Narrative Features
• Eligible for: Best Narrative Feature, Oscar Micheaux Award (1st time directors only), Best International Feature and Audience Award
• Must be over 60 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, 2025, 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 45 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, 2025, 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, 2025, 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, 2025, 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. Only one episode will be screened at the festival. (if selected)
• 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, 2025, 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) and must contact the festival for password before submitting into this category.
• 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, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok etc.)
- The selection committees' decisions are final.
- Entry fee is nonrefundable
