact with the film crew on their own.

Awards

Yes, it’s a little bit selfish to want the awards, but honestly, it feels nice to receive a little recognition for all the hard work you put into your film. It can be a little daunting thinking that your film might win any sort of recognition at any festival. Many film festivals receive hundreds of thousands of submissions every season so the chances of placing are very slim. But if you’re able to place it’ll give you a huge confidence boost. Winners often have the choice of purchasing (yes you heard that right) a certificate or a trophy. Which sucks I know, you do have to invest even more money into something you already paid for but it sure does feel good to hold an award in your hand.

Hype & Prestige

In today’s world appearances are everything even for filmmakers. A film with a few laurels seems much more credible than films with nothing at all. Even just being selected as a participant is often enough to generate some buzz around your film. As a budding filmmaker myself who’s interested in doing more something. The recognition and prestige do help give a little bit of leverage when trying to attract other people into your circle who’ll be open to collaborative opportunities.

Networking

The film industry like any art industry is incredibly small, much smaller than you would imagine but it takes a lot of effort on your part to get out there and meet people. Film festivals are a great way to meet and network with like-minded filmmakers in your area with various amount of connections and experiences. While you likely won’t connect with every single person you meet, who knows a beautiful friendship might blossom with a chance at a great collaboration.

Finding the Right Festivals

Film festivals are not cheap, and as I mentioned before your chances of placing in a festival are very small depending on the size and competition. Making investing in festivals much more of a gamble than the average person would really care to take. Not to mention the number of scam festivals there are out there, can make it hard to find festivals that are worth applying to. But fret not, I have a few tips to help you find film festivals that’ll help you place and be worth the investment.

Check the Pricing

There isn’t a set range of pricing for film festivals. Some festivals cost as little as $15 while others can cost as much as $500. On average though film festivals will cost around $30~$70 for their entry fee. Film festivals aren’t the place to assume more expensive=better, especially if it’s just for the price of the entry fee. For entry fees that cost over $60, it’s important to take a look at what that cost entails. Some festivals will offer paid marketing opportunities such as magazine features, critiques from the panels, or social media promotion over a given time. Unless it’s a festival you’re really keen on entering or a well-known festival like Tribeca or Cannes; I’d avoid festivals that have egregious entrance fees.

Search Presence, Reviews, and History

Any association that wants to take your money should have some sort of formal online presence that’s easily accessible to the public. Any film festival you choose to enter should have an updated website with contact links and relevant information for the time period you entering in. It doesn’t have to be particularly nice. But you shouldn’t have any trouble finding the information you need on the website. If they have social media accounts with a decent following and updated content every few months that’s a bonus. It’s also good to look at reviews from past participants. Largely positive, updated reviews are also a good sign as well.

Search Locally

Cities and towns big and small have their own local art crowd, even in the film circuit. Local festivals are a good start for beginner filmmakers because they’re smaller than the more internationally known ones, so they’re usually cheaper, easier to network through, you can receive criticism for your film, and have a much higher chance of placing. Local festivals are also usually proud to pay homage to their budding filmmakers and often give priority to films that showcase the local area and culture.

Search Socially Relevant

There are a number of festivals that are heavily focused on uplifting people and films that focus on socially relevant topics. Anything from women’s issues, LGBTQ, mental health awareness, etc. These make it easier for filmmakers who come from marginalized backgrounds or who tell diverse stories a chance to have their work viewed in front of an audience. The film industry still has a diversity problem even in socially inclusive festivals, if you take a look it’s easy to tell what type of films have a chance of placing.

Is it worth it?

It’s hard to look people in the eye and say that every festival I applied to was worth it. There are certainly some festivals I wish I could get my money back from, but overall I’d say being on the festival circuit has been a very positive experience. It’s helped raise my confidence a little not only in filmmaking but also just working as a professional. And who knows maybe one day all this might lead to a pretty wonderful career in the future.