The Elgin Short Film Festival (ESFF) will celebrate its 15th year on September 23, 2023 with a hybrid event – in-person viewing and a virtual screening option. On April 1, 2023, the ESFF will begin accepting entries for this year’s festival!
Since 2009 the ESFF has become a world-wide competition, with entries from around the globe and prizes going to filmmakers from the US, Canada, Spain, and South Korea. Welcoming an in-house audience as well as those screening the festival from afar, the 2023 ESFF is sure to be another impressive event showcasing the best in short cinema. Filmmakers are invited to submit their short films (20 minutes or less in length including credits) for competition in our festival via filmfreeway.com. This competition will allow any filmmaker to submit work, even if it has been entered into other festival
competitions! Films may be submitted in every genre and subject matter as long as they are within the scope of the official rules.
Exciting components to the ESFF 2023 festival:
The ESFF will feature a Live Action category and an Animation category.
The ESFF will be a hybrid (online) and a live-in person event.
Next In Finalist - Each category will have five potential finalists. The top two, as voted on by the selection committee, will make the finals. The next three films in each category will compete for a spot in the finals in September as part of the Elgin Fringe Festival. (Dates and times TBD)
The ESFF will accept films that are up to the equivalent of an MPAA ‘R’ rating.
The Top Finalists’ films selected will be treated to a red carpet arrival the night of the festival and
will be shown in the 1,200-seat theater of The Hemmens Cultural Center!
Trophies and cash prizes for the top three films -- up to $1,000!
The ESFF Committee encourages participation and looks forward to receiving film submissions for the 2023 Elgin Short Film Festival. The entry fee for films submitted by July 28, 2023 is $40. Films submitted after July 28, 2023 will have a $50 fee. The deadline to submit films is August 18, 2023! For a complete list of rules and regulations, and to download an application, go to:
hemmens.org/annualfilmfestival
filmfreeway.com/ElginShortFilmFestival
facebook.com/Hemmens
First Place for Best Film: Trophy & $1,000
Second Place for Best Film: Trophy and $500
Third Place for Best Film: Trophy & $300
The People’s Choice Award (based on audience votes cast during intermission): Trophy
The top 3 films in each category will be recognized on the night of the festival, September 23, 2023 .