Started in 2007 by Tamsen Merrill and Harry Keramidas, The Ashfield FilmFest began as a fun community event to honor local town hero and famous showman, Cecil B. DeMille. Each year the Hilltown Communities come together to watch feature films and competitive shorts. The Grand Prize winner is awarded money and a plaque with their name is added to the famed Baby Cecil trophy. The Ashfield Film Fest is a completely volunteer run event.

The FilmFest has now screened some 150 films, most of which were filmed within our Hilltown Communities, by local residents. Each year the entries continue to improve, and demonstrate not only the cultural and historical diversity of the Hilltowns but also a growing enthusiasm for the creative art of storytelling through the medium of filmmaking.

The Hilltown Communities look to the FilmFest as a treasured annual tradition, and a reason to gather with friends, perhaps dress up, and watch a new crop of films that add to our sense of wonder and amazement for the communities we live in.

Any use of AI must be clearly cited in your application and in your credits. While we understand that AI tools can be helpful, the judges seek to honor human talent and so they need to know up front what’s you and what’s tech. We follow the IBM definition of generative AI which states:

“AI that can create original content such as text, images, video, audio or software code in response to a user’s prompt or request.”

Awards & Prizes

Each year, short film submissions are judged by a panel of local people of all ages and descriptions. Depending on each year’s crop of entries, the award categories can change. In addition to cash prizes, awards include trophies hand-crafted by local artists and craftspeople. Below is a selected list of awards.

Grand Prize-Audience Choice Award
A prize of $500 will be awarded to the entry judged best by the FilmFest audience. This award goes to the short film that receives the most votes from the attendees at our Gala Screening. In addition to the cash prize, a plaque with the winner’s name will be added to the famed Baby Cecil trophy!

The following prizes may not be awarded every year if there are insufficient numbers in each category to create a meaningful competition:

Best Actor-Narrative

Best Animation

Best Musical Score

Technical Achievement

Best Youth Film

Best Documentary

Best Comedy/Musical/Experimental.

Rules & Terms

1. Films must be FIVE MINUTES OR LESS

2. Films must have a DIRECT CONNECTION TO WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS HILLTOWNS! The film can be made in the hilltowns of Western Massachusetts, or have some principal talent from the hilltowns, like a lead actor, writer, director etc.

3. Entries must be suitable for general audiences. The festival is an event geared towards a general audience from 5 to 105 years old. Therefore all films submitted must conform to a PG rating as defined by the Motion Picture Association of America. There may be some mild profanity but gratuitous violence, overt sexual behavior, depiction of drug use and nudity are not permissible. Dress that is suitable for public places (e.g. the beach) is acceptable. The final decision on eligibility is at the sole discretion of the Ashfield Film Festival judges.

4. Music or musical score must be original, public domain or used with written permission of the copyright holder. A vast wealth of recorded music exists out there that can be used for free. Sites like www.mobygratis.com or www.rumblefish.com are a great source for independent and non-profit filmmakers and film students to obtain a license free of charge. You can also try searching the internet with terms like: fair use music, public domain music, fair use songs.

5. Full written permissions, including the participants, copyrighted materials, and music must be submitted with the entry to be considered for inclusion in the FilmFest. Please email to ashfieldfilmfest@gmail.com

6. Entrants retain all copyrights for their materials!

7. All content needs to be submitted in HD format. We accept .mov, .mp4, or .m4v files.
We also accept physical media (thumb-drives etc.). Bear in mind these are not returned to the filmmaker. Please send them, along with an entry form by mail to:

Ashfield FilmFest
P.O. Box 337
Ashfield, MA 01330

8. Western Massachusetts residents can use the promo code: BABYCECILB upon submission to waive the entry fee.

9. To qualify for a “Best Youth Entry” award, the film must be created by people who are younger than 18 years. Please indicate on your submission form.

10. Any use of AI must be clearly cited in your application and in your credits. While we understand that AI tools can be helpful, the judges seek to honor human talent and so they need to know up front what’s you and what’s tech. We follow the IBM definition of generative AI which states:

“AI that can create original content such as text, images, video, audio or software code in response to a user’s prompt or request.”

11. The Ashfield FilmFest will have the right to use any trailer, clips, still photographs, and/or biographical information of the director, cast, and producers of the Film provided to or obtained by Ashfield FilmFestival (the “Promo Material”) (the Film and Promo Materials are referred to collectively as “Materials”) in all media to promote the Film’s appearance at the Festival and in connection with promotion of Ashfield FilmFest.

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  • Bella Levavi

    Best film festival in the hilltowns for sure Bogus awards.

    October 2024
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