This year the Comicpalooza Film Competition is accepting Short Films in the following categories:

Science Fiction / Action
Horror
Fantasy
Star Wars Film
Fan Film
Animated
Student

Long format films accepted are judged independently of category.

All films will be judged by a committee of fans and industry professionals, with finalists being exhibited at Comicpalooza 2020. Additionally will be working with finalists to create panel and discussion time for audience interaction with the filmmakers.

Comicpalooza features more than 22,000 hours of programming, 200 guest artists on the schedule and draws more than 40,000 fans to the George R. Brown Convention Center.

Awards & Prizes

Awards for the following categories will be given:

Short Film - Science Fiction / Action
Short Film - Horror
Short Film - Fantasy
Short Film - Star Wars Film
Short Film - Fan Film
Short Film - Animated
Short Film - Student

Best of Show

Medalist long format or feature (multiple winners are conceivable)

Rules & Terms

Film submission guidelines-

All film submissions and fee payment will be handled on FilmFreeway.com.

The fees are as follows-
Short content - 20.00 for Regular Deadline, 30.00 for Late Deadline

Student Projects - 15.00 for Regular Deadline, 25.00 for Late Deadline

long Format and Features - 40.00 for Regular Deadline, 50.00 for Late Deadline

For judging all films must be submitted as an online screener and be available for screening as a digital file. Submissions may not be in work-in-progress form, works that are not final cuts, marked “Work in Progress (WIP)” or “Rough Cut” with an indication of what will change or what is missing (e.g., temp sound, Avid output, missing animation, etc.)

Judging will be conducted by the committee with the selected films being announced on April 22, 2020.

Only selected finalists will be shown at Comicpalooza 2020.

Winners for each category will be announced during Comicpalooza 2020.

Selected finalists must provide a link to an HD High-Quality exhibition copy for showing at Comicpalooza by May 12, 2019.

Please note: Films that are not provided by the defined dates in a usable format may be pulled from competition.

All finalists with films being exhibited will receive one complimentary pass for the day that their film is shown.

The submission of a film to Comicpalooza constitutes acceptance of our Entry Rules & Regulations so please, please review this document carefully.
20 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • michael morris

    Unless you are able to attend and promote your film then this festival is only worth entering if you want the nice looking Laurel.
    Communication is poor and you see next to no proof that a film festival even took place, due to zero social media or website presence. No images or feedback are on show for the Filmmakers to share or take pride in.
    I personally wouldn’t class this Comicon as a Film Festival I’m afraid.

    June 2019
    Helpful
  • Chris Cullen

    Awesome fest as usual, a really great year there. I hope to submit more for next year.

    May 2019
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  • Patrick Smith

    well run operation, it was a pleasure. Hope I can attend next year.

    July 2018
    Helpful
  • Hansi Oppenheimer

    I loved that they programed my short with another film on cosplay and followed the films with a meet up for producers, prop makers, costumers, make up artist and cosplayers to network.

    June 2018
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  • saquan jones

    Such a great festival. I had a great time...great people...great atmosphere. I read past reviews and decided to hand out flyers telling people the date and time of my screening to promote screening. During that process, I met great fans. My only mistake was I handed out the flyers too early.

    My screening was at 5pm and I handed out the flyers before 12pm. Most of the people I handed the flyers to had already left. So if I get accepted to the festival again, which I hope I do, I would give out flyers letting fans know the date, time and room of the screening 2 hours before the screening. There were so many people there we gave out 300 flyers in an hour.

    Great experience.

    June 2018
    Helpful