The Arizona Student Film Showcase is a statewide celebration of the creativity, vision, and storytelling talent of high school filmmakers. This festival provides students in grades 9–12 with a professional platform to premiere new, original films, share their stories with a live audience, and experience the excitement of a cinematic showcase. Selected films will be judged by a panel of experienced instructors and industry professionals, and the evening will culminate in an awards ceremony recognizing excellence across multiple categories. Beyond competition, the showcase fosters a sense of community, giving young filmmakers the opportunity to connect, be inspired, and see their work brought to life on the big screen. The final judging panel will consist of 5 professionals (filmmakers, professors, and/or industry specialists.) Judges will evaluate films based on: Storytelling & Originality, Technical Quality (cinematography, sound, editing.), Acting & Direction, Creativity & Emotional Impact.

There are NO entry fees required when submitting your film. For inquiries, partnerships, or press requests, contact the Arizona Student Film Showcase team at azstudentfilmshowcase@gmail.com. Updates and finalist announcements will be shared on our Instagram @arizonastudentfilmshowcase. We can’t wait to see what the next generation of filmmakers can do!

Awards & Prizes

Awards
-Best Film
-Best Storytelling
-Best Cinematography
-Best Editing
-Best Acting/Performance
-Audience Choice Award

Recipients of the awards listed above will receive a trophy, and a certificate with the submitting filmmaker's name on it. All finalists will receive a gift basket for their accomplishment. Finalists will also have the opportunity to network with industry professionals, and college professors.

Rules & Terms

-Eligibility
1. Open to all Arizona high school students (grades 9-12)
2. Films must be independent works
3. Films Old and New may be entered as long as Student is still enrolled in high school.
4. Submissions must be made by a Student Filmmaker, though adults can assist in
mentorship roles. (no professional crews)
5. The student must act as two of the four roles: Producer, Director, Writer,
Cinematographer and/or Editor
- Film Submission Rules
1. Each filmmaker may submit one film only.
2. All genres are accepted (drama, comedy, thriller, animation, documentary, etc.)
3. Runtime must be between four and ten minutes (including credits)
4. Films must be PG-13 or milder in tone and content. (No explicit sexual content, strong
profanity, graphic violence, or drug use. Brief thematic intensity is allowed but must
remain appropriate for a teen audience)
5. Films must be submitted in MP4 or MOV format with a minimum resolution of
1920x1080 (Full HD). Higher resolutions such as 2K or 4K are acceptable, provided
the file is optimized for playback. Submissions below 1080p will not be considered.
6. Audio must be clear and balanced
7. Late submissions WILL NOT be accepted.
- Technical & Legal
1. Filmmakers must own or have full permission for all content used (music, footage, etc.)
2. Any copyrighted material used without permission will disqualify the film
3. By submitting, filmmakers grant permission for the showcase to publicly screen their
film.
4. The showcase is not responsible for submission links or files that are corrupted,
inaccessible, or incompatible, with playback systems. Please double check your file
format and link before submitting.
5. All submissions are protected under the confidentiality and screening policies of the
showcase.
1 Review
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Matthew Campbell

    It was amazing!! Got to meet lots of awesome people and the showcase was put on very well!! Overall really good festival!!

    May 2026
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Hey Matthew! We appreciate you submitting your film and hope to see you submit next year.