Days of the Dead International Film Festival

***PLEASE READ ALL RULES & TERMS PRIOR TO SUBMITTING YOUR FILM***

Days of the Dead Film Festival is excited to consider your short film video (under 40 minutes in length) or your feature film (over 40 minutes in length) within the category/ theme of horror. Music Videos and Micro Shorts must be under 7 minutes in length. Short screenplays (under 40 pgs), Feature screenplays (40-120 pgs). All screenplays must be in spec script format.

Films must be submitted through FilmFreeway.

We only accept films produced after June 2022 for this cycle. Screenplays have no restriction in term of when it was written.

If selected, acceptable screener formats are as follows: MP4, MOV, Apple Pro Res.
Digital is highly preferred H.264 Stereo format.

Please upload trailers directly to Film Freeway, Vimeo or email directly.

In the interest of fair competition to all that submit their films / music videos, Days of the Dead does NOT offer free submission waivers.

Please submit the version you want judged. We do not allow alternate versions to be submitted without being subject to another entrance fee.

By submitting your film to the Days of the Dead Film Festival, you acknowledge and authorize the use of materials for promotional use which includes but is not limited to excerpts, images, trailers. You also agree to hold the Days of the Dead Film Festival harmless from any and all claims, liabilities, losses, expenses and damages as a result of entry.

Premieres will be considered in final programming decisions.

All films not in English must have English subtitles.

Films can be nominated for multiple awards and/or categories. Days of the Dead reserves the right to eliminate a category if there are not enough viable nominations.

Notifications will be made on or prior to January 6, 2025 via email or phone.

Days of the Dead reserves the right to disqualify any submission without refund and Days of the Dead does not allow any refunds once a film has been submitted.

Films that have been acquired, produced, financed or distributed by any major motion picture studio(s) or production company(s), at the time of screening, will be screened out of competition. It is the sole responsibility of the submitting entity to attain all permissions required from the studio(s) or production company(s) prior to submission and screening.

By submitting, artists agree to all terms set forth in the rules.

Entering your film is considered giving the Days of the Dead Film Festival permission to screen your film during the course of the event.

Days of the Dead is hereby granted the right to utilize an excerpt from any film submitted and accepted for exhibition prior and during the Days of the Dead event for promotional purposes.

The submitter shall indemnify and hold harmless Days of the Dead and Days of the Dead Film Festival from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney's fees, and costs of the court) which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening, and loss of or damage to the screening videos entered.

It is NOT PERMITTED to change or alter the Days of the Dead logo and/or laurels due to branding purposes without explicit permission from the festival directors. Do not create laurels, we provide them.

SUBMISSION SUGGESTIONS:
Please include the following items when submitting your film:
1) Poster
2) Stills/Set pictures
3) Trailer- not required but highly recommended, even for shorts (limit trailers to 90s)
4) Complete the Filmmaker Biography section in FilmFreeway (we use this to promote)
5) Current email and mailing address