“Celebrating sprocket-driven, artist-made work.”

“Engauge,” an experimental film festival based in Seattle, WA, now in its eighth year, invites you to submit your work ORIGINATING ON FILM.

Engauge is sponsored by INTERBAY CINEMA SOCIETY, a film arts organization dedicated to promoting works that originate on analog film.

IN KEEPING WITH OUR MISSION, "ENGAUGE" WILL CONSIDER ONLY FILMS THAT BEGAN ON CELLULOID, e.g. 8mm, Super 8, 16mm, 35mm, 70mm film, etc.

That means that somewhere in your own film-making process, you the filmmaker actually worked directly with celluloid, by loading film into a camera and shooting it, or looking through and selecting analog found footage, or directly scratching, painting, or drawing on, collaging or photogramming objects onto film. 

We anticipate an IN-PERSON ONLY series of screenings in 2025.

OUR PLANS FOR THE FESTIVAL COULD CHANGE. WE CANNOT KNOW WHAT LATE 2025 WILL LOOK LIKE. WE WILL STAY IN TOUCH WITH OUR SELECTED FILMMAKERS AS OUR PLANS DEVELOP.

Engauge was founded by Seattle-based artist/filmmakers working in 16mm and 35mm. Our festival favors DIY techniques, matte box experiments, in-camera editing, found footage collage, direct animation, hand- and eco-processing, optical printing, pin-hole exposures, cyanotye and phytography applications, laser printing onto film, various analog hacks, etc.

Cover design: film still from "Unity Island" by Carl J. Lee (EEFF 2024)

We are a proudly non-competitive festival.

1. All work submitted for consideration must have ORIGINATED ON FILM that you the filmmaker worked with directly. Work that uses “film” imagery taken from films on DVD or digitized before you got your hands on it is not eligible. BY SUBMITTING TO OUR FESTIVAL, YOU ARE GUARANTEEING THAT YOUR FILM MEETS THIS CRITERION.

2. You can submit up to 2 films.

3. Films must be submitted directly from the filmmaker. We will not negotiate with or accept work submitted through distributors. If you are submitting via a surrogate, let us know.

4. The festival will consider the work of established and emerging filmmakers. Student projects are not eligible.

5. We are committed to a festival that reflects the international and diverse nature of experimental work.

6. We will pay an honorarium for each film we screen.

7. We are interested in programming recently completed work but will consider older films on a case-by-case basis.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Daniel Maldonado

    Well curated program of exceptional celluloid work run with a persaonal touch.

    January 2025
  • David Sherman

    A wonderful celebration of film and experimental practices. Bravo!

    December 2024
  • Dave Johnson

    It is such an honor to be programmed in this esteemed festival!
    Huge gratitude to Caryn, the Northwest Film Forum and all the crew who make this festival happen! They also make every filmmaker in attendance feel welcome and appreciated.

    December 2024
  • Kyujae Park

    An amazing festival with great programs!!

    November 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you, Kyujae. We were thrilled to have your film in our festival.

  • Great festival! I loved the Northwest Film Forum space. Really cool film curation.

    November 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you for screening your wonderful film with us, Sarah. We are so lucky to have Northwest Film Forum as our co-sponsor for this festival and a lot of our other events.