C-47 Film Festival is reinventing what a film festival can be. No more getting lost in the submission pile.

C-47 Film Festival has officially retired the traditional “Official Selection” model. Instead of limiting filmmakers or rejecting worthy work, we’ve adopted a new approach:

If your film meets our criteria, it screens.

This guarantees visibility, but it does not mean every film is considered an “official selection,” nor does it guarantee award consideration. Our awards and special recognitions remain highly selective, competitive, and earned.

This new model allows all qualifying filmmakers to be part of the festival experience, while ensuring that our awards remain prestigious, meaningful, and reserved for standout work.

At C-47, if your film meets our criteria, it screens.
You submit? You screen.

We are a short-form–focused festival in Las Vegas, NV, dedicated to giving filmmakers what they actually want: immediate value for your submission fee.

Screening Criteria --

To qualify for screening, films must:

- Each film you submit must be 20 minutes or under

- You agree to make your best faith effort to attend your screening or send at least 1 person in your place if you cannot make it. C-47 does not reimburse for travel expenses at this time.

- Contain no pornography

- Contain no actual illegal activity

- Contain no exploitative, abusive, or illegal depictions involving minors at all

Narrative films may include fictional or simulated depictions of crime or sensitive subject matter, provided no real illegal activity occurred during production and no harm was caused to participants.

If your film meets the criteria, it will screen as part of the C-47 Film Festival in Las Vegas.

C-47 showcases bold voices, fresh perspectives, and creative risks from around the world. Every qualifying film is screened during our Las Vegas festival, where we highlight the broad, raw, and exciting range of short-form cinema being made today.

Whether you’re an emerging creator or an established filmmaker testing something new, C-47 is your guaranteed platform. This is a festival built for the modern filmmaking landscape — transparent, inclusive, and creator-focused.

Welcome to the future of film festivals.
Welcome to C-47.

Awards & Prizes

C-47 Film Festival is designed to actually celebrate filmmakers. C-47 Film Festival has officially retired the traditional “Official Selection” model. Instead of limiting filmmakers or rejecting worthy work, we’ve adopted a new approach: If your film meets our criteria, it screens. This guarantees visibility, but it does not mean every film is considered an “official selection,” nor does it guarantee award consideration.

Our awards and special recognitions remain highly selective, competitive, and earned.
Only films that demonstrate exceptional craft, storytelling, or impact will receive nominations, distinctions, or elevated opportunities.

For our upcoming season, C-47 will be offering a mix of curated awards, special recognitions, and filmmaker opportunities, which may include:

Potential Awards & Opportunities

- Dedicated Film Premiere event for 1 award winner

- Marketing & Promotion/PR Packages

- Distribution or Exposure Opportunities
C-47 is exploring partnerships and future showcases that may provide additional visibility for selected filmmakers.

- Category Awards & Jury Recognition
Honors may be presented across a range of categories such as directing, writing, cinematography, editing, performance, audience impact, and overall creativity.

Because C-47 is evolving into a new kind of festival designed to uplift every filmmaker who screens with us, our awards offerings are intentionally flexible while we build out the most impactful opportunities for our community.

Final awards, recognitions, and special opportunities will be announced closer to the festival date.

Rules & Terms

By submitting a film to C-47 Film Festival, filmmakers agree to the following Rules & Terms.

Eligibility

- C-47 Film Festival accepts submissions from filmmakers worldwide.

- Films must be 20 minutes or under.

- Films must be in English or include English subtitles.

- All submissions must comply with all applicable laws and regulations.

Content Restrictions

C-47 Film Festival does not accept:

- Pornographic content

- Content involving actual illegal activity

- Content depicting exploitative, abusive, or illegal situations involving minors at all

Narrative or fictional depictions of crime or sensitive subject matter are permitted, provided no real illegal activity occurred during production and no harm was caused.

C-47 reserves the right to disqualify any submission that violates these guidelines.

Originality & Rights

Submissions must be the original work of the filmmaker(s).

Filmmakers must own or control all rights to their films, including music, images, and performances.

Any copyrighted material must be properly licensed or cleared.

By submitting, filmmakers confirm they have obtained all necessary rights, releases, and permissions.

Completion Date

Films must have been completed on or after January 1, 2022.

Submission Platform & Screening Requirement (IMPORTANT)

***All films must be submitted and made available through FilmFreeway for screening purposes.***

To screen your film at C-47 Film Festival, filmmakers must:

Upload their film directly to FilmFreeway or

Ensure the film is downloadable through FilmFreeway

Download Requirement

Filmmakers agree to make their film downloadable for festival screening.

If a film is not downloadable at the time of review, C-47 may request download access.

Failure to provide a downloadable file by the stated cutoff date will result in the film not screening, without refund.

C-47 Film Festival is not responsible for:

Broken or expired links

Private or inaccessible videos

Missing passwords

Non-downloadable files

It is the filmmaker’s responsibility to ensure their film remains accessible and downloadable through FilmFreeway until the festival concludes.

Technical Specifications (Recommended)

Preferred screening formats:

File format: .mp4 or .mov

Codec: H.264

Resolution: Minimum 1920x1080 (1080p)

Higher resolutions (2K / 4K) accepted

Audio: AAC, 2-channel stereo

Final screening specifications may be requested closer to the event.

Entry Fees

Entry fees vary by category and deadline.

All submission fees are non-refundable, regardless of screening outcome or participation.

No fee waivers or refunds are offered.

Screening Model & Awards

C-47 Film Festival does not operate under a traditional “Official Selection” model.

All films that meet eligibility requirements and submission criteria will screen.

Screening does not guarantee awards consideration.

Awards, recognitions, and special opportunities are:

Selective

Competitive

Earned based on merit, impact, and excellence

All award decisions are final.

Festival Screenings & Events

Films will screen during the official festival dates and venues.

Screening schedules, venues, and formats are subject to change.

Additional events (Q&As, panels, networking events, premieres, or themed gatherings) may be offered but are not guaranteed.

Rights Granted

Filmmakers retain full ownership of their films.

By submitting, filmmakers grant C-47 Film Festival the non-exclusive right to:

Screen the film during the festival

Use excerpts, trailers, stills, and promotional materials for marketing and promotion

Legal Responsibility

Filmmakers agree to indemnify and hold harmless C-47 Film Festival from any claims, damages, or liabilities arising from the submission or screening of their film.

C-47 Film Festival reserves the right to remove any film from the program if submitted information is found to be false or misleading.

Refund Policy

All sales are final.

Film submission fees are non-refundable under all circumstances, including withdrawal, ineligibility, scheduling, screening status, or award decisions.

Merchandise purchases are non-refundable. Exceptions may be made only in cases of defective or incorrect items, at the discretion of C-47 Entertainment.

Failure to provide a downloadable screening file by the required deadline will not result in a refund.

By completing a purchase, you agree to this Refund Policy.

Agreement to Terms

Submission to C-47 Film Festival constitutes full acceptance of all Rules & Terms outlined above.

C-47 Film Festival reserves the right to update or modify these Rules & Terms at any time.
1 Review
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  • Patrick Trejo JR

    Starting their first year strong! Allowing clear communication for any sort of questions and having tons of ways to meet other creative submitters. This is a good festival to be a part of, and I'm thankful for making it to the Semi-Finalist with my film: "The Greatest Heist Ever!"

    May 2025
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