ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
To be eligible for consideration:
-Projects must be completed on or after January 1, 2025.
-Projects must be presented in vertical (9:16) format.
-Projects may originate from any country.
-Entrants must own or control all rights necessary for exhibition.
-Projects must comply with all ALZA Festival Submission Requirements, Rules & Regulations to be eligible for consideration.
Projects may be submitted in one of the following categories:
-Vertical Shorts: Standalone complete stories created for the vertical screen, including narrative, documentary, comedy, branded entertainment, music-driven or experimental works.
-Vertical Series / Episodic: Serialized projects consisting of multiple episodes, including narrative, documentary, drama/romance, thriller, horror, fantasy & sci-fi, AI, and branded entertainment.
ALZA reserves the right to determine final category placement.
PREMIERE STATUS
ALZA is a premiere-focused festival. Priority consideration will be given:
-World Premiere
-U.S. Premiere
-New York City Premiere
The festival may also consider previously released projects that represent exceptional artistic achievement, industry significance, or contribution to the evolution of vertical storytelling.
Note the festival reserves the right to make exceptions for invited programs, special presentations, industry showcases, and partner screenings at its sole discretion.
VERTICAL STORYTELLING REQUIREMENT
Projects must be conceived, designed, and executed for vertical viewing.
Works that are primarily repurposed from horizontal formats or consist solely of cropped versions of previously released horizontal content may be deemed ineligible or deprioritized during the selection process.
TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
Submission Screeners
-All projects must be submitted via FilmFreeway.
-For vertical series: One to three episodes; ALZA may request additional episodes for review.
-Submission screeners must meet the following specifications:
-Aspect Ratio: 9:16 Vertical
-Resolution: Minimum 1080 x 1920 HD
-File Format: MP4 or MOV
-Audio: Stereo
-English subtitles are required for all non-English dialogue
Projects should be submitted in their intended viewing format and represent the final or near-final version of the work.
RUNTIME GUIDELINES
Vertical Shorts: Documentary, Narrative Animation, Experimental, Branded Entertainment, Music-Driven
-Maximum runtime: 20 minutes
Vertical Series and Episodic: Narrative, Documentary, Drama/Romance, Thriller, Horror, Fantasy & Sci-Fi, AI, and Branded Entertainment
-Submit one to three representative episodes for consideration purposes
-Individual episodes may not exceed 10 minutes
-Total submitted runtime may not exceed 30 minutes
-ALZA may request additional episodes for review and/or festival exhibition based on the project's runtime, format, or narrative structure.
JUDGING CRITERIA
Projects will be evaluated on:
-Storytelling and narrative effectiveness
-Creative use of the vertical frame
-Originality and innovation
-Directorial vision
-Performance
-Technical execution
-Audience engagement potential
-Contribution to the evolution of vertical storytelling
Applicants may be asked to disclose the use of generative AI tools in the creation of submitted works. The use of AI does not affect eligibility but may be considered as part of the festival's evaluation process.
RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS
By submitting, entrants confirm that:
-They own or control all rights necessary to exhibit the work.
-All music, footage, performances, trademarks, and other copyrighted materials have been properly licensed or cleared.
-Submission materials and information are accurate.
PROMOTIONAL USE
By submitting, filmmakers grant ALZA Festival the right to use approved still images, trailers, excerpts, titles, and promotional materials for festival marketing, publicity, press, and educational purposes.
Filmmakers retain full ownership of their work.
ACCEPTED PROJECT DELIVERABLES
Selected projects will be required to provide exhibition materials for festival presentation, including:
-High-quality master file (ProRes preferred)
-Subtitle and accessibility materials, as applicable (including English subtitles, caption files, audio description files, or other accessible media assets)
-Poster artwork or key art
-Three to five still images
-Synopsis
-Director biography
-Additional promotional materials as requested
ALZA Festival reserves the right to request alternate file formats or materials necessary for exhibition and promotional purposes.
SELECTION & EXHIBITION
Selected projects will be notified through FilmFreeway and/or email.
ALZA Festival may present selected works as standalone screenings or as part of curated festival programs. The festival reserves the right to determine final screening format, program placement, scheduling, and exhibition presentation.
For theatrical exhibition, ALZA Festival may create exhibition masters, DCPs, and other screening formats from materials provided by selected creators.
By submitting, entrants acknowledge and grant permission for their work to be exhibited as part of curated festival programs and festival-produced exhibition packages.
Selected creators may be invited to participate in:
-Screenings and Q&A discussions
-Industry conversations
-Networking events
-Creator-focused programming
-Industry networking, creator development, educational programming, and professional opportunities
Participation in ALZA Festival does not constitute a distribution, financing, licensing, or development agreement.
CONTENT GUIDELINES
ALZA Festival supports bold and diverse creative expression.
The festival reserves the right to reject submissions containing:
-Unlicensed copyrighted material
-Hate speech targeting protected groups
-Non-consensual explicit content
-Content produced through unsafe or illegal practices
FESTIVAL DISCRETION
ALZA Festival reserves the right to:
-Modify award categories
-Update submission requirements
-Adjust screening formats
-Determine eligibility and category placement
-Make final programming decisions
All festival decisions are final.
AGREEMENT TO RULES & REGULATIONS
By submitting a project to ALZA Festival, entrants acknowledge that they have read and agree to these Submission Requirements, Rules & Regulations and all eligibility requirements contained herein.
CREATED IN NY SHOWCASE & AWARD PRESENTED BY THE NYC MAYOR’S OFFICE OF MEDIA AND ENTERTAINMENT & ALZA FESTIVAL
The Created in NY Showcase, presented by NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) and ALZA Festival, celebrates exceptional vertical storytelling created by New York City's filmmakers, creators, studios, and production community.
The program recognizes projects that exemplify creative excellence while highlighting New York City's growing role as a global hub for vertical storytelling and mobile-first entertainment.
Five selected projects will screen as part of a dedicated Created in NY Showcase during ALZA Festival, with one project receiving the Made in NY Award. The program is open to all creators regardless of background.
ELIGIBILITY
Projects should demonstrate a substantial connection to New York City through production, creative leadership, business operations, or storytelling. The program is open to all creators regardless of background.
Eligible projects may qualify through a number of factors, including but not limited to, one or more of the following:
-Principal photography conducted within New York City's five boroughs
-New York City-based creators, filmmakers, producers, cast or key creative personnel
Production, post-production or business operations headquartered or primarily based in New York City
-Meaningful engagement with New York City's creative ecosystem
-Stories, subjects or themes connected to New York City
ALZA Festival and MOME reserve the right to determine Created in NY eligibility based on the overall strength of a project's connection to New York City, as well as any other relevant factors. Additional supporting information regarding production locations, creative personnel, company headquarters or other relevant verification details may be requested.
Projects must comply with all ALZA Festival’s overall submission requirements, eligibility criteria, and rules and regulations, available above.
SELECTION CRITERIA
Projects will be evaluated based on a number of factors, including but not limited to:
-Storytelling and creative excellence
-Innovation in vertical storytelling
-Quality of execution
-Originality and creative vision
-Contribution to New York City's creative community
-Overall impact and audience engagement
MADE IN NY AWARD
All projects selected for the Created in NY Showcase will be eligible for the Made in NY Award.
The award recognizes the project that most successfully combines creative excellence with a meaningful contribution to New York City's creator, production, and storytelling community.
All submissions are administered by the festival as part of its programming and submission materials are retained by the ALZA Festival. MOME does not collect submissions. Final eligibility, selection, and award decisions are determined by ALZA Festival.
