The 5th Annual Film Festival for Down East Flick Fest (DEFF) will be a celebration of all the collaborative arts that make filmmaking possible. We have established valuable partnerships that will provide our filmmakers with opportunities that are above and beyond the event itself. Set in an area rich in stories and the artists who tell them, DEFF is a platform for independent voices and new stories within and beyond our geographic community as we advance the growth of the independent film community and foster creative collaboration. There will be opportunities to promote your craft, network with working filmmakers, and talk with industry professionals who will attend be attending the festival events held in Greenville, NC, a thriving art community, which is the home of East Carolina University.
While the COVID-19 pandemic led us to pause to reflect on the best way to move forward with this year’s film festival. We will offer live streaming option for select filmmakers. Seated screening events that surpass the current guidelines and best practices for the safety of all viewers are also part of our plan. We will announce the details concerning live streaming and seated events closer to the festival dates to ensure their viability.
Filmmakers who identify themselves as High School Students and request a unique code will be judged separately from the regular entries. Fees will be waived for High School filmmakers from North Carolina schools and reduced by one/half for all other High School filmmakers. See Rules and Terms for specific details on how they should be submitted.
The festival will be a juried event that is open for both emerging and experienced filmmakers. We are establishing partnership opportunities above and beyond the event itself.
Note: We added "Kid-Friendly" as a new category last year. Be sure to read the description and requirements under the category "Kid-Friendly" before submitting it.
This year we have added a timely but temporary category, COVID-19 Pandemic Reflections. Entries must relate to the current pandemic. We are living in an unprecedented time in which none of us have experienced the specific details of the challenges before us. This category is for reflective works that share knowledge, wisdom, and viewpoints to inform and inspire. For this category, we welcome all styles, including hybrid film projects of 2 or more genres.
This year the overall winner will win a total of $500 in cash and prizes. All the filmmakers will be awarded and highlighted for their outstanding entries, but there will be no losers. There will be special VIP offerings for the winning filmmakers. All filmmakers will receive notification of the status of their films. In the coming weeks and months, visit our website for more details at www.downeastflickfest.org.