Thank you for your interest in the Doc Sunback Film Festival in Mulvane, Kansas on June 27th and 28th, 2025. The following is a list of rules for those who would like to enter:
All films in any genre from anywhere in the world will be considered for entry for 2026. All films submitted are screened by at least 2 screeners. Kansas filmmakers will have an additional group of screeners set specifically to score their films.
• All filmmakers who had films selected for entry in last year’s film festival will receive a free entry for 1 film.
• We will send laurels & certificates via e-mail to the address provided. In order to receive cash prizes, filmmakers must be able to accept American checks from American banks. All prizes will be distributed at the awards program during the festival.
• Regular submission will be from October 1, 2025 to March 15th, 2026. Unless a waiver is authorized, non-student films must be submitted with a $25 submission fee. Student films must be submitted with a $10 submission fee or receive a fee waiver.
• Student Films must be submitted with a copy of a current, valid Student Identification Card. This image can be transmitted via email.
• Films that contain nudity, visual violence, content of a highly sexual nature, or extensive use of profanity may be labeled inappropriate for small children in our program listings.
• Films must be submitted through filmfreeway.com. Please test before sending. All films with non-English dialogue or script must contain English subtitles in the film. (Film credits are not required to be listed in English.) We suggest file types H.264 or MP4.
To ensure quality playback, data files must NOT be larger than 8GB. Anything larger will not be guaranteed screen time, even if it was initially selected for entry. (Films submitted with data files larger than 8GB often have issues with playback even on dedicated computers and professional-grade equipment. We do not have access to streaming at our location)
• Films must have been completed after January 1, 2022. Films must be available for screening during the 2025 Doc Sunback Film Festival.
• Narrative and Documentary films with U.S. distribution (obtained before being selected for the Doc Sunback Film Festival screening) or films produced, financed, or initiated by a major film studio or television network are ineligible for competition but may be considered for a special screening. Selection for screening will be determined no later than one month before the festival. Films that have screened on US network or cable television or been distributed to theaters prior to the festival dates are also ineligible for competition but may be available for screening.
• We know that other film festivals make decisions based on premiere status. We do not. We want an audience for your film and would like to provide opportunities for filmmaker feedback and as such are not interested in where your film has premiered or screened previously. However, we reserve the right to ban filmmakers who, submit a film, and then pull it after being selected for entry and interrupt our programming efforts because of a desire to please other film festivals. Our completion dates are more generous in an attempt to allow filmmakers more opportunities to screen at more festivals. We support and respect filmmakers, please in turn respect our programming schedules & volunteers' time.
Please do not submit your film until it is complete.
Please include an email if your film was SHOT IN KANSAS (include locations).
Best Kansas Films or Kansas prize-winning films must be directed by current or former residents of the State of Kansas & proof of residency must be provided, i.e., Kansas I.D., Kansas Driver’s License, etc.
Once an entry payment has been processed, we cannot provide a refund. If a payment is disputed, the account holder may be subject to any fees.
Film submission does NOT guarantee entry.
If no film is submitted in a category, we reserve the right to create a special award and allocate those funds.
* Films selected as official entries may be used for promotion of the festival before the festival itself. This includes the use of trailers on social media for festival marketing purposes.
• We reserve the right to change these rules at any time & at our discretion.
Send your synopsis and, if desired, a cover letter introducing you/your film. DVDs will not be returned. Include a self-addressed, stamped postcard for each submission if you wish acknowledgment of the receipt of your entry in regular mail.
