As of 2022, DCIFF, the oldest independent film festival in Washington DC, is a Film Festival & Forum with a storied history of presenting extraordinary films. We showcase cutting edge features, animation, experimental films, shorts, and documentaries on every subject, from every country, and with every budget and subject imaginable. All films are still selected through review and come via submissions, we do not pre-select and we do not pay screening fees. We curate from selections and have moved from an extensive to intensive (fewer films and much, much more attention to each film and filmmaker) format. We invite ALL selected filmmakers to take part and help you join us. Our aim is to forward films and careers and we are thrilled with the success of our alumni.

PLEASE NOTE: HIGH SCHOOL FILM COMPETITION: February 17-18th, 2024. Please make sure to submit in the High School film category with your student IDs sent to dciffsubmissions@gmail.com

The 2024 festival will screen 50-70 films (including shorts) over 5 days with robust filmmaker-centered programming around each selected film that allows for discussion, learning and celebration with audiences and several screenings. We work closely with selected filmmakers to craft thoughtful, seminar-type programming around their film’s presentation. DCIFF brings together passionate artists, filmmakers, critics, curators, and film enthusiasts for a celebration of independent filmmaking. Like previous festivals, we continue to be an essentially volunteer-run festival. All submissions fees support festival programming.

The 2024 festival is entirely in-person in Washington, DC. Acceptance into DCIFF 2024 assumes your attendance and active involvement in the festival experience.

FYI: Student films are only a submission category: there is no programming section dedicated to student films except high school films.

We will have awards for the 2024 festival but are reevaluating our awards structure. Some Awards have up to $1,000 Awards attached.

The high school film competition awards are a separate category of 1st, 2nd and 3rd places.

Submissions open from September 04 to December 25, 2023

We welcome submissions in the following categories:
◾ Narrative features
◾ Short films
◾ Documentaries (feature and shorts)
◾ Animation + Experimental (up to 2 hours)
◾ Web Series Pilots or Episodes
◾ Works in Progress
◾ High School Student Film Showcase and Competition (films up to 20 mins.) – Free Submission until December 2, 2023.

We are open to films of any genre except adult films (though' R-rated" is fine) and in any language (with subtitles). We do not have a section dedicated to family films, but love films that appeal to the child in us all. We have an excellent animation section and encourage animators working across all styles to submit their work.

Stipulations: We put a great deal of effort, time and attention into promoting the films selected for screening and competition and, in this way, have aided many a filmmaker on the road to success, awards, distribution, and networking, but we can only do so if the following rules are followed:

Metro DC Theater Film Premieres required (we accept films that have had private screenings in DC). East Coast and US Premieres preferred. No restrictions for films screened online, but we will need to know details about online availability.

All films completed within 12 months of the date of submission to DCIFF: FILMS MUST HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AFTER September 2, 2022. if your film is still in process we will accept submission but DCIFF will remove a film from final selection if it is not completed by the end of January 2024.

High School Students - For age 18 & under only! We accept high school entries *only* if you are a current high school student or graduated high school in the summer of 2023. Please include your current high school ID and your high school name and address, or a letter from a school advisor with your submission.

DCIFF Alumni - To qualify for submission in an alumni category, we must have screened one of your films in a previous festival. With your submission, please include the title of your screened film and the year it was shown.

Films in Distribution: If you are a distributor or your film is ruled by a distribution contract, please make sure that you can screen this without a screening fee. DCIFF does not pay screening fees but we do everything we can to bring filmmakers and talent to attend the festival.

By submitting your film to DCIFF you are agreeing to the following conditions:

- I am authorized to submit this film to the Washington, DC Independent Film Festival for consideration and have read, understood and agreed to all entry requirements.
- By submitting my film for consideration, I grant permission to DCIFF to use any 3 minute portion of my film and related materials for promotion in all media, including DCIFF catalogues, flyers, posters and the DCIFF website.
- I understand that no film accepted for screening in competition at DCIFF may be withdrawn without the express written permission of DCIFF after February 1, 2022. In the event that a screening print is not delivered or in the case of technical issues, DCIFF reserves the right to screen publicly the DVD submission file unless other arrangements have been made with you, the filmmaker.
- I promise to contact DCIFF immediately regarding any changes to the information above, including distribution, Premiere status of my film or exhibition format. Failure to provide complete and updated information or failure to submit an exhibition copy of my film by February 25, 2022 may cause the elimination of my film from competition.
- All rights and permissions are in place for my submission (it is the sole responsibility of the applicant to obtain any and all necessary rights and permissions).
- I am DULY authorized to submit this film to the Washington, DC Independent Film Festival and its competition (“DCIFF”) and I have read, understood and agreed to all entry requirements.
- All submitted films are in competition.
- By submitting to the festival, I am showing interest in taking part in DCIFF 2022 should our film be selected.
- All of the above information and statements are accurate.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Jay Schlossberg

    Of all the festivals our film has appeared in this has been one of the best. Easy to work with, very accommodating, helped us get press, answered all our questions and heard us when we said we needed a large theater because our film would sell out….and we were right (400+ seats in one showing!). It didn't hurt when they awarded us Best Documentary Feature but that was just the icing the delicious cake! Great job, DCIFF!!

    March 2024
  • This was an amazing first festival experience! They made me feel so welcomed and were so friendly. Met some amazing filmmakers and saw some incredible films. So grateful to have my debut short "The Window" premiered here!

    March 2024
  • Neri Ricci Lotteringi

    I can’t describe how much I love this festival: I’ve been a guest of DCIFF twice in 10 years and and the love and passion these people put into it is directly proportional to the organization and the outcome: live screenings, Q&A’s, seminars, cocktails and networking: DCIFF offers everything a filmmaker is looking for.

    March 2024
  • A great festival to be, it was Amazing, Accurate, Caring and much more...

    September 2023
  • Bradley Berman

    The DC Independent Film Film Festival recently adjusted its name from "festival" to "forum." That's spot on. It's a smart, intimate assembly of filmmakers, thinkers, and film buffs gathered for a few days in the nation's capitol. The discussion following our screening inspired all kinds of new insights and emotions about our film and the creative process. On top of that, the festival organized an insider's visit to the Library of Congress Moving Image and Recorded Sound Research Center. That was amazing. I highly recommend DCIFF and its thoughtful programming.

    March 2023