Baltimore International Black Film Festival

Narrative Features
• Eligible for: Best Narrative Feature, Oscar Micheaux Award (1st time directors only), Best International Feature and Audience Award
• Must be over 40 minutes in length.
• Open to works from all regions but must be at least a Baltimore “Premiere” and must not have had any commercial theatrical or television play in Baltimore.
• Only works completed after January 1, 2022, are eligible for competition and awards
• The Writer, Director, Producer (if 1 sole producer only) must be of African descent OR must tell a story of the Black experience or feature a person of African descent in a leading role.

Documentary Features
• Eligible for: Best Documentary Feature, Best International Film, Audience Award
• Must be over 40 minutes in length.
• Open to works from all regions but must be at least a Baltimore “Premiere” and must not have had any commercial theatrical or television play in Baltimore.
• Only works completed after January 1, 2022, are eligible for competition and awards
• The Writer, Director, Producer (if 1 sole producer only) must be of African descent OR must tell a story of the Black experience or feature a person of African descent in a leading role.

Documentary Shorts (Narrative and Documentary)
• Eligible for: Best Narrative Short, Best Documentary Short and Audience award
• Open to works from all regions but must be at least a Baltimore “Premiere” and must not have had any commercial theatrical or television play in Baltimore.
• Only works completed after January 1, 2022, are eligible for competition and awards
• The Writer, Director, Producer (if 1 sole producer only) must be of African descent OR must tell a story of the Black experience or feature a person of African descent in a leading role.
• Student Shorts must be produced through an accredited educational institution.
• Shorts will play either in a Shorts program or before a Feature film.
• Submission must have a high-quality NTSC file available.

Web Series
• Eligible for: Best Web Series and Audience award
• Open to works from all regions in the US and internationally
• Only works completed after January 1, 2022, are eligible for competition and awards
• The Writer, Director, Producer (if 1 sole producer only) must be of African descent OR must tell a story of the Black experience or feature a person of African descent in a leading role.
• Entrants must submit three (3) original episodes of the Web Series for consideration (as one file)
• Running Time: Each episode must be no more than eight (8) minutes in length
• All genres accepted: animation, drama, comedy, documentary style, reality based etc.
• Submission must have a high-quality NTSC file available.

Youth Films
• Eligible for: Best Youth Film and Youth Film Audience award
• Student Shorts must be produced through an accredited educational institution.
• Open to works from all regions in the US and internationally
• Only works completed after January 1, 2022, are eligible for competition and awards
• The Writer, Director, Producer (if 1 sole producer only) must be 18 years and younger (Student ID - required for submission) at the time of production and of African descent OR must tell a story of the Black experience or feature a person of African descent in a leading role.
• Submissions must be under 10 minutes (including titles and credits),
• Submission must be original video (video you shot yourself) or video you have permission to use
• If music is used, it must be original music or music you have permission from the artist to use.
• Submission must have a high-quality NTSC file available.

Submission Process:

- DVD/Blu-ray, Digital File and DCP formats accepted.

- Important - We are a non-profit affiliated event and therefore require a signed statement verifying 100% ownership of all films that are selected for our festival.

- 2 preview copies must be submitted once your film has been selected to the festival. Filmmakers should include any relevant publicity photos and information as well as a cast and crew list.

- If your entry is accepted for our festival, you will be notified several weeks prior to the festival. However, we reserve the right to resend an invitation to screen a film at the festival at any time and for any reason.

- Films must be sent to the Baltimore International Black Film Festival at the filmmaker's expense. Please label the DVD/Blu-ray or DCP with the film's title, running time, director's name and contact phone/email.

- Once a film is submitted, it may not be withdrawn.

- The Baltimore International Black Film Festival must have permission to use up to 3 minutes of footage or photographic stills from the work for broadcast, web publication or other promotional purposes.

- The Baltimore International Black Film Festival must be notified in writing of any press or photo restrictions.

- Filmmaker holds the festival harmless from damage to, or loss of, the Blu-ray/DVD, Digital File, DCP or any publicity material.

- Titles produced in languages other than English must have legible English subtitles.

- The Baltimore International Black Film Festival kindly requests that any awards won be mentioned in the projects' promotional materials, website and on the film's social media. (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok etc.)

- The selection committees' decisions are final.

- Entry fee is nonrefundable