Dare to Dream Film Festival is a new Chicago-based festival championing underrepresented filmmakers and socially driven storytelling.

We exist because extraordinary films are being made without connections, trust funds, or studio backing. Our mission is to celebrate these filmmakers and provide a platform.

Unlike most festivals, every film submitted receives written feedback — whether selected or not. We as filmmakers know how frustrating it can be to spend money on submission fees and receive rejection without an explanation. We want to help you grow as a filmmaker.

We program films that deepen empathy, spark conversation, and remind us of our shared humanity. We’re drawn to bold, intimate storytelling that lingers long after the lights come up.

Dare to Dream is built for filmmakers creating outside traditional systems of access and power. We intentionally uplift artists historically excluded from industry gatekeeping — including LGBTQ+, BIPOC, neurodivergent, disabled, and female filmmakers.

We value authentic voices and lived experience. AI-generated projects are not encouraged. What moves us is intention, resourcefulness, and a distinctive point of view.

The festival welcomes films of all genres and budgets from around the world. Whether your film was made with a full crew or a tiny team, what matters most is creative vision and emotional impact.

Students are encouraged to submit. We will showcase the top two high school films and top two college films at the festival.

We are committed to equitable access. Filmmakers with disabilities or financial barriers may request a submission discount or fee waiver by emailing daretodreamfest@gmail.com with the subject Discount Code.

Awards & Prizes

Award recipients are selected by an external panel of industry judges that will be announced on our website/social media. There are no monetary awards at this time.

Awards are:
Best Short Film
Best Documentary Short
Best Horror/Sci-Fi Short
Best Animated Short
Best Experimental Short
Best Music Video
Best TV Show/Web series
Best Content Creation/New Media
Best Student Film
Best Film made without AI
Jury Award for Best Overall Film
Audience Award
Trailblazer Award - Honoring a filmmaker using storytelling to break barriers, inspire action, and make a difference in the world.

Rules & Terms

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR:
- Stories that uplift marginalized voices and expand empathy.
- Films with a distinctive perspective and clear artistic point of view.
- Bold, creative storytelling that challenges conventional approaches.
- Work that feels timely, intimate, or emotionally resonant.
- Filmmakers who are redefining traditional pathways into the industry.
- Artists at all stages of their careers, including high school and college students.
- Films that invite audiences to reflect on their own lives and the world around them.

PROGRAMMING PROCESS
All films are selected exclusively from the submissions pool.

Our screening team represents a wide range of backgrounds, lived experiences, and artistic disciplines. Each film is evaluated using a standardized scoring system based on:

- Originality of story and vision
- Craft and execution (including performances, cinematography, editing, and sound design)
- Emotional and cultural impact
- Representation and authenticity

Top-scoring films advance to our Senior Programming Committee, which selects approximately 15–30 films for the final festival lineup.

Award recipients are selected by an external panel of industry judges.

FILMMAKER FEEDBACK
We know what it feels like to spend months — sometimes years — pouring your heart into a film, submitting it to festivals, and getting a rejection (or multiple) with no explanation. How are you supposed to know what can be improved?

It’s frustrating. And honestly, it doesn’t help you grow.

At Dare to Dream, we believe filmmakers deserve better. Every submitted film will receive written feedback, whether you’re selected or not.

Our goal isn’t just to program great work. It’s to help filmmakers grow and feel confident in their artistic voice.

You’re not just a submission number to us.

ACCESSIBILITY & SUBMISSION SUPPORT:
Dare to Dream Film Festival is committed to equitable access.
Filmmakers with disabilities may request a submission discount code by emailing daretodreamfest@gmail.com with the subject line “Discount Code” and basic information about their completed, eligible project. If submission fees present a financial barrier, fee waivers are available upon request. We aim to balance equity with sustainability, ensuring as many artists as possible have the opportunity to submit their work.