Share Your Vision at Our Film Festival

Calling All Independent Filmmakers

At the Fayetteville Film Fest, we’re passionate about empowering creative, independent filmmakers and showcasing their diverse stories and bold visual styles. If you’re an indie filmmaker seeking a platform to share your work with a supportive and dynamic audience, look no further than our film festival in the heart of Northwest Arkansas.

Dates & Deadlines

February 15, 2023

April 15, 2023

May 31, 2023

June 30, 2023

July 31, 2023

June 30, 2023

September 15, 2023

October 12 – 14, 2023

Categories & Fees

A narrative feature is a film that tells a fictional story or narrative and must be at least 60 minutes in length.

 

Earlybird Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Gold Members: $27
Regular Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Gold Members: $40.50
Late Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Gold Members: $49.50
Extended Deadline
- Standard: $65
- Gold Members: $58.50

The documentary has a range of purposes, from the simple selection and recording of events (a snapshot or unedited holiday video) to a polemic text that attempts to persuade the audience into a specific set of opinions (Bowling For Columbine).


Earlybird Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Gold Members: $27
Regular Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Gold Members: $40.50
Late Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Gold Members: $49.50
Extended Deadline
- Standard: $65
- Gold Members: $58.50

Shorts must be 40 minutes maximum run time.


Earlybird Deadline
- Standard: $20
- Gold Members: $18
Regular Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Gold Members: $27
Late Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Gold Members: $36
Extended Deadline
Standard: $55
Gold Members: $49.50

Documentary shorts must be 40 minutes maximum run time.


Earlybird Deadline
- Standard: $20
- Gold Members: $18
Regular Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Gold Members: $27
Late Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Gold Members: $36
Extended Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Gold Members: $49.50

Animated subjects can be any length. Any genre will be considered.


Earlybird Deadline
- Standard: $20
- Gold Members: $18
Regular Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Gold Members: $27
Late Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Gold Members: $36
Extended Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Gold Members: $49.50

Video piece set to original song.


Earlybird Deadline
- Standard: $15
- Gold Members: $13.50
Regular Deadline
- Standard: $20
- Gold Members: $18
Late Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Gold Members: $27
Extended Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Gold Members: $40.50

Films in this category must have been created as part of a school project OR while the filmmaker was pursuing an education. Please include in your project description the school or institution that you were attending when this film was made.


Earlybird Deadline
- Standard: $15
- Gold Members: $13.50
Regular Deadline
- Standard: $20
- Gold Members: $18
Late Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Gold Members: $27
Extended Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Gold Members: $40.50

Earlybird Deadline
- Standard: $15
- Gold Members: $13.50
Regular Deadline
- Standard: $20
- Gold Members: $18
Late Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Gold Members: $27
Extended Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Gold Members: $40.50

Awards & Prizes

- Best Narrative Feature
- Best Documentary Feature
- Best Narrative Short
- Best Documentary Short
- Best Emerging Filmmaker
- Best Arkansas Connection
- Audience Choice: Best of Fest

- Best Animated Film
- Best Foreign Film
- Best Music Video
- Best Virtual Reality Film

All winners will receive laurels. Winners who are in attendance at the festival will receive a physical award.

Rules & Terms

1) ARKANSAS CONNECTION: We welcome and encourage submissions from Arkansas filmmakers. If your film has a clear connection to the Natural State - a principle crew or cast member based in Arkansas and/or production set in the state - you may use the waiver code FFFWaiverEntry23 to submit your film for FREE before the Regular Deadline of May 31. Please include a justification for your Arkansas Connection in your entry form. Any submissions using the code who do not have a clear connection to the state will be disqualified and encouraged to re-submit with the appropriate fee.

2) All films in competition must have been completed after June 30, 2021. Student films may receive special consideration.

3) Feature films in competition cannot have been publicly available on any streaming platform or in wide public release in any format. Films with US distribution but not yet publicly available at the time of the festival screening are still eligible for competition. Short films may have been publicly available prior to the festival and are still eligible for competition.

4) All films submitted are subject to use for marketing purposes during and after the festival, in part or in its entirety, unless you request to opt-out.

5) FFF reserves the right to utilize any submitted material from this year's festival to promote future events produced by FFF. Short films that are selected for inclusion in the festival are required to provide a high resolution still for marketing purposes. Feature length films that are selected for inclusion in the festival are required to provide a full press kit including stills, a trailer and a high resolution poster promoting the film.

6) FFF does not pay rental or screening fees.

7) Films may be screened more than once during the Festival and at the Festival's discretion for future Fayetteville Film Fest events.

8) FFF reserves the right to change the category of any submission, to balance the program and give filmmakers the best chance of recognition for their work.

9) FFF only waives submission fees in extreme situations. We have tried to keep the submission fees low, but feel that waiving fees favors certain filmmakers over others. Please only request a fee waiver if your situation warrants extraordinary consideration.

10) FFF Board Members with films for competition cannot serve on either the Jury or Programming committee.

11) FFF screens films as downloadable digital files (such as .mov) during the festival. If your film MUST be screened as a Blu Ray, it is the filmmakers responsibility to ship TWO copies of the Blue Ray discs in container that is clearly labeled with the title, filmmaker’s name, phone number and email and FFF ID number. Please check your disc to make sure it plays in its entirety on consumer Blu Ray players. Screening discs will not be returned unless a return envelope with sufficient postage is provided. If accepted to the Fest, a press kit is highly recommended. We will communicate any problems with submissions, but the festival will not be held responsible for any technical failures that prevent your film from being judged.

1) Films must be the original work of the applicant. If the film is based on another person's life, book or other underlying work, the applicant is solely responsible for ensuring rights and agreements for usage. FFF expressly disclaims all liability or responsibility for any violations of the foregoing.

2) Applicants are solely responsible for obtaining all necessary rights and permissions from third-party materials included in their films, including but not limited to music, trademarks, copyrights and other intellectual property rights. FFF expressly disclaims all liability or responsibility for any violations of the foregoing.

3) By your signature you represent and warrant that you have read, understood and agreed to be bound by the regulations of the festival as described herein, and that to the best of your knowledge all statements are true. You represent and warrant that you have sufficient right, title and interest to convey the rights granted to the Festival herein, and you have not previously conveyed any rights or entered into any licenses that conflict with the rights conveyed herein. You represent and warrant that to the best of your knowledge, information and belief, your film does not infringe any copyrights or other proprietary rights of third parties, that the film is not the subject of any notice of infringement(s), and that the film is not the subject of any license or arrangement between you and any third party that would have an effect on your rights to exercise rights of copyright as set forth in this submission.

COUNTDOWN TO FESTIVAL 2023

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Ready to share your unique film project with a passionate and engaged audience? Trust the Fayetteville Film Fest to empower your artistic vision and amplify your voice as an independent filmmaker.