Frequently Asked Questions
Q:  Can I submit a film?
​A: Students who have been enrolled at the University of Northwestern anytime in the 12 months before the festival are eligible to enter. Films by those who are not enrolled at Northwestern in the Spring of 2021 must have had at least 50% of production completed while the entrant was a student. Alumni can also submit films, but they will be judged in a separate 'Alumni' category.

Q: What are the six categories?
A: Each film submitted will be filed under one of six categories:
  1. Animation
  2. Comedy
  3. Documentary
  4. Drama
  5. Music Video
  6. Alumni

Q: How long can my film be?
A: All films must not exceed 8 minutes running time, including credits.

​Q: Can I submit more than one film?
A: Yes, you can. A student may submit more than one film, but each film must be on a separate flash drive, saved as a separate file, and accompanied by its own completed entry form.

Q:  Who judges my film?
​A: Each category has three judges that screen and evaluate all the films within that category. Judges consist of professionals, often alumni, in varying media fields. However, the Executive Staff of the film workshop judge the films submitted in the Alumni category.

Q: If I submitted a film to the film festival and it didn't win, can I submit it again?
A: Films that have previously screened are not eligible for submission. Films that have been previously submitted but not chosen for screening are only eligible if significant changes have been made.

Q: What do you need from me to be considered a complete submission?
A: The following materials are required for submission:
  1. Completed entry form including your signature.
  2. A flash drive labeled with your name and your film's title.
  3. Two production stills to be used for promotional purposes, labelled with your name and your film's title

Q: Is there a prize if I win?
A: The winning film in each category will receive an Amazon gift card. All films screened in the festival are eligible for the Audience Choice Award, which is chosen based on votes submitted by the festival audience. The film receiving the most votes will receive the title of “Audience Choice."