Cape Coral International Film Festival

The Cape Coral International Film Festival will take place in Cape Coral from January 27 – 29, 2023.
1. Submission Deadline
Submissions will be accepted from July 1, 2022. The Early Deadline is July 31, 2022. The regular deadline is September 30, 2022. The late deadline is October 31, 2022. The extended deadline is November 30, 2022. Early entry is encouraged but in no way guarantees acceptance.
2. Submission Format
Films must be submitted on DVD or BLURAY, via a link with password (Vimeo or YouTube) or the FilmFreeway online screener only. The title, submission ID number, screening format, and running time must be clearly labeled on the disc and cover. Please avoid stickers on the cover. Submitted copies will not be returned. Excluding 17 and under.
3. Submission Eligibility
- All submissions must have been completed after January 1, 2020.
- There is no premiere policy for submission.
4. Premiere Status
There is no premiere policy. Florida Premiere is required in most cases. Please contact CCIFF office with any questions.
5. Submission Fee
All submissions for Cape Coral International Film Festival are to be paid by credit card or PayPal. The submission fee is non-refundable.
6. Shipping
Submissions should be sent to:
The following concerns submission deadlines and submission fees. Note, the deadlines are not the postmark dates, but the dates by which the submission must be in the CCIFF office or registered with FilmFreeway. Each submission must be accompanied by the appropriate fee. Submission fees are in are U.S. Dollars per submission and is non-refundable. These fees may be paid by check, cashier’s check, money order, or by Credit Card (Visa or MasterCard) or via PayPal, made payable to: Cape Coral International Film Festival. Cash is not accepted.
Festival Submissions
Cape Coral International Film Festival
528 Cultural Park Blvd.
Cape Coral, FL 33990

All shipping and postage costs for the submission package and, if the film is selected for the Festival, for all prints, tapes and additional materials sent to and returned from Cape Coral International Film Festival must be borne by the submitting party. Cape Coral International Film Festival will not accept Cash On Delivery shipments. Cape Coral International Film Festival will not absorb any fees incurred in customs. All charges must be pre-paid. Cape Coral International Film Festival will not accept submissions if customs and delivery fees have not been paid by the submitting party.
Submission packages from outside the US must be labeled 'Trade Sample' on any customs label and, for customs purposes, must be given a value of no more than US$10.
7. Selection of Films
Submissions are reviewed and selected under the following criteria:
• Strength of story
• Quality of narrative and production values
• Independent nature of the production
Cape Coral International Film Festival endeavors to complete all selection procedures by December 5, 2022, and inform all submitting parties, in writing, if their film has been successful or not after that time. Successful submissions will receive a Filmmaker Festival Pack of information. A selected DVD/BluRay or .mov file must be received at Cape Coral International Film Festival no later than THIRTY days prior to its scheduled screening date for features, and FORTY-FIVE days for shorts. The Cape Coral International Film Festival will take place from January 27 – 29, 2023.
8. Festival Screenings and Scheduling
Cape Coral International Film Festival has the capability to screen .mov, BluRay and DVD. We have limited capability to screen DCP. In the chance that we can screen your film in DCP, you will be required to provide the film also in a file or BluRay backup. Please clearly label whether your film is PAL or NTSC. Our facilities do NOT support 35mm, Super 16mm or double-head formats.
Cape Coral International Film Festival aspires to provide the best quality projection possible but will not be held liable for any failure in the technical quality of the projection, nor will fees be refunded in any such case. Cape Coral International Film Festival assumes that the submitting party or filmmaker(s) or entrant(s) or print source company has insured for damage and loss of the festival print or tape.
Screenings are scheduled during the Festival at the discretion of Cape Coral International Film Festival. While every effort will be made to adhere to the published schedule, Cape Coral International Film Festival reserves the right to make changes at any time for any reason. Cape Coral International Film Festival will not be liable for any costs claimed as a result of a change in scheduling.
No film may be withdrawn from the festival program after its selection, and no film may be screened outside the festival venue during the Festival and before its official presentation without the approval of Cape Coral International Film Festival.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF ENTRY
1. I, the representative of the project being submitted (the "Film"), acknowledge and agree as follows in connection with the Film's submittal to CCIFF (the "CCIFF") for consideration for the Cape Coral International Film Festival (the "Festival"):
2. I hereby represent and warrant to the Festival that (a) I am duly authorized, on my own behalf and on behalf of all other persons or entities who have any ownership rights in the Film, to exhibit this Film at the Festival, (b) this exhibition will not violate any law or any right or consent of any person or entity and (c) the Film is not subject to litigation nor is it threatened by any litigation.
3. I further represent and warrant that, to the best of my knowledge, the exhibition of the Film at the Festival will not violate or infringe any copyright, patent, privacy right, publicity right, trademark, service mark or any other personal or property right of any person or entity and that my Film does not constitute a defamation of any person or entity. I have paid and will pay in full all license fees, clearance fees, and other obligations, of any kind, arising from the exhibition of the Film in connection with the Festival.
4. If accepted, I acknowledge that the Festival's presentation of the Film does not create any confidential or fiduciary relationship between the Festival and I. I understand that I will not receive any compensation for such exploitation. I acknowledge that no obligation of any kind is assumed by or may be implied against the Festival or the CCIFF because of the Festival's selection of the Film. I understand and acknowledge that the selection of my Film by the Festival does not in any way constitute an express or implied endorsement or approval by the Festival or the CCIFF of the content of the Film or any opinion expressed therein.
5. I agree to indemnify and hold harmless the CCIFF, the Festival, the affiliate, subsidiary and parent entities of each, and the officers, directors, employees, attorneys, advisors and agents of each of the foregoing from and against any and all claims, losses, or liabilities (including reasonable attorneys' fees) that may be asserted against any of the foregoing or incurred by any of the foregoing at any time in connection with the Film or the Festival's use thereof, and/or arising from any breach or alleged breach of any representation made by me to the Institute or the Festival.
6. In the event that the Film is accepted into the official Festival program, myself and all other parties involved with the Film agree that the Film will not associate with nor receive support from corporations during or related to the Film's participation in the Festival that are not Official sponsors or supporters of the Festival without prior written consent of the Institute. Methods of support include: hosting a dinner, party or junket for or in conjunction with the Film, providing media space for roundtable or one-on-one interviews, etc.
7. If accepted, I hereby grant without reservations, to the Festival, and their related entities (a) the right to use footage, stills and/or titles, and information from the Film for promotional purposes and (b) the right to issue and authorize publicity concerning the filmmakers and the Film and to use all associated names, likenesses and biographical information. I also agree to provide contact information for the director and producer(s) of the Film and grant the Festival the right to provide this information to film industry organizations sponsoring Festival events at its discretion.
8. I represent that I am 18 years of age or older, or that if I am younger than the legal age to enter into contracts in my state, I have provided a written consent from my parent or legal guardian. Consent forms should be sent to CCIFF at cciff2023@gmail.com. I agree that any controversy arising out of or in connection with my Film and the Festival will be governed by the internal laws of the State of Florida and conclusively determined by arbitration in the City of Cape Coral in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association before a single arbitrator mutually agreed by the parties. I hereby waive any and all rights and benefits which I might otherwise have or be entitled to litigate any such dispute in court, including without limitation a trial by jury.
9. I acknowledge that I have read and understood the rules and regulations for submitting a film to the Festival.
10. By submitting a film or screenplay to CCIFF, I constitute my full and complete acceptance of the terms hereof. I acknowledge that no oral representations of any kind have been made by the CCIFF or the Festival.
Rules & Guidelines for Submissions
The following is an explanation of the Rules and Guidelines governing film submissions to the 2023 Cape Coral International Film Festival. Compliance with these Rules and Guidelines is necessary in order to participate in the Film Festival. Submission of a film implies unconditional acceptance of the Rules & Guidelines, therefore, please carefully read through the Rules prior to submitting your film. If you have any questions, please contact the Cape Coral International Film Festival: cciff2023@gmail.com or 239-772-5862
1. The Cape Coral International Film Festival accepts submissions for films in the following categories:
2. Features Films: Narrative, Animated, Documentary, Experimental, Indigenous, Student, LGBTQIA, Florida Films and International.
3. Shorts Films (under 45 minutes): Narrative, Animated, Documentary, Experimental, Indigenous, Student, LGBTQIA, Florida Films and International.
4. The Entrant/s submitting the film must hold all legal rights for the submission, as well as all necessary clearances for public exhibition.
5. The Filmmaker/s retain/s all submission and intellectual property rights.
6. Films may be submitted electronically via FilmFreeway OR mail a completed submission form and correct entry fee with a Vimeo link and password.
7. The Filmmaker/s is/are responsible for making sure all submission materials are submitted by the submission deadline indicated. If your film does not arrive or is not uploaded by the deadline for which you have registered, you may be required to pay the higher submission fee or withdrawn.
8. If a film received 50% or more of its funding from sources outside of the United States, the film can only be submitted as an International Film. If a film received 50% or more of its funding from sources within the United States, the film can only be submitted as a Domestic Film.
9. Subtitles must be in English.
10. Please test your media prior to submission to make sure they run properly and are not damaged. Please keep screener links and passwords up-to-date and notify the CCIFF office promptly with any changes.
11. Filmmakers are allowed to submit more than one film for the Festival provided that each film is submitted separately and meet CCIFF guidelines.
12. A student submitting a film must provide a photocopy of a current and valid student ID or a letter from his/her school verifying enrollment via email to cciff2023@gmail.com.
13. Entrants may contact the CCIFF to find out if the Festival received the submission: cciff2023@gmail.com or 239-772-5862. Filmmakers submitting through FilmFreeway can check their status through the website.
14. The Filmmaker is responsible for all inbound shipping costs, domestic or international.
15. All personal contact information is to remain confidential and not to be shared with any third parties.
16. CCIFF reserves the right to use images from films selected in the Festival for marketing purposes.
17. All decisions regarding award winners are considered final and incontestable.
18. All films submitted must have been completed between September 2016 and November 2022.
19. Applicants acknowledge that CCIFF reserves the right to change the nature of screenings and events due to circumstances related to public health and welfare or at the direction of local, state, or federal authorities. In such cases, no submission refunds shall be issued.